PRODUCTION NOTES:--Italics in the book have been changed to to upper case in this eBook. --Footnotes have been placed in brackets [] within the text. --A number of tables have been omitted or rendered incomplete. These are indicated in the eBook at the point at which they occurred in the book. --Plates and maps in the book have not been reproduced. A list of plates forms part of the Table of Contents. There were 2 maps included in the book. These indicated the extent of Eyre's journeys. 

JOURNALS OF EXPEDITIONS OF DISCOVERY INTO CENTRAL AUSTRALIA AND OVERLANDFROM ADELAIDE TO KING GEORGE'S SOUND IN THE YEARS 1840-1: SENT BY THECOLONISTS OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, WITH THE SANCTION AND SUPPORT OF THEGOVERNMENT: INCLUDING AN ACCOUNT OF THE MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THEABORIGINES AND THE STATE OF THEIR RELATIONS WITH EUROPEANS. 

by EYRE, EDWARD JOHN (1815-1901)

TO LIEUT. -COLONEL GEORGE GAWLER, K. H. M. R. G. S. UNDER WHOSE AUSPICES, AS GOVERNOR OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA, THE EXPEDITIONS, DESCRIBED IN THE FOLLOWING PAGES, WERE UNDERTAKEN, THESE VOLUMES ARE RESPECTFULLY INSCRIBED, AS A TRIBUTE OF GRATITUDE FOR HIS KINDNESS AND RESPECT FOR HIS VIRTUES, BY THE AUTHOR. 

PREFACE. 

In offering to the public an account of Expeditions of Discovery inAustralia, undertaken in the years 1840-1, and completed in July of thelatter year, some apology may be deemed necessary for this narrative nothaving sooner appeared, or perhaps even for its being now published atall. 

With respect to the first, the author would remark that soon after hisreturn to South Australia upon the close of the Expeditions, and whencontemplating an immediate return to England, he was invited by theGovernor of the Colony to remain, and undertake the task ofre-establishing peace and amicable relations with the numerous nativetribes of the Murray River, and its neighbourhood, whose daring andsuccessful outrages in 1841, had caused very great losses to, and createdserious apprehensions among the Colonists. 

Hoping that his personal knowledge of and extensive practical experienceamong the Aborigines might prove serviceable in an employment of thisnature, the author consented to undertake it; and from the close ofSeptember 1841, until December 1844, was unremittingly occupied with theduties it entailed. It was consequently not in his power to attend to thepublication of his travels earlier, nor indeed can he regret a delay, which by the facilities it afforded him of acquiring a more intimateknowledge of the character and habits of the Aborigines, has enabled himto render that portion of his work which relates to them morecomprehensive and satisfactory than it otherwise would have been. 

With respect to the second point, or the reasons which have led to thiswork being published at all, the author would observe that he has beenled to engage in it rather from a sense of duty, and at the instance ofmany of his friends, than from any wish of his own. The greater portionof the country he explored was of so sterile and worthless a description, and the circumstances which an attempt to cross such a desert region ledto, were of so distressing a character, that he would not willingly haverevived associations, so unsatisfactory and so painful. 

It has been his fate, however, to cross, during the course of hisexplorations, a far greater extent of country than any Australiantraveller had ever done previously, and as a very large portion of thishad never before been trodden by the foot of civilized man, and from itsnature is never likely to be so invaded again, it became a duty to recordthe knowledge which was thus obtained, for the information of futuretravellers and as a guide to the scientific world in their inquiries intothe character and formation of so singular and interesting a country. 

To enable the reader to judge of the author's capabilities for the taskhe undertook, and of the degree of confidence that may be due to hisimpressions or opinions, it may not be out of place to state, that theExpeditions of 1840--1 were not entered upon without a sufficientprevious and practical experience in exploring. 

For eight years the author had been resident in Australia, during whichhe had visited many of the located parts of New South Wales, PortPhillip, South Australia, Western Australia, and Van Diemen's Land. Inthe years 1836, 1837, 1838, 1839, and 1840 he had conducted expeditionsacross from Liverpool Plains in New South Wales to the county of Murray, from Sydney to Port Phillip, from Port Phillip to Adelaide, and from KingGeorge's Sound to Swan River, besides undertaking several explorationstowards the interior, both from Port Lincoln and from Adelaide. 

To the knowledge and experience which were thus acquired, the author mustascribe the confidence and good opinion of his fellow-colonists, whichled them in 1840 to place under his command an undertaking of suchimportance, interest, and responsibility; and to these advantages hefeels that he is in a great measure indebted, under God's blessing, forhaving been enabled successfully to struggle through the difficulties anddangers which beset him, in crossing from Adelaide to King George'sSound. 

With this explanation for obtruding upon the public, the author wouldalso solicit their indulgence, for the manner in which the task has beenperformed. The only merit to which he can lay claim, is that of havingfaithfully described what he saw, and the impressions which were producedupon him at the time. In other respects it is feared that a work, whichwas entirely (and consequently very hastily) prepared for the press fromthe original notes, whilst voyaging from Australia to England, mustnecessarily be crude and imperfect. Where the principal object, however, was rather to record with accuracy than indulge in theory or conjecture, and where a simple statement of occurrences has been more attended tothan the language in which they are narrated, plainness and fidelitywill, it is hoped, be considered as some compensation for the absence ofthe embellishments of a more finished style, or a studied composition, and especially as the uncertainty attending the duration of the author'svisit to England made it a matter of anxious consideration to hurry thesevolumes through the press as rapidly as possible. There is onecircumstance to which he wishes particularly to allude, as accounting forthe very scanty notices he is now able to give of the geology or botanyof the country through which he travelled; it is the loss of all thespecimens that were collected during the earlier part of the Expedition, which occurred after they had been sent to Adelaide; this loss has beenirreparable, and has not only prevented him from ascertaining pointsabout which he was dubious, but has entirely precluded him from havingthe subjects considered, or the specimens classified and arranged bygentlemen of scientific acquirements in those departments of knowledge, in which the author is conscious he is himself defective. In the latterpart of the Expedition, or from Fowler's Bay to King George's Sound, thedreadful nature of the country, and the difficulties and disasters towhich this led, made it quite impossible either to make collections ofany kind, or to examine the country beyond the immediate line of route;still it is hoped that the passing notices which are made in the journal, and the knowledge of the similarity of appearance and uniform character, prevalent throughout the greater portion of the country passed through, will be quite sufficient to give a general and correct impression of thewhole. 

To Mr. Gray of the British Museum, the author is particularly indebtedfor his valuable contribution on the Natural History of the Southerncoast of Australia, and to Mr. Gould, the celebrated Ornithologist, histhanks are equally due, for a classified and most interesting list of thebirds belonging to the same portion of the continent. 

To Mr. Adam White, of the British Museum, he is also indebted for anaccount of some new insects, and to Dr. Richardson, for a scientific andclassified arrangement of fish caught on the Southern coast, near KingGeorge's Sound. The plates to which the numbers refer in thelast-mentioned paper, are the admirable drawings made from life, by J. Neill, Esq. Of King George's Sound, and now lodged at the British Museum. They are, however, both too numerous and too large to give in a work ofthis description, and will probably be published at some future time bytheir talented author. 

For the account given of the Aborigines the author deems it unnecessaryto offer any apology; a long experience among them, and an intimateknowledge of their character, habits, and position with regard toEuropeans, have induced in him a deep interest on behalf of a people, whoare fast fading away before the progress of a civilization, which oughtonly to have added to their improvement and prosperity. Gladly would theauthor wish to see attention awakened on their behalf, and an effort atleast made to stay the torrent which is overwhelming them. 

It is most lamentable to think that the progress and prosperity of onerace should conduce to the downfal and decay of another; it is still moreso to observe the apathy and indifference with which this result iscontemplated by mankind in general, and which either leads to noinvestigation being made as to the cause of this desolating influence, orif it is, terminates, to use the language of the Count Strzelecki, "inthe inquiry, like an inquest of the one race upon the corpse of theother, ending for the most part with the verdict of 'died by thevisitation of God. '"

In his attempt to delineate the actual circumstances and position of thenatives, and the just claims they have upon public sympathy andbenevolence, he has been necessitated to refer largely to the testimonyof others, but in doing this he has endeavoured as far as practicable, tosupport the views he has taken by the writings or opinions of those whoare, or who have been resident in the Colonies, and who might thereforebe supposed from a practical acquaintance with the subject, to be mostcompetent to arrive at just conclusions. 

In suggesting the only remedy which appears at all calculated to mitigatethe evil complained of, it has studiously been kept in view that thereare the interests of two classes to be provided for, those of theSettlers, and those of the Aborigines, it is thought that these interestscannot with advantage be separated, and it is hoped that it may be foundpracticable to blend them together. 

The Aborigines of New Holland are not on the whole a numerous people;they are generally of a very inoffensive and tractable character, and itis believed that they may, under ordinary circumstances, almost always berendered peaceable and well-disposed by kind and consistent treatment. Should this, in reality, prove to be the case, it may be found perhaps, that they could be more easily managed, and in the long run at a lessexpense, by some such system as is recommended, than by any otherrequiring means of a more retaliatory or coercive character. The systemproposed is at least one which by removing in a great measure temptationfrom the native, and thereby affording comparative security to thesettlers, will have a powerful effect in inducing the latter to unitewith the Government in any efforts made to ameliorate the condition ofthe Aborigines; a union which under present or past systems has not evertaken place, but one which it is very essential should be effected, ifany permanent good is hoped for. 

To Mr. Moorhouse the author returns his best thanks for his valuablenotes on the Aborigines, to which he is indebted for the opportunity ofgiving an account of many of the customs and habits of the Adelaidetribes. 

To Anthony Forster, Esq. He offers his warmest acknowledgments for hisassistance in overlooking the manuscripts during the voyage fromAustralia, and correcting many errors which necessarily resulted from thehurried manner in which they were prepared; it is to this kindsupervision must be ascribed the merit--negative though it may be--ofthere not being more errors than there are. 

CONTENTS OF VOLUME I. 

CHAPTER I. 

ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION--CONTEMPLATED EXPLORATION TO THEWESTWARD--MEETING OF THE COLONISTS, AND SUBSCRIPTIONS ENTERED INTO FORTHAT PURPOSE--NOTES ON THE UNFAVOURABLE NATURE OF THE COUNTRY TO THEWESTWARD, AND PROPOSAL THAT THE NORTHERN INTERIOR SHOULD BE EXAMINEDINSTEAD--MAKE AN OFFER TO THE GOVERNOR TO CONDUCT SUCH ANEXPEDITION--CAPTAIN STURT'S LECTURE--INTERVIEW WITH THEGOVERNOR--ARRANGEMENT OF PLANS--PREPARATION OF OUTFIT--COST OFEXPEDITION--NAME A DAY FOR DEPARTURE--PUBLIC BREAKFAST AND COMMENCEMENTOF THE UNDERTAKING

CHAPTER II. 

FIRST NIGHT'S ENCAMPMENT WITH PARTY--REFLECTIONS--ARRIVAL AT SHEEPSTATION--RE-ARRANGEMENTS OF LOADS--METHOD OF CARRYING FIRE-ARMS--COMPLETETHE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--THEIR NAMES--MOVE ONWARDS--VALLEY OF THELIGHT--EXTENSIVE PLAINS--HEAD OF THE GILBERT--SCARCITY OFFIREWOOD--GRASSY WELL-WATERED DISTRICTS--THE HILL AND HUTTRIVERS--INDICATION OF CHANGE GOING ON IN APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER OF THECOUNTRY, TRACEABLE IN THE REMAINS OF TIMBER IN THE PLAINS AND IN THEOPENINGS AMONG SCRUBS--THE BROUGHTON--REEDY WATERCOURSE--CAMPBELL'SRANGE--COURSE OF THE BROUGHTON

CHAPTER III. SPRING HILL--AN AGED NATIVE DESERTED BY HIS TRIBE--RICH AND EXTENSIVEPLAINS--SURPRISE A PARTY OF NATIVES--ROCKY RIVER--CRYSTAL BROOK--FLINDERSRANGE--THE DEEP SPRING--MYALL PONDS--ROCKY WATER HOLES--DRYWATERCOURSE--REACH THE DEPOT NEAR MOUNT ARDEN--PREPARE FOR LEAVING THEPARTY--BLACK SWANS PASS TO THE NORTH--ARRIVAL OF THE WATERWITCH

CHAPTER IV. MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR GETTING UP STORES FROM THE WATERWITCH--LEAVE THEPARTY--SALT WATERCOURSE--MOUNT EYRE--ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY--LAKETORRENS--RETURN TOWARDS THE HILLS--NATIVE FEMALE--SALINE CHARACTER OF THECOUNTRY--MOUNT DECEPTION--REACH THE EASTERN HILLS--LARGEWATERCOURSES--WATER HOLE IN A ROCK--GRASSY BUT HILLY COUNTRY--RUNNINGSTREAM--ASCEND A RANGE--RETURN HOMEWARDS--DECAY OF TREES IN THEWATERCOURSES--SHOOT A KANGAROO--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--BURY STORES--MAKEPREPARATIOUS FOR LEAVING--SEUD DESPATCHES TO THE VESSEL

CHAPTER V. BREAK UP THE ENCAMPMENT--ARRIVE AT DEPOT POOL--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OFTHE COUNTRY--BAROMETERS OUT OF ORDER--ADVANCE TO RECONNOITRE--ASCENDTERMINATION HILL--SURPRISE NATIVE WOMEN--THEY ABANDON THEIRCHILDREN--INEFFECTUAL SEARCH FOR WATER--RETURN TOWARDS MOUNTDECEPTION--BROKEN CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FIND WATER--THE SCOTT--REJOINTHE PARTY--WATER ALL USED AT THE DEPOT--EMBARRASSINGCIRCUMSTANCES--REMOVE TO THE SCOTT--RECONNOITRE IN ADVANCE--BARRENCOUNTRY--TABLE-TOPPED ELEVATIONS--INDICATIONS OF THE VIOLENT ACTION OFWATER--MEET NATIVES--REACH LAKE TORRENS--THE WATER SALT--OBLIGED TORETURN--ARRIVAL AT DEPOT--HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE NATIVES. 

CHAPTER VI. CAUSE OF HOSTILITY OF THE NATIVES--WELL SUNK UNSUCCESSFULLY--OVERSEERSENT TO THE EAST--THE SCOTT EXAMINED--ROCK WALLUBIES--OVERSEER'SRETURN--ANOTHER VISIT TO LAKE TORRENS--BOGGY CHARACTER OF ITSBED--EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OF MIRAGE AND REFRACTION--RETURN TO THECAMP--SUPPLY OF WATER EXHAUSTED--LEAVE THE DEPOT--THE MUNDY--THEBURR--MOUNT SERLE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE EAST--MELANCHOLY PROSPECTS

CHAPTER VII. EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-EAST--TRACE DOWN THE FROME--WATER BECOMESSALT--PASS BEYOND THE RANGES--COCKATOOS SEEN--HEAVY RAINS--DRYWATERCOURSES--MOUNT DISTANCE--BRINE SPRINGS--MOUNT HOPELESS--TERMINATIONOF FLINDERS RANGE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST--ALL FURTHERADVANCE HOPELESS--YOUNG EMUS CAUGHT--REJOIN PARTY--MOVE BACK TOWARDSMOUNT ARDEN--LOSS OF A HORSE--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--PLANS FOR THEFUTURE--TAKE UP STORES--PREPARE FOR LEAVING

CHAPTER VIII. PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LAKE TORRENSAND SPENCER'S GULF--BAXTER'S RANGE--DIVIDE THE PARTY--ROUTE TOWARDS PORTLINCOLN--SCRUB--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--SEND DRAY BACK FORWATER--PLUNDERED BY THE NATIVES--RETURN OF DRAY--DENSE SCRUB--REFUGEROCKS--DENSE SCRUB--SALT CREEK--MOUNT HILL--DENSE SCRUB--LARGEWATERCOURSE--ARRIVE AT A STATION--RICH AND GRASSY VALLEYS--CHARACTER OFPORT LINCOLN PENINSULA--UNABLE TO PROCURE SUPPLIES--ENGAGE A BOAT TO SENDOVER TO ADELAIDE--BUY SHEEP

CHAPTER IX. BOY SPEARED BY THE NATIVES--ANOMALOUS STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH THEABORIGINES--MR. SCOTT SAILS FOR ADELAIDE--DOG BOUGHT--MR. SCOTT'SRETURN--CUTTER WATERWITCH SENT TO CO-OPERATE--SEND HER TO STREAKYBAY--LEAVE PORT LINCOLN WITH THE DRAY--LEVEL SANDY COUNTRY CLOTHED WITHBRUSH AND SHRUBS--SALT LAKES--MOUNT HOPE--LAKE HAMILTON--STONYCOUNTRY--LOSE A DOG--BETTER COUNTRY--WEDGE HILL--LAKE NEWLAND--A BOATHARBOUR--MOUNT HALL--REJOIN PARTY AT STREAKY BAY--SINGULARSPRING--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--BEDS OF OYSTERS

CHAPTER X. COUNTRY BETWEEN STREAKY BAY AND BAXTER'S RANGE--ITS SCRUBBYCHARACTER--GAWLER RANGE--MOUNT STURT--ASCEND A PEAK--SALTLAKES--BEAUTIFUL FLOWER--ASCEND ANOTHER BILL--MOUNT BROWN SEEN--EXTENSIVEVIEW TO THE NORTH--LAKE GILLES--BAXTER'S RANGE

CHAPTER XI. EMBARK STORES--PARTY LEAVE STREAKY BAY--DENSE SCRUB--POINTBROWN--SINGULAR WELL--PROCESS OF CHANGE IN APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY--DIG FORWATER--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXTRAORDINARY RITE--NATIVE GUIDES--LEIPOA'SNEST--DENIAL BAY--BEELIMAH GAIPPE--KANGAROO KILLED--MORENATIVES--BERINYANA GAIPPE--SALT LAKES--WADEMAR GAIPPE--SANDY AND SCRUBBYCOUNTRY--MOBEELA GAIPPE--DIFFICULTY OF GETTING WATER--MORENATIVES--GENUINE HOSPITALITY--SINGULAR MARKS ON THE ABDOMEN--NATIVESLEAVE THE PARTY--FOWLER'S BAY--EXCELLENT WHALING STATION. 

CHAPTER XII. LAND THE STORES AND SEND THE CUTTER TO DENIAL BAY--PARTY REMOVE TO POINTFOWLER--LEAVE THE PARTY--BEDS OF LAKES--DENSE SCRUB--COASTSAND-DRIFTS--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--DISTRESS OF THE HORSES--TURNBACK--LEAVE A HORSE--FIND WATER--REJOIN PARTY--SEND FOR THEHORSE--COUNTRY AROUND DEPOT--TAKE A DRAY TO THE WESTWARD--WRETCHEDCOUNTRY--FALL IN WITH NATIVES--MISUNDERSTAND THEIR SIGNS--THEY LEAVEUS--VAIN SEARCH FOR WATER--TURN BACK--HORSE KNOCKED UP--GO BACK FORWATER--REJOIN THE DRAY--COMMENCE RETURN--SEARCH FOR WATER--DRAYSURROUNDED BY NATIVES--EMBARRASSING SITUATION--BURY BAGGAGE--THREE HORSESABANDONED--REACH THE SAND-DRIFTS--UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO SAVE THEHORSES--SEND FOR FRESH HORSES--SEARCH FOR WATER TO NORTH-EAST--RECOVERTHE DRAY AND STORES--REJOIN THE PARTY AT DEPOT NEAR POINT FOWLER--RETURNOF THE CUTTER

CHAPTER XIII. FUTURE PLANS--REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--SEND THE CUTTER TOADELAIDE--REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR--MONOTONOUS LIFE AT CAMP--REMOVE TOANOTHER LOCALITY--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FLINT FOUND--AGAINATTEMPT TO REACH THE HEAD OF THE BIGHT--REACH THE SAND-HILLS, AND BURYFLOUR--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXHAUSTED STATE OF THE HORSES--GET THE DRAY TOTHE PLAIN--BURY WATER--SEND BACK DRAY--PROCEED WITHPACK-HORSE--OPPRESSIVE HEAT--SEND BACK PACK-HORSE--REACH THE HEAD OF THEBIGHT--SURPRISE SOME NATIVES--THEIR KINDBEHAVIOUR--YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--THEIR ACCOUNT OF THE INTERIOR

CHAPTER XIV. PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFF'S OF THE GREAT BIGHT--LEVEL NATURE OF THEINTERIOR--FLINTS ABOUND--RETURN TO YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--NATIVES COME TO THECAMP--THEIR GENEROUS CONDUCT--MEET THE OVERSEER--RETURN TO DEPOT--BADWATER--MOVE BACK TO FOWLER'S BAY--ARRIVAL OF THE CUTTER HERO--JOINED BYTHE KING GEORGE'S SOUND NATIVE--INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TO THEHERO--DIFFICULTY OF FIXING UPON ANY FUTURE PLAN--BREAK UP THE EXPEDITIONAND DIVIDE THE PARTY--MR. SCOTT EMBARKS--FINAL REPORT--THE HEROSAILS--OVERSEER AND NATIVES REMAIN--EXCURSION TO THE NORTH--A NATIVEJOINS US--SUDDEN ILLNESS IN THE PARTY--FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING THEDEPOT

CHAPTER XV. RETURN OF MR. SCOTT IN THE HERO--MR. SCOTT AGAIN SAILS FORADELAIDE--COMMENCE JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL AT THESAND-HILLS--LARGE FLIES--TAKE ON THE SHEEP--LEAVE THE OVERSEER WITH THEHORSES--REACH YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--JOINED BY THE OVERSEER--TORMENTING FLIESAGAIN--MOVE ON WITH THE SHEEP--LEAVE OVERSEER TO FOLLOW WITH THEHORSES--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY ALONG THE BIGHT--SCENERY OF THECLIFFS--LEAVE THE SHEEP--ANXIETY ABOUT WATER--REACH THE TERMINATION OFTHE CLIFFS--FIND WATER

CHAPTER XVI. GO BACK TO MEET THE OVERSEER--PARTY ARRIVE AT THE WATER--LONGENCAMPMENT--GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF THE CLIFFS--MOVE ON AGAIN--DIG FORWATER--TRACES OF NATIVES--SEND BACK FOR WATER--PARROTS SEEN--COOL WINDSFROM NORTH-EAST--OVERSEER RETURNS--CONTINUE THE JOURNEY--ABANDONBAGGAGE--DENSE SCRUBS--DRIVEN TO THE BEACH--MEET NATIVES--MODE OFPROCURING WATER FROM ROOTS

CHAPTER XVII. HORSES BEGIN TO KNOCK UP--COMPELLED TO FOLLOW ROUND THE BEACH--TIMOR PONYUNABLE TO PROCEED--GLOOMY PROSPECTS--OVERSEER BEGINS TO DESPOND--TWO MOREHORSES LEFT BEHIND--FRAGMENTS OF WRECKS--WATER ALL CONSUMED--COLLECTDEW--CHANGE IN CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--DIG A WELL--PROCURE WATER--NATIVEAND FAMILY VISIT US--OVERSEER GOES BACK FOR BAGGAGE--DISASTROUSTERMINATION OF HIS JOURNEY--SITUATION AND PROSPECTS OF THE PARTY

CHAPTER XVIII. GO BACK WITH A NATIVE--SPEAR STING-RAYS--RECOVER THE BAGGAGE--COLDWEATHER--OVERSEER RECONNOITRES THE CLIFFS--UNFAVOURABLEREPORT--DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO BEST PLANS FOR THE FUTURE--KILL AHORSE FOR FOOD--INJURIOUS EFFECTS FROM MEAT DIET--NATIVE BOYS BECOMEDISAFFECTED--THEY STEAL PROVISIONS--NATIVE BOYS DESERT THE PARTY--THEYRETURN ALMOST STARVED--PARTY PROCEED ONWARDS TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OFTHE BIGHT--COUNTRY BEHIND THEM--THREATENING WEATHER--MURDER OF THEOVERSEER

APPENDIX. 

DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS, BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ. F. R. S. CATALOGUE OF REPTILES AND FISH, FOUND AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND, BY DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMISSARY--GENERAL NEILL. THE REPTILES NAMED AND ARRANGED BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ. , AND THE FISH BY DR. RICHARDSON DESCRIPTION AND FIGURES OF FOUR NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS, BY ADAM WHITE, ESQ. M. E. S. DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS FROM AUSTRALIA, BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ. F. R. S. DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTS, BY EDWARD DOUBLEDAY, ESQ. F. R. S. Etc. LIST OF BIRDS KNOWN TO INHABIT SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, BY JOHN GOULD, ESQ. F. R. S. 

LIST OF PLATES--VOLUME I. 

Tenberry, with Wife and Child, drawn by G. HamiltonDeparture of the Expedition drawn by G. HamiltonOpossum-hunting at Gawler PlainsNative GravesWylie (J. Neil)Plate I. --New Toads and FrogsPlate II. --New Frogs and new BatPlate III. --New InsectsPlate IV. --New Cray-fishPlate V. --New ShellsPlate VI. --New Butterflies

CONTENTS OF VOLUME II. 

CHAPTER I. THE CAMP PLUNDERED--NIGHT OF HORRORS--PROCEED ON TO THE WESTWARD--THEBOYS FOLLOW US--THEY ARE LEFT BEHIND--FORCED MARCHES--DESERTCOUNTRY--BANKSIAS MET WITH--TRACES OF NATIVES--TERMINATION OF THECLIFFS--FIND WATER

CHAPTER II. REFLECTIONS UPON SITUATION--WATCH FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE NATIVEBOYS--THEIR PROBABLE FATE--PROCEED ON THE JOURNEY--FACILITY OF OBTAININGWATER--KILL A HORSE FOR FOOD--SILVER-BARK TEA-TREE--INTENSE COLD--FIRSTHILLS SEEN--GOOD GRASS--APPETITE OF A NATIVE--INJURIOUS EFFECTS OFUNWHOLESOME DIET--CHANGE IN THE CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--GRANITE FORMSTHE LOW WATER LEVEL--TREE WASHED ON SHORE--INDISPOSITION

CHAPTER III. HEAVY ROAD--A YOUNG KANGAROO SHOT--GRASSY COUNTRY--POINT MALCOLM--TRACESOF ITS HAVING BEEN VISITED BY EUROPEANS--GRASS-TREES MET WITH--A KANGAROOKILLED--CATCH FISH--GET ANOTHER KANGAROO--CRAB HUNTING--RENEW THEJOURNEY--CASUARINAE MET WITH--CROSS THE LEVEL BANK--LOW COUNTRY BEHINDIT--CAPE ARID--SALT WATER CREEK--XAMIA SEEN--CABBAGE TREE OF THESOUND--FRESH WATER LAKE--MORE SALT STREAMS--OPOSSUMS CAUGHT--FLAG REEDSFOUND--FRESH WATER STREAMS--BOATS SEEN--MEET WITH A WHALER

CHAPTER IV. GO ON BOARD THE MISSISSIPPI--WET WEATHER--VISIT LUCKY BAY--INTERVIEW WITHNATIVES--WYLIE UNDERSTANDS THEIR LANGUAGE--GET THE HORSES SHOD--PREPARETO LEAVE THE VESSEL--KINDNESS AND LIBERALITY OF CAPTAIN ROSSITER--RENEWJOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--FOSSIL FORMATION STILL CONTINUES--SALT WATERSTREAMS AND LAKES--A LARGE SALT RIVER--CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY

CHAPTER V. LARGE WATERCOURSE--LAKE OF FRESH WATER--HEAVY RAINS--REACH MOUNTBARREN--SALT LAKES AND STREAMS--BARREN SCRUBBY COUNTRY--RANGES BEHINDKING GEORGE'S SOUND ARE SEEN--BRACKISH PONDS--PASS CAPE RICHE--A LARGESALT RIVER--CHAINS OF PONDS--GOOD LAND--HEAVILY TIMBERED COUNTRY--COLDWEATHER--FRESH LAKE--THE CANDIUP RIVER--KING'S RIVER--EXCESSIVERAINS--ARRIVAL AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND, AND TERMINATION OF THEEXPEDITION--RECEPTION OF WYLIE BY THE NATIVES

CHAPTER VI. CONCLUDING REMARKS

MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE ABORIGINES OF AUSTRALIA. 

CHAPTER I. PRELIMINARY REMARKS--UNJUST OPINIONS GENERALLY ENTERTAINED OF THECHARACTER OF THE NATIVE--DIFFICULTIES AND DISADVANTAGES HE LABOURS UNDERIN HIS RELATIONS WITH EUROPEANS--AGGRESSIONS AND INJURIES ON THE PART OFTHE LATTER IN GREAT DEGREE EXTENUATE HIS CRIMES

CHAPTER II. PHYSICAL APPEARANCE--DRESS--CHARACTER--HABITS OF LIFE--MEETINGS OFTRIBES--WARS--DANCES--SONGS

CHAPTER III. FOOD--HOW PROCURED--HOW PREPARED--LIMITATION AS TO AGE, etc. 

CHAPTER IV. PROPERTY INLAND--DWELLINGS--WEAPONS--IMPLEMENTS--GOVERNMENT--CUSTOMS--SOCIALRELATIONS--MARRIAGE--NOMENCLATURE

CHAPTER V. CEREMONIES AND SUPERSTITIONS--FORMS OF BURIAL--MOURNINGCUSTOMS--RELIGIOUS IDEAS--EMPIRICS, etc. 

CHAPTER VI. NUMBERS--DISEASES--CAUSE OF LIMITED POPULATION--CRIMES AGAINSTEUROPEANS--AMONGST THEMSELVES--TREATMENT OF EACH OTHER IN DISTRIBUTION OFFOOD, etc. 

CHAPTER VII. LANGUAGE, DIALECTS, CUSTOMS, etc. --GENERAL SIMILARITY THROUGHOUT THECONTINENT--CAUSES OF DIFFERENCES--ROUTE BY WHICH THE NATIVES HAVEOVERSPREAD THE COUNTRY, etc. 

CHAPTER VIII. EFFECTS OF CONTACT WITH EUROPEANS--ATTEMPTS AT IMPROVEMENT ANDCIVILIZATION--ACCOUNT OF SCHOOLS--DEFECTS OF THE SYSTEM

CHAPTER IX. SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF SYSTEM ADOPTED TOWARDS THE NATIVES 458

* * * * *

EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES OF NATIVE ORNAMENTS, WEAPONS, IMPLEMENTS, ANDWORKS OF INDUSTRY

LIST OF PLATES. --VOL. II. 

Distribution of flour at Moorunde, G. HamiltonArrival at King George's Sound, J. NeillPlate I. --Native OrnamentsKangaroo Dance of King George's Sound, J. NeillWoodcut of a Standard used in the Dances performed by dayPlate II. Native WeaponsPlate III. Native WeaponsPlate IV. Native ImplementsPlate V. Native Works of IndustryMode of disposing of the Dead of the Lower MurrayMurray River at MoorundePlate VI. Miscellaneous Native Articles1. Head of war spear of the North Coast, barbed for 3 feet, total length9 1/2 feet. 2. Head of fish spear of the North Coast, barbed for 18 inches, totallength 8 3/4 feet. 2. Head of spear of the North Coast, barbed for 18 inches, total length8 3/4 feet. 4. Head of war spear of the North Coast, with head of quartz, 6 inches, total length 9 1/2 feet. 5. Head of war spear of the North Coast, with head of slate, 6 inches, total length 9 1/2 feet. 6. Two handed sword of hard wood, North Coast, 3 1/2 feet. 7. Throwing stick of North Coast, 3 feet 1 inch. 8. Throwing stick of North Coast, very pliant, 3-16ths of an inch onlythick, 3 feet 6 inches. 9. Broad short throwing stick, 2 feet 2 inches. 10. An ornament of feathers for the neck. 11. Five Kangaroo teeth in a bunch, worn round the neck. 12. A net waistband or belt, from Murray River, 8 feet long 6 incheswide. 13. Plume of feathers tied to thin wand, and stuck in the hair atdances--New South Wales. 14. War club. 15. War club. 16. Bag of close net work. 17. Band for forehead of Swan's down. 18. Root end of a kind of grass, used as pins for pegging out skins. 19. Sorcerer's stick. 20. Sorcerer's stick. 

VOLUME I

JOURNAL OF EXPEDITIONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA IN 1840. 

Chapter I. 

ORIGIN OF THE EXPEDITION--CONTEMPLATED EXPLORATION TO THEWESTWARD--MEETING OF THE COLONISTS AND SUBSCRIPTIONS ENTERED INTO FORTHAT PURPOSE--NOTES ON THE UNFAVOURABLE NATURE OF THE COUNTRY TO THEWESTWARD, AND PROPOSAL THAT THE NORTHERN INTERIOR SHOULD BE EXAMINEDINSTEAD--MAKE AN OFFER TO THE GOVERNOR TO CONDUCT SUCH ANEXPEDITION--CAPTAIN STURT'S LECTURE--INTERVIEW WITH THE GOVERNOR, ARRANGEMENT OF PLANS--PREPARATION OF OUTFIT--COST OF EXPEDITION--NAME ADAY FOR DEPARTURE--PUBLIC BREAKFAST AND COMMENCEMENT OF THE UNDERTAKING. 

Before entering upon the account of the expedition sent to explore theinterior of Australia, to which the following pages refer, it may perhapsbe as well to advert briefly to the circumstances which led to theundertaking itself, that the public being fully in possession of themotives and inducements which led me, at a very great sacrifice of myprivate means, to engage in an exploration so hazardous and arduous, andinformed of the degree of confidence reposed in me by those interested inthe undertaking, and the sanguine hopes and high expectations that wereformed as to the result, may be better able to judge how far thatconfidence was well placed, and how far my exertions were commensuratewith the magnitude of the responsibility I had undertaken. 

I have felt it the more necessary to allude to this subject now, becauseI was in some measure at the time instrumental in putting a stop to acontemplated expedition to the westward, and of thus unintentionallyinterfering with the employment of a personal friend of my own, than whomno one could have been more fitted to command an undertaking of the kind, from his amiable disposition, his extensive experience, and his generalknowledge and acquirements. 

Upon returning, about the middle of May 1840, from a visit to KingGeorge's Sound and Swan River, I found public attention in Adelaideconsiderably engrossed with the subject of an overland communicationbetween Southern and Western Australia. Captain Grey, now the Governor ofSouth Australia, had called at Adelaide on his way to England from KingGeorge's Sound, and by furnishing a great deal of interesting informationrelative to Western Australia, and pointing out the facilities thatexisted on its eastern frontier, as far as it was then known, for theentrance of stock from the Eastward, had called the attention of theflock-masters of the Colony to the importance of opening a communicationbetween the two places, with a view to the extension of their pastoralinterests. The notes of Captain Grey, referring to this subject, werepublished in the South Australian Register newspaper of the 28th March, 1840. On the 30th of the same month, a number of gentlemen, many of whomwere owners of large flocks and herds, met together, for the purpose oftaking the matter into consideration, and the result of this conferencewas the appointment of a Committee, whose duty it was to report upon thebest means of accomplishing the object in view. On the 4th, 7th, and 9thof April other meetings were held, and the results published in the SouthAustralian Register, of the 11th April, as follows:--

OVERLAND ROUTE TO WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 

At a Meeting of the Committee for making arrangements for an expeditionto explore an overland route to Western Australia, held the 7th of April, the Hon. The Surveyor-general in the chair, the following resolutionswere agreed to:--

That a communication be made to the Government of Western Australia, detailing the objects contemplated by this Committee, and further statingthat the assistance of the Government of this province has been obtained. 

That a communication be made to the Hon. The Surveyor-general, the Hon. The Advocate-general the Hon. G. Leake, Esq. Of Western Australia, with arequest that they will form a committee in conjunction with such settlersas may feel interested in the same undertaking, for the purpose ofcollecting private subscriptions, and co-operating with this committee. 

Resolved, that similar communications be made to the Government of NewSouth Wales, and to the following gentlemen who are requested to act as acommittee with the same power as that of Western Australia: Hon. E. DeasThomson, Colonial Secretary; William Macarthur, Esq. ; Captain Parker; P. King, R. N. ; Stuart Donaldson, Esq. ; George Macleay, Esq. ; CharlesCampbell, Esq. 

That this Committee would propose, in order to facilitate the progress ofthe expedition, that depots be formed at convenient points on the route;that it is proposed to make Fowler's Bay the first depot on the routefrom Adelaide, and to leave it to the Government of Western Australia todecide upon the sites which their local knowledge may point out as themost eligible for similar stations, as far to the eastward as may appearpracticable. 

That a subscription list be immediately opened in Adelaide to collectfunds in aid of the undertaking. 

That R. F. Newland, Esq. , be requested to act as Treasurer to thisCommittee, and that subscriptions be received at the Banks of Australasiaand South Australia. 

E. C. FROME, Chairman. CHAS. BONNEY, Secretary. 

The Committee again met on the 9th April--the Hon. The AssistantCommissioner in the chair. It was resolved that the following statementhead the subscription list:--

Several meetings having taken place at Adelaide of persons interested inthe discovery of an overland route to Western Australia, and it being thegeneral opinion of those meetings that such an enterprise would verygreatly benefit the colonists of Eastern, Southern, and WesternAustralia, it was determined to open subscriptions for the furtherance ofthis most desirable object under the direction of the followingCommittee:

G. A. Anstey, Esq. John Knott, Esq. Charles Bonney, Esq. Duncan M'Farlane, Esq. John Brown, Esq. David McLaren, Esq. Edward Eyre, Esq. John Morphett, Esq. John Finniss, Esq. Chas. Mann, Esq. J. H. Fisher, Esq. R. F. Newland, Esq. Lieutenant Frome, Dr. Rankin. Esq. Surveyor-general G. Stevenson, Esq. O. Gilles, Esq. F. Stephens, Esq. Captain Grey W. Smilie, Esq. J. B. Hack, Esq. T. B. Strangwaya, Esq. G. Hamilton, Esq. Capt. Sturt, Ass. Com. Ephraim Howe, Esq. John Walker, Esq. 

The very great importance of the undertaking as leading to results, andin all probability to discoveries, the benefits of which are at presentunforeseen, but which, like the opening of the Murray to this Province, may pave the way to a high road from hence to Western Australia, will, itis hoped meet with that support from the public which undertakings ofgreat national interest deserve, and which best evince the enterprise andwell-doing of a rising colony. 

That Captain Grey, being about to embark for England, the Committeecannot allow him to quit these shores without expressing their regretthat his stay has been so short, and the sense they entertain of thegreat interest he has evinced in the welfare of the colony, and thedisinterested support he has given an enterprise which is likely to leadto such generally beneficial results as that under consideration. 

CHAS. STURT, Chairman. CHAS. BONNEY, Secretary. 

LIST OF SUBSCRIPTIONS RECEIVED YESTERDAY. 

The Government of South Australia 200 poundsHis Excellency the Governor(absent at Port Lincoln)and the Colonists 349 pounds 10 shillings

Such was the state in which I found the question on my return fromWestern Australia. All had been done that was practicable, until answerswere received from the other Colonies, replying to the applications forassistance and co-operation in the proposed undertaking. 

Having been always greatly interested in the examination of this vast butcomparatively unknown continent, and having already myself beenfrequently engaged in long and harassing explorations, it will not bedeemed surprising that I should at once have turned my attention to thesubject so prominently occupying the public mind. I have stated that theprincipal object proposed to be attained by the expedition to thewestward, was that of opening a route for the transit of stock from onecolony to the other--nay it was even proposed and agreed to by a majorityof the gentlemen attending the public meeting that the first party ofexploration should be accompanied by cattle. Now, from my previousexamination of the country to the westward of the located parts of SouthAustralia, I had in 1839 fully satisfied myself, not only of thedifficulty, but of the utter impracticability of opening an overlandroute for stock in that direction, and I at once stated my opinion tothat effect, and endeavoured to turn the general attention from theWestward to the North, as being the more promising opening, either forthe discovery of a good country, or of an available route across thecontinent. The following extract, from a paper by me on the subject, waspublished in the South Australian Register of the 23rd May, 1840, andcontains my opinion at that time of the little prospect there was of anyuseful result accruing from the carrying out of the proposed expeditionto the Westward:--

"It may now, therefore, be a question for those who are interested in thesending an expedition overland to the Swan River to consider what arelikely to be the useful results from such a journey. In a geographicalpoint of view it will be exceedingly interesting to know the character ofthe intervening country between this colony and theirs, and to unfold thesecrets hidden by those lofty, and singular cliffs at the head of theGreat Bight, and so far, it might perhaps be practicable--since it ispossible that a light party might, in a favourable season, force theirway across. As regards the transit of stock, however, my own convictionis that it is quite impracticable. The vast extent of desert country tothe westward--the scarcity of grass--the denseness of the scrub--and theall but total absence of water, even in the most favourable seasons, arein themselves, sufficient bars to the transit of stock, even to adistance we are already acquainted with. I would rather, therefore, turnthe public attention to the Northward, as being the most probable pointfrom which discoveries of importance may be made, or such as are likelyto prove beneficial to this and the other colonies, and from which it ispossible the veil may be lifted, from the still unknown and mysteriousinterior of this vast continent. "

On the 27th I dined with His Excellency the Governor, and had a longconversation with him on the subject of the proposed Western Expedition, and on the exploration of the Northern Interior. With his usual anxietyto promote any object which he thought likely to benefit the colony, andadvance the cause of science, His Excellency expressed great interest inthe examination of the Northern Interior, and a desire that an attemptshould be made to penetrate its recesses during the ensuing season. 

As I had been the means of diverting public attention from a Western to aNorthern exploration, so was I willing to encounter myself the risks andtoils of the undertaking I had suggested, and I therefore at oncevolunteered to His Excellency to take the command of any party that mightbe sent out, to find one-third of the number of horses required, and payone-third of the expenses. Two days after this a lecture was delivered atthe Mechanics' Institute in Adelaide, by Captain Sturt, upon theGeography and Geology of Australia, at the close of which that gentlemanacquainted the public with the proposal I had made to the Governor, andthe sanction and support which His Excellency was disposed to give it. The following extract is from Captain Sturt's address, and shews thedisinterested and generous zeal which that talented and successfultraveller was ever ready to exert on behalf of those who were inclined tofollow the career of enterprise and ambition in which he had with suchdistinction led the way. 

"Before I conclude, however, having drawn your attention to the scienceof geology, I would for a moment dwell on that of geography, and thebenefit the pursuit and study of it has been to mankind. To geography weowe all our knowledge of the features of the earth's surface, ourintercourse with distant nations, and our enjoyments of numberlesscomforts and luxuries. The sister sciences of geography and hydrographyhave enabled us to pursue our way to any quarter of the habitable anduninhabitable world. With the history of geography, moreover, ourproudest feelings are associated. Where are there names dearer to us thanthose of the noble and devoted Columbus, of Sebastian Cabot, of Cook, ofHumboldt, and of Belzoni and La Perouse? Where shall we find the generousand heroic devotion of the explorers of Africa surpassed? Of Denham, ofClapperton, of Oudeny, and of the many who have sacrificed their valuablelives to the pestilence of that climate or to the ferocity of itsinhabitants?--And where shall we look for the patient and perseveringendurance of Parry, of Franklin, and of Back, in the northern regions ofeternal snow? If, ladies and gentlemen, fame were to wreathe a crown tothe memory of such men, there would not be a leaf in it without a name. The region of discovery was long open to the ambitious, but the energyand perseverance of man has now left but little to be done in that onceextensive and honourable field. The shores of every continent have beenexplored--the centre of every country has been penetrated save that ofAustralia--thousands of pounds have been expended in expeditions to thePoles--but this country, round which a girdle of civilization is forming, is neglected, and its recesses, whether desert or fertile, are unsoughtand unexplored. What is known of the interior is due rather to privateenterprise than to public energy. Here then there is still a field forthe ambitious to tread. Over the centre of this mighty continent therehangs a veil which the most enterprising might be proud to raise. Thepath to it, I would venture to say, is full of difficulty and danger; andto him who first treads it much will be due. I, who have been as far asany, have seen danger and difficulty thicken around me as I advanced, andI cannot but anticipate the same obstacles to the explorer, from whateverpoint of these extreme shores he may endeavour to force his way. Nevertheless, gentlemen, I shall envy that man who shall first plant theflag of our native country in the centre of our adopted one. There is notone deed in those days to be compared with it, and to whoever mayundertake so praiseworthy and so devoted a task, I wish that success, which Heaven sometimes vouchsafes to those who are actuated by the firstof motives--the public good; and the best of principles--a reliance onProvidence. I would I myself could undertake such a task, but fear thatmay not be. However, there is a gentleman among us, who is auxious toundertake such a journey. He has calculated that in taking a party fivehundred miles into the interior, the expense would not be more than 300pounds and the price of ten horses. At a meeting held some time ago, onthis very subject, about half that sum was subscribed. --His Excellencythe Governor has kindly promised to give 100 pounds, and two horses--andI think we may very soon make up the remainder; and thus may set out anexpedition which may explore the as yet unknown interior of this vastcontinent, which may be the means, by discovery, of conferring a lastingbenefit on the colony--and hand down to posterity the name of the personwho undertakes it. "

On the same day I received a note from the private secretary, statingthat the Governor wished to see me, and upon calling on His Excellency Ihad a long and interesting interview on the subject of the expedition, inthe course of which arrangements were proposed and a plan of operationsentered into. I found in His Excellency every thing that was kind andobliging. Sincerely desirous to confer a benefit upon the colony overwhich he presided, he was most anxious that the expedition should befitted out in as complete and efficient a manner as possible, and toeffect this every assistance in his power was most frankly and freelyoffered. In addition to the sanction and patronage of the government andthe contribution of 100 pounds, towards defraying the expenses, HisExcellency most kindly offered me the selection of any two horses Ipleased, from among those belonging to the police, and stated, that if Iwished for the services of any of the men in the public employment theyshould be permitted to accompany me on the journey. The Colonial cutter, WATERWITCH, was also most liberally offered, and thankfully accepted, toconvey a part of the heavy stores and equipment to the head of Spencer'sGulf, that so far, the difficulties of the land journey to that point, atleast, might be lessened. 

I was now fairly pledged to the undertaking, and as the winter wasrapidly advancing, I became most anxious to get all preparations made assoon as possible to enable me to take advantage of the proper season. Onthe first of June I commenced the necessary arrangements for organizingmy party, and getting ready the equipment required. To assist me in theseduties, and to accompany me as a companion in the journey, I engaged Mr. Edward Bate Scott, an active, intelligent and steady young friend, whohad already been a voyage with me to Western Australia, and had travelledwith me overland from King George's Sound to Swan River. 

Meetings of the colonists interested in the undertaking were again heldon the 2nd and 5th of June, at which subscriptions were entered into forcarrying out the object of the expedition; and a brief outline of myplans was given by the Chairman, Captain Sturt, in the following extractfrom his address. 

"The Chairman went on to state, that Mr. Eyre would first proceed to LakeTorrens and examine it, and then penetrate as far inland in a northerlydirection as would be found practicable. With regard to an observationwhich he (the Chairman) had made on Friday evening, regarding thiscontinent having been formerly an archipelago, he stated, that he was ofopinion that a considerable space of barren land in all probabilityexisted between this district and what had formerly been the next island. This space was likely to be barren, though of course it would beimpossible to say how far it extended. He had every reason to believe, from what he had seen of the Australian continent, that at some distanceto the northward, a large tract of barren country would be found, orperhaps a body of water, beyond which, a good country would in allprobability exist. The contemplated expedition, he hoped would setsupposition at rest--and as the season was most favourable, and Mr. Eyrehad had much personal experience in exploring, he had no doubt but theexpedition would be successful. The eyes of all the Australasiancolonies--nay, he might say of Britain--are on the colonists of SouthAustralia in this matter; and he felt confident that the result would bemost beneficial, not only to this Province, but also to New South Walesand the Australian colonies generally--for the success of one settlementis, in a measure, the success of the others. "

An advertisement, published in the Adelaide Journals of 13th June, shewedthe progress that had been made towards collecting subscriptions for theundertaking, and the spirited and zealous manner in which the colonistsentered into the project. Up to that date the sum of 541 pounds 17shillings 5 pence had been collected and paid into the Bank of Australia. 

Having now secured the necessary co-operation and assistance, myarrangements proceeded rapidly and unremittingly, whilst the kindness ofthe Governor, the Committee of colonists, my private friends and thepublic generally, relieved me of many difficulties and facilitated mypreparations in a manner such as I could hardly have hoped or expected. Every one seemed interested in the undertaking, and anxious to promoteits success; zeal and energy and spirit were infused among all connectedwith it, and everything went on prosperously. 

In addition to the valuable aid which I received from his Excellency theGovernor, I was particularly indebted to Captain Frome theSurveyor-general, Captain Sturt the Assistant-commissioner, and ThomasGilbert, Esq. The Colonial storekeeper, for unceasing kindness andattention, and for much important assistance rendered to me by the loanof books and instruments, the preparation of charts, and the fitting upof drays, etc. Etc. 

Captain Frome, too, now laid me under increased obligations by giving uphis own servant, Corporal Coles of the Royal Sappers and Miners, upon myexpressing a wish to take him with me, and the Governor sanctioning hisgoing. 

This man had accompanied Captain Grey in all his expeditions on theNorth-west coast of New Holland--and had been highly recommended by thattraveller; he was a wheelwright by trade, and being a soldier was likelyto prove a useful and valuable addition to my party; and I afterwardsfound him a most obliging, willing and attentive person. 

To the Governor and to the Committee of colonists I owe many thanks, forthe very flattering and gratifying confidence they reposed in me, aconfidence which left me as unrestricted in my detail of outfit andequipment, as I was unfettered in my plan of operations in the field. This enabled me to avoid unnecessary delays, and to hasten every thingforward as rapidly as possible, so that when requested by the Governor toname a day for my departure I was enabled to fix upon the 18th of June. 

Having already done all in their power to forward and assist theequipment and arrangement of the expedition, the Governor and Mrs. Gawlerwere determined still further to increase the heavy debt of gratitudewhich I was already under to them, by inviting myself and party to meetthe friends of the expedition at Government House on the morning of ourdeparture, that by a public demonstration of interest in our welfare, wemight be encouraged in the undertaking upon which we were about toenter--and might be stimulated to brave the perils to which we shouldshortly be exposed, by a remembrance of the sympathy expressed in ourbehalf, and the pledge we should come under to the public upon leavingthe abode of civilised man, for the unknown and trackless region whichlay before us. 

On the 15th of June I attended a meeting of the Committee, and presentedfor audit the accounts of the expenditure incurred up to that date. Onthe 16th I had a sale of all my private effects, furniture, etc. Byauction, and arranged my affairs in the best way that the very limitedtime at my disposal would permit. 

The 17th found me still with plenty of work to do, as there were manylittle matters to attend to at the last, which the best exertions couldnot sooner set aside. 

Mr. Scott, who ever since the commencement of our preparations, had beenmost indefatigable and useful in his exertions, was even still moreseverely tasked on this day; at night, however, we were all amplyrewarded, by seeing every thing completely and satisfactorilyarranged--the bustle, confusion, and excitement over, and our drays allloaded, and ready to commence on the morrow a journey of which thelength, the difficulty, and the result, were all a problem yet to besolved. 

In the short space of seventeen days from the first commencement of ourpreparations, we had completely organized and fully equipped a party forinterior exploration. Every thing had been done in that short time menhired, horses sought out and selected, drays prepared, saddlery, harness, and the thousand little things required on such journeys, purchased, fitted and arranged. In that short time too, the Colonists had subscribedand collected the sum of five hundred pounds towards defraying theexpenses, exclusive of the Government contribution of 100 pounds. 

Unfortunately, at the time the expedition was undertaken, every thing inSouth Australia was excessively dear, and the cost of its outfit wastherefore much greater in 1840, than it would have been any year sincethat period; nine horses (including a Timor pony, subsequently procuredat Port Lincoln) cost 682 pounds 10 shillings, whilst all other thingswere proportionably expensive. After the expedition had terminated andthe men's wages and other expenses had been paid, the gross outlayamounted to 1391 pounds 0 shillings 7 pence:--of this

Amount of Donation from Government was 100 00 00Amount of Subscriptions of the Colonists 582 04 09Sale of the Drays and part of the Equipment 28 00 00Amount paid by myself 680 15 10 ----------Total 1391 00 07

In addition to this expenditure, considerable as it was, there were verymany things obtained from various sources, which though of great valuedid not come into the outlay already noted. Among these were two horsessupplied by the Government, and three supplied by myself, making with thenine bought for 682 pounds 10 shillings, a total of fourteen horses. Thevery valuable services of the cutters "HERO" and "WATERWITCH, " werefurnished by the Government; who also supplied all our arms andammunition, with a variety of other stores. From my many friends Ireceived donations of books and instruments, and I was myself enabled tosupply from my own resources a portion of the harness, saddlery, tools, and tarpaulins, together with a light cart and a tent. 

June 18. --Calling my party up early, I ordered the horses to beharnessed, and yoked to the drays, at half past nine the whole party, (except the overseer who was at a station up the country) proceeded toGovernment House, where the drays were halted for the men to partake of abreakfast kindly provided for them by His Excellency and Mrs. Gawler, whilst myself and Mr. Scott joined the very large party invited to meetus in the drawing room. 

The following account of the proceedings of the morning, taken from theSouth Australian Register, of the 20th June, may perhaps be read withinterest; at least it will shew the disinterested spirit and enterprisingcharacter of the colonists of South Australia, even at this early stageof its history, and especially how much the members of our little partywere indebted to the kindness and good feeling of the Governor andcolonists, who were anxious to cheer and stimulate us under thedifficulties and trails we had to encounter, by their earnest wishes andprayers for our safety and success. 

EXPLORATORY EXPEDITION TO THE CENTRE OF NEW HOLLAND

The arrangements for the expedition into the interior, undertaken by Mr. Eyre, having been completed, His Excellency the Governor and Mrs. Gawlerissued cards to a number of the principal colonists and personal friendsof Mr. Eyre, to meet him at Government House on the morning of hisdeparture. On Thursday last accordingly (the anniversary of Waterloo, inwhich His Excellency and the gallant 52nd bore so conspicuous a part) avery large party of ladies and gentlemen assembled. After an elegantDEJEUNER A LA FOURCHETTE, His Excellency the Governor rose and spoke asnearly as we could collect, as follows:--

"We are assembled to promote one of the most important undertakings thatremain to be accomplished on the face of the globe--the discovery of theinterior of Australia. As Captain Sturt in substance remarked in a recentlecture, of the five great divisions of the earth, Europe is well known;Asia and America have been generally searched out; the portion thatremains to be known of Africa is generally unfavourable for Europeans, and probably unfit for colonization; but Australia, our great islandcontinent, with a most favourable climate, still remains unpenetrated, mysterious, and unknown. Without doing injustice to the enterprisingattempts of Oxley, Sturt, and Mitchell, I must remark that they werecommenced from a very unfavourable point--from the eastern and almostsouth-eastern extremity of the island--and consequently the greatinterior still remains untouched by them, the south-eastern corner alonehaving been investigated. As Captain Sturt some years since declared, this Province is the point from which expeditions to the deep interiorshould set out. This principle, I know, has been acknowledged byscientific men in Europe; and it is most gratifying to see the spiritwith which our Colonists on the present occasion have answered to theclaim which their position imposes upon them. Mr. Eyre goes forth thisday, to endeavour to plant the British flag--the flag which in the wholeworld has "braved for a thousand years the battle and the breeze"--on thetropic of Capricorn (as nearly as possible in 135 degrees or 136 degreesof longitude) in the very centre of our island continent. On this daytwenty-five years since, commencing almost at this very hour, the Britishflag braved indeed the battle, and at length floated triumphant invictory on the field of Waterloo. May a similar glorious success attendthe present undertaking! Mr. Eyre goes forth to brave a battle of adifferent kind, but which in the whole, may present dangers equal tothose of Waterloo. May triumph crown his efforts, and may the Britishflag, planted by him in the centre of Australia, wave for anotherthousand years over the pence and prosperity of the mighty populationwhich immigration is pouring in upon us! Of the immediate results of hisjourney, no one, indeed, can at present form a solid conjecture. Lookingto the dark side, he may traverse a country useless to man; butcontemplating the bright side, and remembering that but a few years sinceSturt, setting off on an equally mysterious course, laid the foundationfor the large community in which we dwell, it is in reason to hope thatMr. Eyre will discover a country which may derive support from us, andincrease the prosperity of our Province. I must express my gratificationat the manner in which this enterprise, noble, let its results be whatthey may, has been supported by our colonists at large. It is a greaterhonor to be at the head of the government of a colony of enlightened andenterprising men, than at that of an empire of enslaved and ignorantbeings in the form of men. I count it so. May the zeal which has beenexhibited in the colony in the promotion of every good and useful workever continue. Some ladies of Adelaide have worked a British Union Jackfor Mr. Eyre. Captain Sturt will be their representative to present it tohim. After that we will adjourn to the opposite rooms to invoke ablessing on the enterprise. All here, and I believe the whole colony, give to Mr. Eyre their best wishes, but to good wishes right-minded menalways add fervent prayers. There is an Almighty invisible Being in whosehands are all events--man may propose, but it is for God only todispose--let us therefore implore his protection. "

"The Hon. Captain Sturt then received a very handsome Union Jack, neatlyworked in silk; and presenting it to Mr. Eyre, spoke nearly as follows:--

"It cannot but be gratifying to me to be selected on such an occasion asthis, to perform so prominent a part in a duty the last a community candischarge towards one who, like you, is about to risk your life for itsgood. I am to deliver to you this flag, in the name of the ladies whomade it, with their best wishes for your success, and their earnestprayers for your safety. This noble colour, the ensign of our country, has cheered the brave on many an occasion. It has floated over everyshore of the known world, and upon every island of the deep. But you haveto perform a very different, and a more difficult duty. You have to carryit to the centre of a mighty continent, there to leave it as a sign tothe savage that the footstep of civilized man has penetrated so far. Goforth, then, on your journey, with a full confidence in the goodness ofProvidence; and may Heaven direct your steps to throw open the fertilityof the interior, not only for the benefit of the Province, but of ournative country; and may the moment when you unfurl this colour for thepurpose for which it was given to you, be as gratifying to you as thepresent. "

"Mr. Eyre, visibly and deeply affected, returned his warmest thanks, andexpressed his sense of the kindness he had received on the presentoccasion. He hoped to be able to plant the flag he had just received inthe centre of this continent. If he failed, he should, he hoped, have thecousciousness of having earnestly endeavoured to succeed. To HisExcellency the Governor, his sincere thanks were due for the promptitudewith which so much effectual assistance to the expedition had beenrendered. Mr. Eyre also begged leave to return his thanks to theColonists who had so liberally supported the enterprise; and concluded byexpressing his trust that, through the blessing of God, he would beenabled to return to them with a favourable report of the country intowhich he was about to penetrate. 

"The company then returned to the library and drawing-room, where theColonial Chaplain, the Rev. C. B. Howard, offered up an affecting andappropriate prayer, and at twelve precisely, Mr. Eyre, accompanied by avery large concourse of gentlemen on horseback, left Government House, under the hearty parting cheers of the assembled party. "

Leaving Government House under the hearty cheers of the very largeconcourse assembled to witness our departure outside the grounds; Mr. Scott, myself, and two native boys (the drays having previously gone on)proceeded on horseback on our route, accompanied by a large body ofgentlemen on horseback, and ladies in carriages, desirous of paying usthe last kind tribute of friendship by a farewell escort of a few miles. 

At first leaving Government House we had moved on at a gentle canter, butwere scarcely outside the gates, before the cheering of the people, thewaving of hats, and the rush of so many horses, produced an emulation inthe noble steeds that almost took from us the control of their pace, aswe dashed over the bridge and up the hill in North Adelaide--it was aheart-stirring and inspiriting scene. Carried away by the enthusiasm ofthe moment, our thoughts and feelings were wrought to the highest stateof excitement. 

The time passed rapidly away, the first few miles were soon travelledover, --then came the halt, --the parting, --the last friendly cheer;--andwe were alone in the wilderness. Our hearts were too full forconversation, and we wended on our way slowly and in silence to overtakethe advance party. 

Chapter II. 

FIRST NIGHT'S ENCAMPMENT WITH PARTY--REFLECTIONS--ARRIVAL AT SHEEPSTATION--RE-ARRANGEMENT OF LOADS--METHOD OF CARRYING FIRE-ARMS--COMPLETETHE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--THEIR NAMES--MOVE ONWARDS--VALLEY OF THELIGHT--EXTENSIVE PLAINS--HEAD OF THE GILBERT--SCARCITY OFFIREWOOD--GRASSY WELL-WATERED DISTRICTS--THE HILL AND HUTTRIVERS--INDICATIONS OF CHANGE GOING ON IN APPEARANCE AND CHARACTER OF THECOUNTRY, TRACEABLE IN THE REMAINS OF TIMBER IN THE PLAINS AND IN THEOPENINGS AMONG SCRUBS--THE BROUGHTON--REEDY WATERCOURSE--CAMPBELL'SRANGE--COURSE OF THE BROUGHTON. 

June 18. --The party having left Adelaide late in the forenoon, and itbeing the first day of working the horses, I did not wish to make a longstage; having followed the usual road, therefore, as far as the littleParra, the drays were halted upon that watercourse (after a journey ofabout twelve miles), and we then proceeded to bivouac for the first time. For the first time too since I had engaged to command the expedition, Ihad leisure to reflect upon the prospects before me. 

During the hurry and bustle of preparation, and in the enthusiasm ofdeparture, my mind was kept constantly on the stretch, and I had no timefor calm and cool consideration, but now that all was over and thejourney actually commenced, I was again able to collect my thoughts andto turn my most serious and anxious attention to the duty I hadundertaken. The last few days had been so fraught with interest andoccupation, and the circumstances of our departure this morning, had beenso exciting, that when left to my own reflections, the whole appeared tome more like a dream than a reality. The change was so great, thecontrast so striking. From the crowded drawing room of civilized life, Ihad in a few hours been transferred to the solitude and silence of thewilds, and from being but an unit in the mass of a large community, I hadsuddenly become isolated with regard to the world, which, so far as I wasconcerned, consisted now only of the few brave men who accompanied me, and who were dependant for their very existence upon the energy andperseverance and prudence with which I might conduct the task assigned tome. With this small, but gallant and faithful band, I was to attempt topenetrate the vast recesses of the interior of Australia, to try to liftup the veil which has hitherto shrouded its mysteries from the researchesof the traveller, and to endeavour to plant that flag which has floatedproudly in all the known parts of the habitable globe, in the centre of aregion as yet unknown, and unvisited save by the savage or the wildbeast. 

Those only who have been placed in similar circumstances can at allappreciate the feelings which they call forth. The hopes, fears, andanxieties of the leader of an exploring party, must be felt to beunderstood, when he is about to commence an undertaking which MUST be oneof difficulty and danger, and which MAY be of doubtful and even fatalresult. 

The toil, care, and anxiety devolving upon him are of no ordinarycharacter; everyday removes him further from the pale of civilization andfrom aid or assistance of any kind--whilst each day too diminishes thestrength of his party and the means at his command, and thus renders himless able to provide against or cope with the difficulties that may besethim. A single false step, the least error of judgment, or the slightestact of indiscretion might plunge the expedition into inextricabledifficulty or danger, or might defeat altogether the object in view. Great indeed was the responsibility I had undertaken--and most fully didI feel sensible of the many and anxious duties that devolved upon me. Theimportance and interest attached to the solution of the geographicalproblem connected with the interior of Australia, would, I well knew, engage the observation of the scientific world. If I were successful, theaccomplishment of what I had undertaken would more than repay me ingratification for the toil and hazard of the enterprise--but if otherwiseI could not help feeling that, however far the few friends who knew memight give me credit for exertion or perseverance, the world at largewould be apt to reason from the result, and to make too little allowancefor difficulties and impediments, of the magnitude of which fromcircumstances they could be but incompetent judges. 

With such thoughts as these, and revolving in my mind our future plans, our chances of success or otherwise, it will not be deemed surprising, that notwithstanding the fatigue and care I had gone through during thelast fortnight of preparation, sleep should long remain a stranger to mypillow; and when all nature around me was buried in deep repose I alonewas waking and anxious. 

From former experience in a personal examination of the nature of thecountry north of the head of Spencer's Gulf, during the months of May andJune, 1839, I had learnt that the farther the advance to the north, themore dreary and desolate the appearance of the country became, and thegreater was the difficulty, both of finding and of obtaining access toeither water or grass. The interception of the singular basin of LakeTorrens, which I had discovered formed a barrier to the westward, andcommencing near the head of Spencer's Gulf, was connected with it by anarrow channel of mud and water. This lake apparently increased in widthas it stretched away to the northward, as far as the eye could reach, when viewed from the farthest point attained by me in 1839, named byColonel Gawler, Mount Eyre. Dreary as had been the view I then obtained, and cheerless as was the prospect from that elevation, there was onefeature in the landscape, which still gave me hope that something mightbe done in that direction, and had in fact been my principal inducementto select a line nearly north from Spencer's Gulf, for our route on thepresent expedition; this feature was the continuation, and theundiminished elevation of the chain of hills forming Flinders range, running nearly parallel with the course of Lake Torrens, and when lastseen by me stretching far to the northward and eastward in a broken andpicturesque outline. 

It was to this chain of hills that I now looked forward as thestepping-stone to the interior. In its continuation were centered all myhopes of success, because in its recesses alone could I hope to obtainwater and grass for my party. The desert region I had seen around itsbase, gave no hope of either, and though the basin of Lake Torrensappeared to be increasing so much in extent to the northward, I had seennothing to indicate its terminating within any practicable distance, in adeep or navigable water. True the whole of the drainage from Flindersrange, as far as was yet known, emptied into its basin, but such was thearid and sandy nature of the region through which it passed, that a greatpart of the moisture was absorbed, whilst the low level of the basin ofthe lake, apparently the same as that of the sea itself, forbade even themost distant hope of the water being fresh, should any be found in itsbed. 

It was in reflections and speculations such as these, that many hours ofthe night of my first encampment with the party passed away. The kindnessof the Governor and our many friends had been so unbounded; their anxietyfor our safety and comfort so great; their good wishes for our success soearnest, and their confidence in our exertions, so implicit, that I couldnot but look forward with apprehension, lest the success of our effortsmight not equal what our gratitude desired, and even now I began to befearful that the high expectations raised by the circumstances of ourdeparture might not be wholly realised. 

We had fairly commenced our arduous undertaking, and though the partymight appear small for the extent of the exploration contemplated, yet noexpedition could have started under more favourable or more cheeringauspices; provided with every requisite which experience pointed out asdesirable, and with every comfort which excess of kindness could suggest, we left too, with a full sense of the difficulties before us, but with afirm determination to overcome them, if possible. And I express but thesentiments of the whole party when I say, that we felt the events of theday of our departure, and the recollection of the anxiety and interestwith which our friends were anticipating our progress, and hoping for oursuccess, would be cherished as our watchword in the hour of danger, andbethe incentive to perseverance and labour, when more than ordinarytrials should call for our exertions. The result we were willing to leavein the hands of that Almighty Being whose blessing had been implored uponour undertaking, and to whom we looked for guidance and protection in allour wanderings. 

June 19. --On mustering the horses this morning it was found, that one ortwo had been turned loose without hobbles, and being fresh and high fedfrom the stables, they gave us a great deal of trouble before we couldcatch them, but at last we succeeded, and the party moved on upon theroad to Gawler town, arriving there (12 miles) about noon; at this placewe halted for half an hour, at the little Inn to lunch, and this beingthe last opportunity we should have of entering a house for many monthsto come, I was anxious to give my men the indulgence. After lunch I againmoved on the party for five miles, crossing and encamping upon, a branchof the Parra or Gawler, where we had abundance of good water and grass. 

June 20. --Having a long stage before us to-day, I moved on the party veryearly, leaving all roads, and steering across the bush to my sheepstations upon the Light. We passed through some very fine country, theverdant and beautiful herbage of which, at this season of the year, formed a carpet of rich and luxuriant vegetation. Having crossed thegrassy and well wooded ranges which confine the waters of the Light tothe westward, we descended to the plain, and reached my head stationabout sunset, after a long and heavy stage of twenty miles--here we wereto remain a couple of days to break up the station, as the sheep weresold, and the overseer and one of the men were to join the Expeditionparty. 

The night set in cold and rainy, but towards morning turned to a severefrost; one of the native boys who had been sent a short cut to thestation ahead of the drays, lost his road and was out in the cold allnight--an unusual circumstance, as a native will generally keep almost asstraight a direction through the wilds as a compass will point. 

Sunday, June 21. --We remained in camp. The day was cold, the weatherboisterous, with showers of rain at intervals, and the barometer falling;our delay enabled me to write letters to my various friends, beforefinally leaving the occupied parts of the country, I was glad too, togive the horses and men a little rest after the fatigue they had enduredyesterday in crossing the country. 

June 22. --As we still remained in camp, the day being dark and cloudywith occasional showers, I took the opportunity of having one of thedrays boarded close up, and of re-arranging the loads, oiling thefire-arms, and grinding the axes, spades, etc. ; we completed ourcomplement of tools, tents, tarpaulins, etc. From those at the station, and had everything arranged on the drays in the most convenient manner, always having in view safety in carriage and facility of access; the bestplace for the fire-arms I found to be at the outside of the sides, thebacks, or the fronts, of those drays that were close boarded. 

By nailing half a large sheepskin with the wool on in any of thesepositions, a soft cushion was formed for the fire-arms to rest against, they were then fixed in their places by a loop of leather for the muzzle, and a strap and buckle for the stock; whilst the other half of thesheepskin which hung loose, doubled down in front of the weapons. Betweenthem and the wheel, effectually preserving them from both dirt and wet, and at the same time keeping them in a position, where they could be gotat in a moment, by simply lifting up the skin and unbuckling the strap;by this means too, all danger or risk was avoided, which usually existswhen the fire-arms are put on or off the drays in a loaded state. I havemyself formerly seen carbines explode more than once from the cockscatching something, in being pulled out from, or pushed in amidst theload of a dray, independently of the difficulty of getting access to themin cases of sudden emergency; a still better plan than the one I adopted, would probably be to have lockers made for the guns, to hang in similarplaces, and in a somewhat similar manner to that I have described, but inthis case it would be necessary for the lockers to be arranged and fittedat the time the drays or carts were made. 

All the time I could spare from directing or superintending the loadingof the drays, I devoted to writing letters and making arrangements forthe regulation of my private affairs, which from the sudden manner inwhich I had engaged in the exploring expedition, and from the busy andhurried life I had led since the commencement of the preparations, hadfallen into some confusion. I was now, however, obliged to content myselfwith such a disposition of them as the time and circumstances enabled meto make. --I observed the latitude of the station to be 34 degrees 15minutes 56 seconds S. 

June 23. --Having got all the party up very early, I broke up the station, and sent one man on horseback into Adelaide with despatches and letters. My overseer and another man were now added to the party, making up ourcomplement in number. Upon re-arranging the loads of the drays yesterday, I had found it inconvenient to have the instruments and tent equipageupon the more heavily loaded drays, and I therefore decided upon takingan extra cart and another horse from the station. This completed ouralterations, and the party and equipment stood thus:--

Mr. Eyre. Mr. Scott, my assistant and companion. John Baxter, Overseer. Corporal Coles, R. S. And M. John Houston, driving a three horse dray. R. M'Robert, driving a three horse dray. Neramberein and Cootachah, Aboriginal boys, to drive the sheep, track, etc. 

We had with us 13 horses and 40 sheep, and our other stores werecalculated for about three months; in addition to which we were to have afurther supply forwarded to the head of Spencer's Gulf by sea, in theWATERWITCH, to await our arrival in that neighbourhood. This would giveus the means of remaining out nearly six months, if we found the countrypracticable, and in that time we might, if no obstacles intervened, easily reach the centre of the Continent and return, or if practicable, cross to Port Essington on the N. W. Coast. 

About eleven I moved on the party up the Light for 8 miles, and thenhalted after an easy stage. As the horses were fresh and the men were notyet accustomed to driving them, I was anxious to move quietly on atfirst, that nothing might be done in a hurry, and every one mightgradually settle down to what he had to perform, and that thus by alittle care and moderation at first, those evils, which my formertravelling had taught me were frequently the result of haste orinexperience, might be avoided. Nothing is more common than to get thewithers of horses wrung, or their shoulders and backs galled at thecommencement of a journey, and nothing more difficult than to effect acure of this mischief whilst the animals are in use. By the precautionwhich I adopted, I succeeded in preventing this, for the present. 

As we passed up the valley of the Light, we had some rich and picturesquescenery around us--the fertile vale running nearly north and south, backed to the westward by well wooded irregular ranges grassed to theirsummits, and to the eastward shut in by a dark looking and more heavilytimbered range, beyond which rose two peaks of more distant hills, through the centre of the valley the Light took its course, but atpresent it was only a chain of large ponds unconnected by any stream; andthus, I believe, it remains the greater part of the year, althoughoccasionally swollen to a broad and rapid current. 

June 24. --The horses having strayed a little this morning, and given ussome trouble to get them, it was rather late when we started; we, however, crossed the low ridges at the head of the Light, and enteringupon extensive plains to the north, we descended to a channel, which Itook to be the head of a watercourse called the "Gilbert. "

Finding here some tolerably good water and abundance of grass, I haltedthe party for the night, though we were almost wholly without firewood, an inconvenience that we felt considerably, as the nights now were verycold and frosty. Our stage had been fourteen miles to-day, running atfirst over low barren ridges, and then crossing rich plains of a loosebrown soil, but very heavy for the drays to travel over. 

At our camp, a steep bank of the watercourse presented an extensivegeological section, but there was nothing remarkable in it, the substrataconsisting only of a kind of pipe clay. 

June 25. --Upon starting this morning we traversed a succession of fineopen and very grassy plains, from which we ascended the low ridgesforming the division of the waters to the north and south. In the latterdirection, we had left the heads of the "Gilbert" and "Wakefield" chainsof ponds, whilst in descending in the former we came upon the "Hill, " afine chain of ponds taking its course through a very extensive and grassyvalley, but with little timber of any kind growing near it. On thisaccount I crossed it, and passing on a little farther encamped the partyon a branch of the "Hutt, " and within a mile and a half of the maincourse of that chain of ponds. Our whole route to-day, had been through afine and valuable grazing district, with grass of an excellentdescription, and of great luxuriance. 

We were now nearly opposite to the most northerly of the out stations, and after seeing the party encamp, I proceeded, accompanied by Mr. Scott, to search for the stations for the purpose of saying good bye to a fewmore of my friends. We had not long, however, left the encampment when itbegan to rain and drove us back to the tents, effectually defeating theobject with which we had commenced our walk. Heavy rain was apparentlyfalling to the westward of us, and the night set in dark and lowering. 

In some parts of the large plains we had crossed in the morning, I hadobserved traces of the remains of timber, of a larger growth than any nowfound in the same vicinity, and even in places where none at presentexists. Can these plains of such very great extent, and now so open andexposed, have been once clothed with timber? and if so, by what cause, orprocess, have they been so completely denuded, as not to leave a singletree within a range of many miles? In my various wanderings in Australia, I have frequently met with very similar appearances; and somewhatanalogous to these, are the singular little grassy openings, or plains, which are constantly met with in the midst of the densest Eucalyptusscrub. 

Every traveller in those dreary regions has appreciated these, (to him)comparatively speaking, oasises of the desert--for it is in them alone, that he can hope to obtain any food for his jaded horse; without, however, their affording under ordinary circumstances, the prospect ofwater for himself. Forcing his way through the dense, and apparentlyinterminable scrub, formed by the Eucalyptus dumosa, (which in somesituations is known to extend for fully 100 miles), the travellersuddenly emerges into an open plain, sprinkled over with a fine silkygrass, varying from a few acres to many thousands in extent, butsurrounded on all sides by the dreary scrub he has left. 

In these plains I have constantly traced the remains of decayedscrub--generally of a larger growth than that surrounding them--andoccasionally appearing to have grown very densely together. From this itwould appear that the face of the country in those low level regions, occupied by the Eucalyptus dumosa, is gradually undergoing a processwhich is changing it for the better, and in the course of centuriesperhaps those parts of Australia which are now barren and worthless, maybecome rich and fertile districts, for as soon as the scrub is removedgrass appears to spring up spontaneously. The plains found interspersedamong the dense scrubs may probably have been occasioned by fires, purposely or accidentally lighted by the natives in their wanderings, butI do not think the same explanation would apply to those richer plainswhere the timber has been of a large growth and the trees in allprobability at some distance apart--here fires might burn down a fewtrees, but would not totally annihilate them over a whole district, extending for many miles in every direction. 

June 26. --This morning brought a very heavy fog, through which weliterally could not see 100 yards, when the party moved on to the "Hutt"chain of ponds, and then followed that watercourse up to the Broughtonriver, which was crossed in Lat. 33 degrees 28 minutes S. At this pointthe bed of the Broughton is of considerable width, and its channel isoccupied by long, wide and very deep water holes, connected with oneanother by a strongly running stream, which seldom or never fails even inthe driest seasons. The soil upon its banks however is not valuable, being generally stony and barren, and bearing a sort of prickly grass, (Spinifex). Wild fowl abound on the pools. On a former occasion, when Ifirst discovered the Broughton, I obtained both ducks and swans from itswaters, but now I had no time for sporting, being anxious to push on tothe "reedy watercourse, " a halting place in my former journey, so as toget over all the rough and hilly ground before nightfall, that we mighthave a fair start in the morning. I generally preferred, if practicable, to lengthen the stage a little in the vicinity of watercourses or hills, in order to get the worst of the road over whilst the horses workedtogether and were warm, rather than leave a difficult country to bepassed over the first thing in the morning, when, for want of exercise, the teams are chill and stiff, and require to be stimulated before theywill work well in unison. Our journey to-day was about twenty miles, andthe last five being over a rugged hilly road, it was late in theafternoon when we halted for the night. 

"The reedy watercourse, " is a chain of water-holes taking its rise amongsome grassy and picturesque ranges to the north of us, and trendingsoutherly to a junction with the Broughton. Among the gorges of thisrange, (which I had previously named Campbell's range, )[Note 1: AfterR. Campbell, Esq. M. C. Of Sydney. ] are many springs of water, and the scenery is as picturesque as the district is fertile. Many of the hills are well rounded, very grassy, and moderately welltimbered even to their summits. This is one of the prettiest and mostdesirable localities for either sheep or cattle, that I have yet seen inthe unoccupied parts of South Australia, whilst the distance fromAdelaide by land, does not at the most exceed one hundred and twentymiles. [Note 2: All this country, and for some distance to thenorth, is now occupied by stations. ] The watercourse near our camp tookits course through an open valley, between bare hills on which there wasneither tree nor shrub for firewood and we were constantly obliged to gohalf a mile up a steep hill before we could obtain a few stunted bushes tocook with. As the watercourse approached the Broughton the country becamemuch more abrupt and broken, and after its junction with that river, thestream wound through a succession of barren and precipitous hills, forabout fifteen miles, at a general course of south-west; these hills wereoverrun almost everywhere with prickly grass and had patches of theEucalyptus dumosa scattered over them at intervals. 

Up to the point where it left the hills, there were ponds of water in thebed of the Broughton, but upon leaving them the river changed itsdirection to the northward, passing through extensive plains andretaining a deep wide gravelly channel, but without surface water, thedrainage being entirely underground, and the country around comparativelypoor and valueless. 

Chapter III. 

SPRING HILL--AN AGED NATIVE DESERTED BY HIS TRIBE--RICH AND EXTENSIVEPLAINS--SURPRISE A PARTY OF NATIVES--ROCKY RIVER--CRYSTAL BROOK--FLINDERSRANGE--THE DEEP SPRING--MYALL PONDS--ROCKY WATER HOLES--DRYWATERCOURSE--REACH THE DEPOT NEAR MOUNT ARDEN--PREPARE FOR LEAVING THEPARTY--BLACK SWANS PASS TO THE NORTH--ARRIVAL OF THE WATERWITCH. 

During the night the frost had been so severe, that we were obliged towait a little this morning for the sun to thaw the tent and tarpaulinsbefore they would bend to fold up. After starting, we proceeded across ahigh barren open country, for about three miles on a W. N. W. Course, passing close under a peak connected with Campbell's range, which I namedSpring Hill, from the circumstance of a fine spring of water being foundabout half way up it. 

Not far from the spring I discovered a poor emaciated native, entirelyalone, without either food or fire, and evidently left by his tribe toperish there; he was a very aged man, and from hardship and want wasreduced to a mere skeleton, how long he had been on the spot where wefound him I had no means of ascertaining, but probably for some time, aslife appeared to be fast ebbing away; he seemed almost unconscious of ourpresence, and stared upon us with a vacant unmeaning gaze. The pleasuresor sorrows of life were for ever over with him: his case was far beyondthe reach of human aid, and the probability is that he died a very fewhours after we left him. 

Such is the fate of the aged and helpless in savage life, nor can wewonder that it should be so, since self-preservation is the first law ofnature, and the wandering native who has to travel always over a greatextent of ground to seek for his daily food, could not obtain enough tosupport his existence, if obliged to remain with the old or the sick, orif impeded by the incumbrance of carrying them with him; still I feltgrieved for the poor old man we had left behind us, and it was longbefore I could drive away his image from my mind, or repress themelancholy train of thoughts that the circumstance had called forth. 

From the summit of Spring Hill, I observed extensive plains to the N. W. Skirted both on their eastern and western sides, by open hills, whilst tothe N. W. And N. E. The ranges were high, and apparently terminated inboth directions by peaked summits on their eastern extremes; a littlesouth of west the waters of Spencer's Gulf were distinctly visible, andthe smokes ascending from the fires of the natives, were seen in manydirections among the hills. After passing Spring Hill, we crossed somerich and extensive plains, stretching far away to the northward, andtaking a nearly north and south direction under Campbell's range; in theupper part of these plains is the deep bed of a watercourse with water init all the year round, and opposite to which, in lat. 33 degrees 14minutes S, is a practicable pass for drays through Campbell's range, tothe grassy country to the eastward. 

June 27. --In crossing the southern extremity of these large plains, wecame suddenly upon a small party of natives engaged in digging yams ofwhich the plains were full; they were so intent upon their occupationthat we were close to them before they were aware of our presence; whenthey saw us they appeared to be surprised and alarmed, and endeavoured tosteal off as rapidly as they could without fairly taking to their heels, for they were evidently either unwilling or afraid to run; finding thatwe did not molest them they halted, and informed us by signs that weshould soon come to water, in the direction we were going. This I knew tobe true, and about three o'clock we were in front of a water-course, Ihad on a former journey named the "Rocky river, " from the raggedcharacter of its bed where we struck it. 

We had been travelling for some distance upon a high level open country, and now came to a sudden gorge of several hundred feet below us, throughwhich the Rocky river wound its course. It was a most singular and wildlooking place, and was not inaptly named by the men, the "Devil's Glen;"looking down from the table land we were upon, the valley beneathappeared occupied by a hundred little hills of steep ascent and roundedsummits, whilst through their pretty glens, flowed the winding stream, shaded by many a tree and shrub--the whole forming a most interesting andpicturesque scene. 

The bed of the watercourse was over an earthy slate, and the water had asweetish taste. Like most of the Australian rivers, it consisted only ofponds connected by a running stream, and even that ceased to flow alittle beyond where we struck it, being lost in the deep sandy channelwhich it then assumed, and which exhibited in many places traces of veryhigh floods. Below our camp the banks were 50 to 60 feet high, and thewidth from 60 to 100 yards, its course lay through plains to thesouth-west, over which patches of scrub were scattered at intervals, andthe land in its vicinity was of an inferior description, with muchprickly grass growing upon it. 

Upwards, the Rocky river, after emerging from the gorges in which wefound it, descended through very extensive plains from thenorth-north-east; there was plenty of water in its bed, and abundance ofgrass over the plains, so that in its upper parts it offers fine andextensive runs for either cattle or sheep, and will, I have no doubt, eremany years be past, be fully occupied for pastoral purposes. 

From our present encampment a very high and pointed hill was visible farto the N. N. W. This from the lofty way in which it towered above thesurrounding hills, I named Mount Remarkable. Our latitude at noon was 33degrees 25 minutes 26 seconds S. 

A very beautiful shrub was found this afternoon upon the Rocky river, infull flower: it was a tall slender stalked bush, about six or eight feethigh, growing almost in the bed of the river, with leaves like ageranium, and fine delicate lilac flowers about an inch and a half indiameter; here, too, we found the first gum-trees seen upon any of thewatercourses for many miles, as all those we had recently crossed, traversed open plains which were quite without either trees or shrubs ofany kind. 

June 28. --This morning we passed through a country of an inferiordescription, making a short stage to a watercourse, named by me the"Crystal Brook;" it was a pretty stream emanating from the hills to thenorth-east, and marked in its whole course through the plains to thenorthward and westward by lines of gum-trees. The pure bright water ranover a bed of clear pebbles, with a stream nine feet wide, rippling andmurmuring like the rivulets of England--a circumstance so unusual in thecharacter of Australian watercourses, that it interested and pleased thewhole party far more than a larger river would have done; thischaracteristic did not, however, long continue, for like all the streamswe had lately crossed, the water ceased to flow a short distance beyondour crossing place. 

The country below us, like that through which the Rocky river took itscourse, was open and of an inferior description, but I have no doubt thatby tracing the stream upwards, towards its source among the ranges, agood and well watered country would be found; I ascertained the latitudeby a meridian altitude at Crystal brook to be 33 degrees 18 minutes 7seconds S. 

The hills on the opposite side of Spencer's Gulf were now plainlyvisible, and one which appeared to be inland, I took to be the middleBack mountain of Flinders; between our camp and the eastern shores of thegulf, the land was generally low, with a good deal of scrub upon it, andnearer the shores appeared to be swampy, and subject to inundation by thetides. 

June 29. --Upon moving from our camp this morning we commenced followingunder Flinders range. From Crystal brook, the hills rise gradually inelevation as they trend to the northward, still keeping their westernslopes almost precipitous to the plains, out of which they appear to riseabruptly. Our course was much embarrassed by the gullies and gorgesemanating from the hills, in some of which the crossing place was notvery good, and in all the horses got much shaken, so that when we arrivedat a large watercourse defined by gum trees, and in which was a roundhole of water that had been on a former occasion called by me "The DeepSpring, " I halted the party for the night and found that the horses werea good deal fatigued. Fortunately there was excellent food for them, andplenty of water. The place at which we encamped was upon one of thenumerous watercourses, proceeding from the gorges of Flinders range. Ithad a wide gravelly bed, divided into two or three separate channels, butwithout a drop of water below the base of the hills, excepting where webivouacked, at this point, there was a considerable extent of rich blackalluvial soil, and in the midst of it a mound of jet black earth, surrounded by a few reeds. In the centre of the mound was a circular deephole containing water, and apparently a spring: the last time I was here, in 1839 it was full to overflowing, but now, though in the depth ofwinter, I was surprised and chagrined to see the water so much lower thanI had known it before. It was covered up too so carefully with bushes andboughs, that it was evident the natives sometimes contemplated its beingquite dried up, [Note 3: In October 1842, I again passed this way, incommand of a party of Police sent overland to Port Lincoln, to search forMr. C. C. Dutton: the spring was then dried up completely. ] and had takenthis means as the best they could adopt for shading and protecting thewater. On the other hand the numerous well beaten tracks leading to thissolitary pool appeared to indicate that there was no other water in theneighbourhood. We saw kangaroos, pigeons and birds of variousdescriptions, going to it in considerable number. At night too after darkwe found that a party of natives were watching also for an opportunityto participate in so indispensable a necessary, which having secured, they departed, and we saw nothing more of them. I observed the latitudeat this camp to be 33 degrees 7 minutes 14 seconds S. And the variation8 degrees 53 minutes E. 

June 30. --Our road to day was much better, and less interrupted bygullies, though we still kept close under Flinders range. We traversed agreat extent of plain land which was generally stony, but grassy, andtolerably well adapted for sheep runs. Several watercourses take theirrise from this range, with a westerly direction towards the gulf, thesewere all dry when we crossed them, but their course was indicated by gumtrees, and as some of the channels were wide and large, and had strongtraces of occasional high floods, I rode for many miles down one of themost promising, but without being able to find a drop of water. At noonour latitude was 32 degrees 59 minutes 8 seconds, S. 

Late in the afternoon we reached a watercourse, which I had previouslynamed "Myall Ponds, " [Note 4: Myall is in some parts of New Holland, thenative name for the Acacia pendula. ] from the many and beautiful Acaciapendula trees that grew upon its banks. There I knew we could get water, and at once halted the party for the night. Upon going to examine thesupply I was again disappointed at finding it so much less than when I hadbeen here in 1839. This did not augur well for our future prospects, andgave me considerable anxiety relative to our future movements. 

For some days past the whole party had fully entered upon theirrespective duties, each knew exactly what he had to do, and was beginningto get accustomed to its performance, so that every thing went onsmoothly and prosperously. My own time, when not personally engaged inconducting the party, was occupied in keeping the journals and charts, etc. In taking and working observations--in the daily register of thebarometer, thermometer, winds, and weather, and in collecting specimensof flowers, or minerals. My young friend, Mr. Scott, was kept equallybusy; for in many of these duties he assisted me, and in some relieved mealtogether; the regular entry of the meteorological observations, and thecollecting of flowers or shrubs generally fell to his share;independently of which he was the only sportsman in the party, and uponhis gun we were dependant for supplies of wallabies, pigeons, ducks, orother game, to vary our bill of fare, and make the few sheep we had withus hold out as long as possible. As a companion I could not have made abetter selection--young, active, and cheerful, I found him ever ready torender me all the assistance in his power. At our present encampment, several of a species of wallabie, very much resembling a hare in flavour, were shot by Mr. Scott, but hitherto we had not succeeded in getting akangaroo. 

July 1. --To-day we travelled through a similar country to that we were inyesterday, consisting of open plains and occasionally low scrub. Kangaroos abounded in every direction. Our stage was eighteen miles to awatercourse called by me the "Reedy water holes, " from the circumstanceof reeds growing around the margin of the water. Upon arriving at thisplace I was surprised to find a strongly running stream, where formerlythere had only been a reedy pond, although the two last watercourses wehad encamped at had been much reduced and dried up. When I had been herein 1839, they were the running streams, and this only a pool, whilstsingularly enough there did not appear to have been more rain at oneplace than the other. 

We were now in full view of Spencer's gulf, but as yet could observe nosigns of the WATERWITCH, which was to meet us at the head of the gulfwith additional stores. At night I observed the latitude by altitude of aBootis to be 32 degrees 41 minutes 28 seconds S. 

July 2. --We moved on for 15 miles over extensive plains, coveredprincipally with Rhagodia, and in some places stony, and halted early inthe afternoon at a large dry watercourse, coming out from Flinders range. Though there was no water in this channel below the base of the hill, onsending a party a mile and a half up it with spades and buckets, we got, by digging in the gravelly bed, as much as sufficed for ourselves andhorses. At this camp I observed the variation to be 7 degrees24 minutes E. 

July 3. --During the night our horses had rambled a little, so that wecould not get away early, and as we had a long stage before us we wereobliged to push on to a late hour. At dark we arrived at my former depotnear Mount Arden, and took up our old position in the dry bed of thewatercourse, at the base of the hills from which it emanated; but we hadstill to send the horses a mile and a half further up the gorge, over ahilly and stony road, before we could either get water for ourselves orthem; it was therefore very late when the men returned, and the wholeparty were a good deal fatigued, having travelled from Adelaide to MountArden in 14 days, (deducting the two days in camp at the Light. ) I nowascertained the latitude of the depot to be 32 degrees 14 minutes S. 

July 4. --Having mustered the horses this morning, I ordered anarrangement to be entered into for taking them to the water twice a day, and bringing down the supply required for the use of the party. Eachperson undertook this duty in turn, and thus the labour was divided. After breakfast I went up myself to examine the state of the water andfound great abundance in its bed; there were strong traces of recent andhigh flooding, the drift timber being lodged among the bushes severalfeet above the ordinary channel. The grass I was sorry to find was ratherold and dry, but still there was a very fair supply of it, a point ofgreat importance to us at a time when it was necessary to detain thewhole party for two or three weeks in depot, to enable me to examine thecountry to the north; my former experience having convinced me that itwould be dangerous to attempt to push on, before ascertaining where grassand water could be procured. 

We had now travelled upwards of eighty miles under Flinders range, fromCrystal brook to Mount Arden, and hitherto the character of that rangehad varied but little. High, rocky, and barren, it rises abruptly fromthe plains, and so generally even is the country at its base, that we hadno difficulty in keeping our drays within a mile or two of it. This wasconvenient, because we had not far to leave our line of route, whencompelled to send up among the ravines for water. The slopes of Flindersrange are steep and precipitous to the westward, and composed principallyof an argillaceous stone or grey quartz, very hard and ringing like metalwhen struck with a hammer. 

There was no vegetation upon these hills, excepting prickly grass, andmany were coated over so completely with loose stones that from thesteepness of the declivity it was unsafe, if not impossible to ascendthem. At one or two points in our routs I climbed up to the top of highsummits, but was not rewarded for my toil, the prospect being generallycheerless and barren in the extreme, nor did the account given by Mr. Brown of his ascent of Mount Brown in March 1802, tempt me to delay a dayto enable me to view the uninteresting prospect he had seen from thesummit of that hill--by far the highest peak in this part of Flindersrange. 

Having decided upon ridingon a head of my party to reconnoitre, as soonas the WATERWITCH should arrive, I at once commenced my preparations, andmade the overseer put new shoes on the horses I intended to take with me. The very stony character of the country we had been lately traversing andthe singularly hard nature of the stone itself, had caused the shoes towear out very rapidly, and there was hardly a horse in the teams that didnot now require new shoes; fortunately we had brought a very large supplywith us, and my overseer was a skilful and expeditious farrier. At dusk awatch was set upon one of the hills near us, to look out for signals fromthe WATERWITCH in the direction of Spencer's gulf, but none were seen. 

July 4. --Whilst writing in my tent this evening, my attention wasattracted by the notes of swans, and upon going out I perceived a flightof several of the black species coming up from the southward; when theyhad got over the tents, they appeared to be alarmed and wheeled to theeastward, but soon returning, they took a nearly due northerly course. This was encouraging for us, and augured well for the existence of someconsiderable body of water inland, but we hoped and expected that a fewdays would perhaps give us a clue to the object of their flight. 

Sunday, July 5. --A day of rest to all. In the afternoon I employed myselfin writing out instructions for the overseer during my absence, as alsofor the master of the WATERWITCH, for whose arrival we now kept aconstant and anxious look out. In the evening about eight o'clock thesentinel on the hill reported a fire on the opposite side of Spencer'sgulf. Upon receiving this intelligence I had blue lights exhibited, androckets fired, which in a little time were replied to by rockets from thegulf and the lighting up of a second fire on shore assuring me at once ofthe safe arrival of the cutter. 

Chapter IV. 

MAKE ARRANGEMENTS FOR GETTING UP STORES FROM THE WATERWITCH--LEAVE THEPARTY--SALT WATERCOURSE--MOUNT EYRE--ASPECT OF THE COUNTRY--LAKETORRENS--RETURN TOWARDS THE HILLS--NATIVE FEMALE--SALINE CHARACTER OF THECOUNTRY--MOUNT DECEPTION--REACH THE EASTERN HILLS--LARGEWATERCOURSES--WATER HOLE IN A ROCK--GRASSY BUT HILLY COUNTRY--RUNNINGSTREAM--ASCEND A RANGE--RETURN HOMEWARDS--DECAY OF TREES IN THEWATERCOURSES--SHOOT A KANGAROO--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--BURY STORES--MAKEPREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING--SEND DESPATCHES TO THE VESSEL. 

July 6. --BEING anxious to pursue my explorations, and unwilling to loseanother day solely for the purpose of receiving my letters, I sent downmy overseer to arrange about getting our stores up from the vessel, whichwas about fourteen miles away, and to request the master to await myreturn from the north, and in the interval employ himself in surveyingand sounding some salt water inlets, we had seen on the eastern shores ofthe gulf in our route up under Flinders range. 

Having made all necessary arrangements and wished Mr. Scott good bye, Iset off on horseback with the eldest of my native boys, taking a packhorse to carry our provisions, and some oats for the horses. Afterrounding a projecting corner of the range we passed Mount Arden, stilltraversing open plains of great extent, and very stony. In some of theseplains we found large puddles of water much discoloured by the soil, sothat it was evident there had been heavy rains in this direction, thoughwe had none to the southward. 

After travelling twenty-four miles we came to a large watercourse windingfrom Flinders range through the plains, with its direction distinctlymarked out by the numerous gum-trees upon its banks. This was the "saltwatercourse" of my former journeys so called from the large reaches ofsalt water in its bed a mile or two among the hills. By digging in thegravelly bed of the channel, where the natives had scooped a small hole, we got some tolerable water, and were enabled to give as much as theyrequired to our horses, but it was a slow and tedious operation. We couldget very little out at once, and had to give it to them to drink in theblack boy's duck frock, which answered the purpose of a bucket amazinglywell. 

There was not a blade of grass, or anything that the horses could eatnear this creek, so I was obliged to tie them up for the night, aftergiving to each a feed of oats. 

July 7. --Towards morning several showers of rain fell, and I found that Ihad got a severe attack of rheumatism, which proved both troublesome andpainful. Pushing on for ten miles we reached the height standing out fromthe main range which Colonel Gawler named Mount Eyre, from its havingbeen the limit of my first journey to the north in May 1839. This littlehill is somewhat detached, of considerable elevation, and with a boldrocky overhanging summit to the southward. Having clambered to the top ofit, I had an extensive view, and took several bearings. 

The region before us appeared to consist of a low sandy country withouteither trees or shrubs, save a few stunted bushes. On the east this wasbacked by high rugged ranges, very barren in appearance, and extendingnorthward as far as the eye could reach, beyond this level country to theWest, and stretching far to the north-west, appeared a broad glitteringstripe, looking like water, and constituting the bed of Lake Torrens. Thelake appeared to be about twenty-five miles off, and of considerablebreadth; but at so great distance, it was impossible to say whether therewas actually any water in it or not. 

Having completed my observations we descended again to the plainssteering north-west for the lake. At two miles from Mount Eyre we found apuddle of water in the midst of the plains, and halted at it for thenight. Our horses had good grass, but would not touch the water, whichwas extremely thick and muddy. Upon trying it ourselves we found it wasnot usable, even after it had been strained twice through a handkerchief, whilst boiling only thickened it; it was a deep red colour, from thesoil, and was certainly an extraordinary and unpalatable mixture. 

July 8. --Our horses having strayed this morning I sent the native boy tolook for them, but as he did not return in a reasonable time, I gotanxious and went after him myself, leaving the saddles and provisions atour sleeping place. In about four miles I met the boy returning with therunaways, which had rambled for several miles, though they had abundanceof good feed around the camp; fortunately we found every thing safe whenwe got back, but if any natives had accidentally passed that way weshould probably have lost everything, and been left in very awkwardpredicament. 

This is a risk I have frequently been obliged to incur, and is one of theinconveniences resulting from so small a number as two travelling alone;it it is not always practicable from want of grass to tether the horses, and frequently when they are tethered the ropes break, and occasion thenecessity of both individuals leaving the encampment to search for themat the same time. 

Moving on to the N. W. By N. We passed over heavy sandy ridges, withbarren red plains between, and in one of the latter we found a puddle ofrain water, this upon tasting. I found to be rather saline from thenature of the soil upon which it lay, the horses, however, drank itreadily, and we put some in a small keg for ourselves. The onlyvegetation to be seen consisted of a few small stunted trees and shrubs, and even these as we approached the vicinity of the lake disappearedaltogether, and gave place to Salsolaceous plants, the country being openand barren in the extreme. 

I found Lake Torrens completely girded by a steep sandy ridge, exactlylike the sandy ridges bounding the sea shore, no rocks or stones werevisible any where, but many saline coasts peeped out in the outer ridge, and upon descending westerly to its basin, I found the dry bed of thelake coated completely over with a crust of salt, forming one unbrokensheet of pure white, and glittering brilliantly in the sun. On steppingupon this I found that it yielded to the foot, and that below the surfacethe bed of the lake consisted of a soft mud, and the further we advancedto the westward the more boggy it got, so that at last it became quiteimpossible to proceed, and I was obliged to return to the outer margin ofthe lake without ascertaining whether there was water on the surface ofits bed further west or not. 

The extraordinary deception caused by mirage and refraction, arising fromthe state of the atmosphere in these regions, makes it almost impossibleto believe the evidence of one's own eyesight; but as far as I couldjudge under these circumstances, it appeared to me that there was waterin the bed of the lake at a distance of four or five miles from where Iwas, and at this point Lake Torrens was about fifteen or twenty milesacross, having high land bounding it to the west, seemingly acontinuation of the table land at the head of Spencer's gulf on itswestern side. 

Foiled in the hope of reaching the water, I stood gazing on the dismalprospect before me with feelings of chagrin and gloom. I can hardly say Ifelt disappointed, for my expectations in this quarter had never beensanguine; but I could not view unmoved, a scene which from its characterand extent, I well knew must exercise a great influence over my futureplans and hopes: the vast area of the lake was before me interminable asfar as the eye could see to the northward, and the country upon itsshore, was desolate and forbidding. 

It was evident, that I could never hope to take my party across the lake, and it was equally evident, that I should not be able to travel aroundits shores, from the total absence of all fresh water, grass, or wood, whilst the very saline nature of the soil in the surrounding country, made even the rain water salt, after lying for an hour or two upon theground. My only chance of success now lay in the non-termination ofFlinders range, and in the prospect it held out to me, that by continuingour course along it we might be able to procure grass and water in itsrecesses, until we were either taken beyond Lake Torrens, or led to somepracticable opening to the north. 

With a heavy heart I turned towards the mountains, and steering N. E. Forten miles, halted at dark, where there was nothing for our horses to eator drink, and we were consequently obliged to tie them up for the night. We had still a few oats left and gave each horse three pints. A shorttime before encamping, I had observed that Lake Torrens was trending moreto the eastward, and that when we halted, it was not at any very greatdistance from us. 

July 9. --One of our horses having got loose last night, pulled the corkout of the keg in which was our small stock of the dirty brackish waterwe had found yesterday, and rolling the keg over, destroyed its contents;we were thus deprived of our breakfasts, and consequently had but littledelay in starting. I intended to push on steadily for the hills, butafter travelling six miles came to a puddle in the plains, with tolerablegrass around, and at this I halted for the day, to rest the horses. Ourlatitude was 31 degrees 25 minutes S. By an altitude of Arcturus, MountEyre then bearing S. 7 degrees E. 

July 10. --Our horses being much recruited I altered our course to-day toN. 5 degrees E. Being the bearing of the most distant range to thenorthward, (subsequently named Mount Deception). We passed for the firstten miles through an open barren country, but found a puddle at which wewatered our horses, and refilled the keg; we then entered heavy ridges ofdense red sand lying nearly north and south, and having small barrenplains between. 

There were a few stunted bushes upon the ridges and occasionally somesmall straggling pines. Lake Torrens still trended easterly, beingoccasionally seen from, and sometimes approaching near to our track. 

Emerging from the sandy ridges we again entered upon vast level plainscovered with rhagodia. In the midst of these we came to the bed of alarge dry watercourse, having good grass about it, but containing nowater. I halted here for the day as our horses were not very thirsty. 

Upon examining the bed of the watercourse, I found traces of a ratherrecent and high flood; much drift being still left upon the bushes whereit had been swept by the torrent; I could, however, find no wateranywhere. 

A great many emus were seen during our ride, and I wounded one with myrifle, but did not get it. We found to-day a description of flower, whichI had not seen before, white, and sweetly scented like the hawthorn, growing upon a low prickly bush near the watercourse. 

July 11. --To-day I left our course and rambled up the watercourse toexamine its character and search for water, which however I could notfind in its channel anywhere. Traces of natives were numerous and recentall the way as we went, till at last we came to where they had encampedthe previous night, and where they had left a fire still fresh andburning. 

Proceeding onwards we came upon a single native, a female, young, butmiserably thin and squalid, fit emblem of the sterility of the country. We could gain no information from her, she was so much alarmed, but notlong after parting with her we came to a puddle of water in the plains, and encamped for the night. Our stage had been a tortuous, but not a longone, and we halted early in the day, the latitude was 30 degrees 58minutes S. By an altitude of the sun at noon. 

After taking some refreshment, I walked to a rise about three miles offat N. 40 degrees E. From which I took several bearings, and among them Iset Mount Deception at N. 25 degrees W. , I then examined several of thegorges between the front hills, where the banks were broken away, and tomy great dismay found in all of them salt mixed with the sand, the clay, and even the rocks; whilst in the bed of the watercourse, the salt watertea-tree was making its appearance, a shrub I had never before seen underFlinders range, and one which never grows where the soil is not of a verysaline nature, and generally only where the water is too brackish for use. 

The beds of the watercourses were in some places quite white and glazedwith encrustations of salt, where the rains had lodged, and the water hadevaporated. Some of the cliffs which I examined presented sections of 40and 50 feet perpendicular height, in which layers of salt were embeddedfrom the very top to the bottom. 

In such a country, what accommodation could I expect, or what hopes couldI entertain for the future, when the very water shed from the cloudswould not be drinkable after remaining a few hours on the ground?Whichever way I turned myself, to the West, to the East, or the North, nothing but difficulties met my view. 

In one direction was an impracticable lake, skirted by heavy and scrubbysand ridges; in another, a desert of bare and barren plains; and in athird, a range of inhospitable rocks. The very stones lying upon thehills looked like the scorched and withered scoria of a volcanic region;and even the natives, judging from the specimen I had seen to-day, partook of the general misery and wretchedness of the place. 

My heart sank within me when I reflected upon the gradual but too obviouschange that had taken place in the character of the country for theworse, and when I considered that for some days past we had been entirelydependent for our supply of water upon the little puddles that had beenleft on the plains by the rain, and which two or three more days wouldcompletely dry up. Under circumstances so unpropitious, I had manymisgivings, and the contemplation of our future prospect became a subjectof painful anxiety. 

July 12. --We moved away early, steering for Mount Deception. Near itsbase, and emanating from it, we crossed the dry bed of a very largewatercourse, more resembling that of a river in character, its channelbeing wide, deep, and well-defined, and lined with the salt-watertea-tree; whilst its course was marked by very large, green lookinggum-trees, the bed consisted of an earthy, micaceous slate of a reddishcolour, and in very minute particles, almost in some places as fine assand, but we could find no water in it anywhere. 

The range in which this watercourse has its source, is of the same slatyrock, and very rugged; it could not be less than 3, 000 feet in elevation, and its summit was only attainable by winding along the steep and stonyridges that led round the deep gorges and ravines by which it wassurrounded. 

From the top the view was extensive and unsatisfactory. Lake Torrensappearing as large and mysterious as ever, and bearing in its mostnortherly extreme visible W. 22 degrees N. To the north was a low levelcheerless waste, and to the east Flinders range trending more easterly, and then sweeping back to N. 28 degrees W. But its appearance seemed tobe changing and its character altering; the ranges struck me as beingmore separated by ridges, with barren flats and valleys between, amongwhich winding to the N. W. Were many large and deep watercourses, butwhich when traced up, often for many miles, I found to emanate fromgorges of the hills, and to have neither water nor springs in them. 

I had fully calculated upon finding permanent water at this very highrange, and was proportionally disappointed at not succeeding, especiallyafter having toiled to the summit, and tired both myself and horses intracing up its watercourses. There was now no other alternative left me, than to make back for the hills to the eastward, in the hope of beingmore fortunate there. I had only found permanent water once, (at Saltwatercourse) since I left my party, having depended entirely upon puddlesof rain water for subsistence; but it now became imperative on me to turnmy attention exclusively to this subject, not only to enable me to bringup my men, but to secure the possibility of my own return, as every daythat passed dried up more and more the small puddles I had found in theplains. 

Descending Mount Deception, we travelled five miles upon a S. E. Course, and encamped upon a small dry watercourse for the night, with good grassfor our horses, but without water. 

July 13. --Bending our steps backwards, to search for water in the easternhills, we were lucky enough to fall in with a puddle in the plains, atwhich we watered our horses, and again proceeded. 

Selecting one of the larger watercourses running out from the hills, wetraced it up a considerable distance, examining all its minor branchescarefully, and sparing no pains in seeking a permanent spring of water;the channel, however, gradually diminished in size, as we occasionallypassed the junctions of small branches from the various gorges; thegum-trees on its course were either dead or dying; the hills, which at adistance had appeared very rugged and lofty, upon a nearer approachturned out to be mere detached eminences of moderate elevation, coveredwith loose stones, but without the least sign of water. 

About two o'clock, P. M. We passed a little grass, and as the day appearedlikely to become rainy, I halted for the night. Leaving the native boy tohobble the horses, I took my gun and ascended one of the hills near mefor a view. Lake Torrens was visible to the west, and Mount Deception tothe N. W. But higher hills near me, shut out the view in every otherdirection. In descending, I followed a little rocky gully leading to themain watercourse, and to my surprise and joy, discovered a small but deeppool of water in a hole of the rock: upon sounding the depth, I found itwould last us some time, and that I might safely bring on my party thusfar, until I could look for some other point for a depot still farthernorth; the little channel where the water was, I named Depot Pool. 

Regaining the camp, I immediately set to work with the native boy toconstruct a bough hut, as the weather looked very threatening. We hadhardly completed it before the rain came down in torrents, and water wassoon laying every where in the ledges of rock in the bed of thewatercourse. So little do we know what is before us, and so short a timeis necessary to change the aspect of affairs, and frequently too, when weleast expect it!

July 14. --Our hut not having been quite water-tight before the rain came, we got very wet during the night, and turned out early this morning to goand hunt for firewood to warm ourselves. 

As the weather still continued rainy, I determined to give our horses aday's rest, whilst I walked up the watercourse to examine it farther. Ifound the hills open a good deal more as I proceeded, with nice grassyvalleys between; and the hills themselves, though high and steep, wererounded at the summits, and richly clothed with vegetation: among themnumerous watercourses took their rise in the gorges, and generally thesewere well marked by gum-trees. Altogether it was a pretty and fertilespot, and though very hilly, would do well for stock, if permanent watercould be found near. I was quite unsuccessful, however, in my search forthis, and the native boy, whom I sent in the opposite direction, after myreturn, was equally unfortunate. Towards evening, one of the horseshaving broken his hobbles, and got alarmed, galloped off, taking theother with him. Tired and wet as I was, I was obliged to go after them, and it was some miles from the camp, before I could overtake and turnthem back. Our latitude was 30 degrees 55 minutes S. 

July 15. --This morning was misty and clondy, and dreadfully cold. We setoff early and commenced tracing up and examining as many of thewatercourses as we could; we did not, however, find permanent water. 

Under one low ridge we met with what I took to be a small springemanating from a limestone rock; but it was so small as to be quiteuseless to a party like mine, though the natives appeared frequently tohave resorted to it. Finding the courses of the main channel become lostin its many branches, I ascended the dividing ridge, and crossed into thebed of another large watercourse, in which, after travelling but a shortdistance, I found a fine spring of running water among some very brokenand precipitous ranges, which rose almost perpendicularly from thechannel; in the latter, high ledges of a slaty rock stretchedoccasionally quite across its bed, making it both difficult and dangerousto get our horses along. In the vicinity of the water the grass wastolerably good, but the declivities upon which it principally grew, weresteep and very stony. 

Having hobbled the horses, I took my gun, and walked down thewatercourse, to a place where it forms a junction with a larger one, butin neither could I find any more water. Upon my return, I found that thenative boy had caught an opossum in one of the trees near, which proved avaluable addition to our scanty and unvaried fare. The latitude to-daywas 30 degrees 51 minutes S. 

July 16. --Tracing down the watercourse we were encamped on, to thejunction before mentioned, I steered a little more to the north, toascend a high stony range, from which I hoped to obtain a view to theeastward; but after considerable toil in climbing, and dragging ourhorses over loose rolling stones, which put them constantly in danger offalling back, I was not rewarded for the trouble I had taken: the view tothe east was quite shut out by high rugged ranges of ironstone andquartz, whilst to the north, the hills appeared lower and more open. 

It now became a matter of serious consideration, whether I should pursuemy researches any farther at present. I was already about 120 miles awayfrom my party, with barely provisions enough to last me back; and thecountry, in advance, appeared to be getting daily more difficult; addedto this, the "WATERWITCH" was waiting at the head of Spencer's Gulf formy return. 

After reflecting on my position, I decided to rejoin my party withoutdelay; and descending the range to the S. E. , I steered for a largewatercourse we had crossed in the morning; intending to trace it up, forthe purpose of examining its branches. The bed of this watercourse, atfirst, was very wide, and lined with gum-trees; but as I advanced, Ifound its channel became contracted, and very rocky, the gum-treesdisappearing, and giving place to the salt-water tea-tree. By nightfall, I was unable to proceed any further, owing to the large stones and rocksthat interposed themselves. Retracing my steps, therefore, for a mile ortwo, to a little grass I had observed as I passed by, I bivouacked forthe night, being, as well as the horses, quite knocked up. The nativeboy, who accompanied me, was equally fatigued; and we were both lame fromwalking across so rugged a country, over a great portion of which wefound it quite impracticable to ride. Our stage could not have been lessthan twenty-five or twenty-six miles during the day, yet we had not metwith a drop of water, even though we had high ranges, large watercourses, and huge gum-trees on every side of us. As usual, the traces of highfloods were numerous; and the channels of these watercourses, confined asthey are by precipitous ranges, must, at times, be filled by rapid andoverwhelming torrents, which would collect there after heavy rains. 

Some great progressive change appears to be taking place in the climateand seasons of this part of the country, as, in many of the watercourses, we found all the gum-trees either dying or dead, without any young treesgrowing up to replace them. The moisture which had promoted their growth, and brought them to maturity, existed no longer; and in many places, onlythe wreck of noble trees remained to indicate to the traveller what oncehad been the character of this now arid region. In other watercourses thegum-trees were still green and flourishing, and of giant growth; but wewere equally unable to discover water in these, [Note 5: We had no meanswith us of digging--possibly moisture existed below the surface where thetrees were so large and green. ] as in those where the trees were decayingor withered. 

July 17. --To-day we returned to our temporary camp, tracing up variousbranches of the water-courses as we went along, but without findingwater. Many of the ranges in our route consisted of masses of ironstone, apparently containing a very large proportion of metal. In one place, Ifound a mineral which I took to be tin ore; the loss, however, of all thegeological specimens I collected, after their arrival in Adelaide, hasunfortunately put it now beyond my power to test any of the rocks orminerals, about which I was doubtful. As we encamped early, and I wasdesirous of recruiting the horses, I employed myself in taking anobservation for latitude, whilst the black boy went out to look for anopossum. He succeeded in bringing in a fine large one, which formed awelcome addition to our meagre fare. The nights were still very frosty. 

July 18. --In travelling to "Depot Pool, " the native boy caught anotheropossum, and we again halted early in the day for the sake of resting thehorses. 

July 19. --Concealing among some rocks every thing we did not absolutelyrequire, we descended towards the plains, searching as we went, for themost favourable line of road to them, for the drays, but at best thecountry was very rough and stony. 

After clearing the hills, we made a stage of twenty-eight miles along theplains running under Flinders range, and at night encamped upon a channelcoming out of it, where we obtained water, but very little grass for ourhorses. 

July 20. --To-day I kept behind some of the low front hills, passingthrough some extensive valleys between them and the main range; and as Ifound abundance of water lying in pools upon the plains, I did not makefor the hills at all. 

Before sunset, I got a shot at a kangaroo with my rifle, which, thoughseverely wounded, gave me a long chase before I could capture it; thisfurnished us with a welcome and luxurious repast. We had been so longliving upon nothing but the bush baked bread, called damper (so named, Iimagine, from its heavy, sodden character), with the exception of the oneor two occasions upon which the native boy had added an opossum to ourfare, that we were delighted to obtain a supply of animal food for achange; and the boy, to shew how he appreciated our good luck, ateseveral pounds of it for his supper. Our horses were equally fortunatewith ourselves, for we obtained both good grass and water for them. 

July 21. --Taking with us the best part of what was left of the kangaroo, we crossed a stony ridge to the S. W. , and at four miles struck awatercourse with a large pool of water in its bed, and well adapted for ahalting place for the party on their route to the north: we had not seenthis in our outward course, having kept further to the westward in theplains. From the water-hole, Mount Eyre bore W. 30 degrees S. Distantfive miles. 

Upon leaving this pool I pushed on as rapidly as I could, being anxiousto rejoin my party; and after a hard and fatiguing ride of forty miles, arrived at the depot under Mount Arden, late in the day, having beenabsent sixteen days. I had been anxiously expected, and was cordiallywelcomed by the whole party, who were getting sadly tired of inactivity, and especially by my young friend Mr. Scott, whose eager and ardentdisposition rendered him quite uneasy under the confinement and restraintof a depot encampment; he would gladly have shared with me thedifficulties and hazards of exploring the country in advance, but fromthe very embarrassing nature of the undertaking, I did not think it rightto take more than a single native with me, as every addition to thenumber of a party, on such occasions, only tends to increase thedifficulty and anxiety of the task. 

Having rested a little, and made innumerable inquiries, I was very muchgratified to find that the whole party were in good health, and thatevery thing had been conducted in a satisfactory manner during myabsence. No one had been idle, and every thing that I could have wished, had been properly arranged. The stores had been safely brought up fromthe WATERWITCH, including a barometer kindly sent by the Governor, and alarge packet of English letters, at any time a highly valued prize, andnot the less so now that they were received 200 miles in the interior, amidst the labours and anxieties of an exploring expedition. 

During my absence all the harness, hobbles, tents, tarpaulins, etc. Hadbeen fully repaired; and according to my instructions, a large deep holehad been dug in the slope of the hill, to bury a portion of the storesin, that if compelled by circumstances to return from the north, we mightstill have supplies to fall back upon. Mr. Scott had employed his time incollecting botanical and geological specimens, and had already made avery fair commencement for our collections in both these departments ofscience. He had also regularly kept the meteorological journal, registering the observations three times in each day. 

July 22. --After breakfast I had all the stores reweighed, and examinedthe supplies sent us in the WATERWITCH, which consisted chiefly of flour, biscuit, sugar, tea, salt pork, soap, tobacco, salt, canvas, etc. Besidesmany little luxuries which the kindness of the Governor, and theconsideration of our many friends had added to the list. 

The men during my absence, having been living entirely upon salt pork, toeconomize the sheep, were glad to receive the kangaroo which I broughthome with me. 

Having inspected the stores, the whole party were put upon theirtravelling rations, and the first week's allowance was issued to each, consisting of ten pounds of meat, seven pounds of biscuit or flour, aquarter of a pound of tea, a pound and a half of sugar, a quarter of apound of soap, and the same quantity of tobacco. 

Provisions of different kinds were then weighed out, headed up in casks, and buried in the hole dug by the men during my absence, to wait ourreturn, if ever it should be our lot to reach the place again. Theremainder were all properly packed up, and the drays loaded and arrangedfor moving on. 

After satisfactorily concluding all the preparations for leaving thedepot, I employed myself busily in writing letters and despatches until avery late hour of the night, as it was the last opportunity I should havefor a long time, of reporting our prospects and progress, or of thankingthe Governor and our numerous friends, for the many attentions we hadexperienced. 

I had hardly retired to rest before I was suddenly seized with a violentattack of illness, arising probably from cold and over-exertion, now thata return to my party had removed the stimulus to activity, and permitteda reaction in the system to take place. 

July 23. --This morning I felt weak, and still very ill, and it was withgreat difficulty I could manage to close my letters, and give thenecessary instructions to the overseer, whom I sent down to the head ofSpencer's Gulf, with orders to the master of the cutter to sail forAdelaide, and to report what he had seen at the salt inlets in the eastside of Spencer's Gulf, which I had directed him to examine in the boatswhilst I was absent exploring to the north. His reply was, that there waswater enough for a ship to lie within one mile of the shore, that therewas a tolerable landing place, but that he had found no fresh water. Themen were employed during the day making a new tarpaulin from the canvassent up in the WATERWITCH. The following is a copy of the Report sent tothe Governor, and to the Chairman of the Committee for promoting theexpedition. 

"Depot, near Mount Arden, July 22nd, 1840. 

"Sir, --I have the honour to acquaint you for the information of HisExcellency the Governor, and of the colonists interested in the northernexpedition, with the progress made up to the present date. 

"I arrived here with my party all well, on the 3rd July instant, and onthe 6th I proceeded, accompanied by one of my native boys, on horseback, to reconnoitre Lake Torrens and the country to the north of the depot, leaving the party in camp to rest the horses and enable the overseer toget up, from the head of Spencer's Gulf, the supplies kindly sent by HisExcellency the Governor in the WATERWITCH--her arrival having beensignalised the evening previous to my leaving. I arrived on the shores ofLake Torrens the third day after leaving the depot, and have ascertainedthat it is a basin of considerable magnitude, extending certainly over aspace varying in width from 15 to 20 miles, and with a length of from 40to 50, from its southern extremity, to the most northerly part of it, visible from a high summit in Flinders range, (about ninety miles northof Mount Arden). The lake is girded with an outer ridge of sand, coveredwith salsolaceous plants, and with saline crusts, shewing above theground at intervals. Its waters appear to extend over a considerablesurface, but they are, seemingly, shallow. I could not approach thewater, from the soft nature of that part of its bed, which is uncovered, and which appeared to reach from three to four miles from the outer bankto the water's edge. There can be no doubt, however, of its being verysalt, as that portion of its bed which lay exposed to our view wasthickly coated with pungent particles of salt. There were not any treesor shrubs of any kind near the lake where we made it, nor could eithergrass or fresh water be procured for our horses. Lake Torrens is boundedon its western side by high lands--apparently a continuation of the tableland to the westward of the head of Spencer's Gulf. --I should think thatit must receive a considerable drainage from that quarter, as well as thewhole of the waters falling from Flinders range to the eastward. 

"From the very inhospitable nature of the country, around the lake, Icould not examine it so carefully or so extensively as I could havewished. My time, too, being very limited, made me hurry away to thenorthward, to search for a place to which I might bring on my party, asthe grass in the neighbourhood of the depot was very old, and much lessabundant than on either of my former visits there. It became, therefore, imperative on me to remove the horses as speedily as possible. Shouldcircumstances permit, I shall, however, endeavour to visit Lake Torrensagain, on my return from the northern interior. After leaving the lake Ispent many days in examining the country to the northward of our depot. Its character seemed to vary but little; barren sandy plains still formedthe lower level, and the hills constituting the continuation of Flindersrange were still composed of quartz and ironstone; they were, however, gradually becoming less elevated and more detached, with intervals ofstony valleys between, and the whole country was, if possible, assuming amore barren aspect, while the springs, which had heretofore been numerousamong the hills, were very few in number--difficult to find--and very farin amongst the ranges. After most anxious and laborious search, I at lastsucceeded in finding a place about ninety miles (of latitude) north ofMount Arden, to which I can remove my depot, and from which I can againpenetrate more to the northward. 

"After an absence of sixteen days I rejoined my party under Mount Ardenon the evening of the 21st July, and found they had safely received allthe supplies sent for our use by the WATERWITCH. The latter has beendetained until my return, for despatches, which I shall send downto-morrow, and on the 24th I intend to move on with my party to the newdepot. I regret it is not in my power to afford more certain informationas to the future prospects of the expedition, but where so littlealteration has taken place, in the features of the country I have beenexamining, conjectures alone can anticipate what may be beyond. From thevery difficult nature of the country we are advancing into, our furtherprogress must necessarily be very slow for some time, but I still hopethat by patience and perseverance we shall ultimately succeed inaccomplishing the object of the expedition. 

"I have the honour to be, Sir, "Your most obedient humble Servant, "EDWARD JOHN EYRE. "

"To the Chairman of the Committee of Colonists for promoting the NorthernExpedition. "

* * *

"Depot, near Mount Arden, July 22nd, 1840. 

"My Dear Sir, --I beg to enclose a copy of the report of our proceedingsup to the present date, for the perusal of his Excellency the Governor. By it his Excellency will perceive that the very inhospitable nature ofthe country around Lake Torrens, added to my anxiety to remove our horsesfrom the depot near Mount Arden, where there was but very little grassfor them, prevented my devoting so much time to the examination of thelake and the country around it, as I should have wished; and I thereforeintend, if possible, on my return, to investigate it more fully, beinganxious to ascertain, whether, as I suppose, there is a considerabledrainage into it from the westward. The high land seen on its oppositeside, appears to be a continuation of the table land, lying to the westof the head of Spencer's Gulf; and though the fall of the country appearsto be to the north, I begin to be of opinion now that it is not inreality. Lake Torrens is evidently the basin into which all the watersfrom Flinders range fall, and its extent is very considerable; in fact, where I last saw it to the north, it was impossible to say whether itterminated or not, from the very great distance it was off. The countrylying between Flinders range on the one side, and the table land on theother, and north of Spencer's Gulf, is of so low and so level a characterthat the eye alone is not a sufficient guide as to the direction in whichthe fall may be. On my previous visits, I felt convinced it wasnortherly, but I am now inclined to think that the drainage from LakeTorrens in seasons of wet, is to the south, into the head of the Gulf;and I can only account for there not being a larger connectingwatercourse than the small shallow one found when crossing from StreakyBay--and which I did not then imagine extended far above the head of theGulf--by supposing that the seasons have so altered of late years thatthe overflow of the lake has never been sufficient to cause a run ofwater to the Gulf. Should my present supposition be correct, the idea ofa northerly drainage is done away with, and we have yet to come to a"division of the waters. " My uncertainty on this most important point hasmade me most anxious to get my party removed to a place where they canremain until I can decide so interesting a point, and one on which ourfuture prospects so much depend. The same causes that prevented mystaying a little longer in the neighbourhood of the Lake have alsoprevented, as yet, my extending my researches to the north for more thanabout forty miles farther than I had been when last in thisneighbourhood. The only change I observed, was the increasing barrenappearance of the country--the decrease in elevation of the ranges--theirbecoming more detached, with sterile valleys between--and the generalabsence of springs; the rock of the higher ridges, which were very ruggedand abrupt, was still the same, quartz and ironstone, but much more ofthe latter than I had before seen, and, in some cases, with a very greatproportion of metal to the stone. The lower ridges and steep banks, whenwashed away by the rains, presented great quantities of a very pungentsalt to the eye of the observer, mixed with the clay and sand of whichthe banks were formed; and in this neighbourhood the watercourses were(though dry) all lined with the salt-water tea-tree--a shrub we had neverbefore seen under Flinders range. My next push to the north will probablythrow some light upon our future prospects, and I only regret it will notbe in my power to communicate the intelligence. I intended to have senthis Excellency a rough sketch of my last route, but have not been able toget it ready in time, and I fear I have already detained the littlecutter too long: during their detention, I requested the master toexamine some salt water inlets on the east side of Spencer's Gulf, and hesaid he would, but I have not yet heard the result of his researches. Should he have found, a good landing-place for goods, it would be of muchimportance to the northern parts of the colony when they become stocked;and nearly all the country as far as the head of the Gulf is more or lessadapted for grazing. Pray return my best thanks to his Excellency for theabundant supply of stores we have received by the WATERWITCH--especiallyfor the barometer, which has arrived quite safely. I shall take greatcare of it, and shall make observations, whenever practicable, threetimes a day--8, a. M. , noon, and 5, p. M. I only returned late last night, and have been so busy to-day preparing every thing for leaving the depot, that I have been obliged to put off my writing until night; and I am nowacribbling in the tent, on my bed, with my young friend, Mr. Scott, fastasleep, and a cold bleak wind whistling through the place, so that I fearmy writing will be scarcely legible. I send down the letters to thecutter in the morning, and intend to move on my party on the 24th. Withkind remembrance to his Excellency, Mrs. Gawler, and family--

"Believe me, etc. "EDWARD JOHN EYRE. "G. Hall, Esq. "

Chapter V. 

BREAK UP THE ENCAMPMENT--ARRIVE AT DEPOT POOL--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OFTHE COUNTRY--BAROMETERS OUT OF ORDER--ADVANCE TO RECONNOITRE--ASCENDTERMINATION HILL--SURPRISE NATIVE WOMEN--THEY ABANDON THEIRCHILDREN--INEFFECTUAL SEARCH FOR WATER--RETURN TOWARDS MOUNTDECEPTION--BROKEN CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FIND WATER--THE SCOTT--REJOINTHE PARTY--WATER ALL USED AT DEPOT--EMBARRASSING CIRCUMSTANCES--REMOVE TOTHE SCOTT--RECONNOITRE IN ADVANCE--BARREN COUNTRY--TABLE TOPPEDELEVATIONS--INDICATIONS OF THE VIOLENT ACTION OF WATER--MEETNATIVES--REACH LAKE TORRENS--THE WATER SALT--OBLIGED TO RETURN--ARRIVALAT DEPOT--HOSTILE DEMONSTRATIONS OF THE NATIVES. 

July 25. --To-DAY we broke up the camp, and commenced our labours inearnest, the men and the horses having had a rest of three weeks; thelatter were in splendid condition and spirits, having eaten twenty-fivebushels of oats, which had been sent up in the WATERWITCH. Every thinghad been well and conveniently arranged, and the whole moved on with anorder and regularity that was very gratifying. 

I was very ill at starting, and remained so for some days after, but as Ihad already been twice over the ground, and as my native boy was able toact as guide to the party, my indisposition was not of so muchconsequence as it would have been under other circumstances. At times Iwas quite incapable of any exertion, and could not attend to any thing, being hardly able to sit upon my horse for half an hour together. Fromthe 25th to the evening of the 30th, we were engaged in travelling fromMount Arden to Depot Pool, by the same line of route by which myself andthe native boy had returned from our exploration. In our progress wenoticed many traces of natives around us, and saw many native fires amongthe hills; the people themselves did not, however, appear. 

By a little trouble in examining the watercourses before encamping, wewere generally able to procure water for our horses, at some distanceamong the hills; and we were usually fortunate enough to obtain tolerablefood for them also. The grass, it is true, was generally scanty, or dry;but we found a succulent plant of the geranium tribe, bearing a smallblue flower, and growing where the channels of the watercourses spreadout in the plains, in the greatest abundance, and in the wildestluxuriance; of this the horses were extremely fond, and it appeared tokeep them in good condition and spirits. 

July 30. --The geological formation of the country we had passed through, consisted in the higher ranges of an argillaceous rock, of quartz, or ofironstone. Upon some of the hills the small loose stones had a vitrifiedappearance--in others they looked like the scoria of a furnace, andappeared to be of volcanic origin, but nowhere did I observe theappearance of anything like a crater. In the lower or front hills therock was argillaceous, of a hard slaty nature, and inclined at an angleof about 45 degrees from the horizontal. This formation was frequentlytraversed by dykes of grey limestone of a very hard texture. 

Upon watering the horses at the hole in the rock, I was much disappointedto find that they had already sunk it eighteen inches, and now began tofear that it would not last them so long as I had anticipated, and that Ishould still be obliged to cross over the hills to the very rocky channelwhere I had found permanent water on the 15th of July. This I wasdesirous, if possible, to avoid, both from the difficult nature of theroad by which that water must be reached, and from the circumstance thatit was going so much out of our way into an all but impracticablecountry, and that consequently, when we did move on again to the north, we should be obliged to come all the way back again over the same badroad to gain the open country under Flinders range, where alone we couldhope to make any progress with the drays. 

July 31. --Having remained all day in camp to rest the party, I found thatthe horses had again made a great diminution in the depth of the water inthe rock, I therefore had the drays all prepared in the evening, intending to move away to the other water-course in the morning; but thenext day the horses had unfortunately strayed, and it was late beforethey were brought up, so that we could not get away. Upon watering themwhen they arrived, I found that less impression was made upon the waterthan on the previous days; and after an anxious consultation with myoverseer, I decided upon leaving the party in camp at Depot Pool until Icould reconnoitre further north and return. 

August 1. --To prevent any difficulties during my absence, in the event ofthe water failing in the rocky hole, I sent the native boy to shew theoverseer the place where the permanent water was, and gave himinstructions to move the party thither if he should find it necessary;but not until their safety absolutely required it, or before he had fullyascertained that no water was to be procured by digging in the bed of anyof the adjoining watercourses. During his absence, I employed myselfbusily in getting ready for another push to the north with the native boyto search for a new depot, as in a country so difficult and embarrassing, it was quite impracticable to move on the party until after havingpreviously ascertained where they could be taken to with safety. Uponexamining the barometers to-day, I was much concerned to find that theywere both out of order and useless; the damp had softened the gluefastening the bags of leather which hold the quicksilver, and theleathers that were glued over the joints of the cisterns, and so much ofthe mercury had escaped, before I was aware of it, that I found all theprevious observations valueless. I emptied the tubes and attempted torefill them, but in so doing I unfortunately broke one of them, and theother I could not get repaired in a satisfactory manner, not being able, after all my efforts, to get rid of some small air bubbles that wouldintrude, in spite of every care I could exercise. 

August 2. --Leaving early, I took with me a native boy, and a man onhorseback, leading a pack-horse, to carry water, as I could not but beapprehensive, lest we might find none in the country into which we wereadvancing. In following down the Depot watercourse to the plains, wefound a fire where the natives had encamped the previous night. Thissurprised us, because we were not aware that there were any soimmediately in our vicinity. It however shewed us the necessity ofvigilance and circumspection in our future movements. 

Steering for the most western point of Mount Deception range, until weopened one still more distant to the north-west, and which I namedTermination Hill, we kept pushing on through barren stony plains, withoutgrass or shrubs, and arrived late in the afternoon upon a largewatercourse with gum-trees, but could find no water in its bed. Near it, however, in the plains, we were fortunate enough to discover a puddle ofrain water, and at once halted for the night, though the feed wasindifferent. We had travelled twenty-eight miles, and the pack-horsecarrying twelve gallons of water, was considerably fatigued. At thepuddle, two teal were seen, which indicated the existence of a largerbody of water somewhere in the neighbourhood, but our efforts to find itwere unsuccessful. 

August 3. --Crossing very heavy sandy ridges, we passed at intervals oneor two dry watercourses, and the beds of some small dry lakes among thesandy ridges, in one of which was a little rain water which appeared tobe rapidly drying up. Watering the horses we moved on for TerminationHill, but the nature of the country had been so unfavourable, that thepack-horse was knocked up, and I was obliged to halt four miles short ofour intended destination, and where there was but poor feed for theanimals. After dinner I walked to Termination Hill and ascended it. Likeall the others I had recently examined, it was composed principally ofquartz, ironstone and a kind of slaty rock; the low hills in frontexhibiting the grey limestone, whilst patches of gum scrub wereobservable in many places. From the summit of Termination Hill, LakeTorrens bore W. 20 degrees S. But the view was obstructed by interveningsand ridges, the elevated land on the opposite shore of the lake stillappeared to continue, and was visibly further north than the lake itself, which, as I observed, was partially shut out by the ridges. To the northwere low broken hills similar to those around me, but less elevated, andimmediately under these hills to the westward, were heavy red sandyridges, such as we had crossed during the day. To the eastward and tendegrees north of east were seen Flinders range, with which MountDeception and Termination Hills were connected, by low long spurs thrownoff to the northward. In the north-east the horizon was one unbroken, low, flat, level waste, with here and there small table-toppedelevations, appearing white in the distance and seemingly exhibitingprecipitous faces. Wherever I turned, or whatever way I looked, theprospect was cheerless and disheartening. Our stage had been twenty-twomiles. 

August 4. --After giving five gallons of water each to my own and thenative boy's horse, I sent back the man with the pack-horse and the emptykegs to the depot. We then steered E. 5 degrees S. Across some veryextensive barren stony plains, occasionally broken into irregularsurfaces with steep white banks (of a fine freestone), forming thetermination of the higher levels, fronting the hollows. These hollows orflats were covered with salsolaceous plants and samphire, and appearedonce to have been salt swamps. 

At twenty miles we came to a small watercourse emanating from the easternhills, which we had now reached, and soon after to a larger one which wetraced up for five miles among the front hills, which were composed oflimestone, but were then obliged to encamp without water. Whilst ramblingabout after turning out the horses, I met with a party of native womenand children, but could gain no information from them. They would notpermit me to come near them, and at last fairly ran away, leaving attheir fire two young children who could not escape. I then went to theircamp and examined the bags and property which had been left, and amongstother things found two kangaroo skins full of water, each containing fromsix to eight quarts; it was quite muddy, and had evidently been takenfrom a puddle in the plains, and carried to the present encampment in thebed of the watercourse. Having helped ourselves to some of the water, Itied a red pocket handkerchief round one of the children, as payment forit and returned to our own camp. 

August 5. --During the night I was taken very ill again, and felt quiteweak when I arose this morning, but circumstances admitted of no delay, and I was obliged to go on with my exploration: I continued to trace upthe creek, which I found to be large and lined with gum-trees for manymiles among rocky and precipitous hills, but altogether without water, and as I knew of none of this requisite, of a permanent character, behindme, I determined to retrace my steps again to Mount Deception range. Indoing so, I had to pass near the place from whence the natives had takenflight, and from curiosity called to see if the children had been takenaway; to my surprise and regret I found them still remaining, they hadbeen left by their unnatural or terrified parents without food, andexposed to the inclemency of a cold winter's night; the fire had goneout, and the eldest of the children had scraped a hole among the ashes inwhich both were lying. They were alarmed when they saw me, and would takenothing I offered them. The child around whom I had tied thehandkerchief, had managed to get it off and throw it to one side. I nowscarcely knew what to do, as I was fearful if I left them there, and theparents did not return, the poor little children might perish, and yet Iwas so far away from my own party, and in such difficult circumstances, that I knew not how I could take them with me. Upon due reflection, andconsidering that I had not seen a single male native, it struck me thatthe women might have gone for the men and would probably return by theevening to see where their little ones were. 

Under this impression, I put the handkerchief again round the eldestchild, and tying it firmly, I left them; I had hopes too, that some ofthe natives were watching our movements from the hills, and in this casethey would at once return, when they saw us fairly depart from theneighbourhood. 

Keeping a little to the south of west, I still found the country verymuch broken into hollows, with high steep banks bounding them, thissingular formation being apparently the result of the violent action ofwater; but how long ago and under what circumstances I had no means ofjudging. Having found a puddle of water in the plains, I halted for thenight, our stage having been about twenty miles. 

August 6. --We again passed many of those singular hollows fronted by thehigh steep banks of the upper levels, and then crossed some low ironstoneridges to a channel emanating from Mount Deception range. This I tracedthrough the hills to the westward without finding any water, and thenfollowing down the Mount Deception range in its western slopes, Iexamined all the watercourses coming from it; in one, which I named TheScott, after my young friend and fellow traveller, I found a large holeof rain water among the rocks, and at this I halted to rest and feed thehorses. The latitude of the water in The Scott was 30 degrees 32 minutesS. Pushing on again, late in the afternoon, I reached our camp of the 2ndAugust, quite tired, and the horses much fatigued, the puddle of water wehad found here on our outward course was now nearly all dried up. 

August 7. --Making an early start I returned to the Depot Pool, and foundthe party all well. They were, however, just preparing to move away, asthe water was nearly all gone. The drays were packed and everything readywhen I arrived; they had tried to obtain water by digging, but hadfailed, having been stopped by hard rock. 

I was now in a very awkward dilemma. The water where we were, had beenall used, and we must consequently remove at once, --but where to, was thequestion? If I went to the permanent water to the eastward, I gainednothing, as I only harassed my party by travelling through an almostimpracticable country, over which we must return before we could movefurther to the north, --and if I went to the N. W. To The Scott, I went toa mere puddle of water, precarious and uncertain at the best, and atwhich, under any circumstances, we could not remain long:--yet move Imust, as soon as the morning dawned. Many and anxious were the hours Ispent in consideration and reflection. 

Little indeed are the public aware of the difficulties andresponsibilities attached to the command of an expedition ofexploration;--the incessant toil, the sleepless hours, the anxiousthoughts that necessarily fall to the share of the leader of a partyunder circumstances of difficulty or danger, are but imperfectlyunderstood and less appreciated by the world at large. Accustomed tojudge of undertakings only by their results, they are frequently asunjust in their censure as they are excessive in their approval. Thetraveller who discovers a rich and well watered district, encounters butfew of the hardships, and still fewer of the anxieties, that fall to thelot of the explorer in desert regions, yet is the former lauded withpraise, whilst the latter is condemned to obloquy; although the successperhaps of the one, or the failure of the other, may have arisen fromcircumstances over which individually neither had any control. 

August 8. --The horses having rambled a little this morning it was ratherlate before we got away, I had, however, made up my mind to advance atall risks, and we accordingly travelled sixteen miles to the N. W. ;halting without any water upon the large watercourse emanating from MountDeception; there was no grass either, and we were consequently obliged totie up our horses for the night. 

August 9. --The sheep had broken out of their yard, and could not be foundthis morning; so sending the party on with the native boy as a guide, Iremained behind myself with the overseer, to search for them; they weresoon found, and we moved on after the drays. In going up the watercourseI again found a native fire, where natives had been encamped within amile of us during the night, without our being aware of it; so difficultis it always to know the proximity of these children of the wilds. 

Having overtaken the party, I conducted them to The Scott, at which wearrived early in the day, though the distance could not be less than 20miles. At night a party of natives were seen near, but did not come up tous. 

August 10. --To day I prepared for another exploration to the N. W. Andhad all our casks and kegs new coopered and filled with water, to makethem water tight. I found it necessary also to have our horses new shod, which was the third set of shoes they had required in less than twomonths, in consequence of the hard and stony roads over which we hadtravelled. The natives were again encamped near us at night, but did notcome up. 

August 11. --Leaving directions for the overseer to dig for water duringmy absence, I took a native boy and one man driving a cart loaded withwater; we had mustered all the casks and kegs in the party, holdingaltogether 65 gallons, and to draw this I had our three best draughthorses yoked to the light cart, being determined to push as far aspossible to the N. W. Before I returned. At first we passed over a goodroad but stony, then over heavy red sand ridges, and at night encamped ina gorge coming from Termination Hill, where we had excellent feed for thehorses, but no water. The traces of natives were numerous and recent, andI imagine they must obtain their supply of water at puddles in theplains, but we could find none at present. The weather was very hot andthe flies excessively annoying, even at this early period of the year. Wegave each of the horses three gallons of water out of the kegs, afterwhich they fed well; the hills, as we advanced were getting lower, andthe sandy ridges now wound close under them, and in some instances evenamong them; still there were many birds around us, amongst which cockatooparrots were very numerous. Our stage was about 23 miles. 

August 12. --Steering to the N. W. To a low range (the highest summit ofwhich I named Mount North-west, ) we just kept far enough in the plains tointercept the watercourses from the hills where they spread into thelevel country, and by this means we got excellent feed for our horses;generally the same rich succulent herbage I have mentioned before, occasionally mixed with wild oats. It was only in places of thisdescription that we could expect to find anything for our horses. In theplains or on the hills there was not a blade of of anything green; atnight we encamped upon a small dry channel with tolerable feed, but nowater, and we again gave each horse three gallons from our kegs. 

The country we were traversing as yet under-went no alteration, the onlydifference being, that the hills were getting lower and the watercoursesless numerous, and both apparently without water; the sand ridges camemore in among the hills, and the dry beds of small salt lakes were oftenmet with; the salsolae were more abundant, but the traces of natives werenow less frequent; whilst those we fell in with seemed for the most partto have been left during the wet season. The rock formation stillcontinued the same, quartz, ironstone, slate, and grey limestone, withsaline crusts peeping above the ground in many places in the lowerlevels; the sky was cloudy and threatened rain, but none fell: our stagewas 18 miles. 

August 13. --Continuing our course to the N. W. I took on the cart for 13miles to a large dry channel, coming from the hills, upon which we haltedfor an hour or two to rest and feed the horses, as there were somesprinklings of grass around. We had now a change in the appearance of thecountry; the ironstone ranges seemed to decrease rapidly in elevation tothe north, and the region around appeared more level, with many verysingular looking table-topped elevations from 50 to 300 feet in heightand with steep precipitous sides which were red, with the ironstoneabove, and white, with a substance like chalk, below. The country wascovered with salsolae, and we passed the beds of many dried up saltlakes. Ascending the highest ridge near us, I found Lake Torrens was nolonger visible, being shut out by the sandy ridges to the westward, whilst the low ironstone hills impeded our view to the north, and to theeast. Having given our horses water, we buried twelve gallons against ourreturn, and sending back the man with the cart, and extra horses, thenative boy and I still pushed on to the N. W. , taking a pack-horse tocarry our provisions and a few quarts of water for ourselves. 

As we proceeded, the country changed to extensive plains and undulationsof stones and gravel, washed perfectly level by water, and with thestones as even in size and as regularly laid as if they had been pickedout and laid by a paviour. At intervals were interspersed many of thefragments of table land I have alluded to before, only perhaps a littleless elevated than they had previously been; we passed also the beds ofseveral small dry watercourses, and encamped upon one of the largest, long after dark, having travelled twenty-five miles since we left thecart, and having made in the whole a day's journey of thirty-seven miles. There was tolerable food in the bed of the watercourse, but the horseswere thirsty and eat but little. Unfortunately, in crossing the stonyground, one of them cast a shoe, and began to go a little lame. 

August 14. --Moving away very early we travelled sixteen miles due north, through a very similar country, only that the stones and gravel in theplains had become much finer and a good deal mixed with sand; thefragments of table land still continued in every direction at intervals, and their elevations still varied from 50 to 300 feet. In the upper partthese elevations appeared red from the red sandy soil, gravel, oriron-stone grit which were generally found upon their summits. They hadall steep precipitous sides, which looked very white in the distance, andwere composed of a chalky substance, traversed by veins of very beautifulgypsum. There were neither trees nor shrubs, nor grass, nor vegetation ofany kind except salsolaceous plants, and these every where abounded. 

In the midst of these barren miserable plains I met with four natives, asimpoverished and wretched looking as the country they inhabited. As soonas they saw us they took to their heels, apparently in great alarm, butas I was anxious to find out from them if there was any water near, Igalloped after two of them, and upon coming up with them was very nearlyspeared for my indiscretion; for the eldest of the two men, who had inhis hand a long, rude kind of spear with which he had been digging rootsor grubs out of the ground (although I could not see the least sign ofanything edible) finding that he was rather close pressed, suddenlyhalted and faced me, raising his spear to throw. 

The rapid pace at which I had been pursuing prevented my reining in myhorse, but by suddenly spurring him when within but a few yards of thenative, I wheeled on one side before the weapon had time to leave hisgrasp, and then pulling up I tried to bring my friend to a parley at aless dangerous distance. 

Finding that I did not attempt to injure him, the native stood hisground, though tremblingly, and kept incessantly vociferating, and wavingme away; to all my signs and inquiries, he was provokingly insensible, and would not hear of anything but my immediate departure. Sometimes hepointed to the north, motioning me to go in that direction, but the poorwretch was in such a state of alarm and trepidation that I could makenothing of him and left him. He remained very quietly until I had gonenearly a quarter of a mile, and then thinking that he had a fair start, he again took to his heels, and ran away as fast as he could in thedirection opposite to that I had taken. 

Continuing our course northerly I steered for what appeared to be a smalllake not far away to the N. W. And crossed over some heavy ridges ofwhite sand; upon reaching the object of my search it proved to be awinding arm of the main lake (Torrens) at first somewhat narrow, butgradually enlarging as we traced it downwards. The bed of this arm wascoated over, as had been the dry part of the bed of the main lake, with avery pungent salt, with mud and sand and water intermixed beneath theupper crust. 

Following the arm downwards I came to a long reach of water in itschannel, about two feet deep, perfectly clear, and as salt as the sea, and I even fancied that it had that peculiar green tinge which sea-waterwhen shallow usually exhibits. 

This water, however, was not continuous; a little further on, the channelagain became dry, as it increased in width in its approach to the mainlake, the bed of which, near its shores, was also dry. From a high bankwhich I ascended, I had a full view of the lake stretching away to thenorth-east, as far as the eye could reach, apparently about thirty milesbroad, and still seeming to be bounded on its western shores by a lowridge, or table land, beyond which nothing could be seen. No hills werevisible any where, nor was there the least vegetation of any kind. 

I was now upwards of 100 miles away from my party in a desert, withoutgrass or water, nor could I expect to obtain either until my return tothe creek, where I had left the twelve gallons, and this was about fiftymiles away. The main basin of Lake Torrens was still four or five milesdistant, and I could not expect to gain any thing by going down to itsshores; as on previous occasions, I had ascertained that to attempt tocross it, or even to reach the water a few miles from its outer edge, wasquite impossible, from the boggy nature of its bed. From my presentelevation, the lake was seen bending round to the N. E. , and I becameaware that it would be a barrier to all efforts to the north. My horseswere suffering, too, from want of water and food; and I had, therefore, no alternative but to turn back from so inhospitable and impracticable acountry. 

With a heavy heart, and many misgivings as to the future, I retreatedfrom the dismal scene, and measured back my steps as rapidly as possibletowards the creek where our stock of water was buried. From the state inwhich our horses were, I knew, that to save their lives, it was necessaryto get them to water without loss of time, and I therefore continued ourhomeward course during the whole night, and arrived early in the morningat the place where I had parted from the cart. 

August 15. --It was now necessary to use great caution in the managementof our jaded animals. During the last two days we had ridden them fully100 miles over a heavy country, without food or water; and for the lasttwenty-four hours they had never had a moment's rest; and now we had onlytwelve gallons of water for three horses and ourselves, and were stillfifty miles away from the depot, without the possibility of getting afurther supply until our arrival there. 

Having hobbled the horses out for an hour, we watched them until they hadrested a little, and got cool. I then gave them half of our supply ofwater; and leaving them to feed under the superintendence of the nativeboy, took my gun, and walked seven or eight miles up the creek, under ascorching sun, to look for water, examining every gorge and nook, with aneagerness and anxiety, which those only can know who have been similarlycircumstanced; but my search was in vain, and I returned to theencampment tired and disappointed. Out of what was left of our water, theboy and myself now made each a little tea, and then gave the remainder tothe horses; after which we laid down for an hour whilst they werefeeding. About four in the afternoon, we again saddled them, and movedhomewards, riding, as before, the whole night, with the exception ofabout an hour, when we halted to feed the horses, upon meeting with arich bed of the succulent geranium, of which they were so fond. 

August 16. --Travelling on steadily, we began early in the afternoon todraw near to the depot; and when within a mile and half of it, I wassurprised, upon looking back, to see two natives trying to steal upon uswith spears, who, as soon as they perceived they were observed, rose up, and made violent gestures of defiance, but at once desisted fromfollowing us. A little further on, upon a rise not far from the depot, Iwas still more astonished to see at least thirty of these savages; and Ihurried forwards as quickly as possible to ascertain what it could mean, not without some anxiety for the safety of my party. 

Chapter VI. 

GAUSE OF HOSTILITY OF THE NATIVES--WELL SUNK UNSUCCESSFULLY--OVERSEERSENT TO THE EAST--THE SCOTT EXAMINED--ROCK WALLABIE--OVERSEER'SRETURN--ANOTHER VISIT TO LAKE TORRENS--BOGGY CHARACTER OF ITSBED--EXTRAORDINARY EFFECTS OF MIRAGE AND REFRACTION--RETURN TO THECAMP--SUPPLY OF WATER EXHAUSTED--LEAVE THE DEPOT--THE MUNDY--THEBURR--MOUNT SERLE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE EAST--MELANCHOLY PROSPECTS. 

August 16. --UPON reaching the camp the extraordinary behaviour of thenatives was soon explained to me. At the time when I left the depot onthe 11th of August, in giving the overseer general directions for hisguidance, I had among other matters requested him, if he found anynatives in the neighbourhood, to try and get one up to the camp andinduce him to remain until my return, that we might, if possible, gainsome information as to the nature of the country or the direction of thewaters. In endeavouring to carry out my wishes, it seems he had one daycome across two or three natives in the plain, to whom he gave chase whenthey ran away. The men escaped, but he came up with one of the femalesand took her a prisoner to the camp, where he kept her for a couple ofdays, but could gain no information from her; she either could not beunderstood, or would not tell where there was water, although when signswere made to her on the subject, she pointed to the east and to thenorth-west. After keeping her for two days, during which, with theexception of being a prisoner, she had been kindly treated, she was letgo with the present of a shirt and handkerchief. 

It was to revenge this aggression that the natives had now assembled; forwhich I could not blame them, nor could I help regretting that theprecipitancy of my overseer should have placed me in a position whichmight possibly bring me into collision with the natives, and occasion asacrifice of life; an occurrence I should deplore most deeply under anycircumstances, but which would be doubly lamentable when I knew that myown party had committed the first act of aggression. 

The number of natives said to have been seen altogether, including womenand children, was between fifty and sixty, and though they had yetactually committed no overt act against us, with the exception of tryingto steal upon myself and the native boy as we returned; yet they hadestablished themselves in the close vicinity of our encampment, andrepeatedly exhibited signs of defiance, such as throwing dust into theair, shouting, and threatening with their weapons, and once or twice, theevening before my arrival, crossing within a very short distance of thetents, as if for the purpose of reconnoitring our position and strength;I determined, however, nothing but the last extremity should ever induceme to act on the defensive. [Note 6: "And they cried out, and cast offtheir clothes, and threw dust into the air. "--Acts xxii. 23. ]

When on my return to the depot, I had seen the natives creeping after mewith their spears, I and the native boy at once halted, turned round andwent slowly towards them, upon this they retreated. They would see bythis that we did not fear them, and as the party at the camp had beenincreased in number by our return, I thought they might probably be morecautious in their hostile demonstrations, which for the present was thecase, for we saw nothing more of them for some time. 

During my absence, the overseer, according to my instructions, had put aparty of men to dig for water in the bed of the creek, about four milesfrom the depot, in a westerly direction and down upon the plains. Theywere busy when I arrived at the depot; the soil already dug through hadbeen a very hard gravel, but as yet no water had been found, they had gotto a depth of about ten feet; but from the indurated character of thesoil were proceeding very slowly. 

I was, however, too much fatigued to go and inspect the work immediately, the boy and myself as well as the horses being completely worn out. Wehad ridden in the last five days and a half, about two hundred miles, andwalked about twenty up and down rocky and precipitous creeks, whilst, forthe last two nights before our arrival we had scarcely been off thehorses' back. 

On the 17th, which was dreadfully hot, I went in the afternoon to seewhat progress was being made at the well, and found that only two feethad been dug in the last twenty-four hours, whilst just as I arrived themen came to a solid mass of rock, and could sink no further; I at onceordered them to return to the camp, as I did not think it worth while tomake further attempts in so unkindly a soil, and indeed I was unwillingto have my little party too much divided in the neighbourhood of so manynatives. The men themselves were very glad to get back to the camp, having been apprehensive of an attack for the last two or three days. 

August 18. --This morning I sent off the overseer and a native boy to theeastward, to look for water in the watercourses I had been at on the 5thof August, the Scott not having then been discovered; they would now bethirty-six miles nearer water than any I was acquainted with at thattime, and would consequently be less hurried and embarrassed in theirmovements than I was. By giving them a pack-horse to carry ten gallons ofwater, I hoped they would be able to examine all the watercourses soeffectually as to secure the object of their search, for I felt satisfiedthat water was to be found somewhere among the high ranges we had seen inthe direction they were going; I also directed the overseer to visit thecamp where the two native children had been left, and to see what hadbeen their fate. 

During the day I employed myself in writing; the weather was excessivelyclose and oppressive, with heavy clouds coming up from the S. W. Againstthe wind at N. E. At night it blew almost a hurricane, accompanied by afew drops of rain, after which, the wind then veered round to the north. 

The 19th was another oppressive hot day, with a northerly wind, andclouds of dust which darkened the air so that we could not see the hillsdistinctly, although we were close under them. The flies were alsoincessant in their persecuting attacks. What with flies and dust, andheat and indisposition, I scarcely ever remember to have spent a moredisagreeable day in my life. My eyes were swollen and very sore, andaltogether I was scarcely able to attend to any thing or employ myself inany profitable way. 

August 20. --Some slight showers during the night made the weather cooland pleasant, the day too was cloudy, and I was enabled to occupy myselfin charting, working out observations, etc. Whilst Mr. Scott, by shooting, supplied us with some wallabies. This animal is very like a rabbit whenrunning, and quite as delicate and excellent in eating. 

August 21. --Not having seen the natives for the last two days, I thoughtI might venture to explore the watercourse we were encamped upon, and setoff on horseback immediately after breakfast, accompanied by Mr. Scott. 

We traced up its stony and rugged bed for about seven miles among thehills, to a point where the scenery was peculiarly grand and sublime. Thecliffs rose perpendicularly from the channel of the watercourse to aheight of from six to eight hundred feet, towering above us in awful andimposing prominencies. At their base was a large pool of clear thoughbrackish water; and a little beyond a clump of rushes, indicating theexistence of a spring. In the centre of these rushes the natives had duga small well, but the water was no better than that in the larger pool. 

The natives generally resort to such places as these when the rain wateris dried up in the plains or among the hills immediately skirting them. Far among the fastnesses of the interior ranges, these children of thewilds find resources which always sustain them when their ordinarysupplies are cut off; but they are not of corresponding advantage to theexplorer, because they are difficult of access, not easily found, andseldom contain any food for his horses, so that he can barely call atthem and pass on. Such was the wretched and impracticable character ofthe country in which we were now placed. 

Having tied up our horses, Mr. Scott and I ascended to the top of thehigh cliff by winding along the ridges at the back of it. From its summitwe had an extensive view, and I was enabled to take several angles. Oneof the high peaks in the Mount Deception range bearing S. 35 degrees W. About five miles off I named Mount Scott. To the east were seen highranges, to which I had sent my overseer. Descending the hill we examinedthe course of the watercourse a few miles further, and ascertaining thatthere was no more water in it, retraced our steps towards the depot, somewhat fatigued with clambering up rocky ranges under the oppressiveheat of an almost tropical sun. 

In the course of the morning Mr. Scott shot a rock wallabie of rather alarge species, and many more were seen about the high perpendicular cliffunder which we had found the water. These singular animals appeared tohave a wonderful facility for scaling precipices, for they leapt andclambered up among the steep sides of the cliffs in a manner quiteincredible, and where it was perfectly impossible for any human being tofollow them. 

In the evening the overseer and native boy returned, they had traced upthe watercourse I turned back from on the 5th of August, and had foundwater in it about eight miles beyond where I gave up the search. They hadalso visited the native camp where the two little children had been leftdeserted, they were now gone, and the whole plain around had been strewedwith green boughs. The handkerchief I had tied round the eldest child hadbeen taken off and left at the camp, the natives probably dreading tohave anything to do with property belonging to such fearful enchanters asthey doubtless suspected us to be. 

Our party being once more all together, it became necessary to decideupon our future movements, the water in the hole at the depot beingnearly all used, and what was left being very muddy and unpalatable. Before I abandoned our present position, however, I was anxious to make ajourney to the shores of Lake Torrens to the westward; I had alreadyvisited its basin at points fully 150 miles apart, viz. In about 29degrees 10 minutes S. Latitude, and in 31 degrees 30 minutes S. I hadalso traced its course from various heights in Flinders range, from whichit was distinctly visible, and in my mind, had not the slightest doubtthat it was one continuous and connected basin. Still, from the hills ofour present depot, it was not visible to the north of west, and I shouldnot have felt myself justified in going away to the eastward, withoutpositively ascertaining its connection with the basin I was at to thenorth-west; accordingly, as soon as the overseer returned I got ready foranother harassing and uninteresting journey to the westward. 

August 22. --Setting off early this morning, accompanied by a native boy, I steered W. N. W. For the first four miles, I took my overseer along withme, to shew him the direction I intended to take, so that if I did notreturn in two days, he might send a pack-horse with water to meet mealong the tracks. 

After he had left I pushed steadily on for thirty-five miles, principallyover heavy sandy ridges, which were very fatiguing to the horses, and atdark reached the outer dunes of the lake, where I was obliged to tie thehorses up to some small bushes, as there was neither water nor grass forthem. The bed of the lake where I struck it, seemed dry for some distancefrom the shore, but towards the middle there appeared to be a large bodyof water. From our camp Mount Deception bore E. 26 degrees S. AndTermination Hill, E. 35 degrees N. 

August 23. --Starting early, I traced the course of the lakenorth-westerly for ten miles, and was then able to satisfy myself that itwas a part of the same vast basin I had seen so much further to thenorth, it inclined here considerably to the westward, and thiscircumstance added to the high sandy ridges intervening between it andFlinders range fully explained the cause of our not having observed itscourse to the north of west from the hills near our depot. Crossing thesandy ridge bounding the basin of the lake, I was surprised to see itsbed apparently much contracted, and the opposite shore distinctlyvisible, high, rocky and bluff to the edge of the water, seemingly onlyseven or eight miles distant, and with several small islands or rocksscattered over its surface. This was however only deceptive, and causedby the very refractive state of the atmosphere at the time, for upondismounting and leading the horses into the bed of the lake, the oppositeshore appeared to recede, and the rocks or islands turned out to be onlyvery small lumps of dirt or clay lying in the bed of the lake, andincreased in magnitude by refraction. 

I penetrated into the basin of the lake for about six miles, and found itso far without surface water. On entering at first, the horses sunk alittle in a stiff mud, after breaking through a white crust of salt, which everywhere coated the surface and was about one eighth of an inchin thickness, as we advanced the mud became much softer and greatly mixedwith salt water below the surface, until at last we found it impossibleto advance a step further, as the horses had already sunk up to theirbellies in the bog, and I was afraid we should never be able to extricatethem, and get them safely back to the shore. Could we have gone on forsome distance, I have no doubt that we should have found the bed of thelake occupied by water, as there was every appearance of a large body ofit at a few miles to the west. As we advanced a great alteration hadtaken place, in the aspect of the western shores. The bluff rocky bankswere no longer visible, but a low level country appeared to the view atseemingly about fifteen or twenty miles distance. From the extraordinaryand deceptive appearances, caused by mirage and refraction, however, itwas impossible to tell what to make of sensible objects, or what tobelieve on the evidence of vision, for upon turning back to retrace oursteps to the eastward, a vast sheet of water appeared to intervenebetween us and the shore, whilst the Mount Deception ranges, which I knewto be at least thirty-five miles distant, seemed to rise out of the bedof the lake itself, the mock waters of which were laving their base, andreflecting the inverted outline of their rugged summits. The whole scenepartook more of enchantment than reality, and as the eye wandered overthe smooth and unbroken crust of pure white salt which glazed the basinof the lake, and which was lit up by the dazzling rays of a noonday sun, the effect was glittering, and brilliant beyond conception. 

[Very similar appearances seem to have been observed by Monsieur Peron, on the S. W. Coast near Geographe Bay. "A cette epoque nous eprouvions leseffets les plus singuliers du mirage; tantot les terres les plusuniformes et les plus basses nous paroissoient portees au dessus deseaux, et profondement dechirrees dans toutes leurs parties; tantot leurscretes superieures sembloient renversees, et reposer ainsi sur lesvagues; a chaque instant on croyoit voir au large de longues chaines derecifs, et de brisans qui sembloient se reculer a mesure qu'on s'enapprochoit davantage. "--VOYAGE DE DECOUVERTES AUX TERRES AUSTRALES REDIGEPAR PERON. ]

Upon regaining the eastern shore, I found that all I had been able toeffect was to determine that the lake still continued its course to theN. W. That it was still guided as before, by a ridge like a sea shore, that its area was undiminished, that its bed was dry on the surface forat least six miles from the outer margin, and that from the increasingsoftness of the mud, occasioned by its admixture with water, as Iproceeded there was every probability that still further west, waterwould be found upon the surface. Beyond these few facts, all wasuncertainty and conjecture in this region of magic. Turning away from thelake, I retraced my steps towards the depot, and halted at dark after astage of nearly forty miles. Here was neither grass nor water, and againI was obliged to tie up the unfortunate horses, jaded, hungry andthirsty. 

During the night, I released one of the poor animals for an hour or two, thinking he would not stray from his companion, and might, perhaps, cropa few of the little shrubs growing on the sand ridges, but on searchingfor him in the morning he was gone, and I had to walk twelve miles overthe heavy sand tracking him, the boy following along our outward trackwith the other horse, for fear of missing the man who was to meet us withwater. 

The stray horse had fortunately kept near the line we had followed ingoing to the lake, and I came upon him in a very weak and miserablecondition, soon after the arrival of the man who had been sent to meet uswith water. By care and slow travelling, we reached the depot safely inthe afternoon, having crossed in going and returning, upwards of 100miles of desert country, during the last three days, in which the horseshad got nothing either to eat or drink. It is painful in the extreme, tobe obliged to subject them to such hardships, but alas, in such acountry, what else can be done. 

In the evening, I directed the overseer to have every thing got ready forbreaking up our encampment on the morrow, as the party had been fifteendays in depot, and little else than mud remained in the hole which hadsupplied them with water. 

August 25. --Slight showers during the night, and the day dark and cloudy, with rather an oppressive atmosphere. The horses had strayed during thenight, so that it was nine o'clock before we got away. 

We had scarcely left the place of encampment, when shoutings were heard, and signal fires lit up in every direction by the natives, to givewarning I imagine of our being abroad, and to call stragglers to theircamp. These people had still remained in our immediate vicinity, and werenow assembled in very considerable numbers on the brow of one of thefront ridges, to watch us pass by. They would not approach us, but as thedrays moved on kept running in a line with them, at some distance, andoccasionally shouting and gesticulating in an unintelligible manner. 

In our first and only intercourse with these natives, we hadunfortunately given them just cause of offence, and I was most anxious, if possible, before leaving, to efface the unfavourable impression whichthey had received. Letting the drays therefore move on, I remained behindwith Mr. Scott, leading our horses, and trying to induce some of thenatives to come up to us; for a long time, however, our efforts were invain, but at last I succeeded in persuading a fine athletic looking manto approach within a moderate distance; I then shewed him a tomahawk, which I laid on the ground, making signs that I intended it for him. WhenI had retired a little, he went and took it up, evidently comprehendingits use, and appearing much pleased with the gift; the others sooncongregated around him, and Mr. Scott and I mounting our horses, followedthe party, leaving the sable council to discuss the merits of their newacquisition, and hoping that the unfavourable opinion with which we hadat first impressed them, would be somewhat modified for the future. 

Steering N. 43 degrees W. For five miles, and then winding through therange, in the bed of a watercourse to the plains on the other side, wetook a direction of E. 20 degrees N. For fifteen miles, arriving aboutdark upon a small channel that I had crossed on the 14th of August. Herewas good feed for the horses, and plenty of water a little way up amongthe hills. This watercourse I had not examined when I was here before, preferring to trace up the larger one beyond instead. Had I followedthis, I should easily have found water, and been relieved from much ofthe anxiety which I had then undergone. 

In travelling through a country previously unexplored, no pains should bespared in examining every spot, even the most unlikely, where it ispossible for water to exist, for after searching in vain, in large deeprocky and likely looking watercourses, I have frequently found water insome small branch or gorge, that had appeared too insignificant, or toouninviting to require to be explored. This I named The Mundy, after myfriend, Alfred Mundy, Esq. , now the Colonial Secretary of SouthAustralia. 

Early this morning, I took Mr. Scott with me, to examine The Mundy, leaving the overseer to proceed with the party. 

After entering the hills a short distance, we found in the bed of theMundy a strongly running stream, connecting several reaches of waters, upon which many black ducks were sailing about. This appeared to be oneof the finest and best streams we had yet discovered, although the waterwas slightly impregnated with alum. After the watercourse left the hills, the surface water all disappeared, the drainage being then absorbed bythe light sandy soil of the plains, and this had invariably been the casewith all the waters emanating from Flinders range. 

Crossing some stony ridges, we followed the party up the largewatercourse, which I had traced so far on the 5th of August, since namedthe Burr, after the Deputy Surveyor-general of the colony, and atnineteen miles halted early in the afternoon, at some springs risingamong rocks and rushes in its bed. The water was very brackish, thoughdrinkable, but did not extend far on either side of the spot we wereencamped at, and when after dinner, I took a long walk up the watercourseto search for more, I was unable to find any either in the main channelor its branches. The grass was abundant and good. The latitude of thecamp I ascertained to be 30 degrees 27 minutes S. 

August 27. --Having risen and breakfasted very early, I took Mr. Scott anda native boy with me, and steered for a very high hill with rather arounded summit, bearing from our camp E. 17 degrees S. This I named MountSerle, in accordance with a request made to me before my departure, bythe Governor, that I would name some remarkable feature in the countryafter Mr. Serle. This was the most prominent object we had hitherto metwith; among high ranges it appeared the highest, and from a height aboveour present encampment, it had been selected by us as the most likelypoint from which to obtain a view to the eastward. 

The elevation of this hill could not be less than three thousand feetabove the level of the sea; but unfortunately, the injury my barometerhad sustained in the escape of some of the mercury, and my being unableto fill it again properly, quite precluded me from ascertaining theheight with accuracy. 

In our route to Mount Serle, we observed another hill rather more to thenorthward, seemingly of as great an altitude as Mount Serle itself; thiswas not situate in the Mount Serle range, nor had it been seen by us inour view from the height above the depot. 

At ten miles from our camp, we came to a large watercourse, emanatingfrom the Mount Serle range on the south side, and running close under itswestern aspect, with an abundance of excellent clear water in it. This Inamed the Frome, after the Surveyor-general of the colony, to whosekindness I was so much indebted in preparing my outfit and for the loanof instruments for the use of the expedition. 

Having watered our horses we tied them up to some trees, and commencedthe ascent of Mount Serle on foot. The day was exceedingly hot, and wefound our task a much harder one than we had anticipated, being compelledto wind up and down several steep and rugged ridges before we could reachthe main one. 

At length, however, having overcome all difficulties we stood upon thesummit of the mountain. Our view was then extensive and final. At oneglance I saw the realization of my worst forebodings; and the terminationof the expedition of which I had the command. Lake Torrens now faced usto the east, whilst on every side we were hemmed in by a barrier which wecould never hope to pass. Our toils and labours and privations, had allbeen endured to no purpose; and the only alternative left us would be toreturn, disappointed and baffled. 

To the north and north-west the horizon was unbroken to the naked eye, but with the aid of a powerful telescope I could discover fragments oftable land similar to those I had seen in the neighbourhood of the lakein that direction. At N. 8 degrees W. A very small haycock-looking hillmight be seen above the level waste, probably the last of the low spursof Flinders range to the north. To the north-east, the view wasobstructed by a high range immediately in front of us, but to the eastand as far as E. 13 degrees S. We saw through a break in the hills, abroad glittering belt in appearance, like the bed of a lake, butapparently dry. 

The ranges seemed to continue to the eastward of Mount Serle for aboutfifteen miles, and then terminated abruptly in a low, level, scrubby-looking country, also about fifteen miles in extent, between thehills and the borders of the lake. The latter appearing about twenty-fivemiles across, whilst beyond it was a level region without a height orelevation of any kind. 

Connecting the view before me with the fact that on the 14th August, whenin about lat. 29 degrees S. , I had found Lake Torrens turning round tothe north-east, and had observed no continuation of Flinders range to theeastward of my position, I could now no longer doubt that I had almostarrived at the termination of that range, and that the glittering belt Inow saw to the east, was in fact only an arm of the lake taking thedrainage from its eastern slopes. 

Sad and painful were the thoughts that occupied my mind in returning tothe camp. Hitherto, even when placed in the most difficult or desperatecircumstances I was cheered by hope, but now I had no longer even thatfrail solace to cling to, there was no mistaking the nature of thecountry, by which we were surrounded on every side, and no room fordoubting its impracticability. 

Chapter VII. 

EXCURSION TO THE NORTH-EAST--TRACE DOWN THE FROME--WATER BECOMESSALT--PASS BEYOND THE RANGES--COCKATOOS SEEN--HEAVY RAINS--DRYWATER-COURSES--MOUNT DISTANCE--BRINE SPRINGS--MOUNT HOPELESS--TERMINATIONOF FLINDERS RANGE--LAKE TORRENS TO THE NORTH AND TO THE EAST--ALL FURTHERADVANCE HOPELESS--YOUNG EMUS CAUGHT--REJOIN PARTY--MOVE BACK TOWARDSMOUNT ARDEN--LOSS OF A HORSE--ARRIVE AT THE DEPOT--PLANS FOR THEFUTURE--TAKE UP STORES--PREPARE FOR LEAVING. 

Upon returning to the depot at the Burr, I decided upon making anexcursion to the north-east, to ascertain the actual termination ofFlinders range, and the nature of the prospect beyond it; not to satisfymyself, for a single glance from the eminence I had recently occupied atMount Serle, had for ever set my curiosity at rest on these points, butin discharge of the duty I owed to the Governor, and the promoters of theexpedition, who could not be expected to be satisfied with a bareconjecture on a subject which they had sent me practically todemonstrate, however fairly from circumstances the conclusions might bededuced at which I had been compelled to arrive. Accordingly, on themorning of the 29th, I took with me my overseer, one man, a native boy, and a cart drawn by three horses to carry water; and making an earlystart, proceeded to attempt for the last time to penetrate into thoseregions of gloom. 

After travelling ten miles, we arrived at the Frome, where we watered andfed the horses. From this place I sent the overseer on before us, to seehow far the water extended, that we might determine where to fix ourhalting-place for the night. After resting awhile we proceeded on withthe cart, tracing down the watercourse over a very rough and stony roadon which the cart was upset, but without any serious damage, and passingseveral very large and fine water-holes with many teal and wood-duck uponthem. 

At eight miles from where we lunched, we encamped with abundance ofwater, but very little grass. The latitude by meridian altitude of Altairwas 30 degrees 18 minutes 30 seconds S. In the evening the overseerreturned, and stated there was water for nine miles further, but that theroad was very rocky and bad. 

August 30. --Leaving the overseer to bring on the cart, I rode on a-headdown the watercourse to trace the continuance of the water. The road Ifound to be very bad, and at twenty-three miles, upon tasting the water Ifound it as salt as the sea, and the bed of the creek quite impracticablefor a cart; I therefore hurried back for seven miles, and halted theparty at the last good water-hole, which was about sixteen miles from ouryesterday's camp. 

We had seen many ducks during the day, two of which I shot, and the blackboy found a nest with fresh eggs in it, so that we fared more luxuriouslythan usual. The night set in very dark and windy, but no rain fell. 

August 31. --This morning I sent the overseer back to the depot with thecart and two horses, whilst I and the native boy proceeded on our routeon horseback, taking also a man leading a pack-horse to carry water forus the first day. Following down the watercourse, we passed through someimposing scenery, consisting of cliffs from six to eight hundred feet inheight, rising perpendicularly from their bases, below which wererecesses, into which the sun never shone, and whose gloomy grandeurimparted a melancholy cast to the thoughts and feelings, in unison withthe sublimity of the scene around. 

After travelling twelve miles from the camp, we got clear of the hills, and found an open country before us to the north; through this weproceeded for ten miles further, still following the direction of thewatercourse, and halting upon it for the night, after having made a stageof twenty-two miles. We had tolerable grass for the horses, but wereobliged to give them water from the kegs. 

At this place I was much astonished to see four white cockatoos, flyingabout among the gum-trees in the watercourse, and immediately commenced anarrow search for water, as I knew those birds did not frequently go faraway from it: there was not, however, a drop to be found anywhere, northe least sign of there having been any for a long time. What made thecircumstance of finding cockatoos here so surprising and unusual was, that for the last two hundred miles we had never seen one at all. Wherethen had these four birds come from? could it be that they had followedunder Flinders range from the south, and had strayed so far away from allothers of their kind, or had they come from some better country beyondthe desert by which I was surrounded, or how was that country to beattained, supposing it to exist? Time only may reply to these queries, but the occasion which prompted them was, to say the least, extraordinary. 

Towards night the sky became overcast with clouds, and as I saw that weshould have rain, I set to work with the boy and made a house of boughsfor our protection, but the man who accompanied us was too indolent totake the same precaution, thinking probably that the rain would pass awayas it had often done before. In this, however, he was disappointed, forthe rain came down in torrents [Note 7 at end para. ]--in an hour or twothe whole country was inundated, and he was taught a lesson of industry atthe expense of a thorough and unmitigated drenching. 

[Note 7: This will not appear surprising, when the great amount of rainwhich falls annually in some parts of Australia, is taken into account. The Count Strzelecki gives 62. 68 inches, as the average annual fall forupwards of twenty years, at Port Macquarie. --At p. 193, that gentlemanremarks:--"The greatest fall of rain recorded in New South Wales, during24 hours, amounted to 25 inches. (Port Jackson). "]

September 1. --This morning I sent the man back to the depot with thepack-horse, with orders to the overseer to move back the party as rapidlyas possible towards Mount Arden, that by taking advantage of the rain wemight make a short route through the plains, and avoid the necessity ofgoing up among the rugged and stony watercourses of the hills. 

This retrograde movement was rendered absolutely necessary from ourpresent position, for since we had wound through the hills to the north, and come out upon the open plains, I saw that Flinders range hadterminated, and I now only wished to trace its northern termination sofar east as to enable me to see round it to the southward, as well as toascertain the character and appearance of the country to the north and tothe east; as soon therefore as the man had left, I proceeded at a courseof E. 35 degrees N. For a low and very distant elevation, apparently thelast of the hills to the eastward, this I named Mount Distance, for itdeceived us greatly as to the distance we were from it. 

In passing through the plains, which were yesterday so arid and dry, Ifound immense pools, nay almost large reaches of water lodged in thehollows, and in which boats might have floated. Such was the result ofonly an hour or two's rain, whilst the ground itself, formerly so hard, was soft and boggy in the extreme, rendering progress much slower andmore fatiguing to the horses than it otherwise would have been. Bysteadily persevering we made a stage of thirty-five miles, but wereobliged to encamp at night some miles short of the little height I hadbeen steering for. 

During our ride we passed several dry watercourses at five, ten, twenty-five, thirty, and thirty-five miles from our last encampment. Thelast we halted upon with good feed for the horses, and rainwater lodgedeverywhere. All these watercourses took their course to the north, emptying and losing themselves in the plains. In the evening heavyshowers again fell, and the night set in very dark. 

September 2. --After travelling seven miles we ascended Mount Distance, and from it I could see that the hills now bore S. And S. E. And weregetting much lower, so that we were rapidly rounding their northernextremity. To the north and north-east were seen only broken fragments oftable lands, similar to what I found near the lake to the north-west; thelake itself, however, was nowhere visible, and I saw that I should haveanother day's hard riding before I could satisfactorily determine itsdirection. Upon descending I steered for a distant low haycock-like peakin the midst of one of the table-topped fragments; from this rise Iexpected the view would be decisive, and I named it Mount Hopeless. --FromMount Distance it bore E. 25 degrees N. 

Crossing many little stony ridges, and passing the channel of severalwatercourses, I discovered a new and still more disheartening feature inthe country, the existence of brine springs. Hitherto we had foundbrackish and occasionally salt water in some of the watercourses, but bytracing them up among the hills, we had usually found the quality toimprove as we advanced, but now the springs were out in the open plains, and the water poisoned at its very source. 

Occasionally round the springs were a few coarse rushes, but the soil inother respects was quite bare, destitute of vegetation, and thicklycoated over with salt, presenting the most miserable and melancholyaspect imaginable. We were now in nearly the same latitude as that inwhich Captain Sturt had discovered brine springs in the bed of theDarling, and which had rendered even that river so perfectly salt thathis party could not make use of it. 

September 2. --At thirty-five miles we reached the little elevation I hadbeen steering for, and ascended Mount Hopeless, and cheerless andhopeless indeed was the prospect before us. As I had anticipated, theview was both extensive and decisive. We were now past all the ranges;and for three quarters of the compass, extending from south, round byeast and north, to west, the horizon was one unbroken level, except wherethe fragments of table land, or the ridge of the lake, interrupted itsuniformity

The lake was now visible to the north and to the east; and I had at lastascertained, beyond all doubt, that its basin, commencing near the headof Spencer's Gulf, and following the course of Flinders range (bendinground its northern extreme to the southward), constituted those hills thetermination of the island of South Australia, for such I imagine it onceto have been. This closed all my dreams as to the expedition, and put anend to an undertaking from which so much was anticipated. I had now aview before me that would have damped the ardour of the mostenthusiastic, or dissipated the doubts of the most seeptical. To theshowers that fell on the evening of the 31st of August, we were solelyindebted for having been able to travel thus far; had there been muchmore rain the country would have been impracticable for horses, --if lesswe could not have procured water to have enabled us to make such a pushas we had done. 

The lake where it was visible, appeared, as it had ever done, to be fromtwenty-five to thirty miles across, and its distance from Mount Hopelesswas nearly the same. The hills to the S. And S. W. Of us, seemed toterminate on the eastern slopes, as abruptly as on the western; and fromthe point where we stood, we could distinctly trace by the gum-trees, thedirection of watercourses emanating from among them, taking northerly, north-easterly, easterly and south-easterly courses, according to thepoint of the range they came from. This had been the case during thewhole of our route under Flinder's range. We had at first found thewatercourses going to the south of west, then west, north-west, north, and now north-east, east and south-east. I had, at the same time, observed all around this mountain mass, the appearance of the bed of alarge lake, following the general course of the ranges on every side, andreceiving, apparently, the whole drainage from them. 

On its western, and north-western shores, I had ascertained by actualexamination, that its basin was a very low level, clearly defined, andeffectually inclosed by an elevated continuous sandy ridge, like theouter boundary of a sea-shore, its area being of immense extent, and itsbed of so soft and yielding a nature, as to make it quite impossible tocross it. All these points I had decided positively, and finally, as faras regards that part of Lake Torrens, from near the head of Spencer'sGulf, to the most north-westerly part of it, which I visited on the 14thof August, embracing a course of fully 200 miles in its outline. I haddone this, too, under circumstances of great difficulty, toil, andanxiety, and not without the constant risk of losing my horses, from thefatigues and privations of the forced labours I was obliged to imposeupon them. 

Having ascertained these particulars, and at so much hazard, relative toLake Torrens, for so great a part of its course, what conclusion could Iarrive at with regard to the character of its other half to thenorth-east, and east of Flinders ranges, as seen from Mount Hopeless, andMount Serle points, nearly ninety miles apart! The appearances from theranges were similar; the trend of all the watercourses was to the samebasin, and undoubtedly that basin, if traced far enough, must be ofnearly the same level on the eastern, as on the western side of theranges. I had completely ascertained that Flinders range had terminatedto the eastward, the north-east, and the north; that there were no hillsor elevations connected with it beyond, in any of these directions, andthat the horizon every where was one low uninterrupted level. 

With such data, and under such circumstances, what other opinion could Ipossibly arrive at, than that the bed of Lake Torrens was nearly similarin its character, and equally impracticable in its eastern, as itswestern arm; and that, considering the difficulties I had encountered, and the hazards I had subjected myself to, in ascertaining these pointsso minutely on the western side, I could not be justified in renewingthose risks to the eastward, where the nature and extent of theimpediments were so self-evidently the same, and where there was not theslightest hope of any useful result being attained by it. 

I was now more than a hundred miles away from my party; and having sentthem orders to move back towards Mount Arden, I had no time to lose infollowing them. With bitter feelings of disappointment I turned from thedreary and cheerless scene around me, and pushing the horses on as wellas circumstances would allow, succeeded in retracing ten miles of mycourse by a little after dark, having completed a stage of fullyforty-five miles during the day. Here there was tolerable good grass, andplenty of water from the late rains, so that the horses were morefortunate on this excursion than usual. I observed the variation to be 4degrees E. 

September 3. --Travelling early, we made a long stage of about fortymiles, and encamped with good grass and water. During the day we caughtfour young emus in the plains, which we roasted for supper, being veryhungry, and upon short allowance, as I had not calculated upon remainingout so long; the black boy enjoyed them exceedingly, and I managed to getthrough one myself. They were about the size of full grown fowls. 

September 4. --Making a very early start, we travelled twenty miles to thewatercourse, where we had encamped on the 31st of August, striking it alittle lower down. As I had left one or two trifles here, that I wishedto take on with me, I sent the black boy for them, telling him to followmy tracks while I went slowly on. Upon finding that he did not overtakeme so soon as I expected, I halted for some time, but still he did notcome up, and I again proceeded; for as I had left my former track, Iconcluded he had taken that line, and thus missed me. Steering, therefore, across the hills, some of which were very stony and broken, Imade for the Mundy, which I reached very late in the evening, and foundthe party safely encamped there. 

I had rode fifty-five miles, and had been on horseback about thirteenhours, so that both myself and horse were well nigh knocked up. The blackboy had not arrived, nor did he come up during the night. 

The next day, becoming uneasy about his absence, I detained the party inthe camp, and sent Mr. Scott to search for him, who fortunately met himalmost immediately he had left us. The boy's detention had beenoccasioned by the fagged condition of his horse, which prevented thepossibility of his overtaking me. As the day was wet, I did not move on, but gave the party a day's rest, whilst I employed myself in meditatingupon the disappointment I had experienced, and the future steps it mightbe most advisable to take to carry out the objects of the expedition. Iwas still determined not to give up the undertaking, --but rather toattempt to penetrate either to the eastward or westward, and to try tofind some other line of route that might afford a practicable opening tothe interior. 

September 6. --Moving on the party early to-day, I pushed steadily towardsthe depot near Mount Arden. In doing this, the favourable state of theweather enabled us to keep more in the open plains, and thus both toavoid a good deal of rough ground, and to shorten the road considerably. 

Upon mustering the horses on the 9th, the overseer reported to me thatone of them was lying down with a broken leg, and upon going to examinehim, I found that it was one of the police horses kindly lent to theexpedition by the Governor. During the night some other horse had kickedhim and broken the thigh bone of the hind leg. The poor animal was ingreat pain and unable to rise at all, I was therefore obliged to orderthe overseer to shoot him. By this accident we lost a most useful horseat a time when we could but ill spare one. 

During our progress to the south we had frequently showers andoccasionally heavy rains, which lodging in puddles on the plains, supplied us abundantly with water, and we were unusually fortunate enoughto obtain grass also. We were thus enabled to push on upon nearly astraight course, which, after seven days of hard travelling, brought usonce more, on the afternoon of the 12th, to our old position at the depotnear Mount Arden. I had intended to have halted the party here for a dayor two, to recruit after the severe march we had just terminated; but theweather was so favourable and the season so far advanced, that I did notlike to lose an hour in following out my prospective plans. 

During the homeward journey from the Mundy, I had reflected much on theposition in which I was placed, and spent many an anxious hour indeliberating as to the future. I had one of three alternatives to choose, either to give up the expedition altogether;--to cross to the Murray tothe east and follow up that river to the Darling;--or by crossing over toStreaky Bay to the westward, to endeavour to find some opening leadingtowards the interior in that direction. After weighing well theadvantages and disadvantages of each (and there were many objections tothem all, ) I determined upon adopting the last, for reasons which will befound in my Report sent to the Governor, and to the Chairman of theNorthern Expedition Committee from Port Lincoln. [Note 8: Vide ChapterIX. ] My mind having thus been made up, I knew, from former experience, that I had no time to lose, now that the weather was showery andfavourable, and that if I delayed at all in putting my plans intoexecution I might probably be unable to cross from Mount Arden toStreaky Bay. The distance between these two points was upwards oftwo hundred miles, through a barren and desert region, in which, though among high ranges, I had on a former occasion been unable todiscover any permanent water, and through which we could only hopeto pass by taking advantage of the puddles left by the late rains;I therefore decided upon halting at the depot to rest the horseseven for a day; and the party had no sooner reached their encampment, than, while one portion of the men took the horses up the watercourse towater, the others were employed in digging up the stores we had buriedhere, and in repacking and rearranging all the loads ready to move onagain immediately. By the evening all the arrangements were completed andthe whole party retired to rest much fatigued. 

Chapter VIII. 

PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CHANNEL OF COMMUNICATION BETWEEN LAKE TORRENSAND SPENCER'S GULF--BAXTER'S RANGE--DIVIDE THE PARTY--ROUTE TOWARDS PORTLINCOLN--SCRUB--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--SEND DRAY BACK FORWATER--PLUNDERED BY THE NATIVES--RETURN OF DRAY--DENSE SCRUB--REFUGEROCKS--DENSE SCRUB--SALT CREEK--MOUNT HILL--DENSE SCRUB--LARGEWATERCOURSE--ARRIVE AT A STATION--RICH AND GRASSY VALLEYS--CHARACTER OFPORT LINCOLN PENINSULA--UNABLE TO PROCURE SUPPLIES--ENGAGE A BOAT TO SENDOVER TO ADELAIDE--BUY SHEEP. 

September 13. --UPON leaving the depot this morning I was obliged to leavebehind a very large tarpaulin which we did not require, and which fromthe extra weight we had last night put upon the drays, we could notconveniently carry. Steering to the south-west we came at twelve miles tothe head of Spencer's Gulf, and crossed the channel connecting it withLake Torrens. At this place it is not very wide, but its bed like that ofthe lake is soft and boggy, with salt water mixed with the mud. We had agood deal of difficulty in getting over it, and one of the drays havingstuck fast, we had to unload it, carrying the things over on men's backs. A few miles beyond this we halted for the night, where there was goodgrass for the horses and plenty of water in the puddles around us. Wecrossed principally during the day, a rather heavy sandy country, butwere now encamped in plains of a firmer and better character for thedrays. 

September 14. --Travelling on through open plains with loose gravellystones, lying on their surface, we passed to the south of a smalltable-topped hill, visible from Mount Arden, and very much resembling thefragments of table land that I had met with to the north. This howeverwas somewhat larger than those, and though steep-sided as they were itdid not disclose the same white strata of chalk and gypsum, its formationbeing more rocky and of rather a slaty character. 

September 15. --Pushing on rapidly over extensive plains very similar tothose we had already crossed, we arrived, after a long stage, underBaxter's range, and encamped upon a small channel coming from it, withabundance of water and good grass. This range is high and rocky, risingabruptly out of the plains, and distinctly visible from Mount Arden, fromwhich it is about fifty miles distant. Its formation is entirelyconglomerate of rather a coarse description. Among its rugged overhangingsteeps are many of the large red species of wallabie similar to those wehad seen to the north at the Scott. Two of these we shot. The latitude ofour camp at Baxter's range was 32 degrees 40 minutes S. 

September 16. --Remained in camp to-day to rest the horses and prepare fordividing the party, as from the great abundance of rain that had fallen, I no longer apprehended a scarcity of water on the route to Streaky Bay, and therefore decided upon sending my overseer across with the party, whilst I myself took a dray down direct to Port Lincoln, on the west sideof Spencer's Gulf, to obtain additional supplies, with the intention ofjoining them again at Streaky Bay. 

Having spent some time in taking bearings from the summit of Baxter'srange, I examined all the channels and gorges coming from it, and in mostof these I found water. I am of opinion however that in a very dryseason, the water which I now found will be quite dried up, andespecially in the largest of the watercourses, or the one upon which wewere encamped. [Note 9: In October 1842, this was quite dry, but water wasstill found in holes in the rocks in the southernmost gorge, above thewaterfall, at the base of which water was also procured by digging inthe gravel. ]

A little further south, there is a rocky ravine winding through a gorgeand terminating in a waterfall, with a large pool of beautiful water atthe base, and with many large and deep holes of water in the rocks above. In this ravine I imagine water might be procured at any period of theyear, and I am confirmed in this opinion by the circumstance of threewell beaten native roads, coming from different points of the compass, and all converging at this place. This is an important position forparties crossing to the westward, or going overland to Port Lincoln. Baxter's range is the nearest point at which permanent water can beprocured on the west side of the head of Spencer's Gulf, as the Depotcreek near Mount Arden is on the eastern. Having completed my examinationof the range, and taken all my observations, I spent the remainder of theday in constructing a chart of my former route from Streaky Bay in 1839, and in writing out instructions for the overseer during my absence, as aguide for him in crossing to the westward. 

September 17. --Placing under the charge of the overseer, two drays, sevenof our best horses, all the sheep, one native boy, and two men, I saw himfairly started this morning, and wished him a speedy and prosperousjourney. I had left with me one dray, five horses, one man, one nativeboy, and Mr. Scott; with fourteen days provision and forty gallons ofwater. Steering S. 25 degrees W. For sixteen miles, we halted for thenight upon a patch of tolerable grass but without any water; I wasconsequently obliged to give a bucket of water to each of the horses outof the small stock which we had brought with us. The country we travelledthrough was low, level, and for the most part covered with salsolae, orbrush, the latter in some places being very dense, and causing greatfatigue to the horses in dragging the dray through it. 

September 18. --Upon taking a view of the country, this morning, previousto starting, it appeared so low and level, and held out so littleprospect of our finding water, that I was induced to deviate from thecourse I had laid down, and steering S. 20 degrees E. Made for some hillsbefore us. After travelling four miles upon this course, I observed anative fire upon the hills at a bearing of S. 40 degrees E. Andimmediately turned towards it, fully hoping that it was at a native campand in the immediate vicinity of water. 

At eight miles we were close under the hills, but found the dray couldnot cross the front ridges; I therefore left Mr. Scott to keep a courseparallel with the range, whilst I and the native boy rode across to wherewe had seen the fire. Upon arriving at the spot I was greatlydisappointed to find, instead of a native camp, only a few burningbushes, which had either been lit as a signal by the natives, afternoticing us in the plains, or was one of those casual fires so frequentlyleft by them on their line of march. I found the hills scrubby, barren, and rocky, with much prickly grass growing upon their slopes. There wereno watercourses upon the west side of the range at all, nor could I bytracing up some short rocky valleys coming from steep gorges in the faceof the hill find any water. The rock was principally of ironstoneformation. Upon ascending to the summit of the hill, I had an extensivebut unsatisfactory view, a vast level field of scrub stretching everywhere around me, interspersed here and there with the beds of small driedup lakes, but with no signs of water any where. At S. W. By S. I saw thesmoke of a native fire rising in the plains. Hurrying down from therange, I followed the dray, and as soon as I overtook it, halted for thenight in the midst of a thick scrub of large tea-trees and minor shrubs. There was a little grass scattered among the trees, on which, by givingour horses two buckets of water each, they were able to feed tolerablywell. During the day we had travelled over a very heavy sandy country andthrough dense brush, and our horses were much jaded. Occasionally we hadpassed small dried up salt lakes and the beds of salt water channels; buteven these did not appear to have had any water in them for a long time. 

Upon halting the party, I sent Mr. Scott to explore the range furthersouth than I had been, whilst I myself went to search among the saltlakes to the southwest. We, however, both returned equally unsuccessful, and I now found that I should be compelled to send the dray back for asupply of water from Baxter's range. The country was so scrubby anddifficult to get a dray through that our progress was necessarily slow;and in the level waste before us I had no hope of finding water for somedistance further. I thought, therefore, that if the dray could bring asupply to last us for two days after leaving our present encampment, weshould then be enabled to make a fresh push through a considerable extentof bad country, and might have a better chance of finding water as weadvanced to the south-west. 

September 19. --This morning I unloaded the dray of every thing except thewater casks, and pitching my tent among the scrub took up my quartersalone, whilst I sent back the man, the native boy, the dray, and all thehorses with Mr. Scott to Baxter's range. As they made an early start, Igave them instructions to push on as rapidly as possible, so as to getthe range that night, to rest the horses next day and fill the casks withwater, and on the third day, if possible, to return the whole distanceand rejoin me. 

Having seen them fairly away, I occupied myself in writing and chartingduring the day, and at night amused myself in taking stellar observationsfor latitude. I had already taken the altitude of Vega, and deduced thelatitude to be 32 degrees 3 minutes 23 seconds S. ; leaving my artificialhorizon on the ground outside whilst I remained in the tent waiting untilAltair came to the meridian, I then took my sextant and went out toobserve this star also; but upon putting down my hand to take hold of thehorizon glass in order to wipe the dew off, my fingers went into thequick-silver--the horizon glass was gone, and also the piece of canvass Ihad put on the ground to lie down upon whilst observing so low analtitude as that of Vega. Searching a little more I missed a spade, aparcel of horse shoes, an axe, a tin dish, some ropes, a grubbing hoe, and several smaller things which had been left outside the tent, as notbeing likely to take any injury from the damp. 

It was evident I was surrounded by natives, who had stolen all thesethings during the short time I had been in my tent, certainly notexceeding half an hour. The night was very windy and I had heard nothing, besides I was encamped in the midst of a very dense brush of largewide-spreading tea-trees and other bushes, any of which would afford ascreen for a considerable number of natives. In daylight it wasimpossible to see many yards in distance, and nothing could be discernedat night. 

The natives must have watched the dray go away in the morning, and waiteduntil dark for their opportunity to rob me; and most daringly andeffectually had they done it. At the time that I lay on the ground, taking the star's altitude, they must have been close to me, and after Iwent into the tent, they doubtless saw me sitting there by the light ofthe candle, since the door was not quite closed, and they had come quitein front to obtain some of the things they had stolen. The only wonderwith me was that they had not speared me, as they could scarcely havebeen intimidated by my individual presence. 

As soon as I missed my horizon glass, and entertained the suspicion ofnatives being about, I hurried into the tent and lighting a large bluelight, run with it rapidly through the bushes around me. The effect ofthis was very beautiful amidst the darkness and gloom of the woods, andfor a great distance in every direction objects could be seen as well asby day; the natives, however, were gone, and I could only console myselfby firing a couple of balls after them through the underwood to warn themof the danger of intruding upon me again; I then put every thing whichhad been left outside, into the tent, and kept watch for an hour or two, but my visitors came no more. The shots, or the blue light, hadeffectually frightened them. They had, however, in their turn, producedas great an effect upon me, and had at least deprived me of one night'srest. 

September 20. --Rising very early I set to work, with an axe, to clearaway the bushes from around my tent. I now discovered that the nativeshad been concealed behind a large tea-tree not twenty yards from thetent; there were numerous foot-marks there, and the remains offire-sticks which they had brought with them, for a native rarely movesat night without fire. 

By working hard I cleared a large circle with a radius of from thirty toforty yards, and then piling up all the bushes outside and around thetent, which was in the centre, I was completely fortified, and my sablefriends could no longer creep upon me to steal without my hearing them. Ispent great part of the day in charting, and took a few angles from thetent, but did not dare to venture far away. At night, when it was dark, Imounted guard with my gun for three hours, walking round outside thetent, and firing off my gun before I lay down, which I did with myclothes on, ready to get up at a moment's notice. Nothing, however, disturbed me. 

September 21. --I had been occupied during the greater part of the day incharting, and in the evening was just shouldering my gun to mount guardagain, when I was delighted to see Mr. Scott returning with the dray, andthe party all safe. They had executed the duty entrusted to them well, and had lost no time in rejoining me; the horses were, however, somewhatfatigued, having come all the way from the range in one day. Being nowreinforced, I had no longer occasion to mount guard, and for the firsttime since the natives had stolen upon me, enjoyed a sound sleep. 

September 22. --Moving on the party for ten miles at a course of S. 35degrees W. , we passed through a dreadful country, composed of dense scruband heavy sandy ridges, with some salt water channels and beds of smalldry lakes at intervals. In many cases the margins bounding these werecomposed of a kind of decomposed lime, very light and loose, whichyielded to the slightest pressure; in this our horses and drays sankdeep, throwing out as they went, clouds of fine white dust on every sidearound them. This, added to the very fatiguing and harassing work ofdragging the dray through the thick scrub and over the heavy sand ridges, almost knocked them up, and we had the sad prospect before us ofencamping at night without a blade of grass for them to eat. Just at thisjuncture the native boy who was with me, said he saw rocks in one of thedistant sand hills, but upon examining the place with a telescope I couldnot make out distinctly whether they were rocks or only sand. The boyhowever persisted that there were rocks, and to settle the point I haltedthe dray in camp, whilst I proceeded with him to the spot to look. 

At seven miles W. 10 degrees S. Of the drays we reached the ridge, and tomy great delight I found the boy was right; he had seen the bare sheetsof granite peeping out near the summit of a sandy elevation, and in thesewe found many holes with water in them. At the base of the hill too, wasan opening with good grass around, and a fine spring of pure water. Hastening back to the dray, I conducted the party to the hills, which Inamed Refuge Rocks, for such they were to us in our difficulties, andsuch they may be to many future travellers who may have to cross thisdreary desert. 

From the nature of the road and the exhausted state of our horses, it wasvery late when we encamped, but as the position was so favourable a oneto recruit at, I determined to take advantage of it, and remain a coupleof days for that purpose. 

September 23. --Leaving my party to rest, after the fatigue they hadendured in forcing a way through the scrub, I set off after breakfast toreconnoitre our position at Refuge Rocks, and to take a series of angles. The granite elevation, under which we were encamped, I found to be one ofthree small hills, forming a triangle, about a mile apart from eachother, and having sheets of granite lying exposed upon their summits, containing deep holes which receive and retain water after rains. Thehill we were encamped under, was the highest of the three, and the onlyone under which there was a spring. [Note 10: This was dried up inOctober, 1842. ] There was also better grass here than around either of theother two; it appeared, too, to be the favourite halting place of thenatives, many of whose encampments still remained, and some of whichappeared to have been in use not very long ago. The bearings from the hillwe were under, of the other two elevations, which, with it, constitutethe Refuge Rocks, were N. 15 degrees W. And W. 35 degrees N. Baxter'srange was still visible in the distance, appearing low and wedge-shaped, with the high end towards the east, at a bearing of N. 24 degrees E. In the western extreme it bore N. 22 degrees E. Many other hills andpeaks were apparent in various directions, to all of which I tookangles, and then returned to the tent to observe the sun's meridianaltitude for latitude. By this observation, I made the latitude33 degrees 11 minutes 12 seconds S. ; but an altitude of Altairat night only gave 33 degrees 10 minutes 6 seconds S. ; probablythe mean of the two, or 33 degrees 10 minutes 39 seconds S. , will be verynearly the true position of the spring. From the summit of the hill I hadbeen upon, many native fires were visible in the scrub, in almost everydirection around. At one time I counted eleven different fires from thesmokes that were ascending, and some of which were very near us. Judgingfrom these facts, the natives appeared to be numerous in this part of thecountry, and it would be necessary to be very cautious and vigilant afterthe instance I had recently met with of their cunning and daring. 

September 24. --I still kept my party in camp to refresh the horses, andoccupied myself during the morning in preparing a sketch of my route tothe north, to send to the Governor from Port Lincoln. In the afternoon, Isearched for a line of road for our drays to pass, on the following day, through the scrubby and sandy country, which still appeared to continuein every direction. 

September 25. --Leaving Refuge Rocks, at a course of S. 37 degrees W. , wepassed over a wretched country, consisting principally of heavy sandyridges, very densely covered with scrub, and giving our horses a severeand fagging day's work to get the dray along for only twelve miles. Ithen halted, as we were fortunate enough to find an opening in the scrub, with good grass. Searching about our encampment, I found in a smallvalley at one end of the little plain, a round hole, dug by the natives, to catch the drainage from the slope above it. There were two or threequarts of water in this hole when we discovered it; but by enlarging it, we managed to fill a bucket once every hour from the water which drainedinto it. This enabled us to save, to some extent, the water we had in ourcasks, at the same time that all the horses had as much as they coulddrink. I took angles from the camp to all the hills in sight, and atnight made the latitude of the tent 33 degrees 18 minutes 34 seconds S. By an altitude of a Cygnus. 

September 26. --After travelling for thirteen miles at S. 40 degrees W. , Itook a set of angles from a low scrubby hill, being the last opportunityI should have of setting many of the heights, of which I had obtainedbearings from former camps. I then changed our course to S. 27 degrees W. For five miles, and halted for the night where there was good grass. Wecould find no water during the day; I had, consequently, to give thehorses some out of the casks. The country we traversed had alteredgreatly in character, and though still heavy and sandy, it was a whitecoarse gritty sand, instead of a fine red; and instead of the densecucalyptus scrub, we had now low heathy shrubs which did not present muchimpediment to the progress of the dray, and many of which bore verybeautiful flowers. Granite was frequently met with during the day, but nowater could be found. Our latitude by an altitude of a Aquilae was 33degrees 30 minutes S. 

September 27. --Continuing our last night's course for about seven miles, we passed through the densest scrub I had yet met with; fortunately, itwas not growing upon a sandy soil, and we got tolerably well through it, but the horses suffered severely. Upon emerging from the brush, I noticeda little green looking valley, about a mile off our track, and sent Mr. Scott to see if there was water there. Upon his return, he reported thatthere was, and I at once moved down to it, to rest the horses after thetoil of breaking through the scrub. The day was not far advanced when wehalted, and I was enabled to obtain the sun's altitude at noon, makingthe latitude of the camp 33 degrees 34 minutes 25 seconds S. There wasgood grass for the horses, and abundance of water left by the rains inthe hollows of a small watercourse, running between two scrubby ridges. 

September 28. --Making an early start, we crossed at four and a halfmiles, a low scrubby range, and there found, upon the left of our track, some very pretty grassy hills, and a valley lightly wooded withcasuarinae. Whilst I went on with the party, I detached Mr. Scott to seeif there was water at this little patch of good country, but he did notfind any. I am still of opinion, however, that if more time forexamination had been allowed, springs would have been discovered not faraway; as every thing looked so green and luxuriant, and formed so stronga contrast to the country around. 

Pushing on steadify, we crossed over many undulations, coated on thesurface either with sand or breccia, and frequently having a good deal ofthe eucalyptus scrub upon them, at eleven miles we passed a long grassyplain in the scrub, and once or twice crossed small openings with alittle grass. For one of these we directed our course, late in theevening, to encamp; upon reaching it, however, we were greatlydisappointed to find it covered only by prickly grass. I was thereforeobliged, after watering the horses from the casks, to send them a mileand half back to some grass we had seen, and where they fared tolerablywell. Our day's journey had been long and fatiguing, through a barren, heavy country. One mile before encamping, we crossed the bed of a saltwater channel, trending to the westward, which was probably connectedwith the Lagoon Harbour of Flinders, as it appeared to receive the floodtide. Our latitude was 33 degrees 50 minutes S. By observation of aAquilae. 

September 29. --Whilst the man was out looking for the horses, which hadstrayed a little during the night, I took a set of angles to severalheights, visible from the camp; upon the man's return, he reported thathe had found some fresh water, but upon riding to the place, I. Found itwas only a very small hole in a sheet of limestone rock, near the saltwatercourse, which did not contain above a pint or two. The natives, however, appeared to come to this occasionally for their supply; similarholes enabling them frequently to remain out in the low countries longafter the rain has fallen. After seeing the party move on, with thenative boy to act as guide through the scrub, I rode in advance to searchfor water at the hill marked by Flinders as Bluff Mount, and named byColonel Gawler, Mount Hill. This isolated elevation rises abruptly fromthe field of scrub, in the midst of which it is situated and is ofgranite formation; nearly at its summit is an open grassy plain, whichwas visible long before we reached it, and which leads directly over thelowest or centre part of the range; water was found in the holes of rockin the granite, and the grass around was very tolerable. Havingascertained these particulars, I hurried back to the drays to conductthem to a place of encampment. The road was very long and over a heavysandy country, for the most part densely covered with scrub, and it waslate, therefore, when we reached the hill. The horses, however, had goodfeed and fair allowance of water, but of the latter they drank every dropwe could find. During our route to-day, I noticed some little distance tothe north-west of our track, a high scrubby range, having cleargrassy-looking openings at intervals. In this direction, it is probablethat a better line of road might be found than the one we had chosen. 

September 30. --After breakfast, I ascended to the summit of Mount Hill, and took a set of angles; whilst the dray wound up the gap between it andanother low summit, with which it is connected. Upon descending the hillon the opposite side, I was rejoiced to find two very large pools ofwater in some granite rocks, one of them appearing to be of a permanentcharacter. Here I halted for an hour and a half, to give the horses alittle more water, and fill our casks again before we faced the scrubbywaste that was still seen ahead of us. I had been last night within fiftyyards of the pools that we now found, but had not discovered them, as theevening was closing in at the time, and I was in great haste to return tomy party before dark. Leaving Mount Hill at the course of S. 27 degreesW. We passed through a very dense scrub, the strongest, I think, we hadyet experienced; the drays were tearing down the brush with loud crashes, at every step which the horses took, and I could only compare theirprogress to the effect produced by the efforts of a clearing party, thebrush rapidly disappearing before the wheels, and leaving almost as opena road as if it had been cut away by axes; the unfortunate animals, however, had to bear the onus of all, and most severely were theyharassed before our short stage was over. At twelve miles we came to alarge rocky watercourse of brackish water, trending to theeast-north-east, through a narrow valley bounded by dense scrub. In thiswe found pools of fresh water, and as there was good grass, I called ahalt about three in the afternoon. We were now able, for the first timefor several hundred miles, to enjoy the luxury of a swim, which we allfully appreciated. In the afternoon Mr. Scott shot six ducks in thepools, which furnished us with a most welcome addition to our very scantyfare. For two days previous to this, we had been subsisting solely upon avery limited allowance of dry bread, having only taken fourteen daysprovisions with us from Baxter's range, which was nearly all expended, whilst we were yet at least two days journey from Port Lincoln. At nightI observed the latitude of our camp, by alpha Aquilae 34 degrees12 minutes 52 seconds S. By beta Leonis 34 degrees 12 minutes 35 secondsS. And assumed the mean of the two, or 34 degrees 12 minutes 43 seconds asthe correct one. 

October 1. --Making an early start we passed at three miles the head ofthe watercourse we had been encamped upon, and then ascended some scrubbyranges, for about five miles further, when we entered into a narrow tractof good grassy country, which at five miles brought us to Mr. Driver'sstation; a Mr. Dutton was living at this place as Mr. Driver's manager, and by him we were very hospitably received, and furnished with suchsupplies as we required. 

[Note 11: In 1842, Mr. Dutton attempted to take some cattle overland, fromthis station to the head of Spencer's Gulf; both he and his whole partyperished in the desert, (as supposed) from the want of water. In Octoberof that year, I was sent by Government to search for their remains, butas it was the dry season, I could not follow up their tracks through thearid country they had advanced into. The cattle returned. ]

It was a cattle station, and abounded with milk and butter, luxurieswhich we all fully enjoyed after our long ramble in the wilds. Havinghalted my party for the day, Mr. Scott and myself dined at Mr. Dutton's, and learnt the most recent news from Adelaide and Port Lincoln. We hadmuch to hear and much to inquire about, for even in the few months of ourabsence, it was to be presumed, that many changes would have taken placein the fluctuating affairs of a new colony. Nor were our conjectureswrong. 

That great reaction which was soon to convulse all the AustralianColonies generally, to annihilate all mercantile credit, and render realproperty comparatively valueless, had already commenced in SouthAustralia; failures, and rumours of failures, were of daily occurrence inAdelaide, and even the little settlement of Port Lincoln had not escapedthe troubles of the times. I learnt with regret that it was rapidlyfalling into decay, and its population diminishing. Many had alreadydeserted it, and amongst them I was surprised to hear of the departure ofCaptain Porter and others, who were once the most enthusiastic admirersand the staunchest supporters of this embryo town. That which howeveraffected me more particularly was the fear, that from the low andimpoverished state to which the place was now reduced, I should not beable to obtain the supplies I required for my party, and should probablyhave to delay until I could send over to Adelaide for what I wanted, evensupposing I was lucky enough to find a vessel to go across for me. Inwalking round Mr. Dutton's farm I found he was ploughing up some land inthe valley for wheat, which appeared to be an excellent soil, and thegarden he had already commenced was looking promising. At night Iobtained the altitude of a Aquilae, by which I placed Mr. Driver'sstation in 34 degrees 21 minutes 20 seconds S. Lat. , or about 22 miles oflat. North of Kirton Point. 

October 2. --Before leaving the station I purchased from Mr. Dutton alittle Timor pony for 25 pounds for one of the native boys to ride, toreplace in some measure the services of the animal I had been obliged tohave shot up to the north. The only objection to my new purchase was thatit was a little mare and already forward in foal. At Port Lincoln, however, I was not likely to meet with any horses for sale, and did nottherefore deem it prudent to lose the only opportunity that might occurof getting an animal of some kind. After quitting Mr. Dutton's, Ifollowed a dray road leading towards Port Lincoln. For the most part wepassed through green valleys with rich soil and luxuriant pasturage, butoccasionally intersected by poor sandy or gravelly soil of a salinenature; the water was abundant from recent heavy rains, and some of thepools fresh; others, however, were very brackish. The hills adjoining thevalley were grassy, and lightly wooded on their slopes facing the valley;towards the summits they became scrubby, and beyond, the scrub almostinvariably made its appearance. Altogether we passed this day through aconsiderable tract of country, containing much land that is well adaptedfor sheep or cattle, and with a fair proportion suitable for agriculture. It is by far the best portion of the available country in the PortLincoln peninsula, and I could not help regretting it should be solimited in extent. I had now travelled all the three sides of thetriangle, and had obtained extensive views from various heights alongeach of these lines of route; I had crossed from Port Lincoln to StreakyBay, from Streaky Bay to the head of Spencer's Gulf, and from the head ofSpencer's Gulf down to Port Lincoln again. In the course of thesejourneys, I had spared no toil nor exertion, to make my examination ascomplete and as useful as possible, though my labours were not rewardedby commensurate success. The great mass of the peninsula is barren, arid, and worthless; and although Port Lincoln possesses a beautiful, secure, and capacious harbour, with a convenient and pretty site for a town, andimmediately contiguous to which there exists some extent of fine andfertile soil, with several good grassy patches of country beyond; yet itcan never become a large or important place, in consequence of itscomplete isolation, except by water, from every other, and the limitednature of its own resources. 

For one or two large stock-holders, who wish to secure good grazingground, and be apart from others, it might answer well, but even theywould ordinarily labour under difficulties and disadvantages which wouldmake their situation not at all desirable. The uncertainty and expense ofprocuring their supplies--of obtaining labour, and of finding a marketfor their surplus stock [Note 12 at end of para. ], and the almost totalimpossibility of their being able to effect sales in the event of theirwishing to leave, would perhaps more than counterbalance the advantages ofhaving the country to themselves. Purchased in the days of wild andfoolish speculation, and when a rage existed for buying land and layingout townships, no place has been more misrepresented or misunderstood thanPort Lincoln. Many gross and glaring misstatements have been put forth ofits character and capabilities, by those who were actuated by interestedmotives, and many unintentional misrepresentations have been made andperpetuated by others, whose judgment or information has led them intoerror, so that the public generally, and especially the English public, have had no means of discriminating between the widely conflictingaccounts that have been given. Amongst the persons from whom this smallsettlement has suffered disparagement there are none, perhaps, moreblameable than those who have put forth statements which ascribe to itadvantages and qualities that it does not possess; for just in proportionas the expectation of intending settlers have been raised by exaggerationor untruths has been their disappointment and disgust, when the factsthemselves have stared them in the face. 

[Note 12: Pastoral settlers have left Port Lincoln in consequence of thesedisadvantages--but it is possible that a comparatively large populationmay locate there, hereafter, should mineral resources be found out. Such discoveries are said to have been made, but Iam not aware upon whoseauthority the report has become current. ]

The day of hallucination has now passed away, but out of the reactionwhich has succeeded it, has arisen a disposition to deprive Port Lincolnof even the merits to which it really has a legitimate claim, and whichwould have been far more highly appreciated, if the previousmisstatements and consequent disappointments had not induced a feeling ofsuspicion and distrust not easily effaced. 

Our stage to-day was twenty-five miles, over a pretty good road, whichbrought us towards evening under the range contiguous to the township. Inone of the valleys leading from these hills on their west side we found asmall spring of good water, and as the grass around us was very abundantand of the most luxuriant growth, I at once decided upon making this ourresting place, until I had completed my arrangements for procuringsupplies, and was again ready to move onwards. 

October 3. --Leaving our horses to enjoy the good quarters we had selectedfor them, and a respite from their labours, Mr. Scott and I walked acrossthe range into Port Lincoln, not a little surprising the good peoplethere, who had not heard of our coming, and who imagined us to be manyhundreds of miles away to the north. Calling upon Dr. Harvey, the onlyGovernment officer then at the settlement, I learnt with regret that itwas quite impossible for me to procure the supplies I required in thetown, whilst there were no vessels in the port, except foreign whalers, who were neither likely to have, nor be willing to part with the things Ishould require. What to do under such circumstances was rather adifficult question, and my principal hope was that some small coastingvessel might arrive in the course of a few days, or if not, I might tryto hire a whale boat from one of the whaling vessels, and send her on toAdelaide. Dr. Harvey had a small open boat of four or five tons, but hedid not seem willing to let her go; and unless I could communicate withAdelaide, flour was the only article I could procure, and that not fromthe stores in the town, but from a small stock belonging to theGovernment, which had been sent over to meet any emergency that mightarise in so isolated a place. This was placed under the charge of Dr. Harvey, who, on behalf of the Government, kindly offered to let me havewhat I required, on condition that I would replace the same quantity, bythe first opportunity. 

Having made arrangements for a supply of fresh meat and a few vegetablesduring my stay, I walked out to examine the settlement. I found many neatcottages and other improvements since I had been here in 1839; and therewere also a few gardens commenced, some of which were in a state ofcultivation and appeared to be doing well. The population, however, haddecreased, and many of the cottages were now unoccupied. Those whoremained were principally persons who had lost everything, and who couldnot well get away, or who, on the other hand, had invested their propertyin the place, and could not leave it except at the sacrifice of almosteverything they possessed. No one seemed to be doing well but theinn-keeper, and he owed his success chiefly to the custom or traffic ofthe foreign whalers who occasionally resorted here for refreshments. Thestockholders, living a few miles from town, who ought to have succeededthe best, were getting dissatisfied at the many disadvantages which theylaboured under, and the smallness of the community around them, and everything wore a gloomy aspect. 

October 4. --After breakfast, accompanied by Mr. Scott, I went to PortLincoln to attend divine service; prayers were read by Dr. Harvey. Thecongregation was small but respectable, and apparently devout. Afterchurch, we accompanied Dr. Harvey home to dinner, and met the Captain andSurgeon of one of the French whalers in port; both of whom appearedintelligent, and superior to the class usually met with in suchemployments. After dinner we all walked down to the lagoon, west of PortLincoln, where the land is of a rich black alluvial character, and welladapted for cultivation. Returning by our tents, Dr. Harvey and theFrenchmen took tea with us, and then returned to the settlement. In thecourse of our walk this afternoon, Dr. Harvey offered to put a temporaryhatch over his boat, and send her to Adelaide for me for ten pounds, which offer I at once accepted, and Mr. Scott volunteered to go in her assupercargo. 

October 5. --To-day I employed myself in writing letters, whilst the draywent to Port Lincoln for supplies. The few things I could get there werevery dear, meat 1s. Per pound, potatoes 9d. Per pound, salt butter 2s. 6d. , a small bag, with a few old cabbage stumps, five or six shillings, and other things in proportion. 

October 6. --Went to town, accompanied by Mr. Scott to inspect thepreparations of the little cutter he was to go to Adelaide in;--orderedall our horses to be shod, and several spare sets of shoes to be made totake up to the party at Streaky Bay. On our return we were accompanied byMr. Smith, who kindly went with Mr. Scott to the station of a Mr. Brown, [Note 13: Since murdered by the natives. ] about ten miles away, to selectsheep to take with us on our journey. Mr. Scott purchased twelve at2 pounds each, and brought them to the station; they were not very large, but were in fine condition. 

Chapter IX. 

BOY SPEARED BY THE NATIVES--ANOMALOUS STATE OF OUR RELATIONS WITH THEABORIGINES--MR. SCOTT SAILS FOR ADELAIDE--DOG BOUGHT--MR. SCOTT'SRETURN--CUTTER WATERWITCH SENT TO CO-OPERATE--SEND HER TO STREAKYBAY--LEAVE PORT LINCOLN WITH THE DRAY--LEVEL SANDY COUNTRY CLOTHED WITHBRUSH AND SHRUBS--SALT LAKES--MOUNT HOPE--LAKE HAMILTON--STONYCOUNTRY--LOSE A DOG--BETTER COUNTRY--WEDGE-HILL--LAKE NEWLAND--A BOATHARBOUR--MOUNT HALL--REJOIN PARTY AT STREAKY BAY--SINGULARSPRING--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--BEDS OF OYSTERS. 

October 6. --In the course of the afternoon I learnt that a little boyabout twelve years old, a son of Mr. Hawson's, had been speared on theprevious day by the natives, at a station about a mile and a half from mytent. The poor little fellow had, it seems, been left alone at thestation, and the natives had come to the hut and speared him. The woundswere of that fatal character, being from barbed spears which had remainedin the flesh, that no hopes could be entertained of his surviving theirremoval. The following account of the occurrence is extracted from areport, on the subject, to the Government by Dr. Harvey, the ColonialSurgeon at Port Lincoln, who attended the boy in his last sufferings. 

"The poor boy has borne this heavy affliction with the greatestfortitude, assuring us "that he is not afraid to die. " He says that onMonday (5th), he was left in the station hut whilst his brother came intotown, and that about ten or eleven natives surrounded his hut, and wishedfor something to eat. He gave them bread and rice--all he had, and asthey endeavoured to force themselves into his hut, he went out andfastened the door, standing on the outside with his gun by his side and asword in his hand, which he held for the purpose of fighting them. He didnot make any signs of using them. One of the children gave him a spear tothrow, and while in the act of throwing it, he received the two spears inhis chest--he did not fall. He took up his gun and shot one of thenatives, who fell, but got up again and ran away; they all fled, butreturned and shewed signs of throwing another spear, when he lifted thegun a second time, upon which they all made off. 

"He remained with the two spears, seven feet long, sticking in hisbreast; he tried to cut and saw them without effect; he also tried towalk home, but could not; he then sat upon the ground and put the ends ofthe spears in the fire to try to burn them off, and in this position hewas found at ten o'clock at night, upon the return of his brother Edward(having been speared eleven hours. ) He immediately sawed the ends of thespears off, and placed him on horseback, and brought him into town, whenI saw him. 

"Mr. Smith (with the police force) has gone in search of the natives, oneof whom can be identified as having thrown a spear at the boy, he havinga piece of red flannel tied round his beard. 

"This circumstance has thrown the settlement into great distress. TheGerman missionary, Rev. Mr. Schurman, has gone with Mr. Smith. I am toldthat the natives have been fired at from some of the stations. I hopethis is not the case. The Rev. Mr. Schurman says that Mr. Edward Hawsontold him he shot after some a short time ago to frighten them, after theyhad stolen something from the same hut where they speared his brother. This is denied by the family, but I will ascertain the truth upon thereturn of the party, Mr. E. Hawson having accompanied them. "

The natives immediately disappeared from the vicinity of the settlement, and were not heard of again for a long time. Such is the account of thismelancholy affair as given to Dr. Harvey by the boy, who, I believe, alsomade depositions before a magistrate to the same effect. Supposing thisaccount to be true, and that the natives had not received any previousprovocation either from him or from any other settlers in theneighbourhood, this would appear to be one of the most wanton, coldblooded, and treacherous murders upon record, and a murder seemingly asunprovoked as it was without object. Had the case been one in which theEuropean had been seen for the first time by the aboriginal inhabitantsof the country, it would have been neither surprising nor at variancewith what more civilised nations would probably have done undercircumstances of a similar nature. Could we imagine an extraordinarylooking being, whose presence and attributes were alike unknown to us, and of a nature to excite our apprehensions, suddenly appearing in anypart of our own country, what would be the reception he would meet withamong ourselves, and especially if by locating himself in any particularpart of the country he prevented us from approaching those haunts towhich we had been accustomed from our infancy to resort, and which welooked upon as sacred to ourselves? It is not asserting too much to saythat in such a case the country would be raised in a hue and cry, and theintruder would meet with the fate that has sometimes befallen thetraveller or the colonist when trespassing upon the dominions of thesavage. 

In the present lamentable instance, however, the natives could not haveacted under the influence of an impulse like this. Here the Europeans hadbeen long located in the neighbourhood, they were known to, and had beenfrequently visited by the Aborigines, and the intercourse between themhad in some instances at least been of a friendly character. What thencould have been the inducement to commit so cold and ruthless an act? orwhat was the object to be attained by it? Without pausing to seek foranswers to these questions which, in the present case, it must bedifficult, if not impossible, to solve, it may be worth while to take aview of the conduct of the Aborigines of Australia, generally, towardsthe invaders and usurpers of their rights, setting aside altogether anyacts of violence or injury which they may have committed under theinfluence of terror, naturally excited by the first presence of strangersamong them, and which arise from an impulse that is only shared by themin common with mankind generally. I shall be borne out, I think, by factswhen I state that the Aborigines of this country have seldom been guiltyof wanton or unprovoked outrages, or committed acts of rapine orbloodshed, without some strongly exciting cause, or under the influenceof feelings that would have weighed in the same degree with Europeans insimilar circumstances. The mere fact of such incentives not being clearlyapparent to us, or of our being unable to account for the sanguinaryfeelings of natives in particular cases, by no means argues thatincentives do not exist, or that their feelings may not have been justlyexcited. 

If we find the Aborigines of Australia ordinarily acting under theinfluence of no worse motives or passions than usually actuate man in acivilised state, we ought in fairness to suppose that sufficientprovocative for retaliation has been given in those few instances ofrevenge, which, our imperfect knowledge of the circumstances attendingthem does not enable us satisfactorily to account for. In consideringthis question honestly, we must take into account many points that we toooften lose sight of altogether when discussing the conduct of thenatives, and more especially when we are doing so under the excitementand irritation arising from recent hostilities. We should remember:--

First, That our being in their country at all is, so far as their ideasof right and wrong are concerned, altogether an act of intrusion andaggression. 

Secondly, That for a very long time they cannot comprehend our motivesfor coming amongst them, or our object in remaining, and may verynaturally imagine that it can only be for the purpose of dispossessingthem. 

Thirdly, That our presence and settlement, in any particular locality, do, in point of fact, actually dispossess the aboriginal inhabitants. [Note 14: Vide, Notes on the Aborigines, chap. I. ]

Fourthly, That the localities selected by Europeans, as best adapted forthe purposes of cultivation, or of grazing, are those that would usuallybe equally valued above others, by the natives themselves, as places ofresort, or districts in which they could most easily procure their food. This would especially be the case in those parts of the country wherewater was scarce, as the European always locates himself close to thisgrand necessary of life. The injustice, therefore, of the white man'sintrusion upon the territory of the aboriginal inhabitant, is aggravatedgreatly by his always occupying the best and most valuable portion of it. 

Fifthly, That as we ourselves have laws, customs, or prejudices, to whichwe attach considerable importance, and the infringement of which weconsider either criminal or offensive, so have the natives theirs, equally, perhaps, dear to them, but which, from our ignorance orheedlessness, we may be continually violating, and can we wonder thatthey should sometimes exact the penalty of infraction? do not we do thesame? or is ignorance a more valid excuse for civilized man than thesavage?

Sixthly, What are the relations usually subsisting between the Aboriginesand settlers, locating in the more distant, and less populous parts ofthe country: those who have placed themselves upon the outskirts ofcivilization, and who, as they are in some measure beyond the protectionof the laws, are also free from their restraints? A settler going tooccupy a new station, removes, perhaps, beyond all other Europeans, taking with him his flocks, and his herds, and his men, and locateshimself wherever he finds water, and a country adapted for his purposes. At the first, possibly, he may see none of the inhabitants of the countrythat he has thus unceremoniously taken possession of; naturally alarmedat the inexplicable appearance, and daring intrusion of strangers, theykeep aloof, hoping, perhaps, but vainly, that the intruders may soonretire. Days, weeks, or months pass away, and they see them stillremaining. Compelled at last, it may be by enemies without, by the wantof water in the remoter districts, by the desire to procure certain kindsof food, which are peculiar to certain localities, and at particularseasons of the year, or perhaps by a wish to revisit their country andtheir homes, they return once more, cautiously and fearfully approachingwhat is their own--the spot perhaps where they were born, the patrimonythat has descended to them through many generations;--and what is thereception that is given them upon their own lands? often they are met byrepulsion, and sometimes by violence, and are compelled to retire againto strange aud unsuitable localities. Passing over the fearful scenes ofhorror and bloodshed, that have but too frequently been perpetrated inall the Australian colonies upon the natives in the remoter districts, bythe most desperate and abandoned of our countrymen; and overlooking, also, the recklessness that too generally pervades the shepherds andstock-keepers of the interior, with regard to the coloured races, arecklessness that leads them to think as little of firing at a black, asat a bird, and which makes the number they have killed, or the atrocitiesthat have attended the deeds, a matter for a tale, a jest or boast attheir pothouse revelries; overlooking these, let us suppose that thesettler is actuated by no bad intentions, and that he is sincerelyanxious to avoid any collision with the natives, or not to do them anyinjury, yet under these even comparatively favourable circumstances, whatfrequently is the result? The settler finds himself almost alone in thewilds, with but few men around him, and these, principally occupied inattending to stock, are dispersed over a considerable extent of country;he finds himself cut off from assistance, or resources of any kind, whilst he has heard fearful accounts of the ferocity, or the treachery ofthe savage; he therefore comes to the conclusion, that it will be lesstrouble, and annoyance, and risk, to keep the natives away from hisstation altogether; and as soon as they make their appearance, they areroughly waved away from their own possessions: should they hesitate, orappear unwilling to depart, threats are made use of, weapons perhapsproduced, and a show, at least, is made of an offensive character, evenif no stronger measures be resorted to. What must be the naturalimpression produced upon the mind of the natives by treatment like this?Can it engender feelings otherwise than of a hostile and vindictive kind;or can we wonder that he should take the first opportunity of ventingthose feelings upon his aggressor?

But let us go even a little further, and suppose the case of a settler, who, actuated by no selfish motives, and blinded by no fears, does notdiscourage or repel the natives upon their first approach; suppose thathe treats them with kindness and consideration (and there are happilymany such settlers in Australia), what recompense can he make them forthe injury he has done, by dispossessing them of their lands, byoccupying their waters, and by depriving them of their supply of food? Heneither does nor can replace the loss. They are sometimes allowed, it istrue, to frequent again the localities they once called their own, butthese are now shorn of the attractions which they formerlypossessed--they are no longer of any value to them--and where are they toprocure the food that the wild animals once supplied them with soabundantly? In the place of the kangaroo, the emu, and the wallabie, theynow see only the flocks and herds of the strangers, and nothing is leftto them but the prospect of dreary banishment, or a life of misery andprivation. Can it then be a matter of wonder, that under suchcircumstances as these, and whilst those who dispossessed them, arerevelling in plenty near them, they should sometimes be tempted toappropriate a portion of the superabundance they see around them, and robthose who had first robbed them? The only wonder is, that such acts ofreprisal are so seldom committed. Where is the European nation, that thussituated, and finding themselves, as is often the case with the natives, numerically and physically stronger than their oppressors, would beguilty of so little retaliation, of so few excesses? The eye ofcompassion, or of philanthropy, will easily discover the anomalous andunfavourable position of the Aborigines of our colonies, when broughtinto contact with the European settlers. They are strangers in their ownland, and possess no longer the usual means of procuring their dailysubsistence; hungry, and famished, they wander about begging among thescattered stations, where they are treated with a familiarity by the menliving at them, which makes them become familiar in turn, until, at last, getting impatient and troublesome, they are roughly repulsed, andfeelings of resentment and revenge are kindled. This, I am persuaded, isthe cause and origin of many of the affrays with the natives, which areapparently inexplicable to us. Nor ought we to wonder, that a slightinsult, or a trifling injury, should sometimes hurry them to an actapparently not warranted by the provocation. Who can tell how long theirfeelings had been rankling in their bosoms; how long, or how much theyhad borne; a single drop will make the cup run over, when filled up tothe brim; a single spark will ignite the mine, that, by its explosion, will scatter destruction around it; and may not one foolish indiscretion, one thoughtless act of contumely or wrong, arouse to vengeance thepassions that have long been burning, though concealed? With the samedispositions and tempers as ourselves, they are subject to the sameimpulses and infirmities. Little accustomed to restrain their feelings, it is natural, that when goaded beyond endurance, the effect should beviolent, and fatal to those who roused them;--the smothered fire butbursts out the stronger from having been pent up; and the ranklingpassions are but fanned into wilder fury, from having been repressed. 

Seventhly, There are also other considerations to be taken into theaccount, when we form our opinion of the character and conduct of thenatives, to which we do not frequently allow their due weight andimportance, but which will fully account for aggressions having beencommitted by natives upon unoffending individuals, and even sometimesupon those who have treated them kindly. First, that the native considersit a virtue to revenge an injury. Secondly, if he cannot revenge it uponthe actual individual who injured him, he thinks that the offence isequally expiated if he can do so upon any other of the same race; he doesnot look upon it as the offence of an individual, but as an act of war onthe part of the nation, and he takes the first opportunity of making areprisal upon any one of the enemy who may happen to fall in his way; nomatter whether that person injured him or not, or whether he knew of theoffence having been committed, or the war declared. And is not the customof civilized powers very similar to this? Admitting that civilization, and refinement, have modified the horrors of such a system, the principleis still the same. This is the principle that invariably guides thenative in his relations with other native tribes around him, and it isgenerally the same that he acts upon in his intercourse with us. Shall wethen arrogate to ourselves the sole power of acting unjustly, or ofjudging of what is expedient? And are we to make no allowance for thestandard of right by which the native is guided in the system of policyhe may adopt? Weighing candidly, then, the points to which reference hasbeen made, can we wonder, that in the outskirts of the colony, where theintercourse between the native and the European has been but limited, andwhere that intercourse has, perhaps, only generated a mutual distrust;where the objects, the intentions, or the motives of the white man, canneither be known nor understood, and where the natural inference from hisacts cannot be favourable, can we wonder, that under such circumstances, and acting from the impression of some wrong, real or imagined, or goadedon by hunger, which the white man's presence prevents him from appeasing, the native should sometimes be tempted to acts of violence or robbery? Heis only doing what his habits and ideas have taught him to thinkcommendable. He is doing what men in a more civilized state would havedone under the same circumstances, what they daily do under the sanctionof the law of nations--a law that provides not for the safety, privileges, and protection of the Aborigines, and owners of the soil, butwhich merely lays down rules for the direction of the privileged robberin the distribution of the booty of any newly discovered country. Withreference to the particular case in question, the murder of MasterHawson, it appears from Dr. Harvey's report (already quoted), that inaddition to any incentives, such as I have described, as likely to arisein the minds of the natives, there had been the still greater provocationof their having been fired at, but a short time previously, from the samestation, and by the murdered boy's brother. We may well pause, therefore, ere we hastily condemn, or unjustly punish, in cases where thecircumstances connected with their occurrence, can only be brought beforeus in a partial and imperfect manner. 

The 7th was spent in preparing my despatches for Adelaide. On the 8th Isent in a dray to Port Lincoln, with Mr. Scott's luggage, and thosethings that were to be sent to Adelaide, comprising all the specimens ofgeology and botany we had collected, a rough chart of our route, and thedespatches and letters which I had written. The boat was not ready at thetime appointed, and Mr. Scott returned to the tents. In the evening, however, he again went to the settlement, and about ten, P. M. , he, andthe man who was to manage the boat, went on board to sail for Adelaide. Ihad been taken very ill during the day, and was unable to accompany himto the place of embarkation. The following is a copy of my despatch tothe Governor, and to the Chairman of the Northern Expedition Committee, embodying my reasons for going to the westward. 

"Port Lincoln, October, 1840. 

"Sir, --Having fallen back upon Port Lincoln for supplies, an opportunityhas occurred to me of writing a brief and hurried report of ourproceedings. I have, therefore, the honour to acquaint you, for theinformation of His Excellency, the Governor, and the colonists interestedin the Northern Expedition, with the result of my examination of thecountry north of Spencer's Gulf, and of the further steps I contemplatetaking to endeavour to carry out the wishes of the Committee, andaccomplish the object for which the expedition was fitted out. 

"Upon leaving our depot, near Mount Arden, the low, arid, and sandynature of the country between the hills and Lake Torrens, compelled us tofollow close under the continuation of Flinders range. Here our progresswas necessarily very slow, from the rugged nature of the country, thescarcity of water, and the great difficulty both of finding and obtainingaccess to it. As we advanced, the hills inclined considerably to theeastward, gradually becoming less elevated, until, in latitude 29 degrees20 minutes S. , they ceased altogether, and we found ourselves in a verylow and level country, consisting of large stony plains, variedoccasionally by sand; and the whole having evidently been subject torecent and extensive inundation. These plains are destitute of water, grass, and timber, and have only a few salsolaceous plants growing uponthem; whilst their surface, whether stony or sandy, is quite smooth andeven, as if washed so by the action of the water. Throughout this leveltract of country were interspersed, in various directions, many smallflat-topped elevations, varying in height from 50 to 300 feet, and almostinvariably exhibiting precipitous banks. These elevations are composedalmost wholly of a chalky substance, coated over on the upper surface bystones, or a sandy soil, and present the appearance of having formed atable land that has been washed to pieces by the violent action of water, and of which these fragments now only remain. Upon forcing a way throughthis dreary region, in three different directions, I found that the wholeof the low country round the termination of Flinders range, wascompletely surrounded by Lake Torrens, which, commencing not far from thehead of Spencer's Gulf, takes a circuitous course of fully 400 miles, ofan apparent breadth of from twenty to thirty miles, following the sweepof Flinders range, and almost encircling it in the form of a horse shoe. 

"The greater part of the vast area contained in the bed of this immenselake, is certainly dry on the surface, and consists of a mixture of sandand mud, of so soft and yielding a character, as to render perfectlyineffective all attempts either to cross it, or reach the edge of thewater, which appears to exist at a distance of some miles from the outermargin. On one occasion only was I able to taste of its waters; in asmall arm of the lake near the most north-westerly part of it, which Ivisited, and here the water was as salt as the sea. The lake on itseastern and southern sides, is bounded by a high sandy ridge, withsalsolae and some brushwood growing upon it, but without any othervegetation. The other shores presented, as far as I could judge, a verysimilar appearance; and when I ascended several of the heights inFlinders range--from which the views were very extensive, and theopposite shores of the lake seemed to be distinctly visible--no rise orhill of any kind could ever be perceived, either to the west, the north, on the east; the whole region around appeared to be one vast, low, anddreary waste. One very high and prominent summit in this range, I havenamed Mount Serle; it is situated in 30 degrees 30 minutes southlatitude, and about 139 degrees 10 minutes east longitude, and is thefirst point from which I obtained a view of Lake Torrens to the eastwardof Flinders range, and discovered that I was hemmed in on every side by abarrier it was impossible to pass. I had now no alternative left me, butto conduct my party back to Mount Arden, and then decide what steps Ishould adopt to carry out the objects of the expedition. It was evident, that to avoid Lake Torrens, and the low desert by which it is surrounded, I must go very far either to the east or to the west before againattempting to penetrate to the north. 

"My party had already been upwards of three months absent from Adelaide, and our provisions were too much reduced to admit of our renewing theexpedition in either direction, without first obtaining additionalsupplies. The two following were therefore the only plans which appearedfeasible to me, or likely to promote the intentions of the colonists, andeffect the examination of the northern interior:--

"First--To move my party to the southward, to endeavour to procuresupplies from the nearest stations north of Adelaide, and then, bycrossing to the Darling, to trace that river up until I found high landleading to the north-west. 

"Secondly--To cross over to Streaky Bay, send from thence to Port Lincolnfor supplies, and then follow the line of coast to the westward, until Imet with a tract of country practicable to the north. To the first ofthese plans were many objections; amongst the principal ones, were, thevery unfavourable accounts given both by Captain Sturt, and MajorMitchell, of the country to the west of the Darling River--the fact ofCaptain Sturt's having found the waters of that river salt during acontinued ride of many days--the numerous tribes of natives likely to bemet with, and the very small party I should have with me; lastly, thecourse of the river itself, which trending so much to the eastward, wouldtake us from, rather than towards the centre of this Continent. On theother hand, by crossing to the westward, I should have to encounter acountry which I knew to be all but destitute of water, and to consist, for a very great distance, of barren sandy ridges and low lands, coveredby an almost impenetrable scrub, at a season, too, when but little raincould be expected, and the heat would, in all probability, be intense;still, of the two, the latter appeared to me the least objectionable, aswe should at least be going towards the point we wished to reach, andthrough a country as yet quite unknown. 

"After mature and anxious consideration, therefore, I decided uponadopting it, hoping that my decision may meet with the approbation of theCommittee. 

"Previous to our arrival at Mount Arden, we experienced very showeryweather for some days, (otherwise we could not have attempted a passageto the westward); and as there were no longer any apprehensions of waterbeing found on the route to Streaky Bay, I sent two of my teams acrossupon our old tracks, in charge of my overseer, whilst I conducted thethird myself, in company with Mr. Scott, direct to Port Lincoln, toprocure the supplies we required. In crossing from Mount Arden, towardsPort Lincoln, we travelled generally through a low barren country, densely covered by brush, among which were scattered, at considerableintervals, a few small patches of grass, with here and there some rockyelevations; in the latter, we were usually able to procure water forourselves and horses, until we arrived at the districts already explored, in traversing which we passed (to the N. E. Of Port Lincoln) some rich, well watered valleys, bounded by a considerable extent of grassy hills, well adopted for sheep or cattle, arriving at Port Lincoln on the 3rd ofOctober. As a line of route from Adelaide for the emigration of stock, the course we followed, though it cannot be called a good one, isperfectly practicable in the winter season; and I have no doubt, when thecountry becomes better known, the present track might be considerablyimproved upon, and both grass and water obtained in greater abundance. 

"I regret extremely to acquaint you, that on the morning of the 9thSeptember, one of the police horses (called "Grey Paddy") kindly lent tothe Expedition by His Excellency the Governor, was found with his legbroken, apparently from the kick of another horse during the night, and Iwas obliged to order him to be shot in consequence. With this exception, no serious accident has occurred, and the whole of the party are in theenjoyment of good health and spirits. As the Expedition will still beabsent, in all probability, upwards of five months, I have availed myselfof a kind offer from Dr. Harvey, to send his boat over to Adelaide, andhave sent Mr. Scott to receive any instructions his Excellency theGovernor, or the Committee, may wish to give relative to our futureproceedings; and immediately Mr. S. Returns, I shall hurry up to StreakyBay with the supplies, and at once move on to the westward, my overseerbeing now engaged in preparing for our forcing a passage through thescrub, to the north-west of Streaky Bay, as soon as we arrive there withthe remainder of the party. 

"I have the honour to be, Sir, "Your obedient servant, "EDW. JOHN EYRE. "

"The Chairman of the Committee for promoting the Northern Expedition. "

From the 9th to the 22nd of October, I was occupied a good deal at thecamp, having only one man and a native boy to attend to the tent, thehorses and the sheep, so that I was in a great measure confined at home, occasionally only making short excursions to the town to superintend thepreparation of a large supply of horse-shoes, or visiting the stations ofsome of the nearest country settlers. I had lately bought a kangaroo dog, from the captain of an American whaler, and in these rambles had frequentopportunities of trying my new purchase, both after emus and kangaroos, but he was quite useless for hunting either, and did little credit to thehonesty of the person who sold him to me, and who had asked and receiveda high price, in consideration of the animal being, as he assured me, ofa better description than ordinary. Of the natives of the district I sawnothing whatever; the death of young Hawson, and the subsequent scouringof the country by police, had driven them away from the occupied parts, and forced them to the fastnesses of the hills, or to the scrubs; I was, however, enabled by the kindness of Mr. Schurman, a German Missionary, stationed at Port Lincoln, to obtain a limited collection of words andphrases in the dialect of the district, and which I hoped might be ofsome use to me hereafter. Mr. Schurman has since published a copiousvocabulary and grammar, of the language in use in this part of Australia. 

On the 22nd, upon going into the settlement, I found the Governmentcutter WATERWITCH at anchor in the harbour, having Mr. Scott on board, and a most abundant supply of stores and provisions, liberally sent us byhis Excellency the Governor, who had also most kindly placed the cutterat my disposal, to accompany and co-operate with me along the coast tothe westward. 

Mr. Scott had managed every thing confided to him most admirably; and Ifelt very greatly indebted to him for the ready and enterprising mannerin which he had volunteered, to undertake a voyage from Port Lincoln toAdelaide in a small open boat, and the successful manner in which he hadaccomplished it. Among other commissions, I had requested him to bring meanother man to accompany the expedition in the place of the one (R. M'Robert) who had driven the dray to Port Lincoln, and with whom I wasgoing to part; as also to bring for me a native, named Wylie, anaborigine, from King George's Sound, whom I had taken with me to Adelaideon my return in May last, but who had been too ill to accompany me at thetime the expedition started; the latter he had not been able toaccomplish, as the boy was in the country when he reached Adelaide, andthere was not time to get him down before the WATERWITCH sailed. The man, however, he had procured, and I was glad to recognize in him an oldservant, who had been with me in several of my former expeditions, andwho was a most excellent carter and tent servant. His name was ThomasCostelow. 

Having received large packets of papers and many letters, both fromrelations in England, and from many warm-hearted friends in Adelaide, Ireturned with Mr. Scott and Costelow to the tent, to make immediatepreparations for our departure. The delay, occasioned by my having beenobliged to send to Adelaide for our supplies, had so greatly protractedthe period of my absence from the rest of my party, beyond what I hadanticipated, that I became most anxious to rejoin them: the summerweather too, was rapidly approaching, and I dreaded the task of forcing away through the low level scrubby waste, around Streaky and Smoky Bays, under a tropical sun. 

From the despatches received, I was glad to find that the Governor andthe Colonists had approved of the step I had taken, in moving to thewestward, which was gratifying and satisfactory, notwithstanding thedisappointments I had experienced. In the course of the day, I sent in adray to Port Lincoln, with our heavy baggage to put on board the cutter, with orders to Mr. Germain the master, to sail immediately for StreakyBay, and lose no time in communicating with the party there. Before thecutter sailed, I purchased an excellent little boat to be sent with herfor use in our coast or inland explorations, should it be foundnecessary. 

October 23. --The blacksmith not having finished all the shoes, I wascompelled to remain another day in camp; the man too, who had been leftin charge of the sheep had lost them all; whilst the one, therefore, wasfinishing his work and the other looking for his sheep, I employed myselfin writing letters for Adelaide, and in arranging my business in PortLincoln, etc. 

October 24. --Having struck the tent, and loaded the dray, Mr. Scott and Irode into town to breakfast with Dr. Harvey, and take leave of our PortLincoln friends. After transacting business matters, I settled with theman who was going to leave me, deducting the price of the sheep which byhis carelessness he had lost, and which had not been recovered; I thenpaid Dr. Harvey for the hire of his boat, etc. And in arranging for it, hegenerously refused to receive more than 5 pounds as his boat had not beenused in the return voyage from Adelaide. He also most kindly supplied uswith some few small things, which we yet required, and was altogethermost attentive and courteous. 

Upon returning to our camp, I moved on the party, delighted once morewith the prospect of being actively employed. Whilst I conducted thedray, I sent Mr. Scott round by Mr. Brown's station, to buy eleven moresheep in the place of those M'Robert had lost, and at night he rejoinedus with them near Mr. White's station, about ten miles from Port Lincoln;it was late before the sheep came, and the yard to put them in was made, and as there were so few of them, they were a good deal alarmed and wouldnot go into the yard, rushing about violently, breaking away every timewe drove them near it; at last we got ten safely housed, and were obligedto put up with the loss of the eleventh, the night being quite dark. 

Mr. White and Mr. Poole visited us from their station, and I tried topurchase from the former a noble dog that he possessed, of the mastiffbreed, but could not prevail upon him to part with it. 

On the 25th I detained the party in camp, that I might get our sheepshorn, and send to Port Lincoln to inquire if there were any more lettersfor me by Dr. Harvey's little boat, which was expected to arrive to-day. Mr. Scott, who rode into the settlement, returned in the afternoon. 

October 26. --Sending the dray on under the guidance of the native boy, Irode with Mr. Scott up to Mr. White's station to wish him good bye, andto make another effort to secure an additional dog or two; finding thathe would not sell the noble mastiff I so much wished to have, I boughtfrom him two good kangaroo dogs, at rather a high price, with which Ihastened on after the drays, and soon overtook them, but not before mynew dogs had secured two fine kangaroos. For the first few miles wecrossed a low flat country, which afterwards became undulating andcovered with dwarf scrub, after this we passed over barren ridges forabout three miles, with quartz lying exposed on the surface and timberedby the bastard gum or forest casuarinae. We then descended to a levelsandy region, clothed with small brush, and having very many salt lakesscattered over its surface; around the hollows in which these waters werecollected, and occasionally around basins that were now dry, we foundlarge trees of the gum, together with a few casuarinae. A very similarkind of low country appeared to extend far to the eastward andnorth-west. 

Kangaroos were very numerous, especially near those hollows, that weresurrounded by gum-trees, to which they retired for shelter during theheat of the day. We encamped at night in the midst of many of these saltlakes, without any water, but the grass was good. Our stage had been 25miles upon a course of N. 25 degrees W. After watching the horses for afew hours, we tied them up for the night, not daring to trust them loosewithout water. A few natives had been seen during the day, but they ranaway. 

A singular feature attending the salt lakes, or the hollows where waterhad formerly lodged, was the existence of innumerable small stones, resembling biscuits or cakes in shape, perfectly circular and flat, but alittle convexed in the upper surface, they were of various sizes, andappeared to consist of lime, being formed into their present shape by theaction of water. Very similar ones have since been found in the volcanicregion near Mount Gambier, on the southern coast of New Holland. From ourpresent camp were seen before us to the north-west some low green lookingranges, lightly timbered, and promising a better country than we hadhitherto met with. 

October 27. --Having arrived at the hills, in about three miles, we foundthem abundantly grassed, but very rugged and rocky, of an ooliticlimestone formation, with occasionally a light reddish soil covering therock in the flats and valleys. Between these ranges and the sea, whichwas about a mile beyond them, were rather high sand hills, having a fewstunted trees growing upon them, but otherwise destitute of vegetation. No water could be found, nor were there any watercourses from the hills, where we examined them. 

Keeping under the east side of the ranges for a few miles, we crossed themain ridge to the westward, and after a stage of about thirteen miles, halted under a high hill, which I named Mount Hope, in my former journey. In a gorge of the range where the granite cropped out among thelimestone, we found a spring of beautiful water, and encamped for theday. Mr. Scott and one of the native boys shot several pigeons, whichcame to the spring to drink in the evening in great numbers. In themeantime I had ascended the hill for a view, and to take angles. At abearing of W. S. W. I set Point Drummond only a few miles distant fromthe camp, and between it and a bearing of S. W. Was a considerable saltwater lagoon on the eastern side of the sand hills of the coast; thesurrounding country was low, level and scrubby. To the westward a greatextent of dense scrub was visible, amid which were one or two elevations;and a salt lake, at a bearing of S. 60 degrees E. I made the latitude ofthis camp 34 degrees 7 minutes 16 seconds S. And the variation of thecompass 4 degrees 10 minutes E. 

October 28. --Travelling onwards for four miles, we passed a fine spring, situated in a swamp to our left, and at two more we came to a sheet ofwater, named Lake Hamilton, [Note 15: After my friend George Hamilton, Esq. ] a large and apparently deep lake, with but a few hundred yardsof a steep high bank, intervening between it and the sea; thelatter was rapidly encroaching upon this barrier, and would probablyin the course of a few years more force a way through, and layunder water a considerable extent of low country in that vicinity. Aroundthe margin of the lake was abundance of good grass, but the bank betweenit and the sea was high and very rocky. 

After leaving the lake we entered upon a succession of low grassy hillsbut most dreadfully stony, and at night encamped upon a swamp, after astage of about sixteen miles. Here we procured abundance of good water bydigging through the limestone crust, near the surface. The country aroundwas still of the same character as before, but amidst the never-ceasingstrata of limestone which everywhere protruded, were innumerable largewombat holes--yet strange to say not one of these was tenanted. The wholefraternity of these animals appeared to have been cut off altogether insome unaccountable manner, or to have migrated simultaneously to someother part. No emus or kangaroos were to be seen anywhere, and the wholeregion around wore a singularly wild and deserted aspect. 

October 29. --Our route was again over low stony hills, but with ratherbetter valleys between them; this kind of country appeared to extend fromfive to twelve miles inland from the coast, and then commenced the lowlevel waste of barren scrubby land, which we so constantly saw to theeastward of us. 

I had intended to make a short stage to-day to a spring, situated in themidst of a swamp, in latitude 33 degrees 46 minutes 35 seconds S. , buthaving kept rather too far away from the coast, I missed it, and had topush on for twenty-three miles to a rich and very pretty valley, under agrassy range, lightly wooded with casuarinae. The soil was somewhatsandy, but clothed with vegetation; in holes in the rocks we procuredabundance of water from a little valley near our camp, and in a swampabout a mile and a half north-east was a spring. Our stage was a longone, and the day being excessively hot, our horses, sheep, and dogs werenearly all knocked up. Of the latter two were unfortunately missing whenwe arrived at our halting ground; one came up afterwards, but the othercould nowhere be found, though both had been seen not two miles away. Themissing dog [Note 16 at end of para. ], was the best of the two which I hadpurchased of Mr. White, and I felt sorry for a loss which it would beimpossible for me to replace. Many native fires were seen to-day, andespecially in the direction of a high bare-looking detached range to thenorth-east, named by me from its shape, Mount Wedge; none of these peoplewere, however, seen, but a fire still burning was found where we encampedfor the night. 

[Note 16: Upon returning to Adelaide in 1841, I learnt that the dog hadgone back all the way to Mr. White's station, and as Mr. White wished tokeep the animal, he returned the money he had received at his sale. ]

On the 30th we remained stationary to rest the horses, and to try andrecover the lost dog, but after a long and fruitless search, we wereobliged to give up the attempt. 

On the 31st, after crossing a ridge under which we were encamped, wepassed through a very pretty grassy and park-like country, and what wasvery unusual, not stony on the surface. There were in places a great manywombat holes, but these were now all occupied by their tenants, and thewhole aspect of the country was more encouraging and cheerful; the extentof good country was, however, very limited. Towards the coast was a lowscrubby-looking region with salt lakes, and to the east it was bounded bya dense brush, beyond which were extensive plains of a barren and scrubbyappearance. In the midst of these plains were large fields of a coarsewiry-kind of grass, growing in enormous tufts, five or six feet high, andindicating the places where swamps exist in wet seasons; these were nowquite dry, but we had always found the same coarse-tufted grass growingaround the margins of the salt lakes, and in those places also where wehad found water. This description of country seemed to extend to the baseof Wedge Hill, which I intended to have ascended, but the weather was toocloudy to obtain a view from it. The character of the country to thenorth and north-east was equally low and unpromising, with the exceptionof two peaks seen at considerable distances apart. 

Our stage to-day was sixteen miles to Lake Newland, [Note 17: Named aftermy friend R. F. Newland, Esq. ] a large salt-water lake, with numerousfine and strong springs of excellent water, bubbling up almostin the midst of the salt. In one place one of these springs wassurrounded by a narrow strip of soil, and the stream emanating from ittook its winding course through the skirts of the salt-water lake itself, inclosed by a very narrow bank of earth, on either side; this slightbarrier being the only division between the salt and the fresh water. From the abundance of fresh water at Lake Newland, and the many patchesof tolerably grassy country around, a very fair station might be formed, either for sheep or cattle. 

November 1. --Leaving Lake Newland we passed through a scrubby country, which extended close under the coast hummocks for five miles, and thenascended a high barren range. The view from this was extensive, but onlyover a mass of low and desolate scrub, with the exception of one or twoelevations to the north and north-east. Towards the coast, amidst thewaste around, was a large sheet of salt water, with here and there a fewopenings near it, studded with casuarinae, to this we bent our steps, andat twelve miles from our last night's camp took up our position in lat. 33 degrees 14 minutes 36 seconds S. Upon the lagoon seen by Flinders fromthe masthead. 

The traces of natives and their beaten pathways were here very numerous(of the latter of which there could not be less than thirty) all leadingto a large deep hole, sunk about eight feet, principally through a softlimestone rock. This was carefully blocked up with large stones and mud, but upon clearing it out the water came bubbling up rapidly, and we gotan abundant supply. The entrance from seawards to the sheet of water, orlagoon, is between two heads, (one of them being a high bluff) littlemore than a mile apart. There appeared to be a reef off the entranceoutside, but our being without a boat prevented us from ascertaining howfar this inlet was adapted for a harbour. Inside, the water is shallowtowards the south, but deeper in the northern half of the inlet. 

November 2. --Tracing round the shores, we passed several other holes dugby the natives in the sand, to procure water; these, however, did notappear of so permanent a character as the first, for many had fallen in, and others contained but very little water. The huts of the natives werenumerous, and of a large and substantial description; but we saw none oftheir owners. 

After leaving the inlet we pushed on through the scrub to a high bluff ofgranitic formation, distant about sixteen miles N. 35 degrees W. , andnamed by me Mount Hall. [Note 18: After G. Hall, Esq. The Governor'sPrivate Secretary. ] The road being very heavy, it was late when we arrivedthere, and both our horses and sheep were much fatigued. We got alittle water from holes in the sheets of granite, and had very goodgrass in an opening under the hill. 

From the summit of Mount Hall the view was extensive, and I obtained manyangles. The surrounding country was low, level, and barren, and denselycovered with scrub, among which, to the north-west were seen manysalt-water lakes. At intervals a few elevations were seen amidst this lowwaste, apparently similar to the hill we were upon, among them were oneor two very distant at a little N. Of E. , and nearer, one at E. 16degrees N. ; the latter I named Mount Cooper. [Note 19: After CharlesCooper, Esq. The Judge of the colony. ] At a bearing of S. 35 degrees W. Another saltwater inlet was seen apparently communicating with the sea;but this we could not satisfactorily ascertain from its greatdistance. The latitude of Mount Hall, deduced from observations of aLyrae and a Aquilae, was 33 degrees 2 minutes 40 seconds S. Severalnative fires were seen to the east and south-east in the scrub. 

November 3. --After seeing the party ready tomove on, I left Mr. Scott toconduct the dray, whilst I rode forward in advance to the depot nearStreaky Bay, where I arrived early in the afternoon, and was delighted tofind the party all well, and everything going on prosperously. They hadexpected me some time before and were looking out very anxiously for myarrival. The WATERWITCH had arrived on the 29th of October, but themaster did not communicate with my party before the 31st; so that untilthe last three days they had been quite ignorant of our movements, anduneasy at our so greatly exceeding the time originally fixed forrejoining them. Having sent back a man, and two fresh and strong horsesto assist the dray, I reconnoitred once more our depot of 1839. Situatedin the middle of some extensive grassy openings among the scrub, is asolid sheet of limestone of a very hard texture: in the centre of thisrock is a small oblong opening, a foot deep and only just large enough toadmit of a pint pot being dipped in it. This curious little holecontained water from five to seven inches in depth, the level of whichwas maintained as rapidly as a person could bale it out; this was oursole supply for ourselves and horses, but it was a never-failing one. 

[Note 20: The water had not a pleasant flavour, as it was of a chalybeatenature; but in a country where water was scarce, it was invaluable. When Iwas here in 1839, it had even then this disagreeable taste, but now it wasmuch worse, in consequence, probably, of the contaminating substancebeing washed off more abundantly than formerly from the rocks enclosingthe reservoir by the rapid flow of water necessary to replace the largeconsumption of my party. ]

The spring is situated in latitude 32 degrees 49 minutes 0 seconds S. Andabout three miles south-east from the most southerly bight of StreakyBay. About one mile and a half to the west is another small hole ofbetter flavoured water, but not so abundant in its supply. 

I found all the horses in excellent condition, and one, a very fine mareof my own, had foaled about six weeks before. Around the camp wereimmense piles of oyster shells, pretty plainly indicating the feasting mymen had enjoyed during my absence, whilst their strong and healthyappearance shewed how well such fare had agreed with them. The oysterswere procured from the most southerly bight of Streaky Bay, on some mudbanks about two or three hundred yards below low water mark, where theyare found in immense numbers and of different sizes. The flavour of theseoysters was excellent, and the smaller ones were of great delicacy. Themen were in the habit of taking a cart down to the beach frequently, where, by wading up to their knees in the sea at low water, they wereenabled to fill it. This supply lasted for two or three days. 

Many drays might easily be loaded, one after the other, from these oysterbeds. The natives of the district do not appear to eat them, for I nevercould find a single shell at any of their encampments. It is difficult toaccount for the taste or prejudice of the native, which guides him in hisselection or rejection of particular kinds of food. What is eaten readilyby the natives in one part of Australia is left untouched by them inanother, thus the oyster is eaten at Sydney, and I believe King George'sSound, but not at Streaky Bay. The unio or freshwater muscle is eaten ingreat numbers by all the natives of New South Wales and South Australia;but Captain Grey found that a Perth native, who accompanied him on one ofhis expeditions, would not touch this kind of food even when almoststarving. Snakes are eaten by some tribes, but not by others; and so withmany other kinds of food which they make use of. 

About three o'clock, Mr. Scott arrived with the dray, after a long andharassing stage of twenty miles over a low, stony, and scrubby tract ofcountry, between Mount Hall and Streaky Bay, and which extended beyondour track to the coast hummocks to the west. These latter appearedsomewhat high, and under them we had seen many salt-water lakes from thesummit of Mount Hall. 

My party were now once more all assembled together, after having beenseparated for nearly seven weeks; during which, neither division knewwhat had befallen the other, and both were necessarily anxious to bereunited again, since, in the event of any mischance occurring to either, the other would have been placed in circumstances of much difficulty, ifnot of danger; and the whole object of the undertaking would have beenfrustrated. 

The great delay caused by my having been obliged to send over from PortLincoln to Adelaide for supplies, had thrown us very late in the season;the summer was rapidly advancing, the weather even now, being frequentlyintensely hot, whilst the grass was gradually drying up and losing itsnourishment. Our sending to Adelaide had, however, obtained for us thevaluable services of the WATERWITCH to assist us in tracing round thedesert line of coast to the north-west, and had enabled us to procure alarger and more varied supply of stores, than we could possibly havebrought up from Port Lincoln in a single dray. We were now amplyfurnished with conveniences of every kind; and both men and horses werein good plight and ready to enter upon the task before them. 

Chapter X. 

COUNTRY BETWEEN STREAKY BAY AND BAXTER'S RANGE--ITS SCRUBBYCHARACTER--GAWLER RANGE--MOUNT STURT--ASCEND A PEAK--SALTLAKES--BEAUTIFUL FLOWER--ASCEND ANOTHER HILL--MOUNT BROWN SEEN--EXTENSIVEVIEW TO THE NORTH--LAKE GILLES--BAXTER'S RANGE. 

During the time that I had been occupied in conducting my division of theparty from Baxter's Range to Port Lincoln, the overseer had been engagedin guiding the other portion across to Streaky Bay, upon my former trackfrom thence to Mount Arden, in September 1839. The following briefextracts from my Journal of that period, whilst crossing from Streaky Bayto Mount Arden, will convey an idea of the character of the countryextending between these two points; and of the great difficulty, indeedalmost the impossibility of forcing a passage, except immediately afterthe occurrence of heavy rains. 

1839, Sept. 18. --We left the depot near Streaky Bay, at a course nearlydue east, and passing through alternations of brush and of open grassyplains, upon the skirts of which grew a few casuarinae; halted after astage of eighteen miles, at an opening in the brush, where we had goodgrass, but no water; we were consequently obliged to watch the horsesduring the night, to prevent their straying. From this camp Mount Hallbore S. 2 degrees E. And Mount Cooper S. E. The variation of the compassbeing 2 degrees 22 minutes E. 

September 19. --Travelling east through the same kind of country forfifteen miles, we halted upon a high scrubby ridge; having a few grassyopenings at intervals, and with large sheets of granite exposed in someparts of its surface. In the holes among these rocks we procured a supplyof water that had been deposited by the late rains; but which a few warmdays would have dried up. The latitude of the water was 32 degrees 48minutes S. And from it Mount Hall bore S. 38 degrees W. , Mount Cooper S. 15 degrees W. Before us to the north-east were visible many peaks of arange, with a high and broken outline, which I named the Gawler range, after His Excellency Colonel Gawler, the Governor of South Australia. Onevery high peak in this range I named Mount Sturt, after my friend CaptainSturt; it bore from our present camp E. 10 degrees N. And had beenpreviously seen from the summit of Mount Hall. 

September 20. --Our route to-day was through a perfect desert, veryscrubby and stony, with much prickly grass growing upon the sand ridges, which alternated with the hard limestone flats; there were very few clearintervals of country upon our whole course; and for the last five milesthe heavy sand and dense scrub made it very difficult to get on at all. After a long stage of twenty-five miles nearly due east, we halted at ahigh ridge similar to that upon which we encamped last night, with sheetsof granite exposed on its surface, and rain water lodged in the hollows. The horses were all completely knocked up with the severe labour of thisday's stage; I ascertained the latitude of the camp to be 32 degrees 47minutes 40 seconds S. And the variation of the compass which increased aswe advanced to the eastward, was now 4 degrees 12 minutes E. The Gawlerrange was now distinctly visible, extending from N. 15 degrees W. To N. 65 degrees E. And presenting the broken and picturesque outline of a vastmountain mass rising abruptly out of the low scrubby country around. Theprincipal elevations in this extensive range, could not be less than twothousand feet; and they appeared to increase in height as the rangetrended to the north-west. To the eastward the ranges decreased somewhatin elevation, but were still very lofty. 

September 21. --We had another long stage to-day of twenty miles, over, ifpossible, a worse road than yesterday, no intermission whatever of theheavy steep sandy ridges and dense eucalyptus scrub; the horses weredreadfully jaded, and we were obliged to relieve them by yoking up allthe riding horses that would draw. Even with this aid we did not get thejourney over until an hour and a half after dark. During the day ourcourse had been more to the northward of east, and brought us close underthe Gawler range. At fourteen miles after starting, we passed a salt lakeon our right, and several salt ponds on our left; but we could find nopermanent fresh water anywhere. In the rocks of the range we had encampedunder, we procured a small quantity left by the rains, but this supplywas rapidly disappearing under the rays of a very hot sun, and had webeen a few days later, we could not have crossed at all. The latitude ofour camp was 32 degrees 41 minutes 40 seconds S. 

September 22. --This morning I ascended one of the heights in the Gawlerrange, from which the view is extensive to the southward, over agenerally low level country, with occasional elevations at intervals; tothe north the view is obstructed by the Gawler range, consistingapparently of a succession of detached ridges high and rocky, andentirely of a porphoritic granite lying in huge bare masses upon thesurface. The hills [Note 21 at end of para. ] were without either timber orshrubs, and very barren, with their front slopes exceedingly steep, andcovered by small loose stones; several salt lakes were seen in variousdirections, but no indications of fresh water or springs. 

[Note 21: Peron's description of the mountains on the South-western coast, is singularly applicable to the Gawler range--He says, Tom. III. P. 233. "Sur ces montagnes pelees on ne voit pas un arbre, pas un arbriseau, pasun arbuste; rien, en un mot, qui puisse faire souponner l'existence dequeque terre vegetale. La durete du roc paroit braver ici tous lesefforts de la nature, et resister a ces memes moyens de decomposition qu'elle emploie ailleurs avec tant de succes. "]

It was late before the party moved on to-day, but the road was somewhatbetter, and there were many intervals of open grassy plains under thehills along which we travelled, at a course of E. 17 degrees N. Fortwenty-five miles. Encamping at night with tolerable grass, but withoutwater. There had been a considerable pool of rain water here a few daysago, but it was now nearly dried up by the sun, and I was obliged toorder the horses to be watched during the night. 

To-day I found a most splendid creeping plant in flower, growing inbetween the ranges, it was quite new to me, and very beautiful; the leafwas like that of the vetch but larger, the flower bright scarlet, with arich purple centre, shaped like a half globe with the convex sideoutwards; it was winged, and something like a sweet pea in shape, theflowers hung pendent upon long slender stalks, very similar to those ofsweet peas, and in the greatest profusion; altogether it was one of theprettiest and richest looking flowers I have seen in Australia. 

September 23. --Moving on over a firm road, but with much scrub andprickly grass, we travelled for fifteen miles under the hills at a courseof E. 20 degrees N. , encamping early in the afternoon close under them, and procuring a little water left in the hollows by the rains. I ascendedanother of the heights in the Gawler range to-day, but could obtain noclear view from it, the weather being hazy. Ridge behind ridge stillappeared to rise to the north, beyond the front one under which we weretravelling; and several salt lakes were seen among the hills atintervals. The rock of which the hills were composed was now changed froma porphoritic granite to a reddish quartz, which was scattered all overthe front hills in loose small fragments. The latitude of our camp was 32degrees 30 minutes 35 seconds S. 

September 24. --Our road was firmer to-day, over a red gritty soil ofsandy loam and gravel. The hills were still covered with quartz, butdecreasing perceptibly in elevation as we advanced to the east. At abouteight miles we were lucky enough to find a puddle of rain water, and atonce halted for the day to rest and refresh the horses. Having ascended ahigh peak near the camp, I found I was surrounded by a mass of hills onevery side; they gradually increased in elevation as they stretched tothe northwest, becoming lower at a bearing of north, and quite detachedto the north-east; resembling so many islands in the level waste aroundthem. 

September 25. --Moving from our camp early we had an excellent road, andtravelled rapidly for about twenty miles, nearly due east, halting forthe night under a high red hill, where we found some rain water for ourhorses; but the grass was very scarce. After dinner I ascended the hillnear the camp and obtained a distant view of Mount Brown, and the rangeon the east side of Spencer's Gulf. To the north was one vast sea oflevel scrub, and in the midst of it a lake; but seemingly of no verygreat size. A few elevations were seen to the south-east, of all of whichI took bearings, and then descended to the camp again. The bearing ofMount Brown, from this hill, was E. 10 degrees S. ; and the latitude ofthe camp, under the hill, was 30 degrees 27 minutes 55 seconds S. 

September 26. --Passing up a barren valley between low hills, we had atfirst a good road, but afterwards it became very stony. We encampedearly, after a short stage of fifteen miles, having gradually left mostof the hills to the north of us. One that we were encamped under Iascended, and had a very extensive view, and took many angles. A largelake (named Lake Gilles) [Note 22: After the first Colonial Treasurer ofthe province. ] bore nearly due south, and was the same that had beenseen from Baxter's range; the latter was now distinctly visibleat a bearing of E. 20 degrees S. The latitude of our camp was 32 degrees35 minutes 58 seconds S. There was barely enough rain water found tosupply our horses, but the feed was tolerably good. 

September 27. --We had a very bad stony road to-day, consistingprincipally of quartz and iron-stone, of which the ranges had latterlybeen entirely composed. Our stage was sixteen miles, passing round thesouth end of Baxter's range, and encamping under it, on the easternfront, upon a gorge, in which was plenty of water and good grass. We hadthus, by taking advantage of the rains that had fallen, been enabled toforce a passage from Streaky Bay to Spencer's Gulf; but we had done sowith much difficulty, and had we been but a few days later, we shouldhave failed altogether, for though travelling for a great part of thedistance under very high rocky ranges, we never found a drop of permanentfresh-water nor a single spring near them. There are no watercourses, andno timber; all is barren rocky and naked in the extreme. The waters thatcollected after rains, lodged in the basins of small lakes; but such wasthe nature of the soil that these were invariably salt. 

It was through this dreary region I had left my overseer to take hisdivision of the party when we separated at Baxter's range; but I confidedthe task to him with confidence. Rain had at that time fallen veryabundantly; he had already been over the road with me before, and knewall the places where water or grass was likely to be found; and ourformer dray tracks of 1839, which were still distinctly visible, would bea sufficient guide to prevent his getting off the line of route. Theskill, judgment, and success with which the overseer conducted the taskassigned to him, fully justified the confidence I reposed in him; andupon my rejoining the party at Streaky Bay, after an absence of sevenweeks, I was much gratified to find that neither the men, animals, orequipment, were in the least degree the worse for their passage throughthe desert. 

Chapter XI. 

EMBARK STORES--PARTY LEAVE STREAKY BAY--DENSE SCRUE--POINTBROWN--SINGULAR WELL--PROCESS OF CHANGE IN APPEARANCE OF COUNTRY--DIG FORWATER--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXTRAORDINARY RITE--NATIVE GUIDES--LEIPOA'SNEST--DENIAL BAY--BEELIMAH GAIPPE--KANGAROO KILLED--MORENATIVES--BERINYANA GAIPPE--SALT LAKES--WADEMAR GAIPPE--SANDY AND SCRUBBYCOUNTRY--MOBEELA GAIPPE--DIFFICULTY OF GETTING WATER--MORENATIVES--GENUINE HOSPITALITY--SINGULAR MARKS ON THE ABDOMEN--NATIVESLEAVE THE PARTY--FOWLER'S BAY--EXCELLENT WHALING STATION. 

November 4. --To-DAY the party were occupied in sorting and packingstores, which I intended to send on board the WATERWITCH to Fowler's Bay, that by lightening the loads upon the drays, we might the more easilyforce a passage through the dense scrub which I knew we had to passbefore we reached that point. In the afternoon the men were engaged inshearing the remainder of our sheep, washing their own clothes andpreparing everything for breaking up the camp, whilst I rode down toStreaky Bay, and went on board the cutter to give orders relative to thereception of our stores tomorrow. 

The harbour of Streaky Bay is extensive, but generally open to thewestward. In its most southerly bight, however, is a secure wellsheltered bay, for vessels of moderate draught of water; being protectedby a long sandy shoal which must be rounded before a vessel can enter. 

[Note 23: A plan of this harbour was made by Mr. Cannan, one of theGovernment assistant surveyors of South Australia, when sent by theGovernment in a cutter to meet my party with provisions in 1839. ]

November 5. --To-day we were engaged in carting down the stores and asupply of water to the cutter, which we got safely on board, when I gavewritten instructions to the master to sail at once, and land a cask ofwater, a little higher up the bay, for the use of the horses. In theevening the drays were loaded and all got ready for our departureto-morrow. 

November 6. --Having had the horses watched last night we were enabled tomove away early, and about noon arrived at the place I had appointed Mr. Germain to land the cask of water: it was all ready, and we watered thehorses, took luncheon and moved on again, directing Mr. Germain toproceed to Smoky Bay, and land water for us again there. The country wepassed through to-day was low, level, and sandy, and covered with pricklygrass, with a few tea-tree swamps, but no fresh water. The shore ofStreaky Bay on its western side was bounded by high steep sandy hummocks, behind which we travelled, and at night halted on the borders of a densescrub, nearly opposite the middle of the bay, after a stage of abouteighteen miles. Our vicinity to the sea enabled Mr. Scott, myself, andthe native boys to enjoy a swim, a luxury highly appreciated by atraveller after a day's hard work, amidst heat and dust, and one which Ianticipated we should frequently obtain in our course to the westward. 

November 7. --Breakfasted before daylight, and moved on with the earliestdawn to encounter a scrub which I knew to be of heavier timber, andgrowing more closely together than any we had yet attempted. It consistedof Eucalyptus dumosa and the salt-water tea-tree, (the latter of a verylarge growth and very dense, ) in a heavy sandy soil. 

By keeping the axes constantly at work in advance of the drays, wesucceeded in slowly forcing a passage through this dreadful country, emerging in about seventeen miles at an open plain behind Point Brown, and in the midst of which was a well of water. The entrance to this wellwas by a circular opening, through a solid sheet of limestone, aboutfifteen inches in diameter, but enlarging a little about a foot below thesurface. The water was at a depth of ten feet, and so choked up with sandand dirt that we were obliged to clear the hole out effectually before wecould get any for the horses. This was both a difficult and an unpleasantoccupation, as the man engaged in it had to lower himself through thevery narrow aperture at the top and work in a very cramped positionamongst the dirt and wet below, with the mud dripping upon him; it wasdrawn up in a bag, for a bucket could not be used in so contracted aspace. As a spade could not be employed a large shell left by the nativeswas used for scooping up the dirt, which made the operation both slow andtiresome. Our horses were dreadfully fagged and very thirsty after thesevere toil they had endured in dragging the drays through so heavy ascrub, but with all our exertions we could only obtain from the springabout two buckets of water apiece for them. As this was not nearly enoughto satisfy them, I was obliged to have them watched for the night toprevent their straying. The men had been kept incessantly at work fromfive in the morning until nearly ten at night, and the additional duty ofwatching the horses bore very hard upon them; but they knew it to benecessary, and did it cheerfully. 

We had passed during our route through one or two of the small grassyopenings so constantly met with even in the densest scrubs, and, asusual, I noticed upon these plains the remains of former scrub, where thetrees were apparently of a larger growth than those now existing around. The soil too, from a loose sand, had become firmer and more united, andwherever the scrub had disappeared its place had been supplied by grass. This strongly confirmed my opinion, long ago formed, that those vastlevel wastes in Australia, now covered with low scrub, (and formerly, Iimagine, the bed of the ocean, ) are gradually undergoing a process ofamelioration which may one day fit them for the purposes of pasture oragriculture. The smoke of many native fires was seen during the daybehind and around us, but we did not fall in with any of the natives. 

November 8. --Having given each of the horses a bucket of water from thewell, we moved on again through the same dense scrub we had encounteredyesterday, but, if possible, more harassing, from the increased steepnessof the sandy ridges and the quantity of dead timber lying on the surface, and causing a great impediment to our progress. We forced our way throughthis worse than desert region, for about fourteen miles, and arrivedearly in the afternoon, with our horses quite exhausted, upon the shoresof Smoky Bay, at a point where the natives had dug a hole in the sandhills near the beach to procure water, and from which the south end ofthe island of St. Peter bore W. 15 degrees S. 

The WATERWITCH was already here, and supplied us with a cask of water, until the men had dined and rested a little, before entering upon thetask of digging for water, which proved to be a most arduous undertaking, and occupied us all the afternoon. We had to sink through a loose sandfor fifteen feet, which from its nature, added to the effect of a strongwind that was blowing at the time, drifted in almost as fast as it wasthrown out. We were consequently obliged to make a very large openingbefore we could get at the water at all; it was then very abundant, butdreadfully salt, being little better than the sea water itself; thehorses and sheep however drank it greedily, as we had been able to givethem but little of that received from the vessel. 

November 9. --Upon mustering the horses this morning I found they werelooking so exhausted and jaded after the hard toil they had gone throughin the last three days, that I could not venture to put them to workagain to-day. I was consequently obliged to remain in camp, to rest boththem and the men, all of whom were much fatigued. The well in the sandwas even salter to-day than we had found it yesterday, and was quiteunserviceable; the men had sunk the hole rather too deep, that they mightget the water in greater abundance; but when the tide rose it flowed inunder the sand and spoiled the whole. As the water, even at the best, hadbeen so salt that we could not use it ourselves, and as it was far frombeing wholesome for the horses, I did not think it worth while to givethe men the fatigue of digging another hole. I therefore put both horsesand men upon a limited allowance, and got a cask containing sixty gallonsfrom the cutter for our day's supply. I also took the opportunity ofagain lightening our loads by sending on board some more of the baggageand the light cart. This, by decreasing the number of our teams, would, Ithought, enable me to change the horses occasionally in the others, andgive me an extra man to assist in clearing a road through the scrub, Having completed my arrangements, I sent on the WATERWITCH to thenorth-east part of Denial Bay, to land water there, as I did not expectto get any until our arrival at Point Peter. Mr. Scott accompanied thecutter, having expressed a wish to take a trip in her for a few days. 

During the forenoon we were visited by a party of natives, who came toget water at the hole in the sand. They were not much alarmed, and soonbecame very friendly, remaining near us all night; from them I learnedthat there was no water inland, and none along the coast for two days'journey, after which we should come to plenty, at a place called by them"Beelimah Gaip-pe;. " Their language was nearly the same as that of PortLincoln, intermixed with a few words in use at King George's Sound, and I now regretted greatly that I had not the Western Australian nativewith me. 

I found a most singular custom prevailing among the natives of this partof the country, which I had never found to exist anywhere else (except atPort Lincoln), and the origin of which it would be most difficult toaccount for. In various parts of Australia some of the tribes practisethe rite of circumcision, whilst others do not; but in the Port Lincolnpeninsula, and along the coast to the westward, the natives not only arecircumcised, but have in addition another most extraordinary ceremonial. [Note 24: Finditus usque ad urethram a parte infera penis. ] Among the partyof natives at the camp I examined many, and all had been operated upon. The ceremony with them seemed to have taken place between the agesof twelve and fourteen years, for several of the boys of that agehad recently undergone the operation, the wounds being still freshand inflamed. This extraordinary and inexplicable custom must have agreat tendency to prevent the rapid increase of the population; and itsadoption may perhaps be a wise ordination of Providence, for thatpurpose, in a country of so desert and arid a character as that whichthese people occupy. 

November 10. --Getting the party away about five o'clock this morning, Ipersuaded one of the natives, named "Wilguldy, " an intelligent cheerfulold man, to accompany us as a guide, and as an inducement, had himmounted on a horse, to the great admiration and envy of his fellows, allof whom followed us on foot, keeping up in a line with the dray throughthe scrub, and procuring their food as they went along, which consistedof snakes, lizards, guanas, bandicoots, rats, wallabies, etc. Etc. And itwas surprising to see the apparent ease with which, in merely walkingacross the country, they each procured an abundant supply for the day. 

In one place in the scrub we came to a large circular mound of sand, about two feet high, and several yards in circumference; this theyimmediately began to explore, carefully throwing away the sand with theirhands from the centre, until they had worked down to a deep narrow hole, round the sides of which, and embedded in the sand, were four fine largeeggs of a delicate pink colour, and fully the size of a goose egg. I hadoften seen these hills before, but did not know that they were nests, andthat they contained so valuable a prize to a traveller in the desert. Theeggs were presented to me by the natives, and when cooked were of a veryrich and delicate flavour. The nest was that of a wild pheasant, (Leipoa), a bird of the size of a hen pheasant of England, and greatlyresembling it in appearance and plumage; these birds are very cautiousand shy, and run rapidly through the underwood, rarely flying unless whenclosely pursued. The shell of the egg is thin and fragile, and the youngare hatched entirely by the heat of the sun, scratching their way out assoon as they are born, at which time they are able to shift forthemselves. [Note 25: For a further account of the LEIPOA, videCHAPTER III. Of Notes on the Aborigines. ]

Our road to-day was through a heavy sandy country, covered for the mostpart densely with the eucalyptus and tea-tree. About eleven we struck thesouth-east corner of Denial Bay, and proceeded on to the north-east, where I had appointed the cutter to meet me. To my surprise she was notto be seen anywhere, and I began to get anxious about our supply of waterfor the horses, as we were entirely dependant upon her for it. In theafternoon I observed the vessel rounding into the south-east bight of thebay, and was obliged to send my overseer on horseback a long ride roundthe bay, to tell the master to send us water to the place of ourencampment. He had been to the island of St. Peter yesterday looking forbirds' eggs, and having neglected to take advantage of a fair wind, wasnot now able to get the cutter up to us. The water had consequently to bebrought in the boat a distance of eight miles through a heavy sea, and atconsiderable risk. Mr. Scott, who came with the master in the boat, returned on board again in the evening. Our stage to-day had beeneighteen miles, and the horses were both tired and thirsty. The smallsupply of water brought us in the boat being insufficient for them, weagain were obliged to watch them at night. 

November 11. --Guided by our friend "Wilguldy, " we cut off all the cornersand bends of the coast, and steering straight for "Beelimah Gaippe, "arrived there about noon, after a stage of twelve miles; the roadwas harder and more open, but still in places we had to passthrough a very dense brush. The water to which the native took us wasprocured by digging about four feet deep, in a swamp behind the coasthummocks, which were here high and bare, and composed of white sand. Thewater was abundant and good, and the grass tolerable, so that Idetermined to remain a day to rest and recruit the horses; it was sorarely that we had the opportunity of procuring both grass and water. Thedogs killed a kangaroo, which enabled us to give our guide an abundantfeast of food, to which he had been accustomed; but to do the old manjustice, I must say he was not very scrupulous about his diet, for he atereadily of any thing that we offered him. 

After we had encamped some more natives came up and joined us from thevicinity of Point Peter, which lay a few miles to the east of us; theywere known to those who had accompanied us, and were very friendly andwell conducted. To many inquiries about water inland, they all assured methat there was none to be found in that direction; but said that therewas water further along the coast called "Berinyana gaippe, " and only oneday's journey from our present encampment. 

November 12. --I sent the overseer this morning to communicate with thecutter, and to request the master to fill up as much water as he could, preparatory to our moving onwards to Fowler's Bay. In the evening theoverseer returned, accompanied by Mr. Scott, to acquaint me that thewater near Point Peter was a considerable distance from the vessel; andthat it would be impracticable to fill up all the casks, with no othermeans than they had at command. 

I took the sun's altitude, at noon, for latitude; but the day was windy, and the mercury shook so much that I could not depend upon theobservation within three or four miles. It gave nearly 32 degrees 10seconds S. Which I thought too much to the northward. The sun set bycompass W. 24 1/2 degrees S. 

November 13. --Guided by the natives, we moved onward through a denselyscrubby country, and were again obliged to keep the men with axesconstantly at work, in advance of the drays to clear the road. Ourprogress was necessarily slow, and the work very harassing to the horses;fortunately the stage was not a very long one, and in fourteen miles wereached "Berinyana gaippe, " a small hole dug by the natives, amongstthe sand hummocks of the coast, a little north of Point Bell. By enlarging this a little, we procured water in great abundanceand of excellent quality. Our course had been generally west by south;and from our camp, the eastern extreme of Point Bell, bore S. 28 degreesW. , and the centre of the "Purdies Islands" E. 49 degrees S. 

November 14. --Upon moving on this morning, we were obliged to keep moreto the north to avoid some salt lakes and low swamps near the coast. Thenatives still accompanied us through a very sandy and scrubby country toa watering place among some sand hills, which they called"Wademar gaippe. " Here we encamped early, after a stage of ten miles, and were enabled to procure abundance of good water, at a depth of aboutfour feet below the surface. 

There was a large sheet of salt water near our camp which seemed to be aninlet of the sea, and after a hasty dinner I walked down to examine it. The water generally appeared shallow, but in some places it was verydeep; after tracing it for five miles, and going round one end of it, Ifound no junction with the sea, though the fragments of shells and othermarine remains, clearly shewed that there must have been a junction at novery remote period. The sand hummocks between the lake and the sea beingvery high, I ascended them to take bearings, and then returning to thelake halted, with the black boy who had accompanied me, to bathe, andrest ourselves. The weather was most intensely hot, and our walk had beenlong and fatiguing, amongst sand hills under a noonday sun. We fullyappreciated the luxury of a swim, and especially as we were lucky enoughto find a hole of fresh water on the edge of the lake, to slake ourparching thirst. Ducks, teal, and pigeons were numerous, and the recenttraces of natives apparent everywhere. It was after sunset when wereturned, tired and weary, to our camp. 

November 15. --In the morning we started as early as possible to get thestage over before the great heat of the day came on, still accompaniedand guided by the friendly natives, who took us through the best and mostopen line of country. At six miles we entered a very dense scrub, leavingto the north of us, several patches of open plains; to the north-eastwere seen the smokes of several fires. The natives had told us that therewas water out in that direction, at a short day's journey; but, as theydid not wish us to go to it, I inferred that they thought there was notenough to satisfy our party, having now frequently seen how great was thesupply we required at each encampment. I was myself of the opinion that ahole probably existed to the north-east similar to the one we had foundin the plains behind Point Brown, where the access is difficult, and thequantity procurable at any one time not very great. The scrub we hadtraversed to-day was principally of salt-water tea-tree, growing upon asuccession of steep sandy ridges, which presented a formidable barrier tothe progress of the drays; the distance to be accomplished was not abovefourteen miles; but so difficult was the nature of the country, and sooppressive the heat, that, notwithstanding our very early start, it wasfour o'clock in the afternoon before we arrived at the place ofdestination, which was called by the natives, "Mobeela gaippe. "The horses and men were greatly fatigued, but for the latter, the labours of the day were far from being over, for, upon arrivingat the place where the water was to be procured, I found thatthe holes, sunk by the natives, were through ridges of a loose sand to adepth of fourteen or fifteen feet, at the bottom of which, water wasobtained in very small quantities. There were several of these holesstill open, and the traces of many others in every direction around, which had either fallen in or been filled up by the drifting of the sand. These singular wells, although sunk through a loose sand to a depth offourteen or fifteen feet, were only about two feet in diameter at thebore, quite circular, carried straight down, and the work beautifullyexecuted. To get at the water, the natives placed a long pole against oneside of the well, ascending and descending by it to avoid frictionagainst the sides, which would have inevitably sent the sand tumbling inupon them. We, however, who were so much clumsier in all our movements, could not make use of the same expedient, nor indeed, would the size ofthe wells, made by the natives, have enabled us even with theirassistance, to get out a moderate supply for the horses. It becamenecessary, therefore, to open a new well, of much larger dimensions, atask of no easy kind in so loose a sand. 

Having put the overseer and men to their arduous employment, I ascendedthe highest of the sand hills, and took a set of angles, among whichPoint Fowler bore W. 16 degrees S. And Point Bell, E. 40 degrees S. 

A small lake was visible at W. 40 degrees N. The country still lookedvery cheerless in every direction, and no signs of improvement appearedto relieve the dreary scene around, or to lead me to hope for bettercountry beyond. 

Upon rejoining the well diggers, I found after great exertions they hadthrown out an immense quantity of sand, and made a large and commodiouswell, and were just going to commence watering the horses; at thisjuncture and before a single bucket of water could be taken out, the sandslipped, and the sides of the well tumbled in, nearly burving alive theman who was at the bottom. The labour of two hours was lost, and tired asthey were, the men had to begin their work afresh. It was eight at nightbefore the well was cleared out again sufficiently to enable us to waterthe horses, for almost as fast as the sand was thrown out other sand fellin; by nine the whole of them had received two buckets of water each, when the sides of the well again shot in, and we were obliged to give upour digging operations altogether, as the men were completely exhausted;to relieve them Mr. Scott and I watched the horses during the night. 

November 16. --Intending to remain in camp to-day, I set the men to clearout the well once more. It was a tedious and laborious task, inconsequence of the banks of sand falling in so repeatedly, andfrustrating all their efforts, but at last by sinking a large cask boredfull of auger holes we contrived about one o'clock, to get all the horsesand sheep watered; in the evening, however, the whole again fell in, andwe gave up, in despair, the hopeless attempt to procure any furthersupply of water, under such discouraging circumstances. 

For some days past, we had been travelling through a country in which theMesembryanthemum grows in the greatest abundance, it was in full fruit, and constituted a favourite and important article of food among thenative population; all our party partook of it freely, and found it botha wholesome and an agreeable addition to their fare; when ripe, the fruitis rich, juicy, and sweet, of about the size of a gooseberry. In hotweather it is most grateful and refreshing. I had often tasted this fruitbefore, but never until now liked it; in fact, I never in any other partof Australia, saw it growing in such abundance, or in so greatperfection, as along the western coast. During our stay in camp a nativehad been sent out to call some of the other natives, and towards eveninga good many came up, and were all regularly introduced to us by'Wilguldy' and the others, who had been with us so long; I gave them afeast of rice which they appeared to enjoy greatly. Our more immediatefriends and guides had learnt to drink tea, and eat meat and damper, withwhich we supplied them liberally, in return for the valuable servicesthey rendered us. 

November 17. --Moving on early, we were guided by the natives for abouttwelve miles, round the head of Fowler's Bay, crossing through a verysandy, scrubby, and hilly country, and encamping at a water hole, dugbetween the sandy ridges, about two o'clock in the day. I had ridden alittle in advance of the party, and arriving at the water first, surprised some women and children encamped there, and very busily engagedin roasting snakes and lizards over a fire. They were much afraid and ranaway on seeing me, leaving their food upon the embers, this our friendlyguides unceremoniously seized upon and devoured, as soon as they came upwith the drays. These few women were the first we had seen for some time, as the men appeared to keep them studiously out of our way, and it struckme that this might be in consequence of the conduct of the whalers orsealers with whom they might have come in contact on the coast. OldWilguldy, however, appeared to be less scrupulous on this point, andfrequently made very significant offers on the subject. 

Soon after we had encamped several natives came up and joined those withus. They were exceedingly polite and orderly--indeed the best conducted, most obliging natives I ever met with--never troubling or importuning forany thing, and not crowding around in that unmannerly disagreeablemanner, which savages frequently adopt--nor did I ever find any of themguilty of theft; on the contrary, several times when we had left somearticle behind, they called to us, and pointed it out. To them we wereindebted for the facilities we had enjoyed in obtaining water; forwithout their guidance, we could never have removed from any encampmentwithout previously ascertaining where the next water could be procured;and to have done this would have caused us great delay, and muchadditional toil. By having them with us we were enabled to move withconfidence and celerity; and in following their guidance we knew that wewere taking that line of route which was the shortest, and the bestpracticable under the circumstances. Upon arriving at any of the wateringplaces to which they had conducted us, they always pointed out the water, and gave it up to us entirely, no longer looking upon it as their own, and literally not taking a drink from it themselves when thirsty, withoutfirst asking permission from us. Surely this true politeness--thisgenuine hospitality of the untutored savage, may well put to the blush, for their exclusiveness and illiberality, his more civilised brethren. Inhow strong a light does such simple kindness of the inhabitant of thewilds to Europeans travelling through his country (when his fears are notexcited or his prejudices violated, ) stand contrasted with the treatmenthe experiences from them when they occupy his country, and dispossess himof his all. 

There were now a considerable number of natives with us, all of whom hadbeen subjected to the singular ceremony before described. Those we hadrecently met with, had, in addition, a curious brand, or mark on thestomach, extending above and below the navel, and produced by theapplication of fire. I had previously noticed a similar mark in use amongone or two tribes high up on the Murray River, (South Australia, ) andwhich is there called "Renditch. " At the latter place, however, the brandwas on the breast, here it was on the stomach. I have never been able toaccount in any way for the origin or meaning of this mark; but it isdoubtless used as a feature of distinction, or else why should it only befound in one or two tribes and so far apart, had it been accidental orarisen from lying near or upon the fires in cold weather, everyindividual of certain tribes would not have been affected, and someindividuals of every tribe would: now, the first, as far as my experienceenabled me to judge, is the case; but the latter most assuredly is not. Both at the Murray, and near Fowler's Bay, the natives always told me, that the marks were made by fire, though how, or for what purpose, Icould never learn at either place. 

November 18. --Our horses being all knocked up, and many of them havingtheir shoulders severely galled by the racking motion of the drayswinding up and down the heavy sandy ridges, or in and out of the densescrubs, I determined to remain for some time in depot to recover them, whilst I reconnoitred the country to the west, as far as the head of thegreat Australian Bight. To leave my party in the best position I could, Isent the overseer round Point Fowler to see if there was any better placefor the horses in that direction, and to communicate with the master ofthe WATERWITCH on the subject of landing our stores. Upon the overseer'sreturn, he reported that there was fresh water under Point Fowler, butvery little grass; that he had not been able to communicate with thecutter, the wind being unfavourable and violent, and the cutter's boat onboard, but they had noticed him, and shewn their colours; he said, moreover, that the vessel was lying in a very exposed situation, and didnot appear at all protected by Point Fowler, which, as she was not wellfound in ground-tackle, might possibly occasion her being driven ashore, if a gale came on from the south-east. This news was by no meanssatisfactory, and I became anxious to get our things all landed that thecutter might go to a place of greater safety. 

November 19. --The wind still being unfavourable, the day was spent inremoving the drays, tents, etc. To a more elevated situation. Our camp hadbeen on the low ground, near the water, in the midst of many scrubbyhills, all of which commanded our position. There were now a great manywell armed natives around us, and though they were very kind andfriendly, I did not like the idea of their occupying the acclivitiesimmediately above us--at all events, not during my contemplated absencefrom the party. I therefore had every thing removed to the hill nextabove them, and was a good deal amused at the result of this manoeuvre, for they seemed equally as uneasy as we had been at the heights abovethem being occupied. In a very short time they also broke up camp, andtook possession of the next hill beyond us. This defeated the object Ihad in view in our former removal, and I now determined not to beout-manoeuvred any more, but take up our position on the highest hill wecould find. This was a very scrubby one, but by a vigorous application ofthe axes for an hour or two, we completely cleared its summit; and thentaking up the drays, tent, baggage, etc. We occupied the best and mostcommanding station in the neighbourhood. The result of this movement was, that during the day the natives all left, and went in the direction ofwhere the cutter was. I was not sorry for their departure; for althoughthey had been very friendly and useful to us, yet now that I contemplatedkeeping the party for a long time in camp, and should myself probably bea considerable time absent, I was more satisfied at the idea of thenatives being away, than otherwise; not that I thought there was theleast danger to be apprehended from them if they were properly treated;but the time of my men would be much occupied in attending to the horsesand sheep; and they were too few in number, to admit of much of that timebeing taken up in watching the camp or the natives who might be near it;for I always deemed it necessary, as a mere matter of prudence, to keep astrict look out when any natives were near us, however friendly theymight profess to be. 

Upon walking round the shores of Fowler's Bay, I found them literallystrewed in all directions with the bones and carcases of whales, whichhad been taken here by the American ship I saw at Port Lincoln, and hadbeen washed on shore by the waves. To judge from the great number ofthese remains, of which very many were easily recognisable as being thoseof distinct animals, the American must have had a most fortunate andsuccessful season. 

It has often surprised me, that the English having so many colonies andsettlements on the shores of Australia, should never think it worth theirwhile to send whalers to fish off its coasts, where the whales are insuch great numbers, and where the bays and harbours are so numerous andconvenient, for carrying on this lucrative employment. I believe scarcelya single vessel fishes any where off these coasts, which are entirelymonopolised by the French and Americans, who come in great numbers; therecannot, I think, be less than three hundred foreign vessels annuallywhaling off the coasts, and in the seas contiguous to our possessions inthe Southern Ocean. I have generally met with a great many French andAmerican vessels in the few ports or bays that I have occasionally beenat on the southern coast of Australia; and I have no doubt that they allreap a rich harvest. 

Among the many relics strewed around Fowler's Bay, I found the shell of avery large turtle laying on the beach; it had been taken by the crew ofthe vessel that I met at Port Lincoln, and could not have weighed lessthan three to four hundred weight. I was not previously aware that turtlewas ever found so far to the southward, and had never seen the leasttrace of them before. 

Chapter XII. 

LAND THE STORES AND SEND THE CUTTER TO DENIAL BAY--PARTY REMOVE TO POINTFOWLER--LEAVE THE PARTY--BEDS OF LAKES--DENSE SCRUB--COAST SANDDRIFTS--FRUITLESS SEARCH FOR WATER--DISTRESS OF THE HORSES--TURNBACK--LEAVE A HORSE--FIND WATER--REJOIN PARTY--SEND FOR THEHORSE--COUNTRY AROUND DEPOT--TAKE A DRAY TO THE WESTWARD--WRETCHEDCOUNTRY--EALL IN WITH NATIVES--MISUNDERSTAND THEIR SIGNS--THEY LEAVEUS--VAIN SEARCH FOR WATER--TURN BACK--HORSE KNOCKED UP--GO BACK FORWATER--REJOIN THE DRAY--COMMENCE RETURN--SEARCH FOR WATER--DRAYSURROUNDED BY NATIVES--EMBARRASSING SITUATION--BURY BAGGAGE--THREE HORSESABANDONED--REACH THE SAND DRIFTS--UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO SAVE THEHORSES--SEND FOR FRESH HORSES--SEARCH FOR WATER TO N. E. --RECOVER THEDRAY AND STORES--REJOIN THE PARTY AT DEPOT NEAR POINT FOWLER--RETURN OFTHE CUTTER. 

November 20. --THE wind being favourable for the boats landing to-day, Isent the overseer with pack-horses to the west side of Fowler's Bay, tobring up some flour and other stores for the use of the party; at thesame time I wrote to the master of the cutter, to know whether heconsidered his anchorage, at Fowler's Bay, perfectly safe. His reply was, that the anchorage was good and secure if he had been provided with aproper cable; but that as he was not, he could not depend upon the vesselbeing safe; should a heavy swell set in from the southeast. Upon thisreport, I decided upon landing all the stores from the cutter; andsending her to lay at a secure place on the west side of Denial Bay, until I returned from exploring the country, near the head of the GreatBight. On the 22nd, I gave orders to this effect, at the same timedirecting the captain to return to Fowler's Bay by the 11th December, atwhich time I hoped to have accomplished the journey I contemplated. 

On the same day I gave my overseer instructions for his guidance duringmy absence; and after sending the drays on to the water behind PointFowler, that they might be nearer to the vessel, I set off on horsebackto the westward, accompanied by a native; and taking with us a pack-horseto carry provisions. Crossing for about six miles through scrub, at awest by south course, we entered open grassy plains, among which weremany beds of small dried up salt lakes. This description of countrycontinued for about six miles, when we again entered a very dense scrub, and continued in it for eight miles, until we struck the coast. Notfinding any indications of water or grass, I pushed up along the beachfor three miles further, and was then obliged to encamp without either, as it had become too dark to proceed. 

November 23. --Moving along the coast for ten miles, we came to large highdrifts of pure white sand, from which some red-winged cockatoos andpigeons flew out, and near which were several native encampments. I nowfully hoped to find water; but after a long and anxious examination, wasobliged to give up the search. I knew that our only hope of finding waterlay in these drifts of sand; but as it was frequently very difficult tofind, and never could be procured without digging, (sometimes to a greatdepth, ) I began to fear that our attempt to reach the head of the Bightwas almost hopeless. We had no means of digging in the sand to any depth;whilst, from the constant drift, caused by the winds among these barehills, it was exceedingly disagreeable to remain even for a short time toexamine them. The wind was blowing strong, and whirlwinds of sand werecircling around us, with a violence which we could scarcely struggleagainst, and during which we could hardly venture either to open oureyes, or to draw our breath. 

Leaving the sand-drifts we travelled behind the coast ridge through amore open but still sandy country, making a long stage to some more highbare sand-drifts, amidst which we again made a long but unsuccessfulsearch for water; at night we encamped near them, and our unfortunatehorses were again obliged to be tied up for the second time withouteither grass or water. 

November 24. --Finding that there was little prospect of procuring watera-head, and that our horses were scarcely able to move at all, I felt itnecessary to retrace our steps as speedily as possible, to try to savethe lives of the animals we had with us. In order that we might effectthis and be encumbered by no unnecessary articles, I concealed, and leftamong some bushes, all our baggage, pack-saddles, etc. After passing aboutfive miles beyond the sand-drifts where I had seen the cockatoos andpigeons, one of the horses became completely exhausted and could notproceed any further; I was necessitated therefore to tie him to a bushand push on with the other two to save them. 

When I left my party on the 22nd, I had directed them to remove to somewater-holes behind Point Fowler, but, as I had not seen this placemyself, I was obliged to steer in the dark in some measure at random, notknowing exactly where they were. The greatest part of our route beingthrough a dense brush, we received many scratches and bruises from theboughs as we led our horses along, to say nothing of the danger we wereconstantly in of having our eyes put out by branches we could not see, and which frequently brought us to a stand still by painful blows acrossthe face. At last we arrived at the open plains I had crossed on myoutward track, and following them down came to two deep holes in thelimestone rock, similar to the one behind Point Brown. By descending intothese holes we found a little water, and were enabled to give each of thehorses three pints; we then pushed on again, hoping to reach the camp, but getting entangled among the scrub, were obliged at midnight to haltuntil daylight appeared, being almost as much exhausted as the horses, and quite as much in want of water, for we had not tasted the little thathad been procured from the hole found in the plains. 

November 25. --At the first streak of daylight we moved on, and in onemile and a half reached the camp near Point Fowler, before any of theparty were up. We had guessed our course well in the dark last night, andcould not have gone more direct had it been daylight. Having called upthe party and made them get a hasty breakfast, I hurried off a drayloaded with water, and accompanied by the overseer, one man, and theblack boy, to follow up our tracks to where the tired horse had beentied. During my absence I found that every thing but the cart had beenlanded from the cutter, and safely brought up to the camp, and that assoon as that was on shore she would be ready to go and lie at anchor atDenial Bay. 

About noon I was greatly surprised and vexed to see my overseer returndriving the loose horses before him. It seemed that whilst feeding aroundthe camp they had observed the dray and other horses going away and hadfollowed upon the tracks, so that the overseer had no alternative but todrive them back to the camp. This was very unfortunate, as it wouldoccasion great delay in reaching the one we had left tied in the scrub. Idirected the overseer to hurry back as rapidly as possible, and bytravelling all night to endeavour to make up for lost time, for I greatlyfeared that if not relieved before another day passed away, it would bequite impossible to save the animal alive. 

After resting myself a little I walked about to reconnoitre theneighbourhood of our camp, not having seen it before. The situation wasat the west side of the upper extreme of Point Fowler, immediately behindthe sand-drifts of the coast, which there were high, bare, and of whitesand. The water was on the inland side, immediately under the sand-hills, and procured in the greatest abundance and of good quality, by sinkingfrom one to three feet. It was found in a bed of white pipe-clay. To thenorth-west of us were some open grassy plains, among which our horses andsheep obtained their food, whilst here and there were scattered a fewsalt swamps or beds of lakes, generally, however, dry. The whole countrywas of fossil formation, and the borders of the lakes and swampsexhibited indurated masses of marine shells, apparently but a very recentdeposit. Further inland the country was crusted on the surface with anoolitic limestone, and for the most part covered by brush; a few openplains being interspersed here and there among the scrubs, as isgenerally the case in that description of country. 

The natives still appeared to be in our neighbourhood, but none had beennear us since they first left on the 19th. I would now gladly have gotone of them to accompany me to look for water, but none could be found. On the 26th and 27th I was occupied in getting up the cart, some casks, etc. From the cutter, and preparing for another attempt to round the headof the Great Bight. The vessel then sailed for Denial Bay, where shecould lie in greater safety, until I required her again. 

Early on the 27th the man and black boy returned with the dray from thewestward, they had found the horse very weak and much exhausted, but bycare and attention he was got a little round, and the overseer hadremained to bring him slowly on: he had been four entire days and nightswithout food or water, and for the first two days and a half of this timehad been severely worked. In the evening the overseer came up, drivingthe jaded animal, somewhat recovered indeed--but miserably reduced incondition. 

The party with the dray had taken spades with them to dig for water atthe sand hills, where I had seen the pigeons and cockatoos on the 23rd, and at ten feet they had been lucky enough to procure abundance, whichalthough of a brackish quality was usable; from the great depth, however, at which it was obtained, and the precarious nature of the soil, it wasvery troublesome to get at it. 

November 28. --This morning I sent away a dray with three horses, carryingseventy gallons of water to assist me in again endeavouring to get roundthe Bight. As the road was very scrubby, and much impeded by fallentimber, I had previously sent on a man to clear it a little; and aboutten o'clock I followed with the native boy. We got tolerably well throughthe scrub, and encamped in a plain about sixteen miles from the depot, where there was good grass. The weather being cool and showery, ourhorses would not drink more than a bucket each from the casks. 

November 29. --Having moved on the dray early over rather a heavy road, wetook up our quarters under the white sand-drifts, after a stage of ninemiles. I then left the boy in charge of the camp, and proceeded myselfwith the two men, and provided with spades and buckets, to where theoverseer had obtained water by digging; the place was about two milesfrom our camp, between the sand-drifts and the sea, and immediatelybehind the front ridges of the coast. By enlarging the hole, and sinkinga tub bored full of holes, we managed to water the horses, and get asupply for ourselves. In the afternoon an attempt was made to dig a wellnearer the camp, but a stratum of rock put an end to our labours. 

November 30. --Sending back one of the men to the depot, I left the nativeboy to guide the dray, whilst I diverged towards the coast to look forwater among the sand-drifts, that were seen occasionally in thatdirection; in none of them, however, could I obtain a drop. The countrytravelled over consisted of very heavy sand ridges, covered for the mostpart with low scrub, and as the stage was a long one (twenty-two miles), I found upon overtaking the dray that the horses were knocked up, and aparty of fourteen natives surrounding it, who were making vehementgesticulations to the man not to proceed, and he being only accompaniedby a single black boy was greatly alarmed, and did not know what to do;indeed, had I not arrived opportunely, I have no doubt that he would haveturned the horses round, and driven back again. Upon coming up with thenatives, I saw at once that none of them had been with us before, but atthe same time they appeared friendly and well-behaved, making signs forus not to proceed, and pointing to some sand-drifts at the coast which wehad passed, implying, as I understood them, that there was water there. We were now in an opening among the scrub, consisting of small grassyundulating plains, and at these I determined to halt for the night, hoping the natives would remain near us, and guide us to water to-morrow. To induce them to do this, after giving the horses each two buckets ofwater, I gave two gallons among them also, besides some bread. They atonce took possession of an elevation a little above our position, andformed their camp for the night. As we were so few in number compared tothe natives, we were obliged to keep a watch upon them during the wholenight, and they did the same upon us--but at a much less individualinconvenience from their number; they appeared to take the duty inturn--two always being upon guard at once. 

December 1. --After giving the natives some water, and taking breakfastourselves, we moved on in the direction they wished us to go, followed bythe whole party; at two miles they brought us to the sea over a dreadfulheavy road, but upon then asking them where the water was, they now toldus to our horror, that there was "mukka gaip-pe, " or, no water. The truth was now evident, we had mutually misunderstood oneanother; they seeing strangers suddenly appear, had taken it for grantedthey came from the sea, and pointed there, whilst we, intent only uponprocuring water, had fancied they had told us we should find it wherethey pointed; upon reaching the coast both were disappointed--they at notseeing a ship, and we at not finding water. 

It was now a difficult matter to decide what to do: our horses weregreatly jaded, owing to the hilly and sandy character of the country; ourwater was reduced to a low ebb in the casks, for relying upon the nativesguiding us to more, we had used it improvidently; whilst the very leastdistance we could be away from the water, at the sand-drifts, wastwenty-five miles; if we went back we lost all our previous labour, andcould not do so without leaving the dray behind, and if we went forward, it was very problematical whether water could be procured within anydistance attainable by our tired horses. 

The natives now asserted there was water to the north-west, but that itwas a long way off. As they still seemed willing to accompany us, Idetermined to proceed, and pushed on parallel with the coast behind thefront ridges; at nine miles the horses were quite exhausted, and couldget no further, so that I was obliged to halt for the night, where a fewtufts of withered grass were found under the hummocks. 

Our sable friends had gradually dropped off, one or two at a time, untilonly three remained. These I endeavoured to make friends with, by givingthem plenty of water and bread, and after taking a hasty meal, I got themto go with me and the native boy along the coast, to search for water. After going about a mile, they would proceed no further, making signsthat they should be very thirsty, and enabling me clearly to comprehend, that there was no water until the head of the Great Bight was rounded. AsI did not know exactly, what the actual distance might be, I still hopedI should be able to reach it, and leaving the natives to return, I andthe boy pushed on beyond all the sandy hills and cliffs, to the low sandytract bordering upon the head of the Bight, from which we were abouttwelve miles distant. The day was hazy, or the cliffs of the Great Bightwould have been distinctly visible. 

We lost a good deal of time in tracking the foot-steps of a party ofnative women and children, among some bare sand-drifts, hoping the trackwould lead to water; but the party seemed to have been rambling aboutwithout any fixed object, and all our efforts to find water were in vain;the whole surface of the country, (except where it was hidden by thesand-drifts) was one sheet of limestone crust, and wherever we attemptedto dig among the sand-drifts, the rock invariably stopped us. 

As it was getting on towards evening, I returned to where I had left thedray, and giving each of the horses one bucket of water and five pints ofoats, was obliged to have them tied for the night, myself and the manbeing too much fatigued to watch them. 

December 2. --We had not moved far upon our return, when one of our mostvaluable dray-horses became completely overdone with fatigue, and I wasobliged to take it out of the team and put in a riding horse, to try, ifpossible, to reach the plains where the grass was. We just got to theborders of this open patch of country, when the poor animal (a mare)could not be got a yard farther, and we were compelled to halt and decideupon what was best to be done. The water in the cask was nearly allconsumed, the mare could not stir, and the other horses were very weak, so that no time was to be lost; I immediately decided upon leaving theman to take care of the mare and the dray, whilst I and the native boytook the other horses back for more water; having measured out to theman, water amounting to a quart per day, during our contemplated absence, I gave all that was left, consisting of about half a bucket full, to themare, and then accompanied by the boy, pushed steadily back towards thewater at the sand hills, distant about twenty-five miles. At dark wearrived there, but the sand had fallen in, and we had to labour hard toclear out the hole again; it was eleven o'clock at night before we couldget the horses watered, and we then had to take them a mile and a halfbefore we could get any grass for them. Returning from this duty, we hadto collect and carry on our backs for more than a mile, a few bundles ofsticks and bushes, to make a little fire for ourselves, near the water, the night being intensely cold. It was past two o'clock in the morningbefore we could lay down, and then, tired and harassed as we were, it wastoo cold and damp for us to rest. 

December 3. --The scorching rays of the morning sun awoke us early, wearyand unrefreshed, we had no trees to shade us, and were obliged to get up. After looking at the well, and congratulating ourselves upon its nothaving fallen in, we set off to look for the horses, they had wanderedaway in search of food, causing us a long and tiresome walk over thesand-hills in the sun, before we could find them; having at last got themand driven them to where the water was, we were chagrined to find thatduring our absence the well had again fallen in, and we had the labour ofclearing it out to go through again. 

The day was excessively oppressive, with a hot parching wind, and both weand the horses drank incessantly. Towards night we took the horses awayto the grass, and remained near them ourselves for the sake of thefirewood, which was there more abundant. 

We had thunder towards evening, and a few dops of rain fell, but notsufficient to moderate the temperature, the heat continuing as oppressiveas before. 

December 4. --After watering the horses, we took ten gallons upon apack-horse, and proceeded on our return to the man we had left; the statein which our own horses were, having made it absolutely necessary to givethem the day's rest they had yesterday enjoyed. We arrived about five inthe afternoon, at the little plain where we had left the man; he wasanxiously looking out for us, having just finished his last quart ofwater. The poor mare looked very weak and wretched, but after giving herat intervals, eight gallons of water, she fed a little, and I fully hopedwe should succeed in saving her life. No natives had been seen during ourabsence. 

The night set in very dark and lowering, and I expected a heavy fall ofrain; to catch which we spread our oilskins and tarpaulin, and placed outthe buckets and pannekins, or whatever else would hold water: a fewdrops, however, only fell, and the storm passed away, leaving us as muchunder a feeling of disappointment, as we had been previously of hope: onelittle shower would have relieved us at once from all our difficulties. 

December 5. --Upon getting up early, I thought the horses looked so muchrefreshed, that we might attempt to take back the dray, and had some ofthe strongest of them yoked up. We proceeded well for two miles and ahalf to our encampment of the 30th November; and as there was then a welldefined track, I left the man to proceed alone, whilst I myself went oncemore to the coast to make a last effort to procure water among some ofthe sand-drifts. In this I was unsuccessful. There were not the slightestindications of water existing any where. In returning to rejoin the dray, I struck into our outward track, about three miles below, where I hadleft it, and was surprised to find that the dray had not yet passed, though I had been three hours absent. Hastily riding up the track, Ifound the man not half a mile from where I had left him, and surroundedby natives. They had come up shortly after my departure; and the man, getting alarmed, was not able to manage his team properly, but byharassing them had quite knocked up all the horses; the sun was gettinghot, and I saw at once it would be useless to try and take the dray anyfurther. 

Having turned out the horses to rest a little, I went to the natives totry to find out, if possible, where they procured water, but in vain. They insisted that there was none near us, and pointed in the directionof the head of the Bight to the north-west, and of the sand hills to thesouth-east, as being the only places where it could be procured; when Iconsidered, however, that I had seen these same natives on the 30thNovember, and that I found them within half a mile of the same place, five days afterwards, I could not help thinking that there must be waternot very far away. It is true, the natives require but little watergenerally, but they cannot do without it altogether. If there was a smallhole any where near us, why they should refuse to point it out, I couldnot imagine. I had never before found the least unwillingness on theirpart to give us information of this kind; but on the contrary, they wereever anxious and ready to conduct us to the waters that they wereacquainted with. I could only conclude, therefore, that what they statedwas true--that there was no water near us, and that they had probablycome out upon a hunting excursion, and carried their own supplies withthem in skins, occasionally, perhaps, renewing this from the smallquantities found in the hollows of the gum scrub, and which is depositedthere by the rains, or procuring a drink, as they required it, from thelong lateral roots of the same tree. [Note 26: Vide Chapter XVI. , towardsthe close. ] I have myself seen water obtained in both these ways. Theprincipal inducement to the natives to frequent the small plainswhere we were encamped, appeared to be, to get the fruit of theMesembryanthemum, which grew there in immense quantities, and wasnow just ripe; whilst the scrub, by which these plains were surrounded, seemed to be alive with wallabie, adding variety to abundance in thearticle of food. 

We were now on the horns of a very serious dilemma: our horses werecompletely fagged out, and could take the dray no further. We weresurrounded by natives, and could not leave it, and the things upon it, whilst they were present (for many of these things we could not afford tolose); and on the other hand, we were twenty-two miles from any water, and our horses were suffering so much from the want of it, that unless wegot them there shortly, we could not hope to save the lives of any one ofthem. 

Had the natives been away, we could have buried the baggage, and left thedray; but as it was, we had only to wait patiently, hoping they wouldsoon depart. Such, however, was not their intention; there they satcoolly and calmly, facing and watching us, as if determined to sit usout. It was most provoking to see the careless indifference with whichthey did this, sheltering themselves under the shade of a few shrubs, orlounging about the slopes near us, to gather the berries of theMesembryanthemum. I was vexed and irritated beyond measure, as hour afterhour passed away, and our unconscious tormentors still remained. Everymoment, as it flew, lessened the chance of saving the lives of ourhorses; and yet I could not bring myself to abandon so many things thatwe could not do without, and which we could not in any way replace. Whatmade the circumstances, too, so much worse, was, that we had last nightgiven to our horses every drop of water, except the small quantity putapart for our breakfasts. 

We had now none, and were suffering greatly from the heat, and fromthirst, the day being calm and clear, and intolerably hot. When we hadfirst unyoked the horses, I made the man and native boy lay down in theshade, to sleep, whilst I attended to the animals, and kept an eye on thenatives. About noon I called them up again, and we all made our dinneroff a little bread, and some of the fruit that grew around us, themoisture of which alone enabled us to eat at all, our mouths were sothoroughly dry and parched. 

A movement was now observed among the natives; and gathering up theirspears, they all went off. Having placed the native boy upon an eminenceto watch them, the man and I at once set to work to carry our baggage tothe top of a sand-hill, that it might be buried at some distance from thedray. We had hardly commenced our labours, however, before the boy calledout that the natives were returning, and in a little time they alloccupied their former position; either they had only gone as a ruse tosee what we intended to do, or they had been noticing us, and had seen usremoving our baggage, or else they had observed the boy watching them, and wished to disappoint him. Whatever the inducement was, there theywere again, and we had as little prospect of being able to accomplish ourobject as ever. If any thing could have palliated aggressive measurestowards the aborigines, it would surely be such circumstances as we werenow in; our own safety, and the lives of our horses, depended entirelyupon our getting rid of them. Yet with the full power to compel them (forwe were all armed), I could not admit the necessity of the case as anyexcuse for our acting offensively towards those who had been friendly tous, and who knew not the embarrassment and danger which their presencecaused us. 

Strongly as our patience had been exercised in the morning, it was stillmore severely tested in the afternoon--for eight long hours had thosenatives sat opposite to us watching. From eight in the morning until fourin the afternoon, we had been doomed to disappointment. About this time, however, a general movement again took place; once more they collectedtheir spears, shouldered their wallets, and moved off rapidly andsteadily towards the south-east. It was evident they had many miles to goto their encampment, and I now knew we should be troubled with them nomore. Leaving the boy to keep guard again upon the hill, the man and Idug a large hole, and buried all our provisions, harness, pack-saddles, water-casks, etc. Leaving the dray alone exposed in the plains. Aftersmoothing the surface of the ground, we made a large fire over the placewhere the things were concealed, and no trace remained of the earthhaving been disturbed. 

We had now no time to lose, and moving away slowly, drove the horsesbefore us towards the water. The delay, however, had been fatal; thestrength of the poor animals was too far exhausted, and before we hadgone seven miles, one of them could not proceed, and we were obliged toleave him; at three miles further two more were unable to go on, andthey, too, were abandoned, though within twelve miles of the water. Wehad still two left, just able to crawl along, and these, by dint of greatperseverance and care, we at last got to the water about four o'clock inthe morning of the 6th. They were completely exhausted, and it was quiteimpossible they could go back the same day, to take water to those we hadleft behind. The man, myself, and the boy were in but little betterplight; the anxiety we had gone through, the great heat of the weather, and the harassing task of travelling over the heavy sandy hills, coveredwith scrub, in the dark, and driving jaded animals before us, added tothe want of water we were suffering under, had made us exceedingly weak, and rendered us almost incapable of further exertion. In the evening Isent the man, who had been resting all day, to try and bring the twohorses nearest to us a few miles on the road, whilst I was to meet himwith water in the morning. Native fires were seen to the north-east of usat night, but the people did not seem to have been at the water at thesand-hills for their supply, no traces of their having recently visitedit being found. 

December 7. --After giving the horses water we put ten gallons upon one ofthem, and hurried off to the animals we had left. The state of those withus necessarily made our progress slow, and it was four o'clock before wearrived at the place where they were, about eleven miles from the water. The man had gone on to the furthest of the three, and had brought themall nearly together; upon joining him we received the melancholyintelligence, that our best draught mare had just breathed herlast--another lay rolling on the ground in agony--and the third appearedbut little better. After moistening their mouths with water, we madegruel for them with flour and water, and gave it to them warm: this theydrank readily, and appeared much revived by it, so that I fully hoped weshould save both of them. After a little time we gave each about fourgallons of water, and fed them with all the bread we had. We then letthem rest and crop the withered grass until nine o'clock, hoping, that inthe cool of the evening, we should succeed in getting them to the water, now so few miles away. At first moving on, both horses travelled verywell for two miles, but at the end of the third, one of them was unableto go any further, and I left the man to remain, and bring him on againwhen rested; the other I took on myself to within six miles of the water, when he, too, became worn out, and I had to leave him, and go for a freshsupply of water. 

About four in the morning of the 8th, I arrived with the boy at thewater, just as day was breaking, and quite exhausted. We managed to waterthe two horses with us, but were too tired either to make a fire or getanything to eat ourselves; and lay down for an hour or two on the sand. At six we got up, watered the horses again, and had breakfast; afterwhich, I filled the kegs and proceeded once more with ten gallons ofwater to the unfortunate animals we had left behind. The black boy wastoo tired to accompany me, and I left him to enjoy his rest, after givinghim my rifle for his protection, in the event of natives coming during myabsence. 

Upon arriving at the place where I had left the horse, I found him in asad condition, but still alive. The other, left further away, in chargeof the man, had also been brought up to the same place, but died just asI got up to him; there was but one left now out of the three, and to savehim, all our care and attention were directed. By making gruel, andgiving it to him constantly, we got him round a little, and moved him onto a grassy plain, about a mile further; here we gave him a hearty drinkof water, and left him to feed and rest for several hours. Towardsevening we again moved on slowly, and as he appeared to travel well, Ileft the man to bring him on quietly for the last five miles, whilst Itook back to the water the two noble animals that had gone through somuch and such severe toil in the attempt made to save the others. In theevening I reached the camp near the water, and found the native boy quitesafe and recruited. For the first time for many nights, I had theprospect of an undisturbed rest; but about the middle of the night I wasawoke by the return of the man with the woful news, that the last of thethree horses was also dead, after travelling to within four miles of thewater. All our efforts, all our exertions had been in vain; the dreadfulnature of the country, and our unlucky meeting with the natives, haddefeated the incessant toil and anxiety of seven days' unremittingendeavours to save them; and the expedition had sustained a loss of threeof its best horses, an injury as severe as it was irreparable. 

December 9. --At day-break, this morning, I sent off the man to the depotat Fowler's Bay, with orders to the overseer to send five fresh horses, two men, and a supply of provisions; requesting Mr. Scott to accompanythem, for the purpose of taking back the two tired horses we still hadwith us at the sand-hills. Upon the man's departure, we took the twohorses to water, and brought up ten gallons to the camp, where the grasswas; after which, whilst the horses were feeding and resting, we tried topass away the day in the same manner; the heat, however, was too great, and the troubles and anxieties of the last few days had created such anirritation of mind that I could not rest: my slumbers were broken andunrefreshing; but the boy managed better, he had no unpleasantanticipations for the future, and already had forgotten the annoyance ofthe past. 

December 10. --After an early breakfast, we took the horses to water andcleared the hole out thoroughly, as I expected five more horses in theevening. Upon returning to the plain, fires of the natives were againseen to the north-east; but they did not approach us. Our provisions werenow quite exhausted, and having already lived for many days upon a verylow diet, we looked out anxiously for the expected relay. About fouro'clock, Mr. Scott, two men, and five horses arrived, bringing ussupplies; so that no time had been lost after the arrival of mymessenger. The hole having been previously enlarged and cleared out, nodifficulty was experienced in watering the horses, and about sunset allencamped together under the sand-hills at the grassy plain. 

December 11. --Leaving directions with Mr. Scott to take back to thedepot, to-morrow, the two horses we had been working so severely, andwhich were now recruiting a little; and giving orders to the two men tofollow the dray track to the north-west tomorrow, with the three freshhorses, I once more set off with the native boy to revisit the scene ofour late disasters; and recover the dray and other things we hadabandoned. We passed by the three dead horses on our route, now lyingstiff and cold; in our situation a melancholy spectacle, and whichawakened gloomy and cheerless anticipations for the future, by remindingus of the crippled state of our resources, and of the dreadful characterof the inhospitable region we had to penetrate. At dark we came to thelittle plain where the dray was, and found both it and our baggageundisturbed; nor was it apparent that any natives had visited the placesince we left it. During the evening a few slight showers fell, which, with a heavy dew, moistened the withered grass, and enabled our horses tofeed tolerably well. 

December 12. --I had proceeded a day in advance of the men and horsescoming to recover the dray, in order that I might satisfy myself whetherthere was water or not near the plains to the east or north-east, asthere were some grounds for supposing that such might be the case, fromthe fact of so many natives having been twice seen there, and theprobability that they had remained for five days in the neighbourhood. To-day I devoted to a thorough examination of the country around; and, accompanied by the boy, proceeded early away to the north-east, returningsoutherly, and then crossing back westerly to the camp. We travelled overa great extent of ground, consisting principally of very dense scrub, with here and there occasional grassy openings; but no where could weobserve the slightest indications of the existence of water, although thetraces of natives were numerous and recent; and we tracked them forseveral miles, often seeing places where they had broken down the shrubsto get a grub, which is generally found there, out of the root; andobserving the fragments of the long lateral roots of the gum-scrub, whichthey had dug up to get water from. And this, I am inclined to think, iswhat they depend upon principally in these arid regions for the littlewater they require. The general direction taken by these wanderers of thedesert, was to the north-east. About four o'clock the men with thedray-horses arrived, bringing ten gallons of water, which we dividedamong the horses, and then took it in turn to watch them during thenight. 

December 13. --Having buried a few things that I might require when Ishould come out here again, (for I determined not to give up the attemptto round the Great Bight, ) I had all the rest of our luggage taken up, and the horses being harnessed, we returned with the dray to the water atthe sand-hills, arriving there early in the afternoon. We had yoked upthree strong fresh horses, that had done no work for some timepreviously; and yet, such was the nature of the country, that with analmost empty dray, they had hardly been able to reach the water, at thefurthest only twenty-two miles distant, and in accomplishing this, theyhad been upwards of ten hours in the collar. How then could we expect toget through such a region with drays heavily loaded, as ours must be, when we moved on finally. 

On the 14th we remained in camp to refresh the horses, and early on thefollowing day proceeded through the scrub, on our return to the depot;first burying our pack-saddle, and a few other things, in the plain nearthe sand-hills. Notwithstanding the care we had taken of the horses, andthe little work we had given them, they got fagged in going through thescrub, and I was obliged to halt the dray at the rocky well in theplains, five miles short of the depot. I myself went on with the boy tothe camp at Point Fowler, where I found the party feasting upon emus, four of which they had shot during my absence. 

December 16. --About ten to-day the dray and men arrived safely at thedepot, being the last detachment of the party engaged in this mostunfortunate expedition, which had occupied so much time and caused suchsevere and fatal loss, independently of its not accomplishing the objectfor which it was undertaken. In the evening I sent Mr. Scott to see ifthe cutter had returned, and upon his coming back he reported that shehad just arrived, but that he had not been able to communicate with her. 

Chapter XIII. 

FUTURE PLANS--REDUCE THE NUMBER OF THE PARTY--SEND THE CUTTER TOADELAIDE--REPORT TO THE GOVERNOR--MONOTONOUS LIFE AT CAMP--REMOVE TOANOTHER LOCALITY--GEOLOGICAL CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--FLINT FOUND--AGAINATTEMPT TO REACH THE HEAD OF THE BIGHT--REACH THE SAND HILLS, AND BURYFLOUR--FRIENDLY NATIVES--EXHAUSTED STATE OF THE HORSES--GET THE DRAY TOTHE PLAIN--BURY WATER--SEND BACK DRAY--PROCEED WITHPACK-HORSE--OPPRESSIVE HEAT--SEND BACK PACK-HORSE--REACH THE HEAD OF THEBIGHT--SURPRISE SOME NATIVES--THEIR KIND BEHAVIOUR--YEER-KUMBANKAUEE--THEIR ACCOUNT OF THE INTERIOR. 

December 17. --HAVING now maturely considered the serious position I wasin, the difficult nature of the country, the reduced condition anddiminished number of my horses, and the very unfavourable season of theyear, I decided upon taking advantage of a considerate clause in theGovernor's letter, authorizing me "to send back the WATERWITCH toAdelaide for assistance, if required. "

From the experience I had already had, and from the knowledge I had thusacquired of the character of the country to the westward and to thenorth, it was evident that I could never hope to take my whole party, small as it was, with me in either direction. I had already lost threehorses in an attempt to get round the head of the Bight, and I had alsofound that my three best horses now remaining, when strong and freshafter a long period of rest at the depot, had with difficulty been ableto move along with an empty dray in the heavy sandy country to thenorth-west; how could I expect, then, to take drays when loaded withprovisions and other stores? Hitherto we had enjoyed the assistance ofthe cutter in passing up the coast--by putting all our heavy baggage onboard of her, the drays were comparatively empty, and we had got ontolerably well. We could no longer, however, avail ourselves of thisvaluable aid, for we were now past all harbours. Fowler's Bay being thelast place of refuge where a vessel could take shelter for many hundredmiles, whilst the fearful nature of the coast and the strong currentsetting into the Bight, made it very dangerous for a vessel to approachthe land at all. Upon leaving Fowler's Bay, therefore, it was evidentthat we must be dependent entirely upon our own resources; and it becamenecessary for me to weigh well and maturely how I might best arrange myplans so as to meet the necessity of the case. It appeared to me that ifI sent two of my men back to Adelaide in the WATERWITCH, a single draywould carry every necessary for the reduced party remaining, and that byobtaining a supply of oats and bran for the horses, and giving them along rest, they might so far recover strength and spirits as to afford mereasonable grounds of hope that we might succeed in forcing a passagethrough the country to the westward, bad as it evidently was. Acting uponthe opinion I had arrived at, I sent for the master of the cutter andrequested him to get ready at once for sea, and then communicated mydecision to the two men who were to leave us, Corporal Coles, R. S. And M. And John Houston, requesting them to get ready to embark to-morrow. Theydid not appear to experience much surprise, and were I think on the wholerather pleased than otherwise at the prospect of a return to Adelaide. Both these men had conducted themselves remarkably well during the wholetime they were in the party, and one of them, John Houston, had been withme in my late disastrous expedition, during which his obedience and goodconduct had been beyond all praise. We had, however, now been absent forsix months, had traversed a great extent of country, and undergone manyhardships; the country we had met with had unfortunately always been ofthe most barren and disheartening character, and that which was yetbefore us appeared to be if possible still worse, so that I could notwonder that my men should appear gratified in the prospect of atermination to their labours. With so little to cheer and encourage, theymight well perhaps doubt of our final success. 

December 18. --Having once decided upon my plans, I lost no time inputting them in execution. A dray, three sets of horses' harness, andsome other things were sent on board the WATERWITCH, together with half asheep and sixty pounds of biscuit for the crew, who were now runningshort of provisions. Several casks were brought on shore for us to burystores in, and the boat I had purchased at Port Lincoln was left, at Mr. Scott's request, for him to fish in during the absence of the cutter. After I had settled with the two men for their services, both of whom hadlarge sums to receive, they took leave of us, and went on board. 

My own time had been fully occupied for the last two days, in writingletters and preparing despatches; by great exertions I got all ready thisevening, and upon Mr. Germain's coming up at night, I delivered them tohim, and directed him to sail as soon as possible. The following copy ofmy despatch to his Excellency the Governor, will convey a brief summaryof the result of the expedition; from the time of our leaving PortLincoln up to the sailing of the WATERWITCH from Fowler's Bay, and of thefuture plans I intended to adopt, to carry out the object of theundertaking. 

"POINT FOWLER, 17TH DECEMBER, 1840. 

"SIR, --By the return of the WATERWITCH, I have the honour to furnish you, for the information of His Excellency the Governor, with a brief accountof our proceedings up to the present date. 

"Upon the return of Mr. Scott from Adelaide to Port Lincoln, I left thelatter place on the 24th October, following my former line of route alongthe coast to Streaky Bay, and rejoining my party there on the 3rdNovember. 

"The WATERWITCH had already arrived with the stores sent for the use ofthe expedition, and I have since detained her to co-operate with myparty, in accordance with the kind permission of his Excellency theGovernor. 

"From previous experience, I was aware, that after leaving Streaky Bay, we should have obstacles of no ordinary kind to contend with; and as Iadvanced, I found the difficulties of the undertaking even greater than Ihad anticipated; the heavy sandy nature of the country, its aridcharacter, the scarcity of grass, and the very dense brushes throughwhich we had frequently to clear a road with our axes, formed impedimentsof no trifling description, and such as, when combined with the veryunfavourable season of the year, we could hardly have overcome withoutthe assistance of the WATERWITCH. By putting on board the cutter thegreater part of our dead weight, we relieved our jaded horses from loadsthey could no longer draw; and by obtaining from her occasional suppliesof water at such points of the coast as we could procure none on shore, we were enabled to reach Fowler's Bay on the 22nd November. 

"From this point I could no longer avail myself of the valuable servicesof the cutter, the wild unprotected character of the coast extendingaround the Great Australian Bight, rendering it too dangerous for avessel to attempt to approach so fearful a shore, and where there is noharbour or shelter of any kind to make for in case of need. 

"Under these circumstances, I left my party in camp behind Point Fowler, whilst I proceeded myself, accompanied by a native boy, to examine thecountry a-head, and I now only detained the WATERWITCH, in the hopes thatby penetrating on horseback beyond the head of the Great Bight, I mightbe able to give his Excellency some idea of our future prospects. 

"For the last twenty-four days I have been engaged in attempting to roundthe head of the Bight; but so difficult is the country, that I have notas yet been able to accomplish it. In my first essay I was driven back bythe want of water and obliged to abandon one of my horses. This animal Isubsequently recovered. 

"In my second attempt, I went, accompanied by one of my native boys, anda man driving a dray loaded solely with water and our provisions; butsuch was the dreadful nature of the country, that after penetrating towithin twelve miles of the head of the Bight, I was again obliged toabandon three of our horses, a dray, and our provisions. The poor horseswere so exhausted by previous fatigue and privation, that they could notreturn, and I was most reluctantly obliged to leave them to obtain relieffor ourselves, and the two remaining horses we had with us. Afterreaching the nearest water, we made every effort to save the unfortunateanimals we had left behind; and for seven days, myself, the man, and aboy, were incessantly and laboriously engaged almost day and night incarrying water backwards and forwards to them--feeding them with bread, gruel, etc. I regret to say that all our efforts were in vain, and thatthe expedition has sustained a fatal and irreparable injury in the lossof three of its best draught horses. The dray and the provisions Isubsequently recovered, and on the evening of the 15th December, Irejoined my party behind Point Fowler, to prepare despatches for theWATERWITCH, since the weak and unserviceable condition of nearly thewhole of our remaining horses rendered any further attempt to penetrateso inhospitable a region quite impracticable for the present. Intraversing the country along the coast from Streaky Bay to the limits ofour present exploration, within twelve miles of the head of the GreatBight, we have found the country of a very uniform description--low flatlands, or a succession of sandy ridges, densely covered with a brush ofEUCALYPTUS DUMOSA, salt water tea-tree, and other shrubs--whilst here andthere appear a few isolated patches of open grassy plains, scattered atintervals among the scrub. The surface rock is invariably an ooliticlimestone, mixed with an imperfect freestone, and in some places exhibitsfossil banks, which bear evident marks of being of a very recentformation. 

"The whole of this extent of country is totally destitute of surfacewater--we have never met with a watercourse, or pool of any description, and all the water we have obtained since we left Streaky Bay has been bydigging, generally in the large drifts of pure white sand close to thecoast. This is a work frequently of much time and labour, as from thedepth we have had to sink, and the looseness of the sand, the hole hasoften filled nearly as fast as we could clear it out; the water too thusobtained has almost always been brackish, occasionally salt. Latterlyeven this resource has failed us; after digging a few feet we have beenimpeded by rock, which gradually approaching nearer the surface towardsthe head of the Great Bight, at last occupies its whole extent, unlesswhere partially concealed by sand-drifts, or low sandy ridges coveredwith brush. We have seen no trees or timber of any kind of larger growththan the scrub, nor have we met with the Casuarinae since we left StreakyBay. 

"The natives along this coast are not very numerous; those we have metwith have been timid, but friendly, and in some instances have renderedus important assistance in guiding us through the brush, and shewing uswhere to dig for water--their language appears to be a good deal similarto that at King George's Sound. When questioned about the interiortowards the north, they invariably assert that there is no fresh waterinland; nor could we discover that they are acquainted with the existenceof a large body of water of any kind in that direction. 

"Hitherto the reduced condition of my horses, the nature of the country, and the season of the year, have effectually prevented my examining theinterior beyond a very few miles from the coast. When we have oncerounded the Bight (and I confidently hope to accomplish this), thecountry may perhaps alter its character so far as to enable me toprosecute the main object of the expedition, that of examining theNorthern Interior. Should such unfortunately not be the case, I shallendeavour to examine the line of coast as far as practicable towards KingGeorge's Sound, occasionally radiating inland whenever circumstances mayadmit of it. 

"The very severe loss the expedition has sustained in the death of fourof its best horses since leaving Adelaide in June last, added to theunfavourable season of the year, and the embarrassing nature of thecountry, have rendered it impossible for me to carry provisions for thewhole party for a length of time sufficient to enable me to prosecute theundertaking I am engaged in with any prospect of success; whilst the wildand fearful nature of this breaker-beaten coast wholly precludes me frommaking use of the assistance and co-operation of the WATERWITCH. I haveconsequently been under the necessity of reducing the strength of myalready small party, and have sent two men back in the cutter; retainingonly my overseer and one man, exclusive of Mr. Scott and two native boys. Upon leaving the depot at Fowler's Bay, it is my intention to proceedwith only a single dray to carry our provisions, instead of (as formerly)with two drays and a cart. 

"From the reduced state of our horses, it will be absolutely necessaryfor us to remain in depot five or six weeks to rest them. Such, however, is the dry and withered state of the little grass we have, and sodestitute is it of all nutritive qualities, that I much fear that even atthe expiration of this long respite from their labours, our horses willnot have improved much in strength or condition. I have thereforeunhesitatingly taken advantage of the very kind permission of hisExcellency the Governor, to request that a supply of oats and bran may besent to us, should his Excellency not require the services of theWATERWITCH for more important employment. For ourselves we require noadditional provisions, the most liberal and abundant supply we formerlyreceived being fully sufficient to last us for six months longer. 

"I have much pleasure in recording the continued steadiness and goodconduct of my men, and I regret extremely the necessity which hascompelled me to dispense with the services of two of them before thetermination of the expedition, and after they have taken so considerablea share in its labours. 

"I have the honor to be, Sir, "Your very obedient servant, "EDW. JOHN EYRE. 

"TO GEO. HALL, ESQ. , PRIVATE SECRETARY, ETC. "

After the departure of the cutter, our mode of life was for some timevery monotonous, and our camp bore a gloomy and melancholy aspect; theloss of two men from our little band, made a sad alteration in its formercheerful character. Mr. Scott usually employed himself in shooting orfishing; one of the native boys was always out shepherding the sheep, andthe only remaining man I had was occupied in attending to the horses, sothat there were generally left only myself, the overseer, and one nativeboy at the camp, which was desolate and gloomy, as a deserted village. The overseer was pretty well employed, in making boots for the party, inshoeing the horses, repairing the harness, and in doing other little oddjobs of a similar kind; the black boys took their turns in shepherdingthe sheep; but I was without active employment, and felt more stronglythan any of them that relaxation of body and depression of spirits, whichinactivity ever produces. 

For a time indeed, the writing up of my journals, the filling up mycharts, and superintending the arranging, packing, and burying of oursurplus stores, amused and occupied me, but as these were soon over, Ibegan to repine and fret at the life of indolence and inactivity. I wasdoomed to suffer. Frequently required at the camp, to give directionsabout, or to assist in the daily routine of duty, I did not like toabsent myself long away at once; there were no objects of interest nearme, within the limits of a day's excursion on foot, and the weak state ofthe horses, prevented me from making any examinations of the country at agreater distance on horseback; I felt like a prisoner condemned to dragout a dull and useless existence through a given number of days or weeks, and like him too, I sighed for freedom, and looked forward withimpatience, to the time when I might again enter upon more active andcongenial pursuits. Fatigue, privation, disappointment, disasters, andall the various vicissitudes, incidental to a life of active explorationhad occasionally, it is true, been the source of great anxiety orannoyance, but all were preferable to that oppressive feeling of listlessapathy, of discontent and dissatisfaction, which resulted from the life Iwas now obliged to lead. 

Christmas day came, and made a slight though temporary break in the dailymonotony of our life. The kindness of our friends had supplied us withmany luxuries; and we were enabled even in the wilds, to participate inthe fare of the season: whilst the season itself, and the circumstancesunder which it was ushered in to us, called forth feelings andassociations connected with other scenes and with friends, who were faraway; awakening, for a time at least, a train of happier thoughts andkindlier feelings than we had for a long time experienced. 

On the 26th, I found that our horses and sheep were falling off so muchin condition, from the scarcity of grass, and its dry and saplessquality, that it became absolutely necessary for us to remove elsewhere;I had already had all our surplus stores and baggage headed up in casks, or packed in cases, and carefully buried (previously covered over with atarpaulin and with bushes to keep them from damp), near the sand-hills, and to-day I moved on the party for five miles to the well in the plains;the grass here was very abundant, but still dry, and without muchnourishment; the water was plentiful, but brackish and awkward to get at, being through a hole in a solid sheet of limestone, similar to thatbehind Point Brown. Upon cleaning it out and deepening it a little, ittasted even worse than before, but still we were thankful for it. 

The geological character of the country was exactly similar to that wehad been in so long, entirely of fossil formation, with a calcareousoolitic limestone forming the upper crusts, and though this wasoccasionally concealed by sand on the surface, we always were stopped byit in digging; it was seemingly a very recent deposit, full of marineshells, in every stage of petrifaction. Granite we had not seen for sometime, though I have no doubt that it occasionally protrudes; a smallpiece, found near an encampment of the natives, and evidently broughtthere by them, clearly proved the existence of this rock at no very greatdistance, probably small elevations of granite may occasionally be foundamong the scrubs, similar to those we had so frequently met with in thesame character of country. Another substance found at one of the nativeencampments, and more interesting to us, not having been before met with, was a piece of pure flint, of exactly the same character as the best gunflint. This probably had been brought from the neighbourhood of the GreatBight, in the cliffs of which Captain Flinders imagined he saw chalk, andwhere I hoped that some change in the geological formation of the countrywould lead to an improvement in its general appearance and character. 

The weather had been (with the exception of one or two hot days)unusually cold and favourable for the time of year. Our horses hadenjoyed a long rest, and though the dry state of the grass had preventedthem from recovering their condition, I hoped they were stronger and inbetter spirits, and determined to make one more effort to get round thehead of the Bight;--if unsuccessful this time, I knew it would be final, as I should no longer have the means of making any future trial, for Ifully made up my mind to take all our best and strongest animals, andeither succeed in the attempt or lose all. 

On the 29th, I commenced making preparations, and on the following dayleft the camp, the sheep, and four horses in charge of Mr. Scott and theyoungest of the native boys, whilst I proceeded myself, accompanied bythe overseer and eldest native boy on horseback, and a man driving a draywith three horses, to cross once more through the scrub to the westward. We took with us three bags of flour, a number of empty casks and kegs, and two pack-saddles, besides spades and buckets, and such other minorarticles as were likely to be required. It was late in the day when wearrived at the plains under the sand hills; and though we had brought oursix best and strongest horses, they were greatly fagged with their day'swork. We had still to take them some distance to the water, and backagain to the grass. At the water we found traces of a great many nativeswho appeared to have left only in the morning, and who could not be veryfar away; none were however seen. 

December 31. --We remained in camp to rest the horses, and took theopportunity of carrying up all the water we could, every time the animalswent backwards and forwards, to a large cask which had been fixed on thedray. The taste of the water was much worse than when we had been herebefore, being both salter and more bitter; this, probably, might arisefrom the well having been dug too deep, or from the tide having beenhigher than usual, though I did not notice that such had been the case. In the afternoon we buried the three bags of flour we had brought headedup in a cask. 

January 1, 1841. --This morning I went down with the men to assist inwatering the horses, and upon returning to the camp, found my black boyfamiliarly seated among a party of natives who had come up during ourabsence. Two of them were natives I had seen to the north-west, and hadbeen among the party whose presence at the plains, on the 5th ofDecember, when I was surrounded by so many difficulties, had proved soannoying to us at the time, and so fatal in its consequences to ourhorses. They recognised me at once, and apparently described to the othernatives, the circumstances under which they had met me, lamenting mostpathetically the death of the horses; the dead bodies of which they hadprobably seen in their route to the water. Upon examining their weaponsthey shewed us several that were headed with flint, telling us that theyprocured it to the north-west, thus confirming my previous conjectures asto the existence of flint in that direction. To our inquiries aboutwater, they still persisted that there was none inland, and that it tookthem five days, from where we were, to travel to that at the head of theBight. No other, they said, existed in any direction near us, except asmall hole to the north-west, among some sand hills, about two miles off;these they pointed out, and offered to go with me and shew me the placewhere the water was. I accepted the offer, and proceeded to thesand-drifts, accompanied by one of them. On our arrival he shewed me theremains of a large deep hole that had been dug in one of the sandy flats;but in which the water was now inaccessible, from the great quantity ofsand that had drifted in and choked it up. By forcing a spear down to aconsiderable depth, the native brought it out moist, and shewed it me toprove that he had not been deceiving me. I now returned to the camp, morethan ever disposed to credit what I had been told relative to theinterior. I had never found the natives attempt to hide from us anywaters that they knew of, on the contrary, they had always been eager andready to point them out, frequently accompanying us for miles, throughthe heat and amongst scrub, to shew us where they were. I had, therefore, no reason to doubt the accuracy of their statements when they informed methat there was none inland! Many different natives, and at considerableintervals of country apart, had all united in the same statement, and asfar as I had yet been able to examine so arid a country personally, myown observations tended to confirm the truth of what they had told me. 

In the evening several of the natives went down with the men to water thehorses, and when there drank a quantity of water that was absolutelyincredible, each man taking from three to four quarts, and this inaddition to what they got at the camp during the earlier part of the day. Strange that a people who appear to do with so little water, whentraversing the deserts, should use it in such excess when the opportunityof indulgence occurs to them, yet such have I frequently observed to bethe case, and especially on those occasions where they have least food. It would seem that, accustomed generally to have the stomach distendedafter meals, they endeavour to produce this effect with water, whendeprived of the opportunity of doing so with more solid substances. Atnight the natives all encamped with us in the plain. 

January 2. --Having watered the horses early, we left the encampment, accompanied by some of the natives, to push once more to the north-west. On the dray we had eighty-five gallons of water; but as we had left allour flour, and some other articles, I hoped we should get on well. Theheavy nature of the road, however, again told severely upon the horses:twice we had to unload the dray, and at last, after travelling onlyfourteen miles, the horses could go no further; I was obliged, therefore, to come to a halt, and decide what was best to be done. There appeared tobe a disastrous fatality attending all our movements in this wretchedregion, which was quite inexplicable. Every time that we had attempted toforce a passage through it, we had been baffled and driven back. Twice Ihad been obliged to abandon our horses before; and on the last of theseoccasions had incurred a loss of the three best of them; now, aftergiving them a long period of rest, and respite from labour, and aftertaking every precaution which prudence or experience could suggest, I hadthe mortification of finding that we were in the same predicament we hadbeen in before, and with as little prospect of accomplishing our object. Having but little time for deliberation, I at once ordered the overseerand man to take the horses back to the water, and give them two days restthere, and then to rejoin us again on the third, whilst I and the nativeboy would remain with the dray, until their return. The natives alsoremained with us for the first night; but finding we still continued incamp, they left on the following morning, which I was sorry for, as Ihoped one would have been induced to go with us to the Great Bight. 

On the fifth of January, the overseer and man returned with the horses;but so little had they benefited by their two days rest, that upon beingyoked up, and put to the dray, they would not move it. We were obliged, therefore, to unload once more, and lighten the load by burying a cask ofwater, and giving another to the horses. After this, we succeeded ingetting them along, with the remainder, to the undulating plains; andhere we halted for the night, after a stage of only seven miles, but one, which, short as it was, had nearly worn out the draught horses. Here wedug a large hole, and buried twenty-two gallons of water, for my ownhorse, and that of the black boy, on our return; and as I determined totake a man with me, with a pack-horse, nine gallons more were buriedapart from the other, for them, so that when the man got his cask ofwater, he might not disturb ours, or leave traces by which the nativescould discover it. 

January 6. --Sending back the dray with the overseer, at the first dawn ofday, I and the native boy proceeded to the north-west, accompanied by theman leading a pack-horse with twelve gallons of water. The day turned outhot, and the road was over a very heavy sandy country; but by eleveno'clock we had accomplished a distance of seventeen miles, and hadreached the furthest point from which I turned back on the 1st December. I walked alternately with the boy, so as not to oppress the ridinghorses, but the man walked all the way. 

The weather was most intensely hot, a strong wind blowing from thenorth-east, throwing upon us an oppressive and scorching current ofheated air, like the hot blast of a furnace. There was nomisunderstanding the nature of the country from which such a wind came;often as I had been annoyed by the heat, I had never experienced anything like it before. Had anything been wanting to confirm my previousopinion of the arid and desert character of the great mass of theinterior of Australia, this wind would have been quite sufficient forthat purpose. From those who differ from me in opinion (and some thereare who do so whose intelligence and judgment entitle their opinion togreat respect), I would ask, could such a wind be be wafted over aninland sea? or could it have passed over the supposed high, and perhapssnowcapped mountains of the interior. 

We were all now suffering greatly from the heat; the man who was with mewas quite exhausted: under the annoyances of the moment, his spiritsfailed him, and giving way to his feelings of fatigue and thirst, he layrolling on the ground, and groaning in despair; all my efforts to rousehim were for a long time in vain, and I could not even induce him to getup to boil a little tea for himself. We had halted about eleven in themidst of a low sandy flat, not far from the sea, thinking, that by acareful examination, we might find a place where water could be procuredby digging. There were, however, no trees or bushes near us; and the heatof the sun, and the glare of the sand, were so intolerable, that I wasobliged to get up the horses, and compel the man to go on a littlefurther to seek for shelter. 

Proceeding one mile towards the sea, we came to a projecting rock uponits shores; and as there was no hope of a better place being found, Itied up my horses near it; the rock was not large enough to protect thementirely from the sun, but by standing close under it, their heads andnecks were tolerably shaded. For ourselves, a recess of the rock affordeda delightful retreat, whilst the immediate vicinity of the sea enabled usevery now and then to take a run, and plunge amidst its breakers, andagain return to the shelter of the cavern. For two or three hours weremained in, under the protection of the rock, without clothes, andoccasionally bathing to cool ourselves. The native boy and I derivedgreat advantage from thus dipping in the sea, but it was a long timebefore I could induce the man to follow our example, either by persuasionor threats; his courage had failed him, and he lay moaning like a child. At last I succeeded in getting him to strip and bathe, and he at oncefound the benefit of it, becoming in a short time comparatively cool andcomfortable. We then each had a little more tea, and afterwards attemptedto dig for water among the sand-hills. The sand, however, was so loose, that it ran in faster than we could throw it out, and we were obliged togive up the attempt. 

As the afternoon was far advanced, we saddled the horses, and pushed onagain for five miles, hoping, but in vain, to find a little grass. Atnight we halted among the sandy ridges behind the seashore, and aftergiving the horses four quarts of oats and a bucket of water a-piece, wewere obliged to tie them up, there not being a blade of grass anywhereabout. The wind at night changed to the south-west, and was very cold, chilling us almost as much as the previous heat had oppressed us. Thesesudden and excessive changes in temperature induce great susceptibilityin the system, and expose the traveller to frequent heats and chills thatcannot be otherwise than injurious to the constitution. 

January 7. --Having concealed some water, provisions, and the pack-saddleat the camp, I sent the man back with the pack-horse to encamp at theundulating plains, where nine gallons of water had been left for him andhis horse, and the following day he was to rejoin the overseer at thesand hills. 

To the latter I sent a note, requesting him to send two fresh horses tomeet me at the plains on the 15th of January, for, from the weakcondition of the animals we had with us, and from the almost totalabsence of grass for them, I could not but dread lest we might be obligedto abandon them too, and in this case, if we did not succeed in findingwater, we should perhaps have great difficulty in returning ourselves. 

As soon as the man was gone, we once more moved on to the north-west, through the same barren region of heavy sandy ridges, entirely destituteof grass or timber. After travelling through this for ten miles, we cameupon a native pathway, and following it under the hummocks of the coastfor eight miles, lost it at some bare sand-drifts, close to the head ofthe Great Bight, where we had at last arrived, after our many formerineffectual attempts. 

Following the general direction the native pathway had taken, we ascendedthe sand-drifts, and finding the recent tracks of natives, we followedthem from one sand-hill to another, until we suddenly came upon fourpersons encamped by a hole dug for water in the sand. We had socompletely taken them by surprise, that they were a good deal alarmed, and seizing their spears, assumed an offensive attitude. Finding that wedid not wish to injure them, they became friendly in their manner, andoffered us some fruit, of which they had a few quarts on a piece of bark. This fruit grows upon a low brambly-looking bush, upon the sand-hills orin the flats, where the soil is of a saline nature. It is found also inthe plains bordering upon the lower parts of the Murrumbidgee, but inmuch greater abundance along the whole line of coast to the westward. Theberry is oblong, about the shape and size of an English sloe, is verypulpy and juicy, and has a small pyramidal stone in the centre, which isvery hard and somewhat indented. When ripe it is a dark purple, a clearred, or a bright yellow, for there are varieties. The purple is the bestflavoured, but all are somewhat saline in taste. To the natives theseberries are an important article of food at this season of the year, andto obtain them and the fruit of the mesembryanthemum, they go to a greatdistance, and far away from water. In eating the berries, the nativesmake use of them whole, never taking the trouble to get rid of thestones, nor do they seem to experience any ill results from so doing. 

Having unsaddled the horses, we set to work to dig holes to water them;the sand, however, was very loose, and hindered us greatly. The natives, who were sitting at no great distance, observed the difficulty underwhich we were labouring, and one of them who appeared the mostinfluential among them, said something to two of the others, upon whichthey got up and came towards us, making signs to us to get out of thehole, and let them in; having done so, one of them jumped in, and dug, inan incredibly short time, a deep narrow hole with his hands; then sittingso as to prevent the sand running in, he ladled out the water with a pintpot, emptying it into our bucket, which was held by the other native. Asour horses drank a great deal, and the position of the man in the holewas a very cramped one, the two natives kept changing places with eachother, until we had got all the water we required. 

In this instance we were indebted solely to the good nature and kindnessof these children of the wilds for the means of watering our horses:unsolicited they had offered us their aid, without which we never couldhave accomplished our purpose. Having given the principal native a knifeas a reward for the assistance afforded us, we offered the others aportion of our food, being the only way in which we could shew ourgratitude to them; they seemed pleased with this attention, and thoughthey could not value the gift, they appeared to appreciate the motiveswhich induced it. 

Having rested for a time, and enjoyed a little tea, we inquired of thenatives for grass for our horses, as there was none to be seen anywhere. They told us that there was none at all where we were, but they wouldtake us to some further along the coast, where we could also procurewater, without difficulty, as the sand was firm and hard, and the waterat no great depth. Guided by our new friends, we crossed the sand-hillsto the beach, and following round the head of the Great Bight for fivemiles, we arrived at some more high drifts of white sand; turning inamong these, they took us to a flat where some small holes were dug inthe sand, which was hard and firm; none of them were two feet deep, andthe water was excellent and abundant: the name of the place wasYeer-kumban-kauwe. 

Whilst I was employed in digging a large square hole, to enable us to dipthe bucket when watering the horses, the native boy went, accompanied byone of the natives as a guide, to look for grass. Upon his return, hesaid he had been taken to a small plain about a mile away, behind thesand hills, where there was plenty of grass, though of a dry character;to this we sent the horses for the night. In returning, a few sea fowlwere shot as a present for our friends, with whom we encamped, gratifiedthat we had at last surmounted the difficulty of rounding the GreatBight, and that once more we had a point where grass and water could beprocured, and from which we might again make another push still furtherto the westward. 

In the evening, we made many inquiries of the natives, as to the natureof the country inland, the existence of timber, rocks, water, etc. Andthough we were far from being able to understand all that they said, orto acquire half the information that they wished to convey to us, westill comprehended them sufficiently to gather many useful and importantparticulars. In the interior, they assured us, most positively, there wasno water, either fresh or salt, nor anything like a sea or lake of anydescription. 

They did not misunderstand us, nor did we misapprehend them upon thispoint, for to our repeated inquiries for salt water, they invariablypointed to a salt lake, some distance behind the sand-hills, as the onlyone they knew of, and which at this time we had not seen. 

With respect to hills or timber, they said, that neither existed inland, but that further along the coast to the westward, we should find trees ofa larger growth, and among the branches of which lived a large animal, which by their description, I readily recognized as being the Sloth ofNew South Wales; an animal whose habits exactly agreed with theirdescription, and which I knew to be an inhabitant of a barren country, where the scrub was of a larger growth than ordinary. One of the nativeshad a belt round his waist, made of the fur of the animal they described, and on inspecting it, the colour and length of the hair bore out myprevious impression. 

The next water along the coast we were informed, was ten days journeyfrom Yeerkumban kauwe, and was situated among sand-drifts, similar tothose we were at, but beyond the termination of the line of cliffs, extending westward from the head of the Bight, and which were distinctlyvisible from the shore near our camp. These cliffs they called, "Bundah, " and at two days' journey from their commencement, theytold us were procured the specimens of flints (Jula) we had seenupon their weapons, and of which one or two small pieces had been pickedup by us among the sand-drifts, having probably been dropped there by thenatives. 

January 8. --To-day we remained in camp to recruit the horses, and thenatives remained with us; soon after breakfast one of them lit a signalfire upon a sand-hill, and not long afterwards we were joined by threemore of the tribe, but the women kept out of sight. I now sent the nativeboy out with one to shoot birds for them, but he came back with only asingle crow, and I was obliged to go myself, to try whether I could notsucceed better. Being lucky enough to procure four, I gave them to thenatives, and returning to the camp we all dined, and afterwards lay downto rest for an hour. 

Upon getting up, I missed a knife I had been using, and which had beenlying beside me. One of the strange natives who had come to the camp thismorning, had been sitting near me, and I at once suspected him to be thethief, but he was now gone, and I had no prospect of recovering the lostarticle. In the afternoon, the stranger came up to the camp again, and Iat once taxed him with the theft; this he vehemently denied, telling meit was lost in the sand, and pretending to look anxiously for it; heappeared, however, restless and uneasy, and soon after taking up hisspears went away with two others. My own native boy happened to be comingover the sand-hills at the time, but unobserved by them, and as theycrossed the ridge he saw the man I had accused stop to pick something up, and immediately called out to me; upon this I took my gun, and ascendingthe hill, saw the native throw down the knife, which my own boy thenpicked up; the other natives had now come up, and seemed very anxious toprevent any hostilities, and to the chief of those who had been sofriendly with us, I explained as well as I could the nature of themisunderstanding, and requested him to order the dishonest native away, upon which he spoke to them in his own language, and all took up theirspears and went away, except himself and one other. These two menremained with us until dark, but as the evening appeared likely to bewet, they left us also, when we lay down for the night. 

January 9. --The morning set in cold, dark and rainy, and as much wet hadfallen during the night, we had been thoroughly drenched through, ourfire had been extinguished, and it was long before we could get it litagain, and even then we could hardly keep it in; the few bushes among thesand hills were generally small, and being for the most part green aswell as wet, it required our utmost efforts to prevent the fire fromgoing out; so far indeed were we from being either cheered or warmed bythe few sparks we were able to keep together, that the chill andcomfortless aspect of its feeble rays, made us only shiver the more, asthe rain fell coldly and heavily upon our already saturated garments. About noon the weather cleared up a little, and after getting up andwatering the horses, we collected a large quantity of firewood and madewaterproof huts for ourselves. The rain, however, was over, and we nolonger required them. 

Chapter XIV. 

PROCEED TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OF THE GREAT BIGHT--LEVEL NATURE OF THEINTERIOR--FLINTS ABOUND--RETURN TO YEER-KUMBAN-KAUWE--NATIVES COMETO THE CAMP--THEIR GENEROUS CONDUCT--MEET THE OVERSEER--RETURN TODEPOT--BAD WATER--MOVE BACK TO FOWLER'S BAY--ARRIVAL OF THE GUTTERHERO--JOINED BY THE KING GEORGE'S SOUND NATIVE--INSTRUCTIONS RELATIVE TOTHE HERO--DIFFICULTY OF FIXING UPON ANY FUTURE PLAN--BREAK UP THEEXPEDITION AND DIVIDE THE PARTY--MR. SCOTT EMBARKS--FINAL REPORT--THEHERO SAILS--OVERSEER AND NATIVES REMAIN--EXCURSION TO THE NORTH--A NATIVEJOINS US--SUDDEN ILLNESS IN THE PARTY--FINAL PREPARATIONS FOR LEAVING THEDEPOT. 

January 10. --WE left Yeer-kumban-kauwe early, and proceeding to thewestward, passed through an open level tract of country, of from three tofour hundred feet in elevation, and terminating seawards abruptly, inbold and overhanging cliffs, which had been remarked by Captain Flinders, but which upon our nearer approach, presented nothing very remarkable inappearance, being only the sudden termination of a perfectly levelcountry, with its outer face washed, steep and precipitous, by theunceasing lash of the southern ocean. The upper surface of this country, like that of all we had passed through lately, consisted of a calcareousoolitic limestone, below which was a hard concrete substance of sand orof reddish soil, mixed with shells and pebbles; below this again, theprincipal portion of the cliff consisted of a very hard and coarse greylimestone, and under this a narrow belt of a whitish or cream-colouredsubstance, lying in horizontal strata; but what this was we could not yetdetermine, being unable to get down to it any where. The cliffs werefrightfully undermined in many places, enormous masses lay disseveredfrom the main land by deep fissures, and appearing to require but a touchto plunge them headlong into the abyss below. Back from the sea, thecountry was level, tolerably open, and covered with salsolae, or low, prickly shrubs, with here and there belts of the eucalyptus dumosa. Inplaces two or three miles back from the coast there was a great deal ofgrass, that at a better season of the year would have been valuable; nowit was dry and sapless. No timber was visible any where, nor theslightest rise of any kind. The whole of this level region, elevated asit was above the sea, was completely coated over with small fresh waterspiral shells, of two different kinds. 

After travelling about twenty-five miles along the cliffs, we came all atonce to innumerable pieces of beautiful flint, lying on the surface, about two hundred yards inland. This was the place at which the nativeshad told us they procured the flint; but how it attained so elevated aposition, or by what means it became scattered over the surface in suchgreat quantities in that particular place, could only be a matter ofconjecture. There was no change whatever in the character or appearanceof the country, or of the cliffs, and the latter were as steep andimpracticable as ever. 

Five miles beyond the flint district we turned a little inland and haltedfor the night upon a patch of withered grass. During the day we had beenfortunate enough to find a puddle of water in a hollow of the rock leftby yesterday's rain, at which we watered the horses, and then lading outthe remainder into our bucket carefully covered it up with a stone slabuntil our return, as I well knew, if exposed to the sun and wind, therewould not be a drop left in a very few hours. Kangaroos had been seen ingreat numbers during the day, but we had not been able to get a shot atone. Our provisions were now nearly exhausted, and for some days we hadbeen upon very reduced allowances, so that it was not without some degreeof chagrin that we saw so many fine animals bounding unscathed around us. 

January 11. --Having travelled fifteen miles further along the cliffs, Ifound them still continue unchanged, with the same level uninterestingcountry behind. I had now accomplished all that I expected to do on thisexcursion, by ascertaining the character of the country around the GreatBight; and as our horses were too weak to attempt to push beyond thecliffs to the next water, and as we ourselves were without provisions, Iturned homewards, and by making a late and forced march, arrived at theplace where we had left the bucket of water, after a day's ride offorty-five miles. Our precaution as we had gone out proved of inestimablevalue to us now. The bucket of water was full and uninjured, and we wereenabled thus to give our horses a gallon and a half each, and allow themto feed upon the withered grass instead of tying them up to bushes, whichwe must have done if we had had no water. 

January 12. --In our route back to "Yeer-kumban-kauwe" we were luckyenough to add to our fare a rat and a bandicoot, we might also have had alarge brown snake, but neither the boy nor I felt inclined toexperimentalise upon so uninviting an article of food; after all it wasprobably mere prejudice, and the animal might have been as good eating asan eel. We arrived at the water about noon, and the remainder of the dayafforded a grateful rest both to ourselves and to the horses. 

January 13. --Our fire had gone out during the night, and all our matchesbeing wet, we could not relight it until noon, when the rays of a hot sunhad dried them again. Having eaten our slender dinner, I walked out towater the horses, leaving the boy in charge of the camp. Upon my return Ifound him comfortably seated between two of our friends the natives, whohad just returned from a hunting excursion, bringing with them the halfroasted carcass of a very fine kangaroo. They had already bestowed uponthe boy two very large pieces, and as soon as I made my appearance theywere equally liberal to me, getting up the moment I arrived at the camp, and bringing it over to me of their own accord. The supply was a mostacceptable one, and we felt very grateful for it. Having received as muchof the kangaroo as would fully last for two days, I gave a knife inreturn to the eldest of the men, with which he seemed highly delighted. Iwould gladly have given one to the other also, but I had only one left, and could not spare it. The natives remained in camp with us for thenight, and seemed a good deal surprised when they saw us re-roasting thekangaroo; frequently intimating to us that it had already been cooked, and evidently pitying the want of taste which prevented us fromappreciating their skill in the culinary art. 

January 14. --Upon our leaving this morning the natives buried in the sandthe remains of their kangaroo, and accompanied us a mile or two on ourroad, then turning in among the sand-hills they returned to renew theirfeast. They had been eating almost incessantly ever since they arrived atthe water yesterday, and during the night they had repeatedly got up forthe same purpose. The appetites of these people know no restraint whenthey have the means of gratifying them; they have no idea of temperanceor prudence, and are equally regardless of the evil resulting from excessas they are improvident in preparing for the necessities of themorrow--"sufficient (literally so to them) for the day is the evilthereof. "

In our route to-day instead of following round the sea-shore, we struckacross behind the sand-hills, from "Yeerkumban-kauwe" to the water we hadfirst found on the 7th of January, and in doing so we passed along alarge but shallow salt-water lake, which the natives had pointed to onthe evening of the 7th, when I made inquiries relative to the existenceof salt water inland. The margin of this lake was soft and boggy, and wewere nearly losing one of our horses which sank unexpectedly in the mud. About noon we arrived at the camp, from which I had sent the man back onthe 6th, and having picked up the water and other things left there, proceeded to the sand-hills near which we had halted during the intenseheat of that day. We now rested for several hours, and again movedonwards about eleven at night to avoid the great heat of the day whilstcrossing the sandy country before us. 

January 15. --At sunrise we arrived at the undulating plains, where twentygallons of water had been left buried for us. Here I found the overseerwith two fresh horses, according to the instructions I had sent him onthe 6th, by the man who returned. After resting for an hour or two, I setoff with the native boy upon the fresh horses, and rode to the water atthe sand-drifts, leaving the overseer to bring on the tired animals thenext day. It was nearly dark when we arrived at the plain under thesand-hills, and very late before we had watered the horses and broughtthem back to the grass. 

January 16. --After breakfast, in returning from the water, we had a feastupon some berries, growing on the briary bushes behind the sand-hills;they were similar to those the natives had offered to us, at the head ofthe Bight, on the 7th, were very abundant, and just becoming ripe. Abouteight o'clock we set off for the depot, and arrived there at two, glad toreach our temporary home once more, after eighteen days absence, andheartily welcomed by Mr. Scott, who complained bitterly of having beenleft alone so long. Under the circumstances of the case, however, it hadbeen quite unavoidable. Upon tasting the water at the well, I found, thatfrom so much having been taken out, it had now become so very brackish, that it was scarcely usable, and I decided upon returning again toFowler's Bay, where the water was good, as soon as the overseer cameback. 

January 17. --Spent the day in writing, and in meditating upon my futureplans and prospects. I had now been forty-five miles beyond the head ofthe Great Bight, that point to which I had looked with interest and hope;now, I had ascertained that no improvement took place there, in theappearance or character of the country, but, if any thing, that it becameless inviting, and more arid. The account of the natives fully satisfiedme that there was no possibility of getting inland, and my own experiencetold me that I could never hope to take a loaded dray through thedreadful country I had already traversed on horseback. What then was I todo? or how proceed for the future? The following brief abstract of thelabours of the party, and the work performed by the horses in the threeattempts made to get round the head of the Great Bight, may perhaps seemincredible to those who know nothing of the difficulty of forcing apassage through such a country as we were in, and amidst all thedisadvantages we were under, from the season of the year and other causes. 

ABSTRACT OF LABOURS OF THE PARTY IN ROUNDING THE GREAT BIGHT. 

Names. Distances ridden. No. Of days employed. Mr Eyre 643 miles 40Mr. Scott 50 miles 4The Overseer 230 miles 22Costelow 22Houston 12Corporal Coles 8Eldest native boy 270 miles 19Youngest native boy 395 miles 23

A dray loaded with water was drawn backwards and forwards 238 miles; manyof the horses, in addition to the distances they were ridden, or workedin the dray, were driven loose, in going or returning, for about eightymiles. Most of the party walked considerable distances in addition tothose ridden. All the party were engaged, more or less, in connectionwith the three attempts to round the Bight, as were also all the horses, and of the latter, three perished from over fatigue and want of water. Yet, after all, the distance examined did not exceed 135 miles, and mighthave been done easily in ten days, and without any loss, had thesituation of the watering places, or the nature of the country, beenpreviously known. 

None but a person who has been similarly circumstanced, can at allconceive the incessant toil and harassing anxiety of the explorer; whenbaffled and defeated, he has to traverse over and over again the samedreary wastes, gaining but a few miles of ground at each fresh attempt, whilst each renewal of the effort but exhausts still more the strengthand condition of his animals, or the energy and spirits of his men. 

Upon maturely considering our circumstances and position, I decided toattempt to force a passage round the Great Bight, with pack-horses only, sending, upon the return of the cutter, all our heavy stores and drays inher to Cape Arid, if I found, upon her arrival, the instructions I mightreceive, would justify me in taking her so far beyond the boundaries ofSouth Australia. This was the only plan that appeared to me at allfeasible, and I determined to adopt it as soon as our horses weresufficiently recruited to commence their labours again. 

On the 18th, the overseer returned with the two jaded horses we had usedon our last excursion, looking very wretched and weak. The day wasintensely hot, with the wind due north: the thermometer in the shade, ina well lined tent, being 105 degrees at 11 A. M. --a strong corroboration, if such were required, of the statement of the natives, that there was nolarge body of inland water. At 2, P. M. The wind changed to west, and thethermometer suddenly fell to 95 degrees; a little afterwards, it veeredto south-west, and again fell to 80 degrees; the afternoon then becamecomparatively cool and pleasant. 

The quality of the water at the well, was now beginning to affect thehealth of the whole party; and on the 19th and 20th I put into executionmy resolution of removing to Fowler's Bay, where we again enjoyed theluxury of good water. Upon digging up the things we had left buried, wefound them perfectly dry. On the 21st, I sent Mr. Scott down to the bay, to see if the cutter had come back, but she had not. On his return, hebrought up a few fish he had caught, which, added to ten pigeons, shot byhimself and the native boys, at the sand-hills, gave a little variety toour fare; indeed, for several days, after taking up our old position atPoint Fowler, we were well supplied both with fish and pigeons. 

Time passed gradually away until the evening of the 25th, when a party ofnatives once more came up, and took up their abode near us--three were ofthose who had accompanied us all the way from Denial Bay, and some othershad also been with us before. On the 26th, I went down myself to Fowler'sBay to look out for the cutter, which we now daily expected. Just as Iarrived at the beach she came rounding into the bay, and Mr. Scott andmyself got into our little boat, and pulled off to her, though with greatdifficulty, the wind blowing very fresh and dead against us, with the searunning high. We had three miles to go, and for a long time it was verydoubtful whether we should succeed in reaching the vessel; our utmostefforts appearing barely to enable us to keep our ground. I was myself, at the best, not very skilful in using an oar, and neither of us had hadmuch practice in pulling in a heavy sea. However, we got on board after agood deal of fatigue, and were rewarded by receiving many letters, bothEnglish and Colonial. I found that in returning to Adelaide theWater-witch had proved so leaky as to be deemed unsafe for furtherservice on so wild a coast, and that the Governor had, in consequence, with the promptness and consideration which so eminently distinguishedhim, chartered the "HERO, " a fine cutter, a little larger than theWATERWITCH, and placing her under the command of Mr. Germain, had senthim to our assistance. On board the HERO I was pleased to find the nativefrom King George's Sound, named Wylie, whom I had sent for, and who wasalmost wild with delight at meeting us, having been much disappointed atbeing out of the way when I sent for him from Port Lincoln. 

After receiving our despatches, and taking Wylie with us, we set sail forthe shore, and then walked up in the evening to our depot; my other twonative boys were greatly rejoiced to find their old friend once more withthem; they had much to tell to, and much to hear from each other, and allsat up to a late hour. For myself, the many letters I had received, gaveme ample enjoyment and occupation for the night, whilst the large pile ofnewspapers from Adelaide, Swan River, and Sydney, promised a fund ofinterest for some time to come. Nothing could exceed the kindness andattention of our friends in Adelaide, who had literally inundated us withpresents of every kind, each appearing to vie with the other in theirendeavours to console us under our disappointments, to cheer us in ourfuture efforts, and if possible, to make us almost forget that we were inthe wilds. Among other presents I received a fine and valuablekangaroo-dog from my friend, Captain Sturt, and which had fortunatelyarrived safely, and in excellent condition. 

The bran and oats which I had applied for had been most liberallyprovided, so that by remaining in depot for a few weeks longer, we mightagain hope to get our horses into good condition. From his Excellency theGovernor I received a kind and friendly letter, acquainting me that theHERO was entirely at my disposal within the limits of South Australia, but that being under charter I could not take her to Cape Arid, or beyondthe boundaries of the province, and requesting, that if I desired furtheraid, or to be met any where, at a future time, that I would communicatewith the Government to that effect by the HERO'S return. The whole tenorof his Excellency's letter evinced a degree of consideration and kindnessthat I could hardly have expected amidst the many anxious duties andonerous responsibilities devolving upon him at this time; and if anything could have added to the feelings of gratitude and respect Ientertained towards him, it would be the knowledge, that with thedisinterested generosity of a noble mind, he was giving up a portion ofhis valuable time and attention to our plans, our wants, and our safety, at a time when the circumstances of the colony over which he presided hadbeset his own path with many difficulties, and when every day but addedto the annoyances and embarrassments which a sudden reaction in theprogress and prospects of the province necessarily produced. 

In the instructions I received relative to the cutter, I have mentionedthat I was restricted to employing her within the limits of the colony ofSouth Australia, and thus, the plan I had formed of sending our drays andheavy stores in her to Cape Arid, whilst we proceeded overland ourselveswith pack-horses, was completely overturned, and it became now a matterof very serious consideration to decide what I should do under thecircumstances. It was impossible for me to take my whole party and thedrays overland through the dreadful country verging upon the Great Bight;whilst if I took the party, and left the drays, it was equally hopelessthat I could carry upon pack-horses a sufficiency of provisions to lastus to King George's Sound. There remained, then, but two alternatives, either to break through the instructions I had received with regard tothe HERO, or to reduce my party still further, and attempt to force apassage almost alone. The first I did not, for many reasons, think myselfjustified in doing--the second, therefore, became my DERNIER RESORT, andI reluctantly decided upon adopting it. 

It now became my duty to determine without delay who were to be mycompanions in the perilous attempt before me. The first and most painfulnecessity impressed upon me by the step I contemplated, was that ofparting with my young friend, Mr. Scott, who had been with me from thecommencement of the undertaking, and who had always been zealous andactive in promoting its interests as far as lay in his power. I knewthat, on an occasion like this, the spirit and enterprise of hischaracter would prompt in him a wish to remain and share the difficultiesand dangers to which I might be exposed: but I felt that I ought not toallow him to do so; I had no right to lead a young enthusiastic friendinto a peril from which escape seemed to be all but hopeless; and painfulas it would be to us both to separate under such circumstances, there wasnow no other alternative; the path of duty was plain and imperative, andI was bound to follow it. 

On the 28th, I took the opportunity, whilst walking down to the beachwith Mr. Scott, of explaining the circumstances in which I was placed, and the decision to which I had been forced. He was much affected at theintelligence, and would fain have remained to share with me the result ofthe expedition, whatever that might be; but I dared not consent to it. 

The only man left, belonging to the party, was the one who hadaccompanied me towards the head of the Great Bight, and suffered so muchfrom the heat on the 6th January. His experience on that occasion of thenature of the country, and the climate we were advancing into, had, in agreat measure, damped his ardour for exploring; so that when told thatthe expedition, as far as he was concerned, had terminated, and that hewould have to go back to Adelaide with Mr. Scott, he did not express anyregret. I had ever found him a useful and obedient man, and with theexception of his losing courage under the heat, upon the occasion alludedto, he had been a hardy and industrious man, and capable of enduring muchfatigue. 

The native boys I intended to accompany me in my journey, as they wouldbe better able to put up with the fatigues and privations we should haveto go through, than Europeans; whilst their quickness of sight, habit ofobservation, and skill in tracking, might occasionally be of essentialservice to me. The native who had lately joined me from Adelaide, andwhose country was around King George's Sound, would, I hoped, be able tointerpret to any tribes we might meet with, as it appeared to me thatsome of the words we had heard in use among the natives of this part ofthe coast were very similar to some I had heard among the natives of KingGeorge's Sound. Three natives, however, were more than I required, and Iwould gladly have sent the youngest of them back to Adelaide, but he hadbeen with me several years, and I did not like to send him away whilst hewas willing to remain; besides, he was so young and so light in weight, that if we were able to get on at all, his presence could cause butlittle extra difficulty. I therefore decided upon taking him also. 

There remained now only the overseer; a man who had been in my servicefor many years, and whose energy, activity, and many useful qualities, had made him an invaluable servant to me at all times; whilst hiscourage, prudence, good conduct, and fidelity, made me very desirous tohave him with me in this last effort to cross to the westward. Havingsent for him, I explained to him most fully the circumstances in which Iwas placed, the utter impossibility of taking on the whole party throughso inhospitable a region as that before us, my own firm determinationnever to return unsuccessful, but either to accomplish the object I hadin view, or perish in the attempt. I pointed out to him that there werestill eight hundred and fifty miles of an unknown country yet to betraversed and explored; that, in all probability, this would consistprincipally, if not wholly, of an all but impracticable desert. Ireminded him of the fatigues, difficulties, and losses we had alreadyexperienced in attempting to reconnoitre the country only as far as thehead of the Great Bight; and stated to him my own conviction, that fromthe knowledge and experience we had already acquired of the nature of thecountry; the journey before us must of necessity be a long and harassingone--one of unceasing toil, privation, and anxiety, whilst, from thesmallness of our party, the probable want of water, and other causes, itwould be one, also, of more than ordinary risk and danger. I then lefthim to determine whether he would return to Adelaide, in the cutter, orremain and accompany me. His reply was, that although he had become tiredof remaining so long away in the wilds, and should be glad when theexpedition had terminated, yet he would willingly remain with me to thelast; and would accompany me to the westward at every hazard. 

Our future movements being now arranged, and the division of the partydecided upon, it remained only for me to put my plans into execution. Theprospect of the approaching separation, had cast a gloom over the wholeparty, and now that all was finally determined, I felt that the sooner itwas over the better. I lost no time, therefore, in getting up all thebran and oats from the cutter, and in putting on board of her our drays, and such stores as we did not require, directing the master to holdhimself in readiness to return to Adelaide immediately. 

By the 31st January, every thing was ready; my farewell letters werewritten to the kind friends in Adelaide, to whom I owed so much; and myfinal report to the Chairman of the Committee, for promoting theexpedition--that expedition being now brought to a close, and its membersdisbanded. 

In the evening the man and Mr. Scott went on board the cutter, takingwith them our three kangaroo dogs, which the arid nature of the countryrendered it impossible for me to keep. I regretted exceedingly beingcompelled to part with the dogs, but it would have been certaindestruction to them to have attempted to take them with me. 

The following is a copy of my final report to the Chairman of theNorthern Expedition Committee:--

"Fowler's Bay, 30th Jan. , 1841. 

"Sir, --By the return of the HERO from Fowler's Bay, I have the honour toacquaint you, for the information of his Excellency the Governor, and thecolonists interested, with the unsuccessful termination of the expeditionplaced under my command, for the purpose of exploring the northerninterior. Since my last report to his Excellency the Governor, containingan account of two most disastrous attempts to head the Great AustralianBight, I have, accompanied by one of my native boys, made a third andmore successful one. On this occasion, I with some difficulty advancedabout fifty miles beyond the head of the Great Bight, along the line ofhigh cliffs described by Flinders, and which have hitherto been supposedto be composed principally of chalk. I found the country between the headof Fowler's Bay and the head of the Great Bight to consist of asuccession of sandy ridges, all of which were more or less covered by alow scrub, and without either grass or water for the last sixty miles. This tract is of so uneven and heavy a nature that it would be quiteimpossible for me to take a loaded dray across it at this veryunfavourable season of the year, and with horses so spiritless and jadedas ours have become, from the incessant and laborious work they have gonethrough during the last seven months. Upon rounding the head of theBight, I met with a few friendly natives, who shewed me where both grassand water was to be procured, at the same time assuring me that there wasno more along the coast for ten of their days' journeys, (probably 100miles) or where the first break takes place in the long and continuousline of cliffs which extend so far to the westward of the head of theGreat Bight. Upon reaching these cliffs I felt much disappointed, as Ihad long looked forward to some considerable and important change in thecharacter of the country. There was, however, nothing very remarkable intheir appearance, nor did the features of the country around undergo anymaterial change. The cliffs themselves struck me as merely exhibiting theprecipitous banks of an almost level country of moderate elevation (threeor four hundred feet) which the violent lash of the whole of the SouthernOcean was always acting upon and undermining. Their rock formationconsisted of various strata, the upper crust or surface being an ooliticlimestone; below this is an indented concrete mixture of sand, soil, small pebbles, and shells; beneath this appear immense masses of a coarsegreyish limestone, of which by far the greater portion of the cliffs arecomposed; and immediately below these again is a narrow stripe of awhitish, or rather a cream-coloured substance, lying in horizontalstrata, but which the impracticable nature of the cliffs did not permitme to examine. After riding for forty-five miles along their summits, Iwas in no instance able to descend; their brinks were perfectly steep andoverhanging, and in many places enormous masses appeared severed by deepcracks from the main land, and requiring but a slight touch to plungethem into the abyss below. As far as I have yet been along these cliffs, I have seen nothing in their appearance to lead me to suppose that anyportion of them is composed of chalk. Immediately along their summits, and for a few hundred yards back, very numerous pieces of pure flint arelying loosely scattered upon the surface of the limestone. How theyobtained so elevated a position, or whence they are from, may admit, perhaps, of some speculation. Back from the sea, and as far as the eyecould reach, the country was level and generally open, with some lowprickly bushes and salsolaceous plants growing upon it; here and therepatches of the gum scrub shewed themselves, and among which a few smallgrassy openings were interspersed. The whole of this tract was thicklycovered by small land shells, about the size of snail shells--and some ofthem somewhat resembling those in shape. There were no sudden depressionsor abrupt elevations anywhere; neither hills, trees, or water were to beobserved; nor was there the least indication of improvement or change inthe general character of this desolate and forbidding region. The nativeswe met with at the head of the Bight were very friendly, and readilyafforded us every information we required--as far as we could make themcomprehend our wishes. 

"We most distinctly understood from them, that there was no water alongthe coast, westerly, for ten of their days' journeys; and that inland, there was neither fresh nor salt water, hills or timber, as far as theyhad ever been; an account which but too well agreed with the opinion Ihad myself formed, upon ascertaining that the same dreary, barren regionI had been traversing so long, still continued at a point where I hadever looked forward to some great and important change taking place inthe features of the country, and from which I had hoped I mighteventually have accomplished the object for which the expedition wasfitted out. Such, however, was not the case; there was not anyimprovement in the appearance of the country, or the least indicationthat there might be a change for the better, within any practicabledistance. I had already examined the tract of country from the longitudeof Adelaide, to the parallel of almost 130 degrees E. Longitude; anextent comprising nearly 8 1/2 degrees of longitude; without my havingfound a single point from which it was possible to penetrate for into theinterior; and I now find myself in circumstances of so embarrassing andhopeless a character, that I have most reluctantly been compelled to giveup all further idea of contending with obstacles which there is noreasonable hope of ever overcoming. I have now, therefore, with muchregret completely broken up my small but devoted party. Two of my menreturned to Adelaide in the WATERWITCH, five weeks ago. 

"Mr. Scott and another of my men proceed on Monday in the HERO; whilstmyself, my native boys, and the overseer (who has chosen to accompany me)proceed hence overland to King George's Sound, as soon as our horses area little recruited by the abundant supply of forage we received by theHERO. 

"In this undertaking, my young friend Mr. Scott--with his usual spiritand perseverance--was most anxious to have joined me; but painful as ithas been to refuse, I have felt it my duty, from the nature of theservice, not to comply with his request. It now only remains for me toreturn my most sincere thanks to the many friends to whose kindness Ihave been so much indebted during the continuance of this long andanxious undertaking. To his Excellency the Governor I feel that I cannever be sufficiently grateful for the very kind, prompt, and liberalsupport and encouragement which I have invariably experienced, and towhich I have been mainly indebted for the means of accomplishing even thelittle I have done. To yourself, as chairman, the committee, and thecolonists, by whom the expedition was fitted out, I return my mostsincere acknowledgments for the very great honour done me in appointingme to the command of an undertaking at once so interesting andimportant--for the liberal and kind way in which I have been supported, and my wishes complied with; and, above all, for the flattering andencouraging confidence expressed in my abilities and perseverance. To aconviction of the existence of this confidence in the minds of those bywhom I was appointed, I feel that I owe much of the stimulus that hassustained and encouraged me under difficulties and disappointments of noordinary kind. Deeply as I lament the unsuccessful and unsatisfactoryresult of an undertaking from which so much was expected, I have thecheering consciousness of having endeavoured faithfully to discharge thetrust confided to me; and although from a concurrence of most unfortunatecircumstances which no human prudence could foresee or guard against, andwhich the most untiring perseverance has been unable to surmount, I havenot succeeded in effecting the great objects for which this expeditionwas fitted out, I would fain hope that our labours have not beenaltogether in vain, but that hereafter, some future and more fortunatetraveller, judging from the considerable extent of country we haveexamined, and the features it has developed, may, by knowing where theinterior is not practicable, be directed to where it is. 

"In concluding my report of our endeavours to penetrate the northerninterior, I beg to express to all who have been connected with theexpedition, my sincere thanks for their zeal and good conduct. In myyoung friend, Mr. Scott, I have had a cheerful companion and usefulassistant; whilst in my overseer and men, I have met with a mostpraiseworthy readiness and steadiness of conduct, under circumstances anddisappointments that have at once been trying and disheartening. 

"I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient servant, "EDWARD JOHN EYRE. 

"The Chairman of the Committee for promoting the Northern Expedition. "

We were now alone, myself, my overseer, and three native boys, with afearful task before us, the bridge was broken down behind us, and we mustsucceed in reaching King George's Sound, or perish; no middle courseremained. It was impossible for us to be insensible to the isolated andhazardous position we were in; but this very feeling only nerved andstimulated us the more in our exertions, to accomplish the duty we hadengaged in; the result we humbly left to that Almighty Being who hadguided and guarded us hitherto, amidst all our difficulties, and in allour wanderings, and who, whatever he might ordain, would undoubtedlyorder every thing for the best. 

Our time was now entirely taken up, in the daily routine of the camp, attending to the sheep and horses, and in making preparations for ourjourney. We had a large supply of corn and bran sent for our horses, andas long as any of this remained, I determined to continue in depot. 

In the mean time, the overseer was thoroughly occupied in preparingpack-saddles, (all of which we had to make) extra bridles, new hobbles, and in shoeing all the horses. I undertook the duty of new stuffing andrepairing the various saddles, making what extra clothes were requiredfor myself and the native boys for our journey; weighing out and packingin small linen bags, all the rations of tea, sugar, etc. Which would berequired weekly, preparing strong canvas saddle-bags, making lightoilskins to protect our things from the wet, etc. Etc. These many necessaryand important preparations kept us all very busy, and the time passedrapidly away. On one occasion, I attempted with one of my native boys, toexplore the country due north of Fowler's Bay, but the weather turned outunfavourable, the wind being from the north-east, and scorchingly hot; Isucceeded, however, in penetrating fully twenty miles in the direction Ihad taken, the first ten of which was through a dense heavy scrub, of theEucalyptus dumosa, or the tea-tree. Emerging from this, we entered anopen pretty looking country, consisting of grassy plains of great extent, divided by belts of shrubs and bush; as we advanced the shrubs becameless numerous, the country more open, and salsolaceous plants began tooccupy the place of the grass. Had we been able to continue ourexploration for another day's journey, I have no doubt, from the changewhich appeared gradually to be taking place as we advanced north, thatthe whole country around would have been one vast level open waste, without bush or shrub of any kind, and covered by salsolae. I feltstrongly convinced, we were gradually approaching a similar kind ofcountry to that I had been in between Lake Torrens and Flinders range;the only difference was that as far as we had yet gone from Fowler's Bay, the elevation of the country did not appear to have been diminished; itsaverage height above the level of the sea, I judged to be about 300 feet, and forming doubtless a continuation of the table land, I had foundexisting at the head of the Great Bight. The weather, however, was asunfavourable as the country, for such researches, at this season of theyear, and the horses I had taken out with me suffered a good deal, evenin the short space of two days, during which I was engaged in thisattempt. 

On some occasions the thermometer was 113 degrees in the shade, andwhenever the wind was from the north-east, it was hot and oppressivebeyond all conception. The natives, though occasionally seen, generallykept away from us during the time we were in depot. One old man alone(called Mumma) came up to our camp, and remained with us forseveral days; he was one of the few who had accompanied us so far fromthe neighbourhood of Denial Bay, and seemed to have taken a great fancyto us. We now endeavoured to reward him for his former services, bygiving him a red shirt, a blanket, and a tomahawk, and whenever we gotour meals he joined us, eating and drinking readily any thing we gavehim--tea, broth, pease soup, mutton, salt pork, rice, damper, sugar, dried fruits, were all alike to him, nothing came amiss, and he appearedto grow better in condition every day. 

At last he too got tired of remaining so long in one place; the noveltyhad worn away, and packing up his things he left us. During the time thisman had been with us, I took the opportunity of ascertaining whether theKing George's Sound native, Wylie, could understand him, but I found hecould not. There were one or two words common to both, but the generalcharacter, meaning, and sound of the two languages were so very differentupon comparison, that I could myself understand the old man much betterthan Wylie could. 

Whilst remaining in depot, the whole party were one day suddenly seizedwith a severe attack of illness, accompanied with vomiting and violentpain in the stomach, and I began to fear that we had unknowingly takensome deleterious ingredient in our food, as all were seized in the sameway; this attack continued for several days, without our being able todiscover the cause of it, but at last by changing the sugar we wereusing, we again got well. It appeared that a new bag of sugar had beenbroached about the time we were first attacked, and upon inspecting it, we found the bag quite wet--something or other of a deleterious characterhaving been spilled over it, and which had doubtless caused us theinconvenience we experienced. Fortunately we had other sugar that had notbeen so injured, and the loss of the damaged bag was not of greatconsequence to us. 

By the 23rd of February our preparations for entering upon our journeywere nearly all completed, the horses had eaten up all their bran andcorn, and were now in good condition; all our pack-saddles, saddles, andharness were ready, our provisions were all packed, and every thing inorder for commencing the undertaking; there remained but to bury oursurplus stores, and for this the hole was already dug. On the afternoonof the 24th I intended finally to evacuate the depot, and on the eveningof the 23rd, to amuse my natives, I had all the rockets and blue-lightswe had, fired off, since we could not take them with us, our pack-horsesbeing barely able to carry for us the mere necessaries of life. 

Chapter XV. 

RETURN OF MR. SCOTT IN THE HERO--MR. SCOTT AGAIN SAILS FORADELAIDE--COMMENCE JOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL AT THESAND-HILLS--LARGE FLIES--TAKE ON THE SHEEP--LEAVE THE OVERSEER WITH THEHORSES--REACH YEERKUMBAN KAUWE--JOINED BY THE OVERSEER--TORMENTING FLIESAGAIN--MOVE ON WITH THE SHEEP--LEAVE OVERSEER TO FOLLOW WITH THEHORSES--CHARACTER OF COUNTRY ALONG THE BIGHT--SCENERY OF THECLIFFS--LEAVE THE SHEEP--ANXIETY ABOUT WATER--REACH THE TERMINATION OFTHE CLIFFS--FIND WATER. 

February 24. --THIS being the day I had appointed to enter upon thearduous task before me, I had the party up at a very early hour. Ourloads were all arranged for each of the horses; our blankets and coatswere all packed up, and we were in the act of burying in a hole underground the few stores we could not take with us, when to our surprise ashot was heard in the direction of Fowler's Bay, and shortly after asecond; we then observed two people in the distance following up the draytracks leading to the depot. Imagining that some whaler had anchored inthe bay, and being anxious to prevent our underground store from beingnoticed, we hastily spread the tarpaulins over the hole, so that what wewere about could not be observed, and then fired shots in reply. 

As the parties we had seen gradually approached nearer I recognised oneof them with the telescope as being Mr. Germain, the master of the HERO;the other I could not make out at first from his being enveloped in heavypilot clothes; a little time however enabled me to distinguish under thisguise my young friend Mr. Scott, and I went anxiously to meet him, andlearn what had brought him back. Our greeting over, he informed me thatthe Governor had sent him back with letters to me, and desired me toreturn in the HERO to Adelaide. As Mr. Scott had not brought the lettersup, I walked down with him after luncheon, and went on board the cutter, where I received many friendly letters, all urging me to return and giveup the attempt I meditated to the westward, and which every one appearedto consider as little less than madness. From the Governor I received akind letter to the same effect, offering to assist me in any furtherattempts I might wish to make round Lake Torrens, or to explore theNorthern Interior, and placing absolutely at my disposal, within thecolony, the services of the HERO, to enable me either to take my partyback overland, or to follow out any examinations I might wish to makefrom the coast northerly. As a further inducement, and with a view tolessen the feelings of disappointment I might experience at theunsuccessful termination of an expedition from which such great resultshad been expected, the assistant commissioner had been instructed towrite to me officially, communicating the approbation of His Excellencyand of the Colonists of the way in which I had discharged the trustconfided to me, and directing me to relinquish all further attempts tothe westward, and to return in the HERO to Adelaide. 

Added to the numerous letters I received, were many friendly messages tothe same effect, sent to me through Mr. Scott. I felt deeply sensible ofthe lively interest expressed in my welfare, and most grateful for thekind feeling manifested towards me on the part of the Governor and theColonists; it was with much pain and regret, therefore, that I foundmyself unable to comply with their requests, and felt compelled by dutyto adopt a course at variance with their wishes. When I first broke up myparty and sent Mr. Scott back to Adelaide, on the 31st January, 1841, Ihad well and maturely considered the step I felt myself called upon toadopt; after giving my best and serious attention to the arguments of myfriends, and carefully reconsidering the subject now, I saw nothing toinduce me to change the opinion I had then arrived at. 

It will be remembered, that in stating the origin and commencement of theNorthern expedition, it was remarked, that a previously contemplatedexpedition to the Westward, was made to give way to it, and that I hadmyself been principally instrumental in changing the direction of publicattention from the one to the other; it will be remembered also, whatpublicity had been given to our departure, how great was the interestfelt in the progress of our labours, and how sanguine were theexpectations formed as to the results; alas, how signally had these hopesbeen dashed to the ground, after the toils, anxieties, and privations ofeight months, neither useful nor valuable discoveries had been made;hemmed in by an impracticable desert, or the bed of an impassable lake, Ihad been baffled and defeated in every direction, and to have returnednow, would have been, to have rendered of no avail the great expensesthat had been incurred in the outfit of the expedition, to have thrownaway the only opportunity presented to me of making some amends for pastfailure, and of endeavouring to justify the confidence that had beenreposed in me, by carrying through the exploration which had beenoriginally contemplated to the westward, now it was no longer possible toaccomplish that to the north, for which it had given place; I consideredmyself in duty and in honour bound, not to turn back from this attempt, as long as there was the remotest possibility of success, without anyregard to considerations of a personal or private nature. Under thesefeelings, therefore, I resolved to remain only another day in depot, toreply to the letters I had received, and return my best thanks to themany friends who had expressed such kind interest on my behalf. 

February 25. --Having finished my letters, and buried all the sparestores, I sent the native boys away early with the sheep, that they mighttravel more slowly than we should do with the horses. About two we loadedthe pack animals, and wishing Mr. Scott a final adieu, set off upon ourroute. The party consisted of myself, the overseer, three native boys, nine horses, one Timor pony, one foal, born at Streaky Bay, and sixsheep; our flour which was buried at the sand-hills to the north-west, was calculated for nine weeks, at an allowance of six pounds of floureach weekly, with a proportionate quantity of tea and sugar. The longrest our horses had enjoyed, and the large supply of oats and bran we hadreceived for them, had brought them round wonderfully, they were now ingood condition, and strong, and could not have commenced the journeyunder more favourable circumstances, had it been the winter instead ofthe summer season. 

Two of the native boys having gone on early in the morning with thesheep, there remained only myself, the overseer, and one native, tomanage ten horses, and we were consequently obliged to drive some of thepack-horses loose; at first they went well and quietly, but somethinghaving unluckily startled one of them, he frightened the others, and fourout of the number set off at full gallop, and never stopped for fivemiles, by which time they had got rid of all their loads except thesaddles. Sending the black boy back to the depot with the four horsesthat had not got away, I and the overseer went on horseback after theothers, picking up the baggage they had been carrying, scattered about inevery direction; luckily no great damage was done, and at sunset we wereall assembled again at the depot, and the animals reloaded. Leaving ashort note for Mr. Scott, who had gone on board the cutter, we againrecommenced our journey, and, travelling for five miles, halted at thewell in the plains. I intended to have made a long stage, but the nightset in so dark that I did not like to venture amongst the scrub with thepack-horses now they were so fresh, and where, if they did get frightenedand gallop off, they would cause us much greater trouble and delay thanthey had done in the daytime. 

February 26. --Moving on very early, we arrived at the grassy plain underthe sand-hills, a little after three in the afternoon, just in time tosave the gun and clothes of the black boys, which they had imprudentlyleft there whilst they took the sheep to water, a mile and a half away. At the very instant of our arrival, a native was prowling about the camp, and would, doubtless, soon have carried off every thing. Upon examiningthe place at which we had buried our flour on the 31st December, and uponwhich we were now dependent for our supply, I found that we had only justarrived in time to save it from the depredations of the natives; itseems, that having found where the cask containing it was buried, andbeing unable, from its weight, to get it out of the ground, they hadbroken a square hole in one of the staves (by what means I could notdiscover), and though, as yet, every thing was safe and uninjured inside, I have no doubt, that, had we been one day later in coming, they wouldhave enlarged the opening in the cask, and scattered or destroyed thecontents, and we should have then had the unpleasant and laborious taskof returning to that we had buried at Fowler's Bay for a fresh supply. Abucket, which we had also left buried, was broken to pieces, a two gallonkeg carried off, and a twenty-five gallon cask full of water had been dugup, and the water drank or emptied, so that we were very fortunate inarriving when we did to prevent further loss. 

The black boys, who had gone a-head with the sheep, returned soon afterour arrival, tired and hungry, having only had one meal since they leftus on the 25th. They had been over the sandhills to fetch water, and werenow coming to try and find the flour which they knew we had left buriedat these plains. After dark, accompanied by the overseer, I took thehorses down to the water, but the sand had slipped in, and we could notget them watered to-night. 

February 27. --Sending the overseer and two boys down with the horses tothe well this morning, I and the other boy set to work, and dug out thecask with the flour, which we then weighed out, and subdivided intopackages of fifty pounds each, for the convenience of carrying. Thenative I had seen about the camp, on our approach, yesterday, hadreturned, and slept near us at night; but upon inquiring from him thismorning, where our two-gallon keg was, he took the very earliestopportunity of decamping, being probably afraid that we should charge himwith the robbery, or punish him for it. The natives, generally, are astrange and singular race of people, and their customs and habits areoften quite inexplicable to us. Sometimes, in barely passing through acountry, we have them gathering from all quarters, and surrounding us, anxious and curious to observe our persons, or actions; at other times, we may remain in camp for weeks together without seeing a single native, though many may be in the neighbourhood; when they do come, too, theyusually depart as suddenly as their visit had been unexpected. Among allwho had come under my observation, hitherto, along this coast, I foundthat every male had undergone the singular ceremony I have described asprevailing in the Port Lincoln peninsula; each, too, had the cartilage ofthe nose perforated, but none had lost the front teeth, nor did I see any(with one exception) having scars raised on the back, breast, or arms, asis frequently the case with many tribes in Australia. 

For the last few days, the weather had been tolerably cool, and we hadnot been much troubled with musquitoes; instead, however, we werepersecuted severely by a very large greyish kind of horsefly, with a hugeproboscis for sucking up the blood. These pests were in great numbers, and proved a sad annoyance, lighting upon us in every direction, andinflicting very irritating wounds even through clothes of considerablethickness. 

February 28. --As we had a long distance to travel to the next water, andthe sheep could not keep pace with the horses, I left the overseer andtwo natives to bring the latter after us, whilst I and the younger boyset off with the sheep. At fifteen miles, we passed the place where thenine-gallon keg of water had been buried on the 5th January. Upon diggingit up, and taking out the bung, the water appeared discoloured andoffensive in smell. It was still clear, however, and the sheep drankhastily of it, and we did the same ourselves, but the horses would nottouch it. Leaving the cask out in the air with the bung out that it mightsweeten a little against the overseer came up, we went on with the sheepto the undulating plains, arriving there between ten and eleven at night. After hobbling the horses, and making a brush-yard for the sheep, we laiddown, tired with the labours of the day. 

March 1. --Travelling through the plains for a mile, we came to our formerencampment, where we had left some stores, and a large cask of water; thelatter had dried up to about two quarts, and was very horrible, both insmell and flavour; but still we were glad to take it, for, calculatingupon finding an abundance in this cask, we had imprudently brought butlittle with us. After breakfast, I dug up some of the provisions buriedhere; and leaving a note for the overseer, proceeded onwards with theboy, and the sheep, for twenty-four miles. The stage was a long one, andover heavy ground, so that the sheep began to get tired, as we didourselves also, one of us being always obliged to walk whilst the otherwas riding. We had two horses with us, but required one exclusively tocarry our coats, blankets, and provisions, the other one we rode in turn. 

March 2. --A hot day, with the wind north-east. Between eleven and twelvewe arrived at the first water, at the head of the Bight, and had a longand arduous task to get the sheep and horses watered, no natives beinghere to help us now, and the sand rushing in as fast as we could throw itout. By great exertion we effected our object, and then getting some tea, and leaving a note to tell the overseer not to halt at this difficultwatering-place, if he could possibly avoid it, we pushed on again, andtook up our position at Yeerkumban kauwe, in time to dig holes, and waterthe sheep, before dark. 

March 3. --Having got up and watered the horses and sheep, I sent the boyout to tend them at grass, whilst I commenced digging two large holes towater the pack-horses, that there might be no delay when the overseercame up with them. I had nothing but a shell to dig with, and, as a verylarge excavation was required to enable a bucket to be dipped, myoccupation was neither a light nor a short one. Having completed my work, I killed a sheep, well knowing the party would be fatigued and hungry, when they came up. About three they made their appearance, and thus, uponthe whole, we had very successfully got over this our first push, andwere soon very comfortably established at "Yeerkumban kauwe. " The holes Ihad dug enabled us easily and speedily to water the horses, and the sheepI had killed afforded a refreshing meal to the overseer and boys, aftertheir harassing journey. In the afternoon the sand blew about in a mostannoying manner, covering us from head to foot, and filling everything weput down, if but for an instant. This sand had been our constant tormentfor many weeks past; condemned to live among the sand-hills for the sakeof procuring water, we were never free from irritation and inconvenience. It floated on the surface of the water, penetrated into our clothes, hair, eyes, and ears, our provisions were covered over with it, and ourblankets half buried when we lay down at nights, --it was a perpetual andnever-ceasing torment, and as if to increase our miseries we were againafflicted with swarms of large horse-flies, which bit us dreadfully. Onthe 4th, we remained in camp to rest the horses, and I walked round toreconnoitre. Upon the beach I found the fragments of a wreck, consistingof part of a mast, a tiller wheel, and some copper sheathings, the lastsad records of the fate of some unfortunate vessel on this wild andbreaker-beaten shore. There was nothing to indicate its size, or name, orthe period when the wreck occurred. 

No recent traces of natives having been either at Yeerkumban kauwe, orthe more distant water, were visible anywhere, and I imagined they mightperhaps have made an excursion to the westward. A large flight ofred-winged cockatoos were seen today hovering around the sand-hills, andappearing quite disconcerted at finding us in possession of the water; wehad not before seen them in the neighbourhood, and I can hardlyconjecture where they go to from this place, for generally they are birdsfond of water. 

Knowing from the accounts of the natives that upon leaving Yeerkumbankauwe, I should have a task before me of no ordinary difficulty to geteither the sheep or the horses to the next water, I determined to proceedmyself in advance, with the sheep, that by travelling slowly, at the sametime that we kept steadily advancing, every chance might be given to themof accomplishing the journey in safety. I was anxious too to precede myparty, in order that by finding out where the water was, I might be onthe look out for them, to guide them to it, and that thus when in theirgreatest difficulty, no time should be lost in searching for water. Having given the overseer orders to keep the tracks of my horses, when hehad travelled about seventy miles along the coast, I set off on the 7thMarch, with the youngest of the natives to assist me in driving thesheep, leaving the two elder ones with the overseer, to aid in managingthe pack-horses. As before we took two horses with us, one to carry ourprovisions and water, and the other to ride upon in turn, the boyhowever, being young, and incapable of much fatigue, the greater portionof the walking naturally fell to my share. The day was cool andfavourable, and we accomplished a stage of twenty-four miles; theafternoon became dark and lowering, and I fully expected rain, buttowards sunset two or three drops fell, and the clouds cleared away. Ourhorses fed tolerably upon the little withered grass that we found, butthe sheep were too tired to eat, and lay down; we put them therefore intoa yard we had made for them for the night. 

March 8. --Having turned the sheep out of the yard three hours beforedaylight, I was in hopes they would have fed a little before we moved on, but they would not touch such food as we had for them, and at six I wasobliged to proceed onwards; the morning was dark and looked like rain, but as was the case yesterday, a drop or two only fell. We made a stageto-day of twenty-six miles, through a level country, generally open, butnear the sea covered with a very low dwarf tea-tree, small pricklybushes, and salsolae, and having the surface almost every where sprinkledover with fresh-water shells; further from the coast the plains extendingto the north were very extensive, level, and divided by belts of scrub orshrubs. There was no perceptible inclination of the country in anydirection, the level land ran to the very borders of the sea, where itabruptly terminated, forming the steep and precipitous cliffs, observedby Captain Flinders, and which it was quite impossible to descendanywhere. The general elevation of this table land, was from three tofour hundred feet. 

The day turned out fine and clear, and the effect produced by refractionin these vast plains was singular and deceptive: more than once we turnedconsiderably out of our way to examine some large timber, as we thoughtit to be, to the north of us, but which, upon our approach, proved to below scrubby bushes. At another time we imagined we saw two natives in thedistance, and went towards them as carefully and cautiously as we could;instead, however, of our having seen the heads of natives, as wesupposed, above the bushes, it turned out to be only crows. Yet thenative boy, whose quickness and accuracy of vision had often beforesurprised me, was equally deceived with myself. Upon halting in theevening our sheep again were very tired, and refused to eat. The horsestoo were now beginning to feel the want of water, and fed but little. Itherefore sat up and watched them until half past eight, after which Itied them up to some bushes. At one o'clock I again got up and let themloose, hoping they might feed a little better in the cool of the night. The scud was rapidly passing the moon, and I watched for hours the cloudsgathering to the south and passing to the north, but no rain fell. 

March 9. --Moving on early we passed through a similar country to that wehad before traversed; but there was more of the tea-tree scrub, whichmade our travelling more difficult and fatiguing. This kind of scrub, which is different from any I had seen before, is a low bush runningalong the ground, with very thick and crooked roots and branches, andforming a close matted and harassing obstacle to the traveller. The sheepand horses got very tired, from having to lift their legs so high toclear it every step they took. To the westward we found the countryrising as we advanced, and the cliffs becoming higher; they now answeredfully, where we could obtain a view of any projecting parts, to thedescription given by Flinders--"the upper part brown and the lower partwhite;" but as yet we could not find any place where we could descend toexamine them. The lower, or white part, appeared soft and crumbling, andits decay had left the upper, or harder rock, fearfully overhanging theocean. Upon the summits we again found flints in the greatest abundancelying loosely scattered over the surface. 

The day was cloudy and gathering for rain, but none fell. Aftertravelling twenty-five miles we halted for an hour or two to rest thesheep and horses, feeding was out of the question, for they were too muchin want of water to attempt to cat the dry and withered grass around us. We now lay down to rest ourselves, and the boy soon fell asleep; I washowever feverish and restless, and could not close my eyes. In an hourand a half I arose, got up the horses and saddled them, and then, awakingmy companion, we again pushed on by moonlight. At ten miles we crossed awell beaten native pathway, plainly discernible even then, and this wefollowed down towards the cliffs, fully hoping it would lead to water. Our hopes however had been excited but to render our disappointment thegreater, for upon tracing it onwards we found it terminate abruptly at alarge circular hole of limestone rock, which would retain a considerablequantity of water after rains, but was now without a single drop. Gloomily turning away we again pushed on for eight miles further, and atthree in the morning of the 10th were compelled to halt from downrightexhaustion and fatigue. The horses and sheep were knocked up. The poorboy was so tired and sleepy that he could scarcely sit upon his horse, and I found myself actually dosing as I walked: mechanically my legs keptmoving forwards, but my eyes were every now and then closed inforgetfulness of all around me, until I was suddenly thrown down bygetting entangled amongst the scrub, or aroused by a severe blow acrossthe face from the recoil of a bough after the passage of the boy's horse. I now judged we had come about ninety-three miles from Yeerkumban-kauwe, and hoped that we could not be very far from water. Having tied up thehorses for an hour or two, and without making a fire, or even unrollingour cloaks to cover us, we stretched ourselves on the ground, and were ina few moments fast asleep. 

March 10. --At five we were again on our route, every moment expecting tosee a break in the line of cliffs along which we had now travelled sofar. Alas! they still continued stretching as far as the eye could see tothe westward, and as fast as we arrived at one point which had boundedour vision (and beyond which we hoped a change might occur), it was butto be met with the view of another beyond. Distressing and fatal as thecontinuance of these cliffs might prove to us, there was a grandeur andsublimity in their appearance that was most imposing, and which struck mewith admiration. Stretching out before us in lofty unbroken outline, theypresented the singular and romantic appearance of massy battlements ofmasonry, supported by huge buttresses, and glittering in the morning sunwhich had now risen upon them, and made the scene beautiful even amidstthe dangers and anxieties of our situation. It was indeed a rich andgorgeous view for a painter, and I never felt so much regret at myinability to sketch as I did at this moment. 

Still we kept moving onwards and still the cliffs continued. Hour afterhour passed away, mile after mile was traversed, and yet no change wasobservable. My anxiety for the party who were to follow behind with thepack-horses became very great; the state of doubt and uncertainty I wasin was almost insupportable, and I began to fear that neither sheep norhorses would ever reach the water, even should we suceeed in doing soourselves, which now appeared to be very doubtful. At noon I consideredwe had come one hundred and ten miles from the last water, and still thecountry remained the same. The cliffs indeed appeared to be graduallydeclining a little in elevation to the westward, but there was nothing toindicate their speedy termination. Our sheep still travelled, but theywere getting so tired, and their pace was so slow, that I thought itwould be better to leave them behind, and by moving more rapidly with thehorses endeavour at least to save their lives. Foreseeing that such acontingency as this might occur, I had given the overseer strict ordersto keep the tracks of my horses, that if I should be compelled to abandonthe sheep he might find them and bring them on with his party. 

Having decided upon this plan we set to work and made a strong high yardof such shrubs as we could find, and in this we shut up the sheep. I thenwrote a note for the overseer, directing him to bury the loads of thehorses, and hastening on with the animals alone endeavour to save theirlives. To attract attention I raised a long stick above the sheep-yard, and tied to it a red handkerchief, which could be seen a long way off. Atone we again proceeded, and were able to advance more rapidly than wecould whilst the sheep were with us. In a few miles we came to awell-beaten native road, and again our hopes were raised of speedilyterminating the anxiety and suspense we were in. Following the road forten miles it conducted us to where the cliffs receded a little from thesea, leaving a small barren valley between them and the ocean, of low, sandy ground; the road ceased here at a deep rocky gorge of the cliffs, where there was a breach leading down to the valley. There were severaldeep holes among the rocks where water would be procurable after rains, but they were now all dry. The state of mind in which we passed on may bebetter imagined than described. We had now been four days without a dropof water for our horses, and we had no longer any for ourselves, whilstthere appeared as little probability of our shortly procuring it as therehad been two days ago. A break, it is true, had occurred in the line ofthe cliffs, but this appeared of a very temporary character, for we couldsee beyond them the valley again abutting upon the ocean. 

At dark we were fifteen miles from where we left the sheep, and wereagain upon a native pathway, which we twice tried to follow down thesteep and rugged slopes of the table land into the valley below. We wereonly, however, fagging our poor horses and bewildering ourselves to nopurpose, for we invariably lost all track at the bottom, and I at lastbecame convinced that it was useless to try and trace the natives'roadway further, since it always appeared to stop at rocky holes wherethere was no water now. Keeping, therefore, the high ground, we travellednear the top of the cliffs, bounding the sandy valley, but here again anew obstacle impeded our progress. The country, which had heretofore beentolerably open was now become very scrubby, and we found it almostimpossible either to keep a straight course, or to make any progressthrough it in the dark. Still we kept perseveringly onwards, leading ourhorses and forcing our way through in the best way we could. It was, however, all in vain; we made so little headway, and were so completelyexhausting the little strength we had left, that I felt compelled todesist. The poor boy was quite worn out, and could scarcely move. I wasmyself but little better, and we were both suffering from a parchingthirst; under such obstacles labour and perseverance were but thrownaway, and I determined to await the day-light. After tying up the horsesthe boy lay down, and was soon asleep, happy in his ignorance of thedangers which threatened him. I lay down, too, but not to sleep; my owndistresses were lost in the apprehensions which I entertained for thosewho were behind. We were now about one hundred and twenty-eight milesfrom the last water; we had been four whole days and nights without adrop for our horses, and almost without food also, (for parched as theywere they could not feed upon the dry and withered grass we found. ) Thestate the poor animals were in was truly pitiable, what then was likelyto be the condition of those that were coming after us, and carryingheavy packs. It was questionable, even, if they would reach the distancewe had already attained in safety; and it was clear, that unless Idiscovered water early in the morning, the whole of our horses mustperish, whilst it would be very doubtful if we could succeed even insaving our own lives. 

March 11. --Early this morning we moved on, leading slowly our jadedanimals through the scrub. The night had been one of painful suspense andgloomy forebodings; and the day set in dark and cloudy, as if totantalise us with the hope of rain which was not destined to fall. In afew miles we reached the edge of the cliffs, from which we had a goodview of the sandy valley we had been travelling round, but which thethick scrub had prevented our scrutinising sooner. I now noticed somehillocks of bare sand in the midst of it. These I had not seen before, asthe only previous point from which they could have been visible had beenpassed by us in the dark. It now struck me, that the water spoken of bythe natives at Yeerkumban-kauwe might be situated among these sand-hills, and that we were going away from instead of approaching it. The bare ideaof such a possibility was almost maddening, and as the dreadful thoughtflashed across my mind I stood for a moment undecided and irresolute asto what I ought to do. We were now many miles past these hills, and if wewent back to examine them for water, and did not find it, we could neverhope that our horses would be able to return again to search elsewhere;whilst if there was water there, and we did not return, every step wetook would but carry us further from it, and lead to our certaindestruction. 

For a few minutes I carefully scanned the line of coast before me. In thedistance beyond a projecting point of the cliffs, I fancied I discerned alow sandy shore, and my mind was made up at once, to advance in the linewe were pursuing. After a little while, we again came to a well beatennative pathway, and following this along the summit of the cliffs, werebrought by it, in seven miles, to the point where they receded from thesea-shore; as they inclined inland, leaving a low sandy country betweenthem and some high bare sand-hills near the sea. The road now led us downa very rocky steep part of the cliffs, near the angle where they brokeaway from the beach, but upon reaching the bottom we lost it altogetheron the sandy shore; following along by the water's edge, we felt cooledand refreshed by the sea air, and in one mile and a half from where wehad descended the cliffs, we reached the white sand-drifts. Upon turninginto these to search for water, we were fortunate enough to strike thevery place where the natives had dug little wells; and thus on the fifthday of our sufferings, we were again blessed with abundance ofwater, --nor could I help considering it as a special instance of thegoodness of Providence, that we had passed the sandy valley in the dark, and had thereby been deterred from descending to examine the sand-hillsit contained; had we done so, the extra fatigue to our horses and thegreat length of time it would have taken up, would probably haveprevented the horses from ever reaching the water we were now at. It tookus about two hours to water the animals, and get a little tea forourselves, after which the boy laid down to sleep, and I walked round tosearch for grass. A little grew between the sand-drifts and the cliffs, and though dry and withered, I was most thankful to find it. I thenreturned to the camp and laid down, but could not sleep, for althoughrelieved myself, my anxiety became but the greater, for the party behind, and the more so, because at present I could do nothing to aid them; itwas impossible that either the horses, or ourselves, could go back tomeet them without a few hours' rest, and yet the loss of a few hoursmight be of the utmost consequence; I determined, however, to return andmeet them as early as possible in the morning, and in the mean time, as Iknew that the overseer and natives would, when they came, be greatlyfatigued, and unable to dig holes to water the horses, I called up theboy, and with his assistance dug two large holes about five feet deep, from which the horses could readily and without delay be watered upontheir arrival. As we had only some shells left by the natives to workwith, our wells progressed slowly, and we were occupied to a late hour. In the evening we watered the horses, and before laying down ourselves, drove them to the grass I had discovered. For the first time for manynights, I enjoyed a sound and refreshing sleep. 

Chapter XVI. 

GO BACK TO MEET THE OVERSEER--PARTY ARRIVE AT THE WATER--LONGENCAMPMENT--GEOLOGICAL FORMATION OF THE CLIFFS--MOVE ON AGAIN--DIG FORWATER--TRACES OF NATIVES--SEND BACK FOR WATER--PARROTS SEEN--COOL WINDSFROM NORTH-EAST--OVERSEER RETURNS--CONTINUE THE JOURNEY--ABANDONBAGGAGE--DENSE SCRUBS--DRIVEN TO THE BEACH--MEET NATIVES--MODE OFPROCURING WATER FROM ROOTS. 

March 12. --THE first streak of daylight found us on our way to meet theparty, carrying with us three gallons of water upon one of the horses, the other was ridden by the boy. Upon passing the sandy valley, where Ihad been in such a state of suspense and doubt at seeing the sand-hillsbehind me, I determined to descend and examine them; but before doing so, I wrote a note for the overseer (in case he should pass whilst I was inthe valley, ) and hoisted a red handkerchief to attract his attention toit. 

I was unsuccessful in my search for water; but whilst among thesand-hills, I saw the party slowly filing along the cliffs above thevalley, and leaving the boy to look about a little longer, I struckacross to meet them. Both horses and people I found greatly fatigued, butupon the whole, they had got through the difficulty better than I hadanticipated; after leaving a great part of the loads of the pack-horsesabout seventeen miles back, according to the written instructions I hadleft. The sheep, it seemed, had broken out of the yard and travelledbackwards, and were picked up by the overseer, twelve miles away fromwhere we had left them; as they had got very tired and were delaying thehorses, he left one of the natives, this morning, to follow slowly withthem, whilst he pushed on with the pack-horses as rapidly as they couldgo. After giving him the pleasing intelligence that his toil was nearlyover for the present, and leaving some few directions, I pushed on againwith the boy, who had not found the least sign of water in the valley, tomeet the native with the sheep. In about three miles we saw him coming onalone without them, he said they were a mile further back, and so tiredthey could not travel. Halting our horses, I sent him to bring them on, and during his absence, had some tea made and dinner prepared for him. When the sheep came up they were in sad condition, but by giving themwater and a few hours rest, they recovered sufficiently to travel on inthe evening to the water. 

At night, the whole party were, by God's blessing, once more together, and in safety, after having passed over one hundred and thirty-five milesof desert country, without a drop of water in its whole extent, and at aseason of the year the most unfavourable for such an undertaking. Inaccomplishing this distance, the sheep had been six and the horses fivedays without water, and both had been almost wholly without food for thegreater part of the time. The little grass we found was so dry andwithered, that the parched and thirsty animals could not eat it after thesecond day. The day following our arrival at the water was one of intenseheat, and had we experienced such on our journey, neither men nor horsescould ever have accomplished it; most grateful did we feel, therefore, tothat merciful Being who had shrouded us from a semi-tropical sun, at atime when our exposure to it would have ensured our destruction. 

From the 12th to the 18th we remained at the sand-drifts, during whichtime we were engaged in attending to the horses, in sending back torecover the stores that had been left by the overseer, and in examiningthe country around. The natives had told me that there were two wateringplaces at the termination of the cliffs to the eastward, and that thesewere situated in a somewhat similar manner to those at the head of theGreat Bight. We were encamped at one, and I made several ineffectualattempts to find the other during the time the horses were recruiting. The traces of natives near us were numerous, and once we saw their fires, but they did not shew themselves at all. The line of cliffs which had sosuddenly turned away from the sea, receded inland from eight to tenmiles, but still running parallel with the coast; between it and the seathe country was low and scrubby, with many beds of dried up salt lakes;but neither timber nor grass, except the little patch we were encampedat. Above the cliffs the appearance of the country was the same as we hadpreviously found upon their summits, with, perhaps, rather more scrub;pigeons were numerous at the sand-hills, and several flocks ofred-crested and red-winged cockatoos were hovering about, watching for anopportunity to feast upon the red berries I have before spoken of, andwhich were here found in very great abundance, and of an excellentquality. The sand, as usual at our encampments, was a most dreadfulannoyance, and from which we had rarely any respite. The large flies werealso very numerous, troublesome and irritating tormentors. They literallyassailed us by hundreds at a time, biting through our clothes, andcausing us constant employment in endeavouring to keep them off. I havecounted twenty-three of these blood-suckers at one time upon a patch ofmy trousers eight inches square. 

Being now at a part of the cliffs where they receded from the sea, andwhere they had a last become accessible, I devoted some time to anexamination of their geological character. The part that I selected washigh, steep, and bluff towards the sea, which washed its base; presentingthe appearance described by Captain Flinders, as noted before. Bycrawling and scrambling among the crags, I managed, at some risk, to getat these singular cliffs. The brown or upper portion consisted of anexceedingly hard, coarse grey limestone, among which some few shells wereembedded, but which, from the hard nature of the rock, I could not breakout; the lower or white part consisted of a gritty chalk, full of brokenshells and marine productions, and having a somewhat saline taste: partsof it exactly resembled the formation that I had found up to the north, among the fragments of table-land; the chalk was soft and friable at thesurface, and easily cut out with a tomahawk, it was traversedhorizontally by strata of flint, ranging in depth from six to eighteeninches, and having varying thicknesses of chalk between the severalstrata. The chalk had worn away from beneath the harder rock above, leaving the latter most frightfully overhanging and threatening instantannihilation to the intruder. Huge mis-shapen masses were lying withtheir rugged pinnacles above the water, in every direction at the foot ofthe cliffs, plainly indicated the frequency of a falling crag, and I feltquite a relief when my examination was completed, and I got away from sodangerous a post. 

I have remarked that the natives at the head of the Great Bight hadintimated to us, that there were two places where water might be found inthis neighbourhood, not far apart, and as with all our efforts we hadonly succeeded in discovering one, I concluded that the other must be alittle further along the coast to the westward; in this supposition I wasstrengthened, by observing that all the native tracks we had met withapparently took this direction. Under this impression I determined tomove slowly along the coast until we came to it, and in order that ourhorses might carry no unnecessary loads, to take but a few quarts ofwater in our kegs. 

On the 18th we moved on, making a short stage of fourteen miles, througha heavy, sandy, and scrubby country. At first I tried the beach, butfinding the sand very loose and unsuitable for travelling, I was againcompelled to enter the scrub behind the sea-shore ridge, travellingthrough a succession of low scrubby undulations, with here and there thebeds of dried up lakes The traces of natives were now more recent andnumerous, but found principally near the bushes bearing the red berries, and which grew behind the front ridge of the coast in the greatestabundance. From this circumstance, and from our having now travelled aconsiderable distance beyond the first water, I began to fear that thesecond which had been spoken of by the natives must, if it existed atall, be behind us instead of in advance, and that in reality the fruit wesaw, and not water, was the object for which the natives, whose trackswere around us, were travelling to the westward. The day was cloudy, andlikely for rain, but after a few drops had fallen, the clouds passedaway. In the afternoon the overseer dug behind the sand-ridge, and at sixfeet came to water, but perfectly salt. 

March 19. --To-day we travelled onwards for twenty-six miles, through acountry exactly similar to that we had passed through yesterday. At threein the afternoon we halted at an opening when there was abundance ofgrass, though dry and withered. The indications of natives havingrecently passed still continued, and confirmed me in my impression, thatthey were on a journey to the westward, and from one distant water toanother, and principally for the purpose of gathering the fruit. We werenow forty miles from the last water, and I became assured that we hadvery far to go to the next; I had for some time given over any hope offinding the second water spoken of by the natives at the head of theBight, and considered that we must have passed it if it existed, longago, perhaps even in that very valley, or among those very sandhillswhere we had searched so unsuccessfully on the 12th. There was now theprospect of a long journey before us without water, as we had broughtonly a little with us for ourselves, and which was nearly exhausted, whilst our horses had been quite without, and were already suffering fromthirst. Consulting with the overseer, I resolved to leave our baggagewhere we were, whilst the horses were sent back to the water (fortymiles) to rest and recruit for three or four days; by this means Iexpected they would gather strength, and as they would have but littleweight to carry until they reached our present position, when theyreturned we should be better able to force a passage through the wastebefore us, at the same time that we should be able to procure a fresh andlarger stock of water for ourselves. At midnight I sent the whole partyback to the last water, but remained myself to take care of the baggageand sheep. I retained an allowance of a pint of water per day for sixdays, this being the contemplated period of the overseer's absence. Mysituation was not at all enviable, but circumstances rendered itunavoidable. 

From the departure of my party, until their return, I spent a miserabletime, being unable to leave the camp at all. Shortly after the partyleft, the sheep broke out of the yard, and missing the horses with whichthey had been accustomed to travel and to feed, set off as rapidly asthey could after them; I succeeded in getting them back, but they wereexceedingly troublesome and restless, attempting to start off, or to getdown to the sea whenever my eye was off them for an instant, and neverfeeding quietly for ten minutes together; finding at last that they wouldbe quite unmanageable, I made a very strong and high yard, and puttingthem in, kept them generally shut up, letting them out only to feed fortwo or three hours at once. This gave me a little time to examine mymaps, and to reflect upon my position and prospects, which involved thewelfare of others, as well as my own. We had still 600 miles of countryto traverse, measured in straight lines across the chart; but taking intoaccount the inequalities of the ground, and the circuit we werefrequently obliged to make, we could not hope to accomplish this in lessthan 800 miles of distance. With every thing in our favour we could notexpect to accomplish this in less than eight weeks; but with all theimpediment and embarrassments we were likely to meet with, it wouldprobably take us twelve. Our sheep were reduced to three in number, andour sole stock of flour now amounted to 142 pounds, to be shared outamongst five persons, added to which the aspect of the country before uswas disheartening in the extreme; the places at which there was anylikelihood of finding water were probably few and far apart, and thestrength of our horses was already greatly reduced by the hardships theyhad undergone. Ever since we had left Fowler's Bay, the whole party, excepting the youngest boys, had been obliged chiefly to walk, and yetevery care and precaution we could adopt were unable to counteract theevil effects of a barren country, and an unfavourable season of the year. The task before us was indeed a fearful one, but I firmly hoped bypatience and perseverance, safely and successfully to accomplish it atlast. 

During nearly the whole time that my party were away the weather was cooland cloudy. Occasionally there was a great deal of thunder and lightning, accompanied by a few drops of rain, but it always cleared away withoutheavy showers. The storms came up from seawards, and generally passedinland to the north-east; which struck me as being somewhat singular, especially when taken in conjunction with the fact that on one or twooccasions, when the wind was from the north-east, it was comparativelycool, and so unlike any of those scorching blasts we had experienced fromthe same quarter when on the western side of the Great Bight. There wasanother thing connected with my present position which equally surprisedme, and was quite as inexplicable: whilst engaged one morning ramblingabout the encampment as far as I could venture away, I met with severalflights of a very large description of parrot, quite unknown to me, coming apparently from the north-east, and settling among the shrubs andbushes around. They had evidently come to eat the fruit growing behindthe sand-hills, but being scared by my following them about, to try andshoot one, they took wing and went off again in the direction they hadcome from. 

Several days had now elapsed since the departure of the overseer with thehorses, and as the time for their return drew nigh I became anxious andrestless. The little stock of water left me was quite exhausted. It hadoriginally been very limited, but was reduced still further by thenecessity I was under of keeping it in a wooden keg, where it evaporated, and once or twice by my spilling some. At last, on the 25th, I wasgratified by seeing my party approach. They had successfully accomplishedtheir mission, and brought a good supply of water for ourselves, but thehorses looked weary and weak, although they had only travelled fourteenmiles that day. After they had rested a few hours I broke up theencampment, and travelling for fourteen miles further over a scrubbycountry, came to a patch of grass, at which we halted early. From thenature of the country, and the consequent embarrassment it entailed uponus, it was impossible for any of the party to have any longer even theslight advantage formerly enjoyed of occasionally riding for a few milesin turn; all were now obliged to walk, except the two youngest boys, whowere still permitted to ride at intervals. The weather was cloudy, andshowers were passing to the north-east. 

March 26. --Upon moving on this morning we passed through the samewretched kind of country for eighteen miles, to an opening in the scrubwhere was a little grass, and at which we halted to rest. There was somuch scrub, and the sandy ridges were so heavy and harassing to thehorses, that I began to doubt almost if we should get them along at all. We were now seventy-two miles from the water, and had, in allprobability, as much further to go before we came to any more, and I sawthat unless something was done to lighten the loads of the pack-animals(trifling as were the burdens they carried) we never could hope to getthem on. Leaving the natives to enjoy a sleep, the overseer and I openedand re-sorted all our baggage, throwing away every thing that we could atall dispense with; our great coats, jackets, and other articles of dresswere thrown away; a single spare shirt and pair of boots and socks beingall that were kept for each, besides our blankets and the things we stoodin, and which consisted only of trowsers, shirt, and shoes. Most of ourpack-saddles, all our horse-shoes, most of our kegs for holding water, all our buckets but one, our medicines, some of our fire-arms, a quantityof ammunition, and a variety of other things, were here abandoned. Amongthe many things that we were compelled to leave behind there was nonethat I regretted parting with more than a copy of Captain Sturt'sExpeditions, which had been sent to me by the author to Fowler's Bay toamuse and cheer me on the solitary task I had engaged in; it was the lastkind offering of friendship from a highly esteemed friend, and nothingbut necessity would have induced me to part with it. Could the donor, however, have seen the miserable plight we were reduced to, he would havepitied and forgiven an act that circumstances alone compelled me to. 

After all our arrangements were made, and every thing rejected that wecould do without, I found that the loads of the horses were reduced inthe aggregate about two hundred pounds; but this being divided among ten, relieved each only a little. Myself, the overseer, and the King George'sSound native invariably walked the whole way, but the two younger nativeswere still permitted to ride alternately upon one of the strongesthorses. As our allowance of flour was very small, and the fatigue andexertion we were all obliged to undergo very great, I ordered a sheep tobe killed before we moved on again. We had been upon short allowance forsome time, and were getting weak and hardly able to go through the toilsthat devolved upon us. Now, I knew that our safety depended upon that ofour horses, and that their lives again were contingent upon the amount offatigue we were ourselves able to endure, and the degree of exertion wewere capable of making to relieve them in extremity. I did not thereforehesitate to make use of one of our three remaining sheep to strengthen usfor coming trials, instead of retaining them until perhaps they might beof little use to us. The whole party had a hearty meal, and then, watching the horses until midnight, we moved on when the moon rose. 

During the morning we had passed along an extensive dried-up salt swampbehind the coast ridge, which was soft for the horses in some places, butfree from that high brush which fatigued them so much, and which nowappeared to come close in to the sea, forming upon the high sandy ridgesa dense scrub. The level bank of the higher ground, or continuation ofthe cliffs of the Bight, which had heretofore been distinctly visible ata distance of ten or twelve miles inland, could no longer be seen: it hadeither merged in the scrubby and sandy elevations around us, or was hidby them from our view. 

March 27. --During the night we travelled slowly over densely scrubby andsandy ridges, occasionally crossing large sheets of oolitic limestone, inwhich were deep holes that would most likely retain water after rains, but which were now quite dry. As the daylight dawned the dreadful natureof the scrub drove us to the sea beach; fortunately it was low water, andwe obtained a firm hard sand to travel over, though occasionallyobstructed by enormous masses of sea-weed, thrown into heaps of very manyfeet in thickness and several hundreds of yards in length, lookingexactly like hay cut and pressed ready for packing. 

To-day we overtook the natives, whose tracks we had seen so frequently onour route. There was a large party of them, all busily engaged in eatingthe red berries which grew behind the coast ridge in such vastquantities; they did not appear so much afraid of us as of our horses, atwhich they were dreadfully alarmed, so that all our efforts tocommunicate with them were fruitless; they would not come near us, norwould they give us the opportunity of getting near them, but ran awaywhenever I advanced towards them, though alone and unarmed. During theroute I frequently ascended high scrubby ridges to reconnoitre thecountry inland, but never could obtain a view of any extent, the wholeregion around appeared one mass of dense impenetrable scrub running downto the very borders of the ocean. 

After travelling twenty miles I found that our horses needed rest, andhalted for an hour or two during the heat of the day, though withoutgrass, save the coarse wiry vegetation that binds the loose sandstogether, and without even bushes to afford them shade from the heat, forhad we gone into the scrub for shelter we should have lost even thewretched kind of grass we had. 

At half past two we again moved onwards, keeping along the beach, butfrequently forced by the masses of sea-weed to travel above high watermark in the heavy loose sand. After advancing ten miles the tide becametoo high for us to continue on the shore, and the scrub prevented ourtravelling to the back, we were compelled therefore to halt for the nightwith hardly a blade of grass for our horses. I considered we were now onehundred and two miles from the last water, and expected we had aboutfifty more to go to the next; the poor animals were almost exhausted, butas the dew was heavy they were disposed to eat had there been grass ofany kind for them. The overseer and I as usual watched them alternately, each taking the duty for four hours and sleeping the other four; to methis was the first sleep I had had for the last three nights. 

Whilst in camp, during the heat of the day, the native boys shewed me theway in which natives procure water for themselves, when wandering amongthe scrubs, and by means of which they are enabled to remain out almostany length of time, in a country quite destitute of surface water. I hadoften heard of the natives procuring water from the roots of trees, andhad frequently seen indications of their having so obtained it, but I hadnever before seen the process actually gone through. Selecting a largehealthy looking tree out of the gum-scrub, and growing in a hollow, orflat between two ridges, the native digs round at a few feet from thetrunk, to find the lateral roots; to one unaccustomed to the work, it isa difficult and laborious thing frequently to find these roots, but tothe practised eye of the native, some slight inequality of the surface, or some other mark, points out to him their exact position at once, andhe rarely digs in the wrong place. Upon breaking the end next to thetree, the root is lifted, and run out for twenty or thirty feet; the barkis then peeled off, and the root broken into pieces, six or eight incheslong, and these again, if thick, are split into thinner pieces; they arethen sucked, or shaken over a piece of bark, or stuck up together in thebark upon their ends, and water is slowly discharged from them; ifshaken, it comes out like a shower of very fine rain. The roots vary indiameter from one inch to three; the best are those from one to two and ahalf inches, and of great length. The quantity of water contained in agood root, would probably fill two-thirds of a pint. I saw my own boysget one-third of a pint out in this way in about a quarter of an hour, and they were by no means adepts at the practice, having never beencompelled to resort to it from necessity. 

Natives who, from infancy, have been accustomed to travel through aridregions, can remain any length of time out in a country where there areno indications of water. The circumstance of natives being seen, intravelling through an unknown district, is therefore no proof of theexistence of water in their vicinity. I have myself observed, that nopart of the country is so utterly worthless, as not to have attractionssufficient occasionally to tempt the wandering savage into its recesses. In the arid, barren, naked plains of the north, with not a shrub toshelter him from the heat, not a stick to burn for his fire (except whathe carried with him), the native is found, and where, as far as I couldascertain, the whole country around appeared equally devoid of eitheranimal or vegetable life. In other cases, the very regions, which, in theeyes of the European, are most barren and worthless, are to the nativethe most valuable and productive. Such are dense brushes, or sandy tractsof country, covered with shrubs, for here the wallabie, the opossum, thekangaroo rat, the bandicoot, the leipoa, snakes, lizards, iguanas, andmany other animals, reptiles, birds, etc. , abound; whilst the kangaroo, the emu, and the native dog, are found upon their borders, or in thevicinity of those small, grassy plains, which are occasionally met withamidst the closest brushes. 

Chapter XVII. 

HORSES BEGIN TO KNOCK UP--COMPELLED TO FOLLOW ROUND THE BEACH--TINOR PONYUNABLE TO PROCEED--GLOOMY PROSPECTS--OVERSEER BEGINS TO DESPOND--TWO MOREHORSES LEFT BEHIND--FRAGMENTS OF WRECKS--WATER ALL CONSUMED--COLLECTDEW--CHANGE IN CHARACTER OF COUNTRY--DIG A WELL--PROCURE WATER--NATIVEAND FAMILY VISIT US--OVERSEER GOES BACK FOR BAGGAGE--DISASTROUSTERMINATION OF HIS JOURNEY--SITUATION AND PROSPECTS OF THE PARTY. 

March 28. --AT daylight we moved on, every one walking, even the youngestboy could not ride now, as the horses were so weak and jaded. Soon afterleaving the camp, one of them laid down, although the weight upon hisback was very light; we were consequently obliged to distribute the fewthings he carried among the others, and let him follow loose. Our routelay along the beach, as the dense scrub inland prevented us fromfollowing any other course; we had, therefore, to go far out of our way, tracing round every point, and following along every bay, whilst thesea-weed frequently obstructed our path, and drove us again to the loosesands, above high water mark, causing extra fatigue to our unfortunatehorses. At other times we were forced to go between these banks ofsea-weed and the sea, into the sea itself, on which occasions it requiredour utmost vigilance to prevent the wretched horses from drinking thesalt water, which would inevitably have destroyed them. In order toprevent this we were obliged to walk ourselves in the water, on thesea-side of them, one of the party being in advance, leading one horse, another being behind to keep up the rear, and the other three being atintervals along the outside of the line, to keep them from stopping foran instant until the danger was past. 

We had scarcely advanced six miles from our last night's camp when thelittle Timor pony I had purchased at Port Lincoln broke down completely;for some time it had been weak, and we were obliged to drive it loose, but it was now unable to proceed further, and we were compelled toabandon it to a miserable and certain death, that by pushing on, we mightuse every exertion in our power to relieve the others, though scarcelydaring to hope that we could save even one of them. It was, indeed, afearful and heart-rending scene to behold the noble animals which hadserved us so long and so faithfully, suffering the extremity of thirstand hunger, without having it in our power to relieve them. Five days ofmisery had passed over their heads since the last water had been left, and one hundred and twelve miles of country had been traversed withoutthe possibility of procuring food for them, other than the dry andsapless remains of last year's grass, and this but rarely to be met with. No rains had fallen to refresh them, and they were reduced to a mostpitiable condition, still they travelled onwards, with a spirit andendurance truly surprising. Whenever we halted, they followed us aboutlike dogs wherever we went, appearing to look to us only for aid, andexhibiting that confidence in us which I trust we all reposed in theAlmighty, for most truly did we feel, that in His mercy and protectionalone our safety could now ever be hoped for. 

About ten o'clock the tide became too high for us to keep the beach, andwe were compelled to halt for some hours. Our horses were nearly allexhausted, and I dreaded that when we next moved on many of them would beunable to proceed far, and that, one by one, they would all perish, overcome by sufferings which those, who have not witnessed such scenes, can have no conception of. We should then have been entirely dependentupon our own strength and exertions, nearly midway between Adelaide andKing George's Sound, with a fearful country on either side of us, with avery small supply of provisions, and without water. 

The position we were in, frequently forced sad forebodings with respectto the future, and though I by no means contemplated with apathy theprobable fate that might await us, yet I was never for a moment undecidedas to the plan it would be necessary to adopt, in such a desperateextremity--at all hazards, I was determined to proceed onwards. 

The country we had already passed through, precluded all hope of ourrecrossing it without the horses to carry water for us, and withoutprovisions to enable us to endure the dreadful fatigue of forced marches, across the desert. The country before us was, it is true, quite unknown, but it could hardly be worse than that we had traversed, and the chancewas that it might be better. We were now pushing on for some sand-hills, marked down in Captain Flinders' chart at about 126 1/2 degrees of eastlongitude; I did not expect to procure water until we reached these, butI felt sure we should obtain it on our arrival there. After this pointwas passed, there appeared to be one more long push without anylikelihood of procuring water, as the cliffs again became the boundary ofthe ocean; but beyond Cape Arid, the change in the character andappearance of the country, as described by Flinders, indicated theexistence of a better and more practicable line of country than we hadyet fallen in with. 

My overseer, however, was now unfortunately beginning to take up anopposite opinion, and though he still went through the duty devolvingupon him with assiduity and cheerfulness, it was evident that his mindwas ill at ease, and that he had many gloomy anticipations of the future. He fancied there were no sand-hills ahead, that we should never reach anywater in that direction, and that there was little hope of saving any ofthe horses. In this latter idea I rather encouraged him than otherwise, deeming it advisable to contemplate the darker side of the picture, andby accustoming ourselves to look forward to being left entirely dependentupon our own strength and efforts, in some measure to prepare ourselvesfor such an event, should it unfortunately befal us. In conversing withhim upon our prospects, and the position we should be in if we lost allour horses, I regretted extremely to find that his mind was continuallyoccupied with thoughts of returning, and that he seemed to think the onlychance of saving our lives, would be to push on to the water ourselves, and then endeavour again to return to Fowler's Bay, where we had buried alarge quantity of provisions. Still it was a gratification to find thatthe only European with me, did not altogether give way to despondency, and could even calmly contemplate the prospect before us, considering andreasoning upon the plan it might be best to adopt, in the event of ourworst forebodings being realized. In discussing these subjects, Icarefully avoiding irritating or alarming him, by a declaration of my ownopinions and resolutions, rather agreeing with him than otherwise, at thesame time, that I pointed out the certain risk that would attend anyattempt to go back to Fowler's Bay, and the probability there was of muchless danger attending the effort to advance to King George's Sound. Withrespect to the native boys, they appeared to think or care but littleabout the future; they were not sensible of their danger, and havingsomething still to eat and drink, they played and laughed and joked witheach other as much as ever. 

Whilst waiting for the tide to fall, to enable us to proceed, theoverseer dug a hole, and we buried nearly every thing we had with us, saddles, fire-arms, ammunition, provisions; all things were hereabandoned except two guns, the keg with the little water we had left, anda very little flour, tea and sugar. I determined to relieve our horsesaltogether from every weight (trifling as was the weight of all we had), and by pushing, if possible, on to the water, endeavour to save theirlives; after which we could return for the things we had abandoned. Ourarrangements being completed, we all bathed in the sea, ate a scantymeal, and again moved onwards at half past two o'clock. 

The poor horses started better than could have been expected, but it wassoon evident that all were fast failing, and many already quiteexhausted. At six miles my favourite mare could no longer keep up withthe rest, and we were obliged to let her drop behind. Her foal, now sixmonths old, we got away with some difficulty from her, and kept it withthe other horses; at four miles further another of the horses failed, andI had him tied up, in the hope that if we reached water during theevening, I might send back and recover him. 

Towards dark we all imagined we saw a long point stretching to the S. W. And backed by high sandy looking cones. We hoped that these might be thesand-hills we were pushing for, and our hearts beat high with hope oncemore. It, however, soon become too dark to discern anything, and atfourteen miles from where we had halted in the morning, we were againobliged by the tide to encamp for the night, as the country behind theshore was densely scrubby, and quite impracticable as a line of route. Itwas nine o'clock when we halted, and we were all very tired, and our feetsomewhat inflamed, from getting so frequently wet with the salt water, whilst endeavouring to keep the horses from it; there was no grass butthe coarse wiry kind that bound the sand together, of this the pooranimals cropped a little, as a very heavy dew fell, and served to moistenit. As usual, the overseer and myself kept watch upon the horses atnight, whilst the natives enjoyed their undisturbed repose. Two of theboys were young, and none of the three had their frame and musclessufficiently developed to enable them to undergo the fatigue of walkingduring the day if deprived of their rest at night; still the duty becamevery hard upon two persons, where it was of constant occurrence, andsuperadded to the ordinary day's labour. 

March 29. --After calling up the party, I ascended the highest sand-hillnear me, from which the prospect was cheerless and gloomy, and the pointand sandy cones we imagined we had seen last night had vanished. Indeed, upon examining the chart, and considering that as yet we had advancedonly one hundred and twenty-six miles from the last water, I feltconvinced that we had still very far to go before we could expect toreach the sand-drifts. The supply of water we had brought for ourselveswas nearly exhausted, and we could afford none for breakfast to-day; thenight, however, had been cool, and we did not feel the want of it somuch. Upon moving, I sent one of the natives back to the horse I had tiedup, about four miles from our camp to try to bring him on to where weshould halt in the middle of the day. 

For ten miles we continued along the beach until we came to a bluff rockyridge, running close into the sea; here we rested until the tide fell, and to give the native boy an opportunity of rejoining us, which he didsoon after, but without the horse; the poor animal had travelled abouteight miles with him from the place where we had left him, but had thenbeen unable to come any further, and he abandoned him. 

Whilst the party were in camp, I sent the overseer to a distant point ofland to try and get a view of the coast beyond; but upon his return, after a long walk, he told me his view to the west was obstructed by apoint similar to the one I had sent him to. During the day, we had passeda rather recent native encampment, where were left some vessels of barkfor holding water, or for collecting it from the roots of trees, or thegrass. Near where we halted in the middle of the day, the foot-prints ofthe natives were quite fresh, and shewed that they were travelling thesame way as ourselves. 

For the last two or three days, we had passed many pieces of wreck uponthe beach, oars, thwarts of boats, fragments of masts, spars, etc. Strewedabout in every direction; none of them, however, appeared to have beenrecently deposited there, and many of the oars, and lighter spars, werestuck up on their ends in the sand above high water mark, probably soplaced by the natives, but with what object I know not. One oar was stuckup upon a high sand ridge, some distance from the shore, and I spent sometime in examining the place, in the vain hope that it might be anindication of our vicinity to water. 

In the afternoon we all had a little tea; and after a bathe in the sea, again moved onwards; fortunately the beach was firm and hard, and theevening cool; the horses advanced slowly and steadily, and in a way thatquite surprised me. After travelling for thirteen miles, we encampedunder the coast ridge late in the evening, all very much exhausted, having made several ineffectual searches for water, among the sandyridges, as we passed along. 

In our route along the shore, we had seen immense numbers of fish in theshallow waters, and among the reefs lying off the coast; several deadones had been picked up, and of these the boys made a feast at night. Ourlast drop of water was consumed this evening, and we then all lay down torest, after turning the horses behind the first ridge of the coast, as wecould find no grass; and neither the overseer nor I were able to watchthem, being both too much worn out with the labours of the day, and ourexertions, in searching for water. 

March 30. --Getting up as soon as the day dawned, I found that some of thehorses had crossed the sand ridge to the beach, and rambled some distancebackwards. I found, too, that in the dark, we had missed a patch oftolerable grass among the scrub, not far from our camp. I regretted thisthe more, as during the night a very heavy dew had fallen, and the horsesmight perhaps have fed a little. 

Leaving the overseer to search for those that had strayed, I took asponge, and went to try to collect some of the dew which was hanging inspangles upon the grass and shrubs; brushing these with the sponge, Isqueezed it, when saturated, into a quart pot, which, in an hour's time, I filled with water. The native boys were occupied in the same way; andby using a handful of fine grass, instead of a sponge, they collectedabout a quart among them. Having taken the water to the camp, and made itinto tea, we divided it amongst the party, and never was a meal moretruly relished, although we all ate the last morsel of bread we had withus, and none knew when we might again enjoy either a drink of water, or amouthful of bread. We had now demonstrated the practicability ofcollecting water from the dew. I had often heard from the natives thatthey were in the habit of practising this plan, but had never beforeactually witnessed its adoption. It was, however, very cold work, andcompletely wet me through from head to foot, a greater quantity of waterby far having been shaken over me, from the bushes, than I was able tocollect with my sponge. The natives make use of a large oblong vessel ofbark, which they hold under the branches, whilst they brush them with alittle grass, as I did with the sponge; the water thus falls into thetrough held for it, and which, in consequence of the surface being somuch larger than the orifice of a quart pot, is proportionably soonerfilled. After the sun once rises, the spangles fall from the boughs, andno more water can be collected; it is therefore necessary to be at workvery early, if success is an object of importance. 

The morning was very hazy, and at first nothing could be seen of thecountry before us; but as the mist gradually cleared away a long pointwas seen to the south-west, but so very distant that I felt certain ourhorses never would get there if it lay between us and the water. To ourastonishment they kept moving steadily along the beach, which wastolerably firm near the sea, in which were many reefs and shelves ofrocks, covered with muscles below low water mark. As we progressed, itwas evident that the country was undergoing a considerable change; thesea shore dunes and the ridges immediately behind them were now of a purewhite sand, and steep, whilst those further back were very high andcovered with low bushes. Upon ascending one of the latter I had a goodview around, and to my inexpressible pleasure and relief saw the highdrifts of sand we were looking for so anxiously, in the corner between usand the more distant point of land first seen. The height of theintervening ridges and the sand-drifts being in the angle prevented usfrom noticing them sooner. 

We had now travelled ten miles, and the sand-hills were about five milesfurther. The horses were, however, becoming exhausted, and the day was sohot that I was compelled to halt, and even now, in sight of ourlong-expected goal, I feared we might be too late to save them. Leavingthe boys to attend to the animals, I took the overseer up one of theridges to reconnoitre the country for the purpose of ascertaining whetherthere was no place near us where water might be procured by digging. After a careful examination a hollow was selected between the two frontridges of white sand, where the overseer thought it likely we might besuccessful. The boys were called up to assist in digging, and the workwas anxiously commenced; our suspense increasing every moment as the wellwas deepened. At about five feet the sand was observed to be quite moist, and upon its being tasted was pronounced quite free from any salinequalities. This was joyous news, but too good to be implicitly believed, and though we all tasted it over and over again, we could scarcelybelieve that such really was the case. By sinking another foot thequestion was put beyond all doubt, and to our great relief fresh waterwas obtained at a depth of six feet from the surface, on the seventh dayof our distress, and after we had travelled one hundred and sixty milessince we had left the last water. Words would be inadequate to expressthe joy and thankfulness of my little party at once more findingourselves in safety, and with abundance of water near us. A few hoursbefore hope itself seemed almost extinguished, and those only who havebeen subjeet to a similar extremity of distress can have any just idea ofthe relief we experienced. The mind seemed to have been weighed down byintense anxiety and over-wrought feelings. At first the gloomyrestlessness of disappointment or the feverish impatience of hope hadoperated upon our minds alternately, but these had long since given wayto that calm settled determination of purpose, and cool steady vigour ofaction which desperate circumstances can alone inspire. Day by day ourprospects of success had gradually diminished; our horses had becomereduced to so dreadful a state that many had died, and all were likely todo so soon; we ourselves were weak and exhausted by fatigue, and itappeared impossible that either could have gone many miles further. Inthis last extremity we had been relieved. That gracious God, withoutwhose assistance all hope of safety had been in vain, had heard ourearnest prayers for his aid, and I trust that in our deliverance werecognized and acknowledged with sincerity and thankfulness his guidingand protecting hand. It is in circumstances only such as we had latelybeen placed in that the utter hopelessness of all human efforts is trulyfelt, and it is when relieved from such a situation that the hand of adirecting and beneficent Being appears most plainly discernible, fulfilling those gracious promises which he has made, to hear them thatcall upon him in the day of trouble. 

[Note 27: "When the poor and needy seek water, and there is none, andtheir tongue faileth for thirst, I the Lord will hear them, I the God ofIsrael will not forsake them. "

"I will open rivers in high places, and fountainsin the midst of the valleys: I will make the wilderness a pool of water, and the dry land springs of water. "--Isa. Xli. 17, 18. 

"I will even make a way in the wilderness, and rivers in thedesert. "--Isa. Xliii. 19. ]

As soon as each had satisfied his thirst the pots were filled and boiledfor tea, and some bread was baked, whilst the overseer and natives werestill increasing the size of the well to enable us to water the horses. We then got a hasty meal that we might the better go through the fatigueof attending to the suffering animals. Our utmost caution now becamenecessary in their management; they had been seven days without a drop ofwater, and almost without food also, and had suffered so much that withabundance of water near us, and whilst they were suffering agonies fromthe want of it, we dared not give it to them freely. Having tied them upto some low bushes, we gave each in turn about four gallons, and thendriving them away for half a mile to where there was a little witheredgrass, we watched them until the evening, and again gave each about fourgallons more of water. 

Whilst thus engaged, a very fine looking native with his wife and family, passed us and halted for a few moments to observe us, and procure a drinkfrom the well we had made. This man did not seem at all alarmed, and madesigns that he was going to sleep, a little further along the coast, wherethere was also water, pointing to the white sandhills about five milesfrom us. The language he spoke seemed to be the same as that of the othernatives we had met with along the Great Bight, nor did the King George'sSound native understand him a bit better than he had done the others. 

At night one of our two remaining sheep was killed, and the overseer andmyself proceeded to watch the horses for the night. The poor creatureswere scarcely able to crawl, yet were restless and uneasy, and fed butlittle, they had tasted water and they were almost mad for it, so that itwas a severe task to both myself and the overseer to keep them fromreturning to the well. The single sheep now left had also given us a gooddeal of trouble, it was frightened at being alone, and frustrated all ourefforts to yard it, preferring to accompany and remain with thehorses, --an arrangement we were obliged to acquiesce in. 

March 31. --The morning broke wild and lowering, and the sand blewfearfully about from the drifts among which the water was. Our well hadtumbled in during the night, and we had to undergo considerable labourbefore we could water the horses. After clearing it out, we gave each ofthem seven gallons, and again sent them away to the grass, letting thenative boys watch them during the day, whilst we rested for a few hours, shifted our camp to a more sheltered place, weighed out a week'sallowance of flour at half a pound each per day, and made sundry othernecessary arrangements. 

Fearful of losing our only remaining sheep, if left to wander about, wemade a strong yard to put it into at nights, for a long time, however, wecould not get it to go near the yard, and only succeeded at last byleading in a horse first, behind which it walked quite orderly. 

April 1. --The last night had been bitterly cold and frosty, and as wewere badly clad, and without the means of making a large or permanentfire, we all felt acutely the severity of the weather. After breakfast, Ileft the overseer and natives to clear out the well, which had againfallen in, and water the horses, whilst I walked five miles along thebeach to the westward, and then turned inland to examine the sand-driftsthere and search for grass. Behind the drifts I found some open sandyplains, with a coarse kind of dry grass upon them, and as they were notfar from where the natives had dug wells for water, I thought the placemight suit us to encamp at for a time when we left our present position. In returning to the camp, through the scrub behind the coast, I shot afine wallabie, and saw several others; but having only cartridges withme, I did not like to cut up the balls for ammunition. 

April 2. --Another severe cold frosty night made us fully sensible thatthe winter was rapidly closing in upon us, notwithstanding theill-provided and unprotected state we were in to encounter itsinclemencies. Our well had again tumbled in, and gave us a good deal oftrouble, besides, each successive clearing out deepened it considerably, and this took us to a level where the brackish water mixed with thefresh; from this cause the water was now too brackish to be palatable, and we sunk another well apart from that used for the horses, at which toprocure any water we required for our own use. During the afternoon Ishot a wallabie behind the camp, but the place being densely scrubby, andthe animal not quite dead, I did not get it. 

On the 3rd, I sent the overseer out in one direction and I went myselfout in another, to examine the country and try to procure wallabies forfood. We both returned late, greatly fatigued with walking through densescrubs and over steep heavy sand ridges, but without having fired a shot. 

Our mutton (excepting the last sheep) being all used on the 4th, we werereduced to our daily allowance of half a pound of flour each, without anymeat. 

On the 5th, the overseer and one of the native boys got ready to go backfor some of the stores and other things we had abandoned, forty-sevenmiles away. As they were likely to have severe exercise, and to be awayfor four days, I gave them five pounds extra of flour above their dailyallowance, together with the wallabie which I had shot, and which had notyet been used; they drove before them three horses to carry their supplyof water, and bring back the things sent for. 

As soon as they were gone, with the assistance of the two native boys whowere left, I removed the camp to the white sand-drifts, five milesfurther west. Being anxious to keep as near to the grass as I could, Icommenced digging at some distance away from where the natives procuredtheir water, but at a place where there were a great many rushes. Aftersinking to about seven feet, I found the soil as dry as ever, andremoving to the native wells, with some little trouble opened a holelarge enough to water all the horses. The single sheep gave us a greatdeal of trouble and kept us running about from one sand hill to another, until we were tired out, before we could capture it; at last wesucceeded, and I tied him up for the night, resolved never to let himloose again. 

In the evening I noticed the native boys looking more woe-begone andhungry than usual. Heretofore, since our mutton was consumed, they hadhelped out their daily half-pound of flour, with the roasted roots of thegum-scrub, but to-day they had been too busy to get any, and I wasobliged to give to each a piece of bread beyond the regular allowance. Itwas pitiable to see them craving for food, and not to have the power ofsatisfying them; they were young and had large appetites, and neverhaving been accustomed to any restraint of this nature, scarcity of foodwas the more sensibly felt, especially as they could not comprehend thenecessity that compelled us to hoard with greater care than a miser doeshis gold, the little stock of provisions which we yet had left. 

April 6. --The severe frost and intense cold of last night entirelydeprived me of sleep, and I was glad when the daylight broke, thoughstill weary and unrefreshed. After clearing out the well, and wateringthe horses, I sent one of the boys out to watch them, and gave the otherthe gun to try and shoot a wallabie, but after expending the only twocharges of slugs I had left, he returned unsuccessful. At night we allmade up our supper with the bark of the young roots of the gum-scrub. Itappears to be extensively used for food by the natives in this district, judging from the remnants left at their encamping places. The bark ispeeled off the young roots of the eucalyptus dumosa, put into hot ashesuntil nearly crisp, and then the dust being shaken off, it is poundedbetween two stones and ready for use. Upon being chewed, a farinaceouspowder is imbibed from between the fibres of the bark, by no meansunpleasant in flavour, but rather sweet, and resembling the taste ofmalt; how far a person could live upon this diet alone, I have no meansof judging, but it certainly appeases the appetite, and is, I shouldsuppose, nutritious. 

April 7. --Another sleepless night from the intense cold. Upon getting upI put a mark upon the beach to guide the overseer to our camp on hisreturn, then weighed out flour and baked bread for the party, as I foundit lasted much better when used stale than fresh. I tried to shoot somepigeons with small gravel, having plenty of powder but no shot. Myefforts were, however, in vain, for though I several times knocked themover, and tore feathers out, I killed none. The day being very clear, Iascended the highest sand-hill to obtain a view of what had appeared tous to be a long point of land, stretching to the south-west. It was nowclearly recognisable as the high level line of cliffs forming the westernboundary of the Great Bight, and I at once knew, that when we left ourpresent position, we could hope for no water for at least 140 or 150miles beyond. 

The weather on the 8th and 9th suddenly became mild and soft, with theappearance of rain, but none fell. I was becoming anxious about thereturn of my overseer and native boy, who had been absent nine tides, when they ought to have returned in eight, and I could not help fearingsome mischance had befallen them, and frequently went back wards andforwards to the beach, to look for them. The tenth tide found meanxiously at my post on the look out, and after watching for a long timeI thought I discerned some dark objects in the distance, slowlyadvancing; gradually I made out a single horse, driven by two people, andat once descended to meet them. Their dismal tale was soon told. Afterleaving us on the 5th, they reached their destination on the 7th; but inreturning one of the horses became blind, and was too weak to advancefurther, when they had barely advanced thirteen miles; they wereconsequently obliged to abandon him, and leave behind the things he hadbeen carrying. With the other two horses they got to within five miles ofthe place we first procured water at on the 30th March. Here a secondhorse had become unable to proceed, and the things he had carried werealso obliged to be left behind. They then got both horses to the firstwell at the sand-hills and watered them, and after resting a couple ofhours came on to join me. Short as this distance was, the jaded horsecould not travel it, and was left behind a mile and a half back. Havingshewn the overseer and boy the camp, I sent the other two natives tofetch up the tired horse, whilst I attended to the other, and put thesolitary sheep in for the night. By a little after dark all was arranged, and the horse that had been left behind once more with the others. 

From the overseer I learnt, that during the fifty miles he had retracedour route to obtain the provisions we had left, he had five times dug forwater: four times he had found salt water, and once he had been stoppedby rock. The last effort of this kind he had made not far from where wefound water on the 30th of March, and I could not but be struck with thesingular and providential circumstance of our first halting andattempting to dig for water on that day in all our distress, at the veryfirst place, and at the only place, within the 160 miles we hadtraversed, where water could have been procured. It will be remembered, that in our advance, we had travelled a great part of the latter portionof this distance by night, and that thus there was a probability of ourhaving passed unknowingly some place where water might have beenprocured. The overseer had now travelled over the same ground indaylight, with renovated strength, and in a condition comparativelystrong, and fresh for exertion. He had dug wherever he thought there wasa chance of procuring water, but without success in any one singleinstance. 

After learning all the particulars of the late unlucky journey, I foundthat a great part of the things I had sent for were still thirty-eightmiles back, having only been brought twelve miles from where they hadoriginally been left; the rest of the things were ten miles away, and asnearly all our provisions, and many other indispensable articles wereamong them, it became absolutely necessary that they should be recoveredin some way or other, but how that was to be accomplished was a questionwhich we could not so easily determine. Our horses were quite unfit forservice of any kind, and the late unfortunate attempt had but added tothe difficulties by which we were surrounded, and inflicted upon us theadditional loss of another valuable animal. Many and anxious were thehours I spent in contemplating the circumstances we were in, and inrevolving in my mind the best means at our command to extricate ourselvesfrom so perilous a situation. We were still 650 miles from King George'sSound, with an entirely unknown country before us. Our provisions, whenagain recovered, would be barely sufficient to last us for three weeksand a half, at a very reduced rate of allowance. Our horses were jadedand miserable beyond all conception; they could literally scarcely crawl, and it was evident they would be unable to move on again at all withoutmany days' rest where we were. On the other hand we had still theprospect of another of those fearful pushes without water to encounter, as soon as we left our present encampment, and had first to recover theprovisions and other things yet so far away. Nothing could be moredisheartening than our situation, and it was also one in which it wasdifficult to decide what was best to be done. Aware that a single falsestep would now be fatal to us all, I saw that our circumstances requiredpromptness and decision. With every thing depending upon my solejudgment, and the determination I arrived at, I felt deeply and anxiouslythe over-whelming responsibility that devolved upon me. 

We were now about half way between Fowler's Bay and King George's Sound, located among barren sand-drifts, and without a drop of water beyond uson either side, within a less distance than 150 miles. Our provisionswere rapidly decreasing, whilst we were lying idle and inactive in camp;and yet it would be absolutely necessary for us thus to remain for sometime longer, or at once abandon the horses, and endeavour to make our waywithout them. To the latter, however, there were many objections, one ofwhich was, that I well knew from the experience we had already had, thatif we abandoned the horses, and had those fearful long distances totravel without water, we never could accomplish them on foot, ifcompelled at the same time to live upon a very low diet, to carry ourarms, ammunition, and provisions, and in addition to these, a stock ofwater, sufficient to last six or seven days. The only thing that hadenabled us to get through so far on our journey in safety, had been thehaving the horses with us, for though weak and jaded, they had yetcarried the few things, which were indispensable to us, and which wenever could have carried ourselves under the circumstances. 

There was another inducement to continue with the horses, which hadconsiderable weight with me, and however revolting the idea might be atfirst, it was a resource which I foresaw the desperate circumstances wewere in must soon compel us to adopt. It was certainly horrible tocontemplate the destruction of the noble animals that had accompanied usso far, but ere long I well knew that such would be the only chance ofsaving our own lives, and I hoped that by accustoming the mind to dwellupon the subject beforehand, when the evil hour did arrive, the horrorand disgust would be in some degree lessened. Upon consulting theoverseer, I was glad to find that he agreed with me fully in theexpediency of not abandoning the horses until it became unavoidable, andthat he had himself already contemplated the probability of our beingvery shortly reduced to the alternative of using them for food. 

It remained now only to decide, which way we would go when we agan movedon, whether to prosecute our journey to the Sound, or try to retrace oursteps to Fowler's Bay. On this point my own opinion never wavered for aninstant. My conviction of the utter impossibility of our ever being ableto recross the fearful country we had passed through with suchdifficulty, under circumstances so much more favourable than we were nowin, was so strong that I never for a moment entertained the idea myself. I knew the many and frightful pushes without water we should have to makein any such attempt, and though the country before us was unknown, itcould not well be worse than that we had passed through, whilst theprobability was, that after the first long stage was accomplished, andwhich would take us beyond the western boundary of the Great Bight, weshould experience a change in the character of the country, and be ableto advance with comparative ease and facility. Unhappily my overseerdiffered from me in opinion upon this point. 

The last desperate march we had made, had produced so strong animpression upon his mind, that he could not divest himself of the ideathat the further we went to the westward the more arid the country wouldbe found, and that eventually we should all perish from want of water; onthe other hand, the very reduced allowance of food we were compelled tolimit ourselves to, made his thoughts always turn to the depot atFowler's Bay, where we had buried a large supply of provisions of allkinds. In vain I pointed out to him the certain difficulties we mustencounter in any attempt to return, the little probability there was of asingle horse surviving even the first of those dreadful stages we shouldhave to make, and the utter impossibility of our getting successfullythrough without the horses; and, on the other hand, the very cheeringprospect there was of all our most serious difficulties being terminatedas soon as we had turned the western extremity of the Bight (toaccomplish which, would not occupy more than six or seven days at thefurthest when we moved on, ) and the strong hopes that we might thenreasonably entertain of falling in with some vessel, sealing or whalingupon the coast, and from which we might obtain a fresh supply ofprovisions. All my arguments were fruitless. With the characteristicobedience and fidelity with which he had ever served me, he readilyacquiesced in any plan I might decide upon adopting; but I perceived, with pain, that I could not convince him that the view I took was theproper one, and that the plan I intended to follow was the only one whichheld out to us even the remotest hopes of eventual safety and success. 

Finding that I made little progress in removing his doubts on thequestion of our advance, I resolved to pursue the subject no further, until the time for decision came, hoping that in the interim, hisopinions and feelings might in some degree be modified, and that he mightthen accompany me cheerfully. The important and pressing duty ofrecovering at once the stores we had left behind, now claimed myattention. The overseer, with his usual anxiety to save me from any extralabour, kindly offered to attempt this object again; but as he had justreturned from a severe, though unfortunately unsuccessful journey for thesame purpose, I decided upon doing it myself, and at once made mypreparations for leaving the camp. 

Chapter XVIII. 

GO BACK WITH A NATIVE--SPEAR STING-RAYS--RECOVER THE BAGGAGE--COLDWEATHER--OVERSEER RECONNOITRES THE CLIFFS--UNFAVOURABLEREPORT--DIFFERENCE OF OPINION AS TO BEST PLANS FOR THE FUTURE--KILL AHORSE FOR FOOD--INJURIOUS EFFECTS FROM MEAT DIET--NATIVE BOYS BECOMEDISAFFECTED--THEY STEAL PROVISIONS--NATIVE BOYS DESERT THE PARTY--THEYRETURN ALMOST STARVED--PARTY PROCEED ONWARDS TO THE WESTWARD--CLIFFS OFTHE BIGHT--COUNTRY BEHIND THEM--THREATENING WEATHER--MURDER OF THEOVERSEER. 

April 10. --FOUR days' provisions having been given to each of the party, I took the King George's Sound native with me to retrace, on foot, ourroute to the eastward. For the first ten miles I was accompanied by oneof the other native boys, leading a horse to carry a little water for us, and take back the stores the overseer had buried at that point, when thesecond horse knocked up with him on the morning of the 9th. Having foundthe things, and put them on the horse, I sent the boy with them back tothe camp, together with a large sting-ray fish which he had speared inthe surf near the shore. It was a large, coarse, ugly-looking thing, butas it seemed to be of the same family as the skate, I did not imagine weshould run any risk in eating it. In other respects, circumstances hadbroken through many scruples and prejudices, and we were by no meansparticular as to what the fish might be, if it were eatable. 

Having buried our little keg of water until our return, the King George'sSound native and myself pushed on for five miles further, and then haltedfor the night, after a day's journey of fifteen miles. We now cooked somesting-ray fish (for the native with me had speared a second one, ) andthough it was coarse and dry, our appetites had been sharpened by ourwalk, and we thought it far from being unpalatable. 

April 11. --Moving away long before daylight, we pushed steadily on, andabout dusk arrived, after a stage of twenty-three miles, at the placewhere our stores were. I found a much greater weight here than Iexpected, and feared it would be quite impossible for us to carry thewhole away. By the light of the fire, I threw out saddles, clothes, oil-skins, etc. That we did not absolutely require, and packing up theremainder, weighed a bundle of thirty-two pounds for myself to carry, andone of twenty-two for the native, who also had a gun to take. Ourarrangements being completed for the morrow, we enjoyed our supper ofsting-ray, and lay down for the night. 

April 12. --To-day the weather was cloudy and sultry, and we found it veryoppressive carrying the weight we had with us, especially as we had nowater. By steady perseverance, we gained the place where our little keghad been buried; and having refreshed ourselves with a little tea, againpushed on for a few miles to a place where I had appointed the overseerto send a native to meet us with water. He was already there, and we allencamped together for the night, soon forgetting, in refreshing sleep, the fatigues and labours of the day. 

The 13th was a dark cloudy day, with light rains in the morning. Aboutnoon we arrived at the camp, after having walked seventy-six miles in thelast three days and a half, during great part of which, we had carriedheavy weights. We had, however, successfully accomplished the object forwhich we had gone, and had now anxieties only for our future progress, the provisions and other stores being all safely recovered. 

During my absence, I had requested the overseer to bake some bread, inorder that it might be tolerably stale before we used it. To my regretand annoyance, I found that he had baked one third of our whole supply, so that it would be necessary to use more than our stated allowance, orelse to let it spoil. It was the more vexing, to think that in this casethe provisions had been so improvidently expended, from the fact of ourhaving plenty of the sting-ray fish, and not requiring so much bread. 

April 14. --Early this morning I sent the overseer, and one of the nativeboys, with three days' provision to the commencement of the cliffs to thewestward, visible from the sand-hills near our camp, in order that theymight ascertain the exact distance they were from us, and whether anygrass or water could be procured nearer to their base than where we were. After their departure, I attended to the horses, and then amused myselfpreparing some fishing lines to set off the shore, with a large stone asan anchor, and a small keg for a buoy. The day was, however, wild andboisterous; and in my attempts to get through the surf, to set the lines, I was thrown down, together with the large stone I was carrying, and myleg severely cut and bruised. The weather was extremely cold, too, andbeing without coat or jacket of any kind, I suffered severely from it. 

The 15th was another cold day, with the wind at south-west, and we couldneither set the lines, nor spear sting-ray, whilst the supply we hadbefore obtained was now nearly exhausted. One of the horses was takenill, and unable to rise, from the effects of the cold; his limbs werecramped and stiff, and apparently unable to sustain the weight of hisbody. After plucking dry grass, and making a bed for him, placing abreakwind of boughs round, and making a fire near him, we left him forthe night. 

Late in the evening, the overseer and boy returned from the westward, andreported, that the cliffs were sixteen miles away; that they had dug forwater, but that none could be found, and that there was hardly a blade ofgrass any where, whilst the whole region around was becoming denselyscrubby; through much of which we should have to pass before we reachedthe cliffs. Altogether, the overseer seemed quite discouraged by theappearance of the country, and to dread the idea of moving on in thatdirection, often saying, that he wished he was back, and that he thoughthe could retrace his steps to Fowler's Bay, where a supply of provisionshad been buried. I was vexed at these remarks, because I felt that Icould not coincide in them, and because I knew that when the moment fordecision came, my past experience, and the strong reasons which hadproduced in my own mind quite a different conviction, would compel me toact in opposition to the wishes of the only European with me, and he aperson, too, whom I sincerely respected for the fidelity and devotionwith which he had followed me through all my wanderings. I was afraid, too, that the native boys, hearing his remarks, and perceiving that hehad no confidence in our future movements, would catch up the same idea, and that, in addition to the other difficulties and anxieties I had tocope with, would be the still more frightful one of disaffection anddiscontent. Another subject of uneasiness arose from the nature of ourdiet;--for some few days we had all been using a good deal of thesting-ray fish, and though at first we had found it palatable, eitherfrom confining ourselves too exclusively to it, or from eating too much, it had latterly disagreed with us. The overseer declared it made him illand weak, and that he could do nothing whilst living upon it. The boyssaid the same; and yet we had nothing else to supply its place, and thesmall quantity of flour left would not admit of our using more than wasbarely necessary to sustain life. At this time we had hardly any fishleft, and the whole party were ravenously hungry. In this dilemma, Idetermined to have the sick horse killed for food. It was impossible hecould ever recover, and by depriving him of life a few hours sooner thanthe natural course of events would have done, we should be enabled to geta supply of food to last us over a few days more, by which time I hopedwe might again be able to venture on, and attempt another push to thewestward. 

Early on the morning of the 16th, I sent the overseer to kill theunfortunate horse, which was still alive, but unable to rise from theground, having never moved from the place where he had first been foundlying yesterday morning. The miserable animal was in the most wretchedstate possible, thin and emaciated by dreadful and long continuedsufferings, and labouring under some complaint, that in a very few hoursat the farthest, must have terminated its life. 

After a great portion of the meat had been cut off from the carcase, inthin slices, they were dipped in salt water and hung up upon strings todry in the sun. I could not bring myself to eat any to-day, so horribleand revolting did it appear to me, but the overseer made a hearty dinner, and the native boys gorged themselves to excess, remaining the wholeafternoon by the carcase, where they made a fire, cutting off androasting such portions as had been left. They looked like ravenous wolvesabout their prey, and when they returned to the camp at night, they wereloaded with as much cooked meat as they could carry, and which they werecontinually eating during the night; I made a meal upon some of thesting-ray that was still left, but it made me dreadfully sick, and I wasobliged to lie down, seriously ill. 

April 17. --Being rather better to-day, I was obliged to overcome myrepugnance to the disagreeable food we were compelled to resort to, andthe ice once broken, I found that although it was far from beingpalatable, I could gradually reconcile myself to it. The boys afterbreakfast again went down to the carcase, and spent the whole dayroasting and eating, and at night they again returned to the camp loaded. We turned all the meat upon the strings and redipped it in sea wateragain to-day, but the weather was unfavourable for drying it, being coldand damp. Both yesterday and to-day light showers fell sufficient tomoisten the grass. 

April 18. --The day being much warmer, many large flies were about, and Iwas obliged to have a fire kept constantly around the meat, to keep themaway by the smoke. I now put the natives upon an allowance of five poundsof flesh each per day, myself and the overseer using about half thatquantity. 

On the 19th, I sent out one of the boys to try and get a sting-ray tovary our diet, but he returned unsuccessful. During the forenoon I wasseized with a violent attack of dysentery, accompanied with diabetes, from which I suffered extremely. The overseer was affected also, but in aless violent degree. The origin of this complaint was plainly traceableto the food we had used for the last day or two; it rendered us bothincapable of the least exertion of any kind, whilst the disordercontinued, and afterwards left us very languid and weak. In the eveningupon examining the meat, a great deal of it was found to be gettingputrid, or fly-blown, and we were obliged to pick it over, and throw whatwas tainted away. 

April 20. --To-day I had all the meat boiled, as I thought it would keepbetter cooked than raw, we had only a small tin saucepan without ahandle, to effect our cooking operations with, and the preparation of themeat therefore occupied the whole of the day. The overseer was againattacked with dysentery. At night the clouds gathered heavily around, andthe weather being mild and soft, I fully expected rain; after dark, however, the wind rose high and the threatened storm passed away. 

On the 21st, I was seized again with illness. The overseer continued tobe affected also, and we were quite unable to make the necessarypreparations for our journey to the westward, which I fully intended tohave commenced to-morrow. For several hours we were in the greatestagony, and could neither lie down, sit up, nor stand, except with extremepain. Towards the afternoon the violence of the symptoms abated a little, but we were exceedingly weak. 

April 22. --Upon weighing the meat this morning, which as usual was leftout upon the strings at night, I discovered that four pounds had beenstolen by some of the boys, whilst we were sleeping. I had suspected thatour stock was diminishing rapidly for a day or two past, and had weighedit overnight that I might ascertain this point, and if it were so, takesome means to prevent it for the future. With so little food to dependupon, and where it was so completely in the power of any one of theparty, to gratify his own appetite at the expense of the others, duringtheir absence, or when they slept, it became highly necessary to enforcestrict honesty towards each other; I was much grieved to find that themeat had been taken by the natives, more particularly as their dailyallowance had been so great. We had, moreover, only two days' supply ofthe meat left for the party, and being about to commence the long journeybefore us, it was important to economise our provisions to support usunder the fatigue and labours we should then have to undergo. 

Having deducted the four pounds stolen during the night, from the dailyrations of the three boys, I gave them the remainder, (eight pounds)telling them the reason why their quantity was less to-day than usual, and asking them to point out the thief, who alone should be punished andthe others would receive their usual rations. The youngest of the threeboys, and the King George's Sound native, resolutely denied beingconcerned in the robbery; but the other native doggedly refused to answerany questions about it, only telling me that he and the native from KingGeorge's Sound would leave me and make their way by themselves. I pointedout to them the folly, in fact the impossibility almost, of theirsucceeding in any attempt of the kind; advised them to remain quietlywhere they were, and behave well for the future, but concluded by tellingthem that if they were bent upon going they might do so, as I would notattempt to stop them. 

For some time past the two eldest of the boys, both of whom were nownearly grown up to manhood, had been far from obedient in their generalconduct. Ever since we had been reduced to a low scale of diet they hadbeen sulky and discontented, never assisting in the routine of the day, or doing what they were requested to do with that cheerfulness andalacrity that they had previously exhibited. Unaccustomed to impose theleast restraint upon their appetites or passions, they considered it ahardship to be obliged to walk as long as any horses were left alive, though they saw those horses falling behind and perishing from fatigue;they considered it a hardship, too, to be curtailed in their allowance offood, as long as a mouthful was left unconsumed; and in addition to this, they had imbibed the overseer's idea that we never should succeed in ourattempt to get to the westward, and got daily more dissatisfied atremaining idle in camp, whilst the horses were recruiting. 

The excess of animal food they had had at their command for some few daysafter the horse was killed, made them forget their former scarcity, andin their folly they imagined that they could supply their own wants, andget on better and more rapidly than we did, and they determined toattempt it. Vexed as I had been at finding out they had not scrupled toplunder the small stock of provisions we had left, I was loth to let themleave me foolishly without making an effort to prevent it. One of themhad been with me a great length of time, and the other I had brought fromhis country and his friends, and to both I felt bound by ties of humanityto prevent if possible their taking the rash step they meditated; myremonstrances and expostulations were however in vain, and after gettingtheir breakfasts, they took up some spears they had been carefullypreparing for the last two days, and walked sulkily from the camp in awesterly direction. The youngest boy had, it seemed, also been enticed tojoin them, for he was getting up with the intention of following, when Icalled him back and detained him in the camp, as he was too young to knowwhat he was doing, and had only been led astray by the others. I hadintended to have moved on myself to-day, but the departure of the nativesmade me change my intention, for I deemed it desirable that they shouldhave at least three or four days start of us. Finding that the singlesheep we had left would now be the cause of a good deal of trouble, I hadit killed this afternoon, that we might have the full advantage of itwhilst we had plenty of water, and might be enabled to hoard our bread alittle. We had still a little of the horse-flesh left, and made a pointof using it all up before the mutton was allowed to be touched. 

The morning of the 23rd broke cool and cloudy, with showers gatheringfrom seawards; the wind was south-west, and the sky wild and lowering inthat direction. During the forenoon light rain fell, but scarcely morethan sufficient to moisten the grass; it would, however, probably affordour deserters a drink upon the cliffs. Towards evening the sky cleared, and the weather became frosty. 

On the following day we still remained in camp, hoping for rain;--asingle heavy shower would so completely have freed us from the danger ofattempting to force a passage through the great extent of arid countrybefore us, that I was unwilling to move on until the very last moment. Our rations were however rapidly disappearing whilst we were idling incamp, the horse-flesh was all consumed, and to-day we had commenced uponthe mutton, so that soon we should be compelled to go, whether it rainedor not. Month after month however had passed away without any fall ofrain, and the season had now arrived when, under ordinary circumstances, much wet might be expected; and though each day, as it passed withoutgratifying our hopes, but added to our disappointment, yet did every hourwe lingered give us a better chance of being relieved by showers in ourroute round the last cliffs of the Bight. The evening set in mild butclose, with the wind at north-east, and I had great hopes that showerswould fall. 

April 25. --During the night dense clouds, accompanied by gusts of windand forked lightning, passed rapidly to the south-west, and this morningthe wind changed to that quarter. Heavy storms gathered to seawards withmuch thunder and lightning, but no rain fell near us; the sea appearingto attract all the showers. The overseer shot a very large eagle to-dayand made a stew of it, which was excellent. I sent the boy out to try andshoot a wallabie, but he returned without one. 

In the evening, a little before dark, and just as we had finished ourtea, to my great astonishment our two runaway natives made theirappearance, the King George's Sound native being first. He came franklyup, and said that they were both sorry for what they had done, and wereanxious to be received again, as they found they could get nothing to eatfor themselves. The other boy sat silently and sullenly at the fire, apparently more chagrined at being compelled by necessity to come back tous than sorry for having gone away. Having given them a lecture, for theyboth now admitted having stolen meat, not only on the night they weredetected but previously, I gave each some tea and some bread and meat, and told them if they behaved well they would be treated in every respectas before, and share with us our little stock of provisions as long as itlasted. 

I now learnt that they had fared in the bush but little better than Ishould have done myself. They had been absent four days, and had comehome nearly starved. For the first two days they got only two smallbandicoots and found no water; they then turned back, and obtaining alittle water in a hollow of the cliffs, left by the shower which hadpassed over, they halted under them to fish, and speared a sting-ray;this they had feasted on yesterday, and to-day came from the cliffs tolook for us without any thing to eat at all. 

During the night some heavy clouds passed over our heads, and once a dropor two of rain fell. The 26th broke wild and stormy to the east and west, and I determined to remain one day longer in camp, in the hope of rainfalling, but principally to rest the two natives a little after the longwalk from which they had returned. Breakfast being over, I sent theoverseer and one native to the beach, to try to get a sting-ray, and tothe other I gave my gun to shoot wallabie: no fish was procured, but onewallabie was got, half of which I gave to the native who killed it, forhis dinner. 

Being determined to break up camp on the 27th, I sent the King George'sSound native on a-head, as soon as he had breakfasted, that, by precedingthe party, he might have time to spear a sting-ray against we overtookhim. The day was dull, cloudy, and warm, and still looking likely forrain, with the wind at north-east. At eleven we were ready, and movedaway from a place where we had experienced so much relief in ourextremity, and at which our necessities had compelled us to remain solong. For twenty-eight days we had been encamped at the sand-drifts, orat the first water we had found, five miles from them. Daily, almosthourly, had the sky threatened rain, and yet none fell. We had nowentered upon the last fearful push, which was to decide our fate. Thisone stretch of bad country crossed, I felt a conviction we should besafe. That we had at least 150 miles to go to the next water I was fullyassured of; I was equally satisfied that our horses were by no means in acondition to encounter the hardships and privations they must meet within such a journey; for though they had had a long rest, and in somedegree recovered from their former tired-out condition, they had notpicked up in flesh or regained their spirits; the sapless, withered stateof the grass and the severe cold of the nights had prevented them fromderiving the advantage that they ought to have done from so long arespite from labour. Still I hoped we might be successful. We hadlingered day by day, until it would have been folly to have waitedlonger; the rubicon was, however, now passed, and we had nothing to relyupon but our own exertions and perseverance, humbly trusting that thegreat and merciful God who had hitherto guarded and guidedus in safetywould not desert us now. 

Upon leaving the camp we left behind one carbine, a spade, some horsehobbles, and a few small articles, to diminish as much as possible theweight we had to carry. For eight miles we traced round the beach to themost north-westerly angle of the Bight, and for two miles down itssouth-west shore, but were then compelled by the rocks to travel to theback, through heavy scrubby ridges for four miles; after which we againgot in to the beach, and at one mile along its shore, or fifteen milesfrom our camp, we halted for the night, at a patch of old grass. Theafternoon had been hot, but the night set in cold and clear, and allappearance of rain was gone. The native I had sent on before had notsucceeded in getting a fish, though he had broken one or two spears inhis attempts. 

April 28. --After travelling along the beach for two miles we ascendedbehind the cliffs, which now came in bluff to the sea, and then keepingalong their summits, nearly parallel with the coast, and passing throughmuch scrub, low brushwood, and dwarf tea-tree growing upon the rockysurface, we made a stage of twenty miles; both ourselves and the horsesgreatly tired with walking through the matted scrub of tea-tree everywhere covering the ground. The cliffs did not appear so high as those wehad formerly passed along, and probably did not exceed from two to threehundred feet in elevation. They appeared to be of the same geologicalformation; the upper crust an oolitic limestone, with many shellsembedded, below that a coarse, hard, grey limestone, and then alternatestreaks of white and yellow in horizontal strata, but which the steepnessof the cliffs prevented my going down to examine. 

Back from the sea, the country was rugged and stony, and every wherecovered with scrub or dwarf tea-tree. There was very little grass for thehorses, and that old and withered. In the morning one of the natives shota large wallabie, and this evening the three had it amongst them forsupper; after which they took charge of the horses for the night, thisbeing the first time they had ever watched them on the journey, myselfand the overseer having exclusively performed this duty heretofore; but, as I was now expecting a longer and almost more arduous push than any wehad yet made, and in order that we might be able to discharge efficientlythe duties devolving upon us, and make those exertions which ourexigences might require, I deemed it only right that we should sometimesbe assisted by the two elder boys, in a task which we had before alwaysfound to be the most disagreeable and fagging of any, that of watchingthe horses at night, after a long and tiring day's journey. 

On the morning of the 29th we moved away very early, passing over a rockylevel country, covered with low brush, and very fatiguing to bothourselves and our horses. The morning was gloomy and close, and the dayturned out intensely hot. After travelling only fifteen miles we werecompelled to halt until the greatest heat was passed. Our stock of waterand provisions only admitted of our making two meals in the day, breakfast and supper; but as I intended this evening to travel great partof the night, we each made our meal now instead of later in the day, thatwe might not be delayed when the cool of the evening set in. We had beentravelling along the summit of the cliffs parallel with the coast line, and had found the country level and uniform in its character; the cliffsstill being from two to three hundred feet in elevation, and of the sameformation as I noticed before. There were patches of grass scatteredamong the scrub at intervals, but all were old and withered. 

At four in the afternoon we again proceeded on our journey, but had notgone far before the sky unexpectedly became overcast with clouds, and thewhole heavens assumed a menacing and threatening appearance. To the eastand to the west, thunderclouds gathered heavily around, every indicationof sudden and violent rain was present to cheer us as we advanced, andall were rejoicing in the prospects of a speedy termination to ourdifficulties. The wind had in the morning been north-east, graduallyveering round to north and north-west, at which point it was stationarywhen the clouds began to gather. Towards sunset a heavy storm passed overour heads, with the rapidity almost of lightning; the wind suddenlyshifted from north-west to south-west, blowing a perfect hurricane, andrendering it almost impossible for us to advance against it. A fewmoments before we had confidently expected a heavy fall of rain; the darkand lowering sky had gradually gathered and concentrated above and aroundus, until the very heavens seemed overweighted and ready every instant toburst. A briefer interval of time, accompanied by the sudden and violentchange of wind, had dashed our hopes to the ground, and the prospect ofrain was now over, although a few heavy clouds still hung around us. 

Three miles from where we had halted during the heat of the day, wepassed some tolerable grass, though dry, scattered at intervals among thescrub, which grew here in dense belts, but with occasional openingsbetween. The character of the ground was very rocky, of an ooliticlimestone, and having many hollows on its surface. Although we had onlytravelled eighteen miles during the day, the overseer requested I wouldstop here, as he said he thought the clouds would again gather, and thatrain might fall to-night; that here we had large sheets of rock, and manyhollows in which the rain-water could be collected; but that if weproceeded onwards we might again advance into a sandy country, and beunable to derive any advantage from the rain, even should it fall. Iintended to have travelled nearly the whole of this night to make up forthe time we had lost in the heat of the day, and I was the more inclinedto do this, now that the violence of the storm had in some measureabated, and the appearance of rain had almost disappeared. The overseerwas so earnest, however, and so anxious for me to stop for the night, that greatly against my own wishes, and in opposition to my betterjudgment, I gave way to him and yielded. The native boys too had made thesame request, seconding the overseer's application, and stating, that theviolence of the wind made it difficult for them to walk against it. 

The horses having been all hobbled and turned out to feed, the wholeparty proceeded to make break-winds of boughs to form a shelter from thewind, preparatory to laying down for the night. We had taken a meal inthe middle of the day, which ought to have been deferred until night, andour circumstances did not admit of our having another now, so that thereremained only to arrange the watching of the horses, before going tosleep. The native boys had watched them last night, and this duty ofcourse fell to myself and the overseer this evening. The first watch wasfrom six o'clock P. M. To eleven, the second from eleven until four A. M. , at which hour the whole party usually arose and made preparations formoving on with the first streak of daylight. 

To-night the overseer asked me which of the watches I would keep, and asI was not sleepy, though tired, I chose the first. At a quarter beforesix, I went to take charge of the horses, having previously seen theoverseer and the natives lay down to sleep, at their respectivebreak-winds, ten or twelve yards apart from one another. The arms andprovisions, as was our custom, were piled up under an oilskin, between mybreak-wind and that of the overseer, with the exception of one gun, whichI always kept at my own sleeping place. I have been thus minute indetailing the position and arrangement of our encampment this evening, because of the fearful consequences that followed, and to shew the veryslight circumstances upon which the destinies of life sometimes hinge. Trifling as the arrangement of the watches might seem, and unimportant asI thought it at the time, whether I undertook the first or the second, yet was my choice, in this respect, the means under God's providence ofmy life being saved, and the cause of the loss of that of my overseer. 

The night was cold, and the wind blowing hard from the south-west, whilstscud and nimbus were passing very rapidly by the moon. The horses fedtolerably well, but rambled a good deal, threading in and out among themany belts of scrub which intersected the grassy openings, until at lastI hardly knew exactly where our camp was, the fires having apparentlyexpired some time ago. It was now half past ten, and I headed the horsesback, in the direction in which I thought the camp lay, that I might beready to call the overseer to relieve me at eleven. Whilst thus engaged, and looking steadfastly around among the scrub, to see if I couldanywhere detect the embers of our fires, I was startled by a suddenflash, followed by the report of a gun, not a quarter of a mile away fromme. Imagining that the overseer had mistaken the hour of the night, andnot being able to find me or the horses, had taken that method to attractmy attention, I immediately called out, but as no answer was returned, Igot alarmed, and leaving the horses, hurried up towards the camp asrapidly as I could. About a hundred yards from it, I met the KingGeorge's Sound native (Wylie), running towards me, and in great alarm, crying out, "Oh Massa, oh Massa, come here, "--but could gain noinformation from him, as to what had occurred. Upon reaching theencampment, which I did in about five minutes after the shot was fired, Iwas horror-struck to find my poor overseer lying on the ground, welteringin his blood, and in the last agonies of death. 

APPENDIX. 

DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN ANIMALS. BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ. , F. R. S. 

I. It was formerly believed, that all the Mammalia inhabiting theAustralian continent, but the wild dog, were marsupial; but as thenatural history of the country is better known, we are becomingacquainted with nearly as many native non-marsupial beasts as there aremarsupial; but they are certainly, generally, of a small size, such asbats, mice, etc. , as compared to the kangaroos and other marsupial genera. 

Some years ago, in the Proceedings of the Geological Society, (iii. 52. )I described a species of RHINOLOPHUS, from Moreton Bay, which waspeculiar for the large size of its ears, hence named R. MEGAPHYLLUS; theone now about to be described, which was found flying near the hospitalat Port Essington, by Dr. Sibbald, R. N. , is as peculiar for thebrightness and beauty of its colour, the male being nearly as bright anorange as the Cock of the rock (RUPICOLA) of South America. 

THE ORANGE HORSE-SHOE BAT, (RHINOLOPHUS AURANTIUS. ) t. 1. F. 1. --Earsmoderate, naked, rather pointed at the end; nose-leaf large, centralprocess small, scarcely lobed, blunt at the top; fur elongate, soft, bright orange, the hairs of the back with short brown tips, of the underside rather paler, of the face rather darker; female pale yellow, withbrown tips to the hair of the upper parts. 

Inhab. Port Essington, near the Hospital, Dr. Sibbald, R. N. 

The membranes are brown, nakedish; the tail is rather produced beyond themembrane at the tip; the feet are small, and quite free from the wings. 

 Male. Female. The length of the body and head 1. 10 1. 10The length of the fore-arm bone 1. 11 1. 10The length of the shin-bone 8 8The length of the ankle and foot 4 4

II. In Captain Grey's Travels in Western Australia I gave a list of thedifferent species of Reptiles and Amphibia found in Australia. Since thatperiod the British Museum has received from the different travellersvarious other species from that country. The lizards have been describedin the catalogue of the Museum collection, recently published, and arebeing figured in the zoology of H. M. S. Erebus and Terror. Two of the mostinteresting specimens lately received, belong to a new genus of frogswhich appear to be peculiar to Australia, which I shall now proceed todescribe:--

GENUS PERIALIA. FAM. RANIDAE. --Tongue nearly circular, entire; palateconcave, with two groups of palatine teeth between the orifices of theinternal nostrils; jaw toothed; head smooth, high on the side; mouthlarge; eyes convex, swollen above, tympanum scarcely visible; back ratherconvex, high on the sides; skin smooth, not porous; limbs rather short;toes 4. 5, tapering to a point, nearly free, the palms with roundishtubercles beneath; the fourth hind toe elongate, the rest rather short;the ankle with an oblong, compressed, horny, sharp-edged tubercle on theinner side at the base of the inner toe; the male with an internal vocalsac under the throat. 

This genus agrees with SCIAPHOS, PYXICEPHALUS, and PELOLATES, in having alarge, sharp-edged tubercle on the inner edge of the ankle, but itdiffers from them at first sight, by the head and body being compressedand high, the mouth very large, and the eyes convex on the side of theforehead. 

PERIALIA EYREI, t. 2. F. 3. --Olive, sides of the face, and body blackishbrown; face varies with white streak; the sides of body marbled withunequal white spots; limbs brown and white marbled; under side of thebody whitish. 

Inhab. Australia, on the banks of the river Murray. 

PERIALIA? ORNATA, t. 2. F. 2. --Pale grey, back and sides, marbled withsymmetrical dark-edged spots, those of the middle of the back beinggenerally confluent, of the face elongate, band-like; the legsdark-banded, beneath white. 

Inhab. Port Essington. 

Somewhat like DISCOGLOSUS PICTUS in appearance. The internal nostrils arefar apart, with an elongate group of palatine teeth level with theirhinder edges. 

Taking advantage of the space of the plate, figures of the followingspecies from the same country, which have not hitherto been illustratedhave been added. They were described or noticed in the list beforereferred to. 

1. Cystignathus dorsalis, t. 1. F. 2. GRAY, ANN. NAT. HIST. 1841. 

2. Phryniscus Australis, t. 2. F. 1. DUM. AND BIB. E. GEN. Viii. 725. Bombinator Australis, GRAY, PROC. ZOOL. SOC. 1838. 57. 

III. Mr. Eyre having brought home with him the drawing of a species ofcray-fish found near the river Murray, which is called by the nativesUKODKO, I have been induced to examine the different species of Astaci inthe British Museum collection, which have been received at various timesfrom Australia, for the purpose of attempting to identify it. 

As we have three very distinct species which have not yet been describedor figured in any of the works which have passed under my inspection, Ishall proceed to detail their peculiar characters and give figures oftheir more characteristic features. 

The drawing of "the UKODKO or smaller Murray cray-fish" most nearlyresembles ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, but it is three or four times largerthan any of the specimens of that species which we possess, and thefigure does not shew any indications of the five keels on the front ofthe head. In wanting the keel on the thorax it agrees with an Australianspecies described by Mr. Milne Edwards under the name of ASTACUSAUSTRALASIENSIS, said to come from New Holland, and to be about twoinches long, while Mr. Eyre's figure is more than six inches, and is saidnot to be taken from a large specimen. It differs from Mr. Milne Edwards'figures, in having only one spine on the wrist, so that probably thereare still two more species of the genus to be found in Australia. 

Mr. Eyre in his notes states--"The Fresh water cray-fish, of the smallervariety; native names, cu-kod-ko, or koon-go-la, is found in the alluvialflats of the river Murray, in South Australia, which are subjectto a periodical flooding by the river; it burrows deep below thesurface of the ground as the floods recede and are dried up, andremains dormant, until the next flooding recals it to the surface;at first it is in a thin and weakly state, but soon recovers and getsplump and fat, at which time it is most excellent eating. Thousandsare procured from a small space of ground with ease, and hundredsof natives are supported in abundance and luxury by them for manyweeks together. It sometimes happens that the flood does not recurevery year, and in this case the eu-kod-ko lie dormant until the next, and a year and a half would thus be passed below the surface. I haveoften seen them dug out of my garden, or in my wheat field, by the menengaged in digging ditches for irrigation. The floods usually overflowthe river flats in August or September, and recede again in February orMarch. For further particulars respecting the modes of catching theeu-kod-kos, vide vol. Ii. Pages 252 and 267. "

"I have spoken of this cray-fish as the SMALLER variety as respects theMurray. It is LARGER than the one found in the ponds of the river Torrensat Adelaide; but in the river Murray one is procured of a size ranging to4 1/2 lbs. , and which is QUITE EQUAL in flavour to the FINEST lobster. "

These latter have not yet been received in any of our collections, sothat we are unable to state how it differs from those now described: theymust be the giants of the genus. 

1. The Van Diemen's Land Cray-fish. ASTACUS FRANKLINII, t. 3. F. 1. --Carapace convex on the sides, rather rugose on the sides behind, thefront only slightly produced and edged with a toothed raised margin notreaching beyond the front edge of the lower orbit, and with a very shortridge at the middle of each orbit behind; the hands compressed, ratherrugose, edge thick and toothed: wrist with four or five conical spines onthe inner side, the front the largest: the central caudal lobe, broad, continuous, calcareous to the tip, lateral lobes, with a very slightcentral keel; the sides of the second abdominal rings spinose. 

Inhab. Van Diemen's Land. 

Mr. Milne Edwards, (Archives du Museum, ii. 35. T. 3. ) has recentlydescribed a species of this genus from Madagascar, under the name of A. MADAGASCARIENSIS, which is nearly allied to the Van Diemen's Landspecies, in the shortness of the frontal process, the spines on the sidesof the second abdominal segment, and in the lobes of the tail; but itdiffers from it in the length of the claws, and other particulars. Madagascar appears to be the tropical confines of the genus. 

2. The Western Australia Cray-fish. ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, t. 3. F. 3. --Carapace smooth, rather convex, and with three keels above; the beak, longly produced, ending in a spine, simple on the side and produced intoa keel on each side behind; the central caudal lobe rather narrow, indistinctly divided in half, and like the other lobes flexile at theend, the lateral lobes with a central keel ending a slight spine; thehands elongated, compressed, smooth, with a thickened, toothed, innermargin, which is ciliated above; wrist with two conical spines on theinner side. 

Inhab. Western Australia, near Swan River. 

3. The Port Essington Cray-fish. ASTACUS BICARINATUS, t. 3. F. 2. --Carapace smooth, rather flattened, with a keel on each side above infront; the beak longly produced, flattened, three toothed at the top;hands rather compressed, smooth, thinner and slightly toothed on theinner edge; the wrist triangular, angularly produced in front; thecentral caudal lobes with two slightly diverging keels continued, andlike the others thin and flexible at the end, the inner lateral lobeswith two keels, each ending with a spine. 

Inhab. Port Essington, Mr. Gilbert. 

The A. AUSTRALASIENSIS, Milne Edwards, Crust ii. 332. T. 24. F. 1--5. Agrees with this species in the form of the beak, but the keels on thethorax are not noticed either in the description or in the figure; andthe caudal lobes in the figure appear most to resemble A. FRANKLINII. 

As the genus ASTACUS is now becoming more numerous in species, it may bedivided, with advantage, into three sections, according to the form ofthe caudal lobes; thus:--

A. The central caudal lobes divided by a transverse suture into twoparts, both being hard and calcareous, and with a small spine at theouter angle of the suture (PATAMOBIUS, LEACH) as A. FLUVIATILIS ofEurope, and A. AFFINIS of North America, with an elongated rostrum, andA. BARTONII of North America, with a short rostrum. 

B. The central caudal lobe continued hard and calcareous to the end, asASTACUS FRANKLINII of Van Diemen's Land, and A. MADAGASCARIENSIS ofMadagascar; both have a very short beak, and the second abdominal ringspinose. 

C. The central caudal lobe continued or only slightly divided on themiddle of each side; but it and all the lateral lobes are thin andflexible at the hinder parts, as ASTACUS QUINQUE-CARINATUS, and A. BICARINATUS of Australia, and A. CHILIENSIS of Chili. 

CATALOGUE OF REPTILES AND FISH, FOUND AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND, BY DEPUTY ASSISTANT COMMISSARY-GENERAL NEILL, IN A LETTER TO J. E. GRAY, ESQ. BRITISH MUSEUM, LONDON. 

* * * * *

"Sir, --Although in the course of my life, I have had little opportunityto pay attention to the study of Ichthyology, it occurred to me, as nowand then a leisure moment was afforded from official duties, that itwould perhaps be useful, as well as amusing, to collect and make drawingsof the fish about King George's Sound; and I have been in a great degreestimulated to do so, from an accidental visit of my friend, HisExcellency Captain Grey, Governor of South Australia, who advised me toforward the drawings to you for the purpose of being placed with othersof a similar kind in the British Museum, where ultimately sufficientmaterial may be collected to give some account of the New Holland fish. 

"Nothing is assumed as to the execution of the drawings; in fact it oftenoccurred when I set off in my little skiff, (especially in the outset)that seven or eight species were procured in the course of the excursion, which compelled me to make drawings of all when I came home tired in theevening; forwarding them to ensure, as far as possible, their coloursbefore they became extinct--a sort of forced effort in respect to theexecution has, therefore, only been effected. The outline of nearly everyspecimen was taken from ACTUAL PROFILE, by laying the fish upon thepaper--in this way I defied error in outline--of course, afterwardscarefully drawing and correcting various parts which required it, in afree or rough manner, time not admitting of much pains. 

"In naming the fish, I have merely attempted to give the aboriginal andpopular names known to the sealers and settlers. In obtaining the former, no little difficulty has been experienced. The younger natives generallygiving different names to those of the elder; but finding the fish namedby the latter more descriptive, I have, of course, in most instances, adopted them. 

"For instance, No. 1, KOJETUCK means the fish with the bones; which isvery descriptive, from Koje the bones, [Note 28: This was noticed byGovernor Grey. ] having very singular bones placed vertically in the neck, connecting the dorsal spines to the back, resembling small tobacco pipes. 

"Also the KYNARNOCH, No 13, the bearded, etc. In many other instances thesavages of this province are equally clear in naming their animals; andit is curious, even this applies to their children, who commonly receivetheir name from some extraordinary circumstance at, or about the time oftheir birth. I find, also, the old men are more minute in SPECIES; theyounger often call very different fish by the same name, as the MEMON, Nos. 17, and 43, etc. But as this is curious, merely for the sake of fact, it is otherwise of little importance to the naturalist, --the native namebeing only useful to enable the collector to obtain any particularspecies hereafter. As regards the fidelity of the drawings, it may beworth while to mention a singular mistake made by my friendTOOLEGETWALEE; one of the oldest and most friendly savages we have of theKing George tribe; who, in looking over my collection to assist me innaming them, observed that the drawings were a little raised off thepaper; and like a monkey, began to touch them with his long talons; ofcourse I flew to their rescue, and asked what he meant?

"'INIKEN how make em? me twank skin put him on!' which literallymeans--'Ah! I now see how you do it, you put the skin on!!' From want ofpaper of uniform size, I was obliged to use any paper which came to hand, cut the figures out, and afterwards paste them on clean paper; whichcircumstance gave rise to the poor savage's mistake, and it was not untilI actually cut one out before him, that he could be convinced that he wasin error--a compliment I could hardly help smiling at. I have only to addin conclusion, that no attempt has been made at ARRANGEMENT, having drawnand numbered the fish as they were caught. Most have been taken by my ownhook; some by the native's spear, and some by the seine net. 

"The natural SCALE of each has been pasted on to the drawing, and whenremarkable, both from the back and sides of the fish, which I considereda more desirable plan than giving imitations, that could hardly, inobjects so minute, without the aid of a powerful magnifier, be dependedon. 

"A descriptive account of each specimen, with the corresponding number tothat on the drawing, is also added. 

"The effort has afforded me much amusement, and it will be still moreagreeable, if they will in any way contribute to a better knowledge ofthe subject. 

"I remain, Sir, "Your most obedient servant, "J. NEILL. "Albany, King George's Sound, "Western Australia. "

On receiving this most valuable and interesting collection, I referredthe part relative to the Fish to my excellent friend, Dr. Richardson ofHaslar, one of the first Ichthyologists now living, who has kindlyarranged the notes in systematic order, and added to them, as far as hewas able, the modern scientific names. I have done the same to theReptiles myself. I have retained the original numbers as they refer tothe drawings which are preserved in the zoological department of theBritish Museum. --J. E. GRAY. 

* * * * *

REPTILES. 

Fam. Lialisidae. LIALIS BURTONII. Native name KERRY-GURA. Considered by the natives asharmless; the scales of the back are very minute; the tail when broken issometimes terminated by three horny blunt ends; tongue divided androunded. 

LIALIS BICATENATA. Native name WILLIAM LUNGER. Tongue not forked, broad, and rounded off at the point. Not poisonous or at all dreaded by thenatives; finely striped down the back, and spotted with deep brown equalmarks; has a lappel on each side of the vent. 

Killed 10th of October, 1841. 

 FAM. COLUBRIDAE. 

NAJA, --? Native name TORN-OCK or TOOKYTE. Colour dirty olive over thewhole body; belly dirty olive; white, faintly dotted from the throat downto the vent, with reddish dirty orange spots; the whole colour appears asif faded; the scales are more closely united to the skin than those ofthe NOON; fangs placed on each side of the upper jaw, short and ratherblunt; scuta, 223. 

Although the natives assert, if a person is bitten by this make, and"gets down, " i. E. Lays in bed three days, he will recover, yet I am verydoubtful of this account, more particularly from the women differing fromthe men, as well as the whole subject being hidden in superstition. Another ground of doubt rests upon the fact of having lost in VanDiemen's Land, a favourite dog, by the bite of a snake very similar tothis; the poor animal expired fourteen minutes after the bite, althoughthe piece was almost instantaneously cut out. 

The women of King George's Sound declare the bite of the Torn-ock mortal;but the men laugh at that, and maintain the three days' "couple, " (sleep)will restore the patients. 

The specimen was 4 ft. 9 in. Long, but they have been seen 6 or 7 feetlong. This is a favourite food of the natives of King George's Sound. 

COLUBER? Native name BARDICK. Dirty olive green over the whole back;belly dirty white; scuta 130. 

The natives state that the bite produces great swelling of the part for aday or two, and goes off. 

Never grows above 14 or 15 inches long. Caught October 1841. 

COLUBER. Native name TORKITE or TORKYTE. Back, from the point of the tailto the point of the nose, dark sepia brown; under the head yellow; andtowards the middle of the belly orange; scales minute; scuta 140; tongueforked; teeth very minute; no fangs observable. Caught August 30th, 1844. 

Not at all dreaded by the natives; venomous, but not deadly, the bitemerely producing a bad ulcer for a day or two. 

ELAPS MELANOCEPHALUS. Native name WERR. Dirty olive green on the back, from the neck to the tail; scuta 147, dirty reddish orange; head blackfrom the nose to neck; sides of the head white; tongue forked. 

Doubtful if poisonous; little dreaded by the natives. Killed October12th, 1845. 

ELAPS. Native name NORN or NORNE. Whole body covered with spear shapedscales; head shining black; the ground colours of the back rich umber, almost black; scuta 161, of a dirty red orange; fangs two on each side ofthe upper jaw near the lios, small, and bent inwards; tongue forked

This is the most fatal of the New Holland snakes; the animal bittenseldom recovers. The Aborigines have a great dread of this reptile; theyhowever eat of it if they kill it themselves, but there is a superstitionamongst them about snakes, which prevents their eating them if killed bya European. 

The specimen I figured was a small one, 3 ft. 9 in. Long; they are oftenseen by the natives much larger. I have endeavoured to represent it as itgenerally sleeps or lies in wait for its prey, small birds, frogs, lizards, etc. It delights in swamps and marshes. 

Killed October, 1844. 

 FAM. BOIDAE

PYTHON. Native name WAKEL or WA-A-KEL. This snake is considered by thenatives a great delicacy, and by their account resembles mutton inflavour, being also remarkably fat. I requested them to let me taste thespecimen from which the drawing was made; but they devoured every atomthemselves, pretending they did not understand me. The WAKEL differs fromthe NORN in its habits; although both ascend trees in pursuit of smallbirds and the young of the opossums. The WAKEL delights in rocky, dryplaces, near salt water; they are very sluggish, and easily caught by thewomen, who seize them behind the head and wring their necks. They aredescribed to have been seen 9 or 10 feet long. My specimen, a young male, was exactly 5 feet long. The scales of this species are firmly fixed tothe skin, in plates all over the back and belly. The colour is beautiful, dark greenish brown, finely variegated with yellowish white spots. 

It was killed by Paddy, a native constable, near Albany, October, 1841. 

* * * * *

FISHES. 

 GOBIIDAE. 

No. 58. --PATOECUS FRONTO. Rich. Ann. Nat. Hist. Oct. 1844, vol. Xiv. P. 280, Ichth. Ereb. And Terr. P. 20, pl. 13, f. 1, 2. 

Native name KARRACK. Colour, a rich dragon's blood, or mahogany; found bya Danish boatman, named Byornsan, 80 miles off the east coast from KingGeorge's Sound, December 11th, 1841. Anal rays imperfectly counted, andthere is a typographical error in the Zool. Of Ereb. And Terr. The truenumbers of the rays follow: B. 6; D. 24-16; A. 11-5; C. 10; P. 8. 

 TRIGLIDAE. 

No. 53. --SCORPOENA, or SEBASTES. --Native name, TYLYUCK, or TELUCK(BIG-HEAD). "Rays, D. 12, 1-8; A. 3-5; P. 21; V. 1-5. "

Uncommon. Inhabits rocky shores. Flesh firm and well-flavoured. Caught byhook, 16th Aug. 1841. 

No. 34. --SEBASTES?--Native name, CUMBEUK. 

A common inhabitant of rocky shores. Good eating. The specimen wasspeared by Munglewert, 17th May, 1841. "Rays, D. 14-17; A. 3-8; P. 14; V. 1-5. "

No. 14. --APISTES. Apparently scaleless, and without free pectoral rays. Does not correspond well with A. MARMORATUS. "Rays, D. 12, " etc. Caught bySeine, 18th March, 1841. 

The fishermen dread wounds made by the species of this fish, as theyalways fester. 

Native name BOORA-POKEY, or POKY. SERGEANT of the settlers. 

No. 36. --PLATYCEPHALUS. --Native name CUMBEL. Common Flat-head of thesettlers. Seems to differ from described species in the two dark bars ofthe tail, being directly transverse, and followed by five large darkpurple round spots. 

Inhabits sandy shores very commonly, all round the coast of New Holland. A variety occurs at Maria Island, Van Diemen's Land. Caught by hook, 15thMay, 1841. Good eating. 

 MULLIDAE. 

No. 13. --UPENEUS. --Native name, MINAME, or KGNARNUCK (the bearded); "Redmullet" of the settlers. 

 PERCIDAE. 

No. 46. --ENOPLOSUS ARMATUS. Cuv. Et Val. 2, p. 133, pl. 20. --Native name, KARLOCK. Speared by a native, June 1841. Inhabits rocky shores. 

 BERYCIDAE. 

No. 2. --BERYX LINEATUS, C. And V. 3, p. 226. --Native name, CHETONG. RedSnapper, or Tide-fisher of the sealers. Very common in the bays of rockyshores. "Rays, D. 5-14; A. 4-13; P. 12; V. 1-7. "

 SPHYRAENIDAE. 

No. 59. --SPHYROENA. --Native name, KORDONG. "Rays, D. 5, 1-9; A. 11; P. 13; V. 1-5. "

The "Common Baracoota" is found off the whole coast of New Holland, butthe KORDONG seems to be peculiar to Western Australia. It comes into theshallow bays in summer; and being a sluggish fish, is easily speared bythe natives, who esteem it to be excellent food. It will lay for a minutelooking with indifference at its enemy, while he poises the fatal andunerring spear. Specimen caught in a net, December, 1841. 

 SILLAGINIDAE. 

No. 25. --SILLAGO. --Native name, MURDAR. "Rock whiting" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 10-23; A. 18; P. 13; A. 5. "

Inhabits rocky shores and deep water. Caught by the seine, 3rd April, 1841. Good eating. 

No. 11. --SILLAGO PUNCTATA, C. Et V 3, P. 413. --Native name MURDAR. "Common whiting" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 12, 1-26; A. 22; P. 11; V. 5. "

Inhabits shallow sandy bays abundantly, and is much admired for thedelicacy of its flesh, but it is dryer eating than the whiting of Europe. 

 SCIAENIDAE. 

No. 55. --CORVINA?--Native name T'CHARK or T'CHYARK. King-fish of thesealers. "Rays, D. 9--1-27; A. 1-7; P. 15; V. 1-5. "

Teeth strong and sharp. Grows to a great size; as I am informed by thenatives, that they often spear individuals weighing sixty or seventypounds. This fish enters the fresh-water periodically, like the Salmon ofEurope, to spawn, and it is the only fish in this country which I havedistinctly made out to do so. It is tolerably good eating. The specimenwas caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour by a hook, on the 30th August, 1841. (This may be the adult of the CORVINA KUHLII of the HISTOIRE DESPOISSONS, 5. P. 121. )

 SERRANIDAE. 

No. 19. --CENTROPRISTES TRUTTA. SCIAENA TRUTTA, G. Foster, Icon. 210. (vide Ichth. Of Ereb. And Terror, p. 30. )--Native name KING-NURRIE, orIINAGUR. "Salmon" of the sealers. Pectorals yellow or orange coloured, with dark bases; scales faintly fan-streaked; last rays of dorsal andanal elongated. Faint oblong, orange-coloured spots on the sides, not invertical rows. "Rays, D. 9-16; A. 2-10; P. 16. " Eye remarkably brilliant. Good eating in the summer time, but far inferior to the SALMO SALAR. Itcongregates in vast shoals, and pursues the fry of other fishes inshallow bays, but never enters fresh-water. It is often taken of fromseven to ten pounds weight. It affords excellent sport to the angler. Thespecimen was caught by the hook from my own door on the 4th May, 1841. 

No. 3. --CENTROPRISTES (CIRRIPIS) GEORGIANUS. C. Et V. 7. P. 451. Jenyn'sZool. Of Beagle, p. 13. --Native name WARRAGUIT. "Herring" of thesettlers. Rays, D. 9-14; A. 3-10; etc. 

Inhabits rocky shores, and is taken in the summer, by net on sandybeaches. Specimen caught by the hook, on the 27th March, 1841. 

No. 23. --SERRANUS? vel CAPRODON (Schlegel. ) aut PLECTROPOMA. --Native nameTANG or TAA (It bites. ) The "Perch" of the Sealers. "Rays, D. 10-24; A. 2-9; P. 14; V. 1-5. "

Eye fine crimson: pupil deep blue-black. Tail slightly rounded. Remarkably strong canines, from which peculiarity it has obtained itsnative name of TAA, as it bites severely when taken, if the fisher be noton the alert. It is good to eat, but is not common. Caught by the hook on9th of April, 1841. 

No. 4. --PLECTROPOMA NIGRO-RUBRUM. C. Et V. 2. P. 403. --Native nameBUNDEL. "Crab-eyed soldier" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 10-17; A. 3-9. "

Inhabits rocky shores, and is not common. Specimen caught by the hook, onthe 4th April, 1841. Good eating. 

No. 21. --HELOTES?--Native names, BOORA, BOWRU, also CHARLUP. The "Pokey, "or "small Trumpeter" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 11--1-11; A. 2-11; etc. "

Inhabits rocky places. Good to eat. Caught by the seine, on the 3rdMarch, 1841. 

 CIRRHITIDAE. 

No. 24. --CHEILODACTYLUS GIBBOSUS. Solander. Icon. Ined. Banks. No. 23. --Richardson Zool. Trans. 3, p. 102. --Native name KNELOCK (notcertain). 

Inhabits sandy beaches; is little known to the sealers. Caught in a net, 3rd March, 1841. 

No. 39. CHEILODACTYLUS CARPONEMUS. --C. Et V. 5. P. 362. --Native nameCHETTANG. "Jew-fish" of the sealers (the name "Jew-fish" is appliedotherwise by the colonists). 

Inhabits rocky shores. Some specimens weigh upwards of sixteen pounds. Caught by hook, 17th May, 1841. 

No. 42. --CHEILODACTYLUS. Native name TOORJENONG. "Black Jew-fish" of thesealers. "Rays, D. 16-26; A. 2-10; P. 13; V. 5. "

Inhabits rocky points of sandy bays, where they love to run in and rootup the sand with their fleshy mouths. They are sluggish, and easilyspeared by the Aborigines, whose chief food it constitutes at certainseasons. The specimen was speared in my presence by Wallup, on the 8th ofJune, 1841. The TOORJENONG grows to a large size, exceeding twenty poundsin weight. It is a gross feeder, and its flesh is hard and dry, but thehead and sides are much prized by the natives, and the head of a largeone makes tolerable soup. 

No. 45. --LATRIS? (vix. GERRES?)--Native name QUIKE or QUIK, (horned). "Rays, 9-16; A. 3-16; P. 14; V. 1-5. "

Caught by the hook, off Rocky Point, on the 17th of August, 1844. Good toeat. (A spine before each nostril, probably springing from the heads ofthe maxillaries). 

 SPARIDAE. 

No. 1. --PAGRUS GUTTULATUS. C. Et V. 6, p. 160. --Native name KOJETUCK. "Common Snapper" of the sealers, "Rays, D. 12-9; A. 3-8; P. 1-5. "

The Snapper grows to a large size, attaining from thirty to forty poundsweight, and is very voracious. It devours crabs and shell fish, crushingthem with its strong teeth. It is common on all the rocky inlets of thecoast of New Holland, extending down the eastern shores to Sidney. 

CHAETODONTIDAE. 

No. 41. --CHAETODON SEXFASCIUTUS. Richardson Ann. Of Nat. Hist. --Nativename KNELOCK. 

Inhabits rocky places. Not common. 

No. 40. --CHAETODON. --Native name MITCHEBULLER or METYEBULLAR. Teeth veryminute. 

Inhabits rocky places. Speared by Warrawar, on the 27th of May, 1841. 

No. 27. 2. --CHAETODON. --Native name WAMEL or WAMLE. "Rays, D. 10-20; A. 3-17. "

No. 6. --PLATAX?--Native names, TEUTUEK or KARLOCK, from the shape of thefins, also MUDEUR. "Striped sweep" of the sealers, and Pomfret of thesettlers. D. 10; A. 2. Teeth small. Very common on rocky shores. Is agross feeder; but good to eat. Caught by a hook on the 12th of March, 1841. 

No. 8--PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS?--Native names, KGNMMUL or KARRAWAY. The striped zebra fish of the settlers. "Rays, D. 14-12; A. 3 11; V. 1-5. " Mouth, small; tail rather concave. 

Inhabits rocky shores, is a gross feeder, bad eating, and is not common. Caught by the hook on the 6th of April 1841. 

No. 10. --PIMELEPTERUS? MELANICHTHYS? Schlegel. --Native names, KOWELANY, KARRAWAY, or MEMON. Tail a little forked. "Rays, D. 14-13; A. 3-11; P. 17;V. 1-5. " Eye, grey. 

Inhabits rocky shores, and is not very common. Caught by a hook, on the6th of April, 1841. 

No. 17. --MELANICHTHYS. --Native name MEMON or MUDDIER. "Rays, D. 14-13; A. 3-11; P. 17; V. 1-5. "

Eye greyish yellow; teeth in a trenchant series on the edge of the upperand lower jaw, and also on the maxillaries. Is a gross feeder, and itsflesh has a strong disagreeable smell, but is much relished by theAborigines. 

Inhabits rocky shores, and is rare. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841. 

No. 33. Genus unknown. --Native name, TOOBETOET or TOOBITOO-IT. Rays, D. 17-11; A. 11; P. 11; V. 4. 

Is a rare inhabitant of rocky places. Speared by Mooriane, 14th of May, 1841. This seems to be a new generic form, nearly allied to HOPLEGNATHUS, Richardson; or SCARODON, Schlegel. 

No. 43. --SCORPIS?--Native name, MEMON or MEEMON. "Sweep" of the sealers. "Rays, D. ; A. 1. " Teeth minute. It is a gross feeder and poor eating. Very common on rocky shores. Being a bold voracious fish, it is easilyspeared or taken with a hook. The Aborigines generally select a rockwhich jutts out into the sea, and sitting on their hams, beat crabs intofragments with a little stone, and throw them into the sea to attractthis fish. The instant a fish comes to feed on the bait, the native, whose spear is ready, suddenly darts it, and rarely fails in bringing upthe fish on its barbed point. Specimen caught by the hook, 15th of June, 1841. 

No. 44. --KURTUS?--Native name, TELYUA, or TELLYA, "Rays, D. 13; A. 2-19;V. 5. "

Thrown up on Albany beach, 14th of August, 1841. 

 PLATESSIDEAE. 

No. 50. --PLATESSA? vel. HIPPOGLOSSUS? CHUNDELA. --Native name, CHONDELAR, or CHUNDELA. The "Spotted sole" of the settlers. Very common in all theshallow bays in the summer time, where it may be taken by the seine. Thenatives detect it when its body is buried in the sand, by the glisteningof its eyes, and spear it. When fishing with the torch, in the nighttime, the natives feel for this fish with their naked feet. Specimencaught by seine, August, 1841. This fish is delicate eating. 

 SCOMBERIDAE. 

No. 32. --CARANX MICANS, Solander, Icon. Parkinson, Bib. Banks, No. 89. --Native name, MADAWICK, "Skip-jack" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 8-28;A. 2-23; P. 15. " Very common in shallow sandy bays, and forming thestaple food of the natives, who assemble in fine calm days, and driveshoals of this fish into weirs that they have constructed of shrubs andbranches of trees. Specimen caught by hook on the 12th of May, 1841. 

No. 16. --TRACHURUS LUTESCENS. Solander (SCOMBER) Pisees Austr. P. 38. Richard. Ann. Nat. Hist. X. P. 14. --Native name, WARAWITE andMADIWICK. "Yellow tail" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 6; A. 2. " Eye verylarge. 

Inhabits the edges of sandy banks. Good eating. Caught by hook 5th ofMarch, 1841. 

 MUGILIDAE. 

No. 29. MUGIL vel. DAJAUS DIEMENSIS. Richardson, Ichth. Of the Erebus andTerror, p. 37, pl. 26, f. 1. --Native name, KNAMLER or KNAMALER. "Commonmullet" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 4-9; A. 1-13. "

Frequents shores with sandy beaches, and forms a principal article offood to the native youths, who are continually practising throwing theirspears at this fish. It is very common, and is good eating. Caught by theseine, 12th April, 1841. 

No. 57. --MUGIL. --Native name, MERRONG, or MIRRONG. "The flut-nosed mullet"of the settlers. 

This is the finest fish of New Holland that I am acquainted with. InWilson's Inlet, about forty miles west of King George's Sound, it aboundsin the winter months; and the different tribes, from all parts of thecoast, assemble there, by invitation of the proprietors of the ground, (the MURRYMIN, ) who make great feasts on the occasion. The fish attains aweight of three and a-half pounds, and a fat one yields about threequarters of a pound of oil, which the natives use for greasing theirheads and persons. This fish runs up the rivers during the floods, and sobecomes very fat. In summer it retires to the ocean. Caught in September, 1841. 

 LABRIDAE. 

No. 47. --LABRUS LATICLAVIUS. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. P. 139. --Nativename, KANUP, or PARILL, (Green-fish. )

Is a rare inhabitant of rocky shores. Caught by hook, 17th August, 1841. Poor eating. 

No. 20. --LABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICK, KIELMICK, or KIELNMICK. "Rock-cod" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 22; A. 14. "

Tail square. Very common on rocky coasts. Soft, indifferent eating. Caught by the hook, 3rd May, 1841. 

No. 9. --LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL. "Common rock-fish of the sealers. "Rays, D. 9-11; A. 2-11, etc. "

Mouth furnished with small sharp teeth. Caught by hook, 12th March, 1841. 

No. 37. --LABRUS?--Native name, PARIL, KUHOUL, or BOMBURN. "Blackrock-fish" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 9-11; A. 3-10 seconds, etc. "

Inhabits rocky shores, and grows to the size of fifteen or twenty poundsweight. Poor, soft eating. Speared by Warrawar, 12th May, 1841. 

No. 7. --LABRUS?--Native name, POKONG. "Brown rock-fish" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 9-12; A. 3-10, " etc. 

Flesh soft and poor. Inhabitants rocky shores; very common. Caught byhook, 12th March, 1841. 

No. 18. --CRENILABRUS?--Native name, KNELMICH, MINAME, or MINAMEN. Common"rock-fish" or "Parrot" of the sealers. "Rays, D. 8-11; A. 2-10, " etc. 

Poor and soft. Inhabits bold rocky shores, where it is troublesome to thefisher by carrying off his bait. Caught by hook, 3rd May, 1841. 

No. 12. --LABRUS?--Native name IANON'T, WOROGUT, or CUMBEAK. "Rays, D. 30;A. 12. " Tail rounded, teeth very small. 

Inhabits weedy places in deep water, and along sandy bays. Sometimestaken by the natives on the edge of banks. Excellent eating. Caught byhook, 18th March, 1841. 

No. 30. --COSSYPHUS? CRENILABRUS?--Native name MOOLET or CHETON. "Red rock-fish" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 11-10; A. 3-11; P. 15. "etc. --Teeth very strong; tail rounded; its rays oblong. 

Inhabits rocky shores. Bites eagerly, and is a gross feeder. Indifferenteating. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841. 

No. 35. ------? Genus not ascertained. --Native name KOOGENUCK, QUEJUIMUCK, or KNOWL. Little known to the sealers. "Rays, 11-12; A. 2 or 3; P. 16 or18. " Dorsal spines remarkable; scales large; grows to a large size; theflank scales of one weighing twenty-eight pounds, measure an inch and ahalf in length, and an inch and a quarter in breadth. (They arecycloid. --J. R. )

Inhabits rocky shores. The specimen was speared by Warrawar, 12th May, 1841. 

 CYPRINIDAE. 

No. 5. --RYNCHANA GREYI. Richardson, Ichth. Of Voy. Of Erebus and Terror, p. 44 pl. 29. F. 1. 6. --Native name, PINING or WAUNUGUR, not certain. Notknown to the sealers. Pupil like that of the shark elliptical, with thelong axis vertical. 

When the skin was removed the flesh was very fat, resembling that of theeel, had an unpleasant smell, and could not be eaten. The natives alsowere averse to eating it, and only one man acknowledged to have seen itbefore. Caught by seine, by Corporal Emms of the 51st regiment, 7thApril, 1841. (This fish is also an inhabitant of Queen Charlotte's Sound, New Zealand. --J. R. )

 SALMONIDAE. 

No. 48. --AULOPUS PURPURISSATUS. Richardson, Icones Piscium, p. 6, pl. 2, f. 3. --Native name, KARDAR. "Rays, D. 19; A. 14; V. 9; P. 10. "

Very rare. Caught by hook, on a rocky shore, by Mr. Sholl of Albany, 14thJuly, 1841. (Mr. Niell's figure differs slightly from that of LieutenantEmery, published in the ICONES PISCIUM above quoted, and chiefly in thedorsal occupying rather more space, by commencing before the ventrals, and extending back to opposite the beginning of the anal. The anus isunder the fourteenth dorsal ray. Mr. Niell's drawing also shews a seriesof six large roseate spots on the sides below the lateral line, and amore depressed head, with a prominent arch at the orbit. --J. R. )

 ESOCIDAE. 

No. 22. --HEMIRAMPHUS. --Native name, IIMEN. "Guardfish" of the settlers. "Rays, D. 16, delicate black rays; A. 15, do; P. 12; V. 6. " Lower jawequal to the head in length. Caught by the seine, 3rd March, 1841. 

Inhabits sandy bays, but approaches the shore only in summer. It is verydelicate eating. 

 MURAENIDAE. 

No. 52. --MURAENA? vel SPHAGEBRANCHUS. --Native name KALET. The eel figure, nat. Size. Dorsal fin continuous for about three and a half inches behindthe snout to the point of the tail: its rays very delicate; anal like thedorsal, but commencing behind the vent. One small lobe in the gills, about the size of a pin's head; no other perceptible opening. 

Caught at the mouth of Oyster Harbour, 16th August, 1841. 

LOPHOBRANCHI. 

No. 56. --OSTRACIAN FLAVIGASTER, Gray. Richardson, Zool. Trans. 3. P. 164, p. 11, f. 1. --Native name, CONDE or KOODE. "Rays, D. 10; A. 9; P. 11, etc. "

This fish is not eaten by the natives, who abhor it. It is seen only inthe summer, and in shallow sandy bays, Caught in a net in October, 1841. 

No 51. --MONACANTHUS. --Native name, TABADUCK. Rays, D. 28; A. 26; P. 12;C. 12. 

Very rare, scarcely ever seen by the Aborigines. Caught by hook, August, 1841. 

No. 49. --MONACANTHUS. --Not known to the Aborigines. Rays, D. 32; A. 30;C. 12; P. 11. Eye yellow; dorsal spine short. 

Taken in deep water by Mr. Johnson, off the Commissariat stores, near asunken rock, in deep water. 

No. 15. --MONACANTHUS. --Native name, CAUDIEY. "Small leather-jacket" ofthe sealers. 

Inhabits deep water, with a rocky bottom; is good to eat. Caught by anet, 18th March, 1841. Dorsal spine toothed behind. 

No. 31. --MONACANTHUS, or (ALEUTERES, no spinous point of the pelvisvisible in figure. --J. R. )--Native name, TABEDUCK. The "yellowleather-jacket" of the sealers. Dorsal spine toothed. D. 33; A. 32; P. 13. Caudal rounded, its rays very strong. 

Inhabits deep water in rocky places, and is very common. It is esteemedfor food by the Aborigines; is much infested by an Isopode named NETTONG, or TOORT, by the natives. This insect inserts its whole body into apocket by the side of the anus, separated from the gut by a thinmembrane. The fish to which the insect adheres are yellow; those whichare free from it are of a beautiful purple colour. Caught by hook, 12thMay, 1841. 

 CARCHARIDAE. 

No. 54. --CARCHARIAS (PRIONODON) MELANOPTERUS, Muller and Henle. --Nativename, MATCHET. "Common blue shark" of the settlers. Specimen four feetand a half long; have been seen longer. A female had four young alivewhen taken. Spiracles behind the eyes. Caught by hook, 16th August, 1841. 

No. 26--CESTRACION PHILIPPI, Mull. And Henle. --Native names, MATCHET, KORLUCK, or QUORLUCK. "Bull-dog-shark" of the sealers. Specimen two feetand a half long. 

Inhabits rocky shores, and is very sluggish; it does not grow to a verylarge size. Caught by hook, 6th April, 1841. 

 TRYGONES. 

No. 38. --UROLOPHUS. --Native name, KEGETUCK or BEBIL. "Young sting-ray" ofthe sealers. Caught by seine, 4th May, 1841. 

No. 28. --Near PLATYRHINA. --Native name, PARETT. "Fiddler" of the sealers;Green skate of the settlers. Eye dullish yellow; pupil sea-green, glaringin some lights; teeth transverse, like a file; spiracles two, large, behind the eye, in the same cavity; belly white, terminating at thecaudal fin. 

Very common in the sheltered bays, close in shore among the weeds. Noteaten by the Aborigines, who greatly abhor them, as they do also thesting-ray. Specimen two feet nine inches and a half long. 

* * * * *

(D. ) DESCRIPTION AND FIGURES OF FOUR NEW SPECIES OF AUSTRALIAN INSECTS. BY ADAM WHITE, ESQ. M. E. S. 

The four insects here figured and described are, as far as I am aware, new. Petasida, and Tettigarcta are interesting in the shape of theThorax, differing widely from that in any of the allied genera, while thenew species of Eurybrachys and Chrysopa are striking from their colouringand marks. 

PETASIDA EPHIPPIGERA, pl. 4. Fig. 1. 

Thorax much dilated behind, depressed and rounded at the end; the sidedeeply sinuated behind; head pointed, antennae long; of a yellowishorange; antennae with a few greenish rings, cheek below the eye with agreenish line, head above with a longitudinal greenish line. Thorax witha slight keel down the middle, wrinkled behind of a dusky blueish green, a large patch of an orange colour on each side in front, and a small spotof the same colour on each edge of the produced part at base; elytraorange with numerous black spots, and black at the tip, lower wings paleorange at the base, clouded with black at the tip; abdomen orange, slightly ringed with green; legs orange, with three greenish spots on theoutside of the femora of hind legs. 

Length 1 inch 9 lines. 

Hab. Australia. 

CHRYSOPA MACULIPENNIS, pl. 4. Fig. 2. 

Head red, with a black spot on the crown; antennae short brownish black;thorax hairy; thorax, abdomen, and legs, brownish black. Wings brown, with iridescent hues, the upper with transverse yellowish lines and spotsat the base; a long yellowish line parallel to the outer edge at the end, and emitting a whitish spot which reaches the edge, three spots on theapical portion, the two on the outer edge large; basal half lower wingspale, some of the areolets yellowish; a few clouded with brown, tip ofthe wing yellowish. 

Expanse of wings 1 inch 4 1/2 lines. 

Hab. Australia. 

EURYBRACHYS LAETA, pl. 4, fig. 3. 

Head thorax and upper wings of a rich brown colour, the outer edge of thelast is deep black, with a transverse yellowish spot just before themiddle, the remainder of the edge slightly spotted with black, upper sidecovered with short blackish hairs; lower wings deep black; abdomen of abright red, with a round white tuft on the upper side near the end; firsttwo pairs of legs of a deep brown, with some reddish lines; hind legsferruginous with blackish spines. 

Expanse of wings 7 lines. 

Hab. Australia. 

TETTIGARCTA, n. Genus, WHITE. Fam. CICADIDAE. 

Head very small in front, blunt; lateral ocelli close to the eyes, spacebetween them with long hairs. 

Prothorax very large, extending back in a rounded form beyond the base ofhind wings, the sides sharp pointed, the back very convex and wrinkled. 

Body and under parts densely clothed with hair. 

This very singular genus differs from all the Stridulantes in the sizeand shape of the prothorax; in the neuration of the elytra it is alliedto PLATYPLEURA (Amyst and Serville) in the size of head and hairiness ofbody it approaches CARINETA of the same authors. The Pupa, (fig. 5. )differs in the form of fore legs from those of the other Cicada. 

TETTIGARCTA TOMENTOSA, pl. 4, fig. 4, and 5 its pupa. 

Of a brownish ash colour, the hairs on upper part of body short and deepbrown, on the sides and under parts long and grey; prothorax varied withblack, in front, two large patches covered with grey hairs, mixed withlonger; elytra spotted and varied with brown, wings clear, somewhatferruginous at the base. 

Expanse of wings 3 inches 4 lines. 

Hab. Australia. 

* * * * *

DESCRIPTION OF TWO NEW INVERTEBRATED ANIMALS FROM AUSTRALIA, BY J. E. GRAY, ESQ. , F. R. S. 

Lamarck separated the mother-of-pearls shell (MARGARITA) from theswallow-tail muscles (AVICULA) on account of its more orbicular shape. Other Conchologists have been inclined to unite them, as some of thespecies of AVICULA approach to the shape of the other genus. The new onejust received from Australia, which I am now about to describe, in thisrespect more resembles the Margarita than any before noticed; yet I aminclined to think that the pearl-shells deserved to be kept separate, asthe cardinal teeth are quite obliterated in the adult shells, which isnot the case with any AVICULAE I am acquainted with; and the youngpearl-shells are furnished with a broad serrated distant leafy fringe, while the AVICULAE are only covered with very closely applied shortconcentric slightly raised minutely denticulated lamina, forming anepidermal coat on the surface. 

1. AVICULA LATA, pl. 6. F. 1. 

Shell dark brown; half ovate; broad obliquely truncated, and scarcelynotched behind; covered with close regular very thin denticulatedconcentric lamina, forming a paler external coat. The front ear ratherproduced, with a distant inferior notch; internally pearly, with a broadbrown margin on the lower-edge. 

Inhab. North and West coasts of Australia. 

2. SPATANGUS ELONGATUS, pl. 6. F. 2. 

Body elongate, cordate, with a deep anterior grove and notch; coveredabove with minute hair-like spines, with scattered very elongated tubularminutely striated spines on the sides; the anterior groves andcircumference of the vent with larger equal hair-like spines on eachside; the under surface with a triangular disk of similar spines beneaththe vent, and with elongated larger tubular spines. 

Inhab. Western Australia. 

Having only a single specimen completely covered with spines, it isimpossible to describe the form of the ambulacra or the disposition ofthe tubercles. The lower figures represent the mouth and vent of theanimal in detail. 

* * * * *

DESCRIPTION OF SOME NEW AUSTRALIAN LEPIDOPTEROUS INSECTSBY EDWARD DOUBLEDAY, ESQ. , F. L. S. , etc. 

THYRIDOPTERYX NIGRESCENS, pl. 5. F. 1. 

Head densely clothed with long whitish hairs; thorax and abdomen withblack hairs; wings hyaline, the nervures and nervules brown, with a fewblack scales: base of the anterior and abdominal fold of the posteriormore or less covered with black hairs; antennae and legs fuscous brown. 

Exp. 10--12 lines. 

The larva of this species forms a dwelling for itself, similar in formand structure to that of its American congener, the EPHEMERAEFORMIS, Steph. 

CALLIMORPHA SELENAEA, pl. 5. F. 2. 

Wings of a brilliant silvery white; the anterior traversed by a fulvousband commencing at the base on the costa, which it follows for aboutone-third of its length, then crossing the wings directly to the analangle, where it unites with a vitta of the same colour, extending fromthe angle nearly to the base along the inner margin; this vitta isbordered interiorly with thickly placed black dots; the transverseportion of the fulvous band is bordered on both sides with black, and hasa sinus about the middle; cilia fulvous; posterior wing with a black spotnear the outer angle: below, the wings are white, except the cilia of theanterior, and a large blotch, red anteriorly, black posteriorly, near theouter angle; head rufous; antennae fuscous; thorax and abdomen white, theformer with the shoulders rufous. 

Exp. 2 1/2 inches. 

CHELONIA PALLIDA, pl. 5. F. 3. 

Anterior wings pale brown, with white nervures and nervules, and markedwith several whitish spots, of which four are on the costa, twolongitudinal before, two transverse beyond the middle of the wing, and onthe inner margin are three irregular patches, sometimes confluent, beyondwhich is a band parallel with the outer margin, commencing above theupper median nervule, and terminating on the inner margin; posteriorwings white, with a discoidal spot, a macular band near the outer margin, and a less distinct marginal one, all brownish; head white; thorax white, with three black vittae; abdomen above rufous, with six transverse blackspots, the sides varied with black and white; antennae black; femora red;tibiae and tarsi black. 

Exp. 2 1/4 inches. 

CHELONIA FUSCINULA, pl. 5. F. 4. 

Anterior wings fuscous, with a pale vitta commencing near the base on thesubcostal nervure, reaching the costa before the middle, and extendingalong it to the apex, where it joins a flexuous submarginal band, connected with a vitta occupying the whole inner margin; beyond the cellis an abbreviated flexuous striga; followed by a subquadrate dot;posterior wings pale dull red, with a broad submarginal fuscous band, anda discoidal spot of the same colour; head and anterior part of thoraxpale, posterior black; abdomen above red, with a black dorsal line;antennae fuscous; femora red; tibiae and tarsi fuscous. 

Exp. 1 1/4 inch. 

ACONTIA? PULCHRA, pl. 5. F. 5. 

Wings of a somewhat chalky white, the anterior with three rufous dots onthe costa before the middle, of which the third is the largest, and nearthe apex a large brown spot, fulvous towards the costa, clouded withbluish white, connected with the inner margin by four indistinct yellowdots; forehead red; head, thorax, and abdomen, white; palpi red at theapex; feet white first and second pairs spotted with red. 

Exp. 2 inches. 

* * * * *

LIST OF BIRDS, KNOWN TO INHABIT SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, BY JOHN GOULD, ESQ. F. R. S. 

 ORDER RAPTORES. 

Aquila fucosa, CUV. Ichthyiaetus leucogaster, GOULD. Pandion leucocephalus, GOULD. Haliastur sphenurus. Falco melanogenys, GOULD. ----- sub-niger, G. R. GRAY. ----- frontatus, GOULD. Ieracidea Occidentalis, GOULD. --------- Berigora. Tinnunculus Cencroides. Astur approximans, VIG. And HORSF. ----- Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. And HORSF. ?Accipiter torquatus, VIG. And HORSF. Buteo melanosternon, GOULD. Milvus isurus, GOULD. ------ affinis, GOULD. Elanus axillaris. ------ scripta, GOULD. Circus assimilis, JARD. ------ Jardinii, GOULD. Strix personata, VIG. ----- delicatulis, GOULD. Athene connivens. ------ Boobook

 ORDER INSESSORES. 

Hirundo neoxena, GOULD. Cotyle pyrrhonota. Acanthylis caudacuta. Eurostopodus guttatus. Podargus humeralis, VIG. And HORSF. Aegotheles Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. And HORSF. ?Merops ornatus, LATH. Dacelo gigas, BODD. Halcyon sanctus, VIG. And HORSF. ------- pyrrhopygia, GOULD. Alcyone azurea. Falcunculus frontatus, VIG. And HORSF. Oreoica gutturalis. Xerophila leucopsis, GOULD. Colluricincla cinerea, VIG. And HORSF. ?Pachycephala gutturalis, VIG. And HORSF. ------------ inornata, GOULD. ?------------ pectoralis, VIG. And HORSF. ------------ rufogularis, GOULD. Artamus sordidus. ------- personatus, GOULD. Cracticus destructor, TEMM. Gymnorhina leuconota, GOULD. Grallina melanoleuca, VIEILL. Strepera ----------?Campephaga humeralis, GOULD. ?Graucalus melanops, VIG. And HORSF. Cinclosoma punctatum, VIG. And HORSF. ---------- castanotus, GOULD. Malurus cyaneus, VIEILL. ------- melanotus, GOULD. ------- leucopterus, QUOY AND GAIM. ------- Lamberti, VIG. And HORSF. Stipiturus malachurus, LESS. Cysticola exilis?Hylacola pyrrhopygia. -------- cauta, GOULD. Acanthiza pusilla, VIG. And HORSF. --------- uropygialis, GOULD. --------- inornata, GOULD. --------- lineata, GOULD. --------- chrysorrhoea. Epthianura aurifrons, GOULD. ---------- tricolor, GOULD. Sericornis frontalis. Pyrrholaemus brunneus, GOULD. Calamanthus campestris. Anthus pallescens, VIG. And HORSF. Cincloramphus cantillans, GOULD. Petroica multicolor, SWAINS. -------- phoenicea, GOULD. -------- Goodenovii, JARD. AND SELB. -------- rosea, GOULD. -------- bicolor, SWAINS. Drymodes brunneopygia, GOULD. Zosterops dorsalis, VIG. And HORSF. Pardalotus punctatus, TEMM. ---------- striatus, TEMM. Dicaeum hirundinaceumEstrelda bella. -------- temporalis. Amadina Lathami. ------- castanotus, GOULD. Rhipidura albiscapa, GOULD. --------- Motacilloides. Seisura volitans, VIG. And HORSF. Microeca macroptera, GOULD. Smicrornis brevirostris, GOULD. Corvus Coronoides, VIG. And HORSF. Chlamydera maculata, GOULD. Corcorax leucopterus, LESS. Pomatorhinus trivirgatus, Temm. ------------ temporalis, VIG. And HORSF. Cacatua galerita, Vieill. ------- Leadbeateri. Licmetis nasicus, Wagl. Calyptorhynchus Banksii, VIG. And HORSF. --------------- Leachii--------------- xanthonotus, GOULD. Polytelis melanura. Platycercus Baueri, VIG. And HORSF. ----------- Barnardi, VIG. And HORSF. ----------- Adelaidiae, GOULD. ----------- flaveolus, GOULD. Psephotus multicolor. --------- haematonotus, GOULD. Melopsittacus undulatus. Euphema aurantia, GOULD. ------- elegans, GOULD. Pezoporus formosus. Trichoglossus Swainsonii, JARD. And SELB. Trichoglossus concinnus, VIG. And HORSF. ------------- pusillus, VIG. And HORSF. ------------- porphyrocephalus. Climacteris scandens, TEMM. ----------- picumnus, TEMM. Sittella melanocephala, GOULD. Cuculus inornatus, VIG. And HORSF. ------- cineraceus, VIG. And HORSF. Chalcites lucidus, VIG. And HORSF. Meliphaga Novae-Hollandiae, VIG. And HORSF. --------- Australasiana, VIG. And HORSF. Glyciphila fulvifrons, SWAINS. ---------- albifrons, GOULD. ---------- ocularis, GOULD. Ptilotis sonora, GOULD. -------- cratitia, GOULD. -------- ornata, GOULD. -------- penicillata, GOULD. Zanthomyza Phrygia, SWAINS. Melicophila picata, GOULD. Acanthogenys rufogularis, GOULD. Anthochaera carunculata, VIG. And HORSF. ----------- mellivora, VIG. And HORSF. Acanthorynchus tenuirostris. Melithreptus gularis, GOULD. ------------ lunulata, VIEILL. Myzantha garrula, VIG. And HORSF. 

ORDER RASORES. 

Phaps chalcoptera. ----- elegans. Ocyphaps Lophotes. Geopelia cuneata. Dromeceius Novae-Hollandiae, VIEILL. Otis Australasianus, GOULD. OEdicnemus longipes, VIEILL. Haematopus fuliginosus, GOULD. ---------- longirostris, VIEILL. Eudromias Australis, GOULD. Lobivanellus lobatus. Sarciophorus pectoralis. Charadrius Virginianus?Hiaticula monacha. --------- nigrifrons. --------- ruficapilla. Erythrogonys cinctus, GOULD. Leipoa ocellata, GOULD. Pedionomus torquatus, GOULD. Turnix varius. ------ velox, GOULD. Coturnix pectoralis, GOULD. Synoicus Australis. -------- Sinensis. 

ORDER GRALLATORES. 

Grus Antigone?Platalea regia, GOULD. -------- flavipes, GOULD. Ardea cinerea?----- pacifica, LATH. ----- Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. Nycticorax Caledonicus, LESS. Botaurus Australis, GOULD. Ibis Falcinellus, LINN. Numenius Australasianus. Numenius uropygialis, GOULD. Recurvirostra rubricollis, TEMM. Chladorhynchus pectoralis. Himantopus leucocephalus, GOULD. Limosa ----------?Glottis Glottoides. Pelidna ----------? like P. MINUTA. Scolopax Australis, LATH. Rhynchaea Australis, GOULD. Porphyrio melanotus, TEMM. Tribonyx ventralis, GOULD. Gallinula immaculata. Rallus Philipensis? LINN. 

ORDER NATATORES. 

Cygnus atratus. Anseranas melanoleuca. Leptotarsis Eytoni, GOULD. Cereopsis Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. Casarka Tadornoides. Biziura lobata, SHAW. Bernicla jubata. Anas Novae-Hollandiae, LATH. ---- naevosa, GOULD. ---- castanea. Nyroca Australis, Eyton. Rhynchapsis Rhynchotis, STEPH. Malacorhynchus membranaceus, SWAINS. Podiceps Australis, GOULD. -------- poliocephalus, JARD. And SELB. -------- gularis, GOULD. Phalacrocorax pica. ------------- leucogaster, GOULD. Phalacrocorax sulcirostris. ------------- melanoleucus. Plotus Le Vaillantii?Pelecanus spectabilis, TEMM. Sula Australis, GOULD. Spheniscus minor. Lestris catarrhactes. Laras leucomelas. Xema Jamesonii, WILS. Sterna poliocerca, GOULD. ------ velox, GOULD. Sternella nereis, GOULD. Hydrochelidon fluviatilis. Diomedea exulans, LINN. -------- cauta, GOULD. -------- melanophrys, TEMM. -------- chlororhyncha, LATH. -------- fuliginosa. Procellaria gigantea, GMEL. ----------- perspicillata, GOULD. ----------- hasitata, FORST. ----------- leucocephala. ----------- Solandri, GOULD. Daption Capensis, STEPH. Prion vittata, CUV. ----- Banksii. ----- Turtur. ----- Ariel, GOULD. Puffinus brevicaudus, GOULD. Puffinuria urinatrix, LESS. Thalassidroma Wilsoni. ------------- nereis, GOULD. ------------- melanogaster, GOULD. 

The preceding list comprises the birds inhabiting the settled districtsof South Australia: viz. The Murray, from the great bend to the sea, thefertile districts sixty miles northward and southward of Adelaide, Kangaroo Island, Port Lincoln, etc. When the remote parts of the colonyhave been explored, it will doubtless become necessary to add to it manyother species common to New South Wales and Western Australia. --J. G. 

VOLUME II

JOURNAL OF EXPEDITIONS IN CENTRAL AND SOUTHERN AUSTRALIA, IN 1840-1. 

Chapter I. 

THE CAMP PLUNDERED--NIGHT OF HORRORS--PROCEED ON TO THE WESTWARD--THEBOYS FOLLOW US--THEY ARE LEFT BEHIND--FORCED MARCHES--DESERTCOUNTRY--BANKSIAS MET WITH--TRACES OF NATIVES--TERMINATION OF THECLIFFS--FIND WATER. 

Glancing hastily around the camp I found it deserted by the two youngernative boys, whilst the scattered fragments of our baggage, which I leftcarefully piled under the oilskin, lay thrown about in wild disorder, andat once revealed the cause of the harrowing scene before me. 

Upon raising the body of my faithful, but illfated follower, I found thathe was beyond all human aid; he had been shot through the left breastwith a ball, the last convulsions of death were upon him, and he expiredalmost immediately after our arrival. The frightful, the appalling truthnow burst upon me, that I was alone in the desert. He who had faithfullyserved me for many years, who had followed my fortunes in adversity andin prosperity, who had accompanied me in all my wanderings, and whoseattachment to me had been his sole inducement to remain with me in thislast, and to him alas, fatal journey, was now no more. For an instant, Iwas almost tempted to wish that it had been my own fate instead of his. The horrors of my situation glared upon me in such startling reality, asfor an instant almost to paralyse the mind. At the dead hour of night, inthe wildest and most inhospitable wastes of Australia, with the fiercewind raging in unison with the scene of violence before me, I was left, with a single native, whose fidelity I could not rely upon, and who foraught I knew might be in league with the other two, who perhaps were evennow, lurking about with the view of taking away my life as they had donethat of the overseer. Three days had passed away since we left the lastwater, and it was very doubtful when we might find any more. Six hundredmiles of country had to be traversed, before I could hope to obtain theslightest aid or assistance of any kind, whilst I knew not that a singledrop of water or an ounce of flour had been left by these murderers, froma stock that had previously been so small. 

With such thoughts rapidly passing through my mind, I turned to searchfor my double-barelled gun, which I had left covered with an oilskin atthe head of my own break wind. It was gone, as was also thedouble-barelled gun that had belonged to the overseer. These were theonly weapons at the time that were in serviceable condition, for thoughthere were a brace of pistols they had been packed away, as there were nocartridges for them, and my rifle was useless, from having a ballsticking fast in the breech, and which we had in vain endeavoured toextract. A few days' previous to our leaving the last water, the overseerhad attempted to wash out the rifle not knowing it was loaded, and theconsequence was, that the powder became wetted and partly washed away, sothat we could neither fire it off, nor get out the ball; I was, therefore, temporarily defenceless, and quite at the mercy of thenatives, had they at this time come upon me. Having hastily ripped openthe bag in which the pistols had been sewn up, I got them out, togetherwith my powder flask, and a bag containing a little shot and some largeballs. The rifle I found where it had been left, but the ramrod had beentaken out by the boys to load my double-barelled gun with, its own ramrodbeing too short for that purpose; I found it, however, together withseveral loose cartridges, lying about near the place where the boys hadslept, so that it was evident they had deliberately loaded the fire-armsbefore they tried to move away with the things they had stolen; onebarrel only of my gun had been previously loaded, and I believe neitherbarrels in that of the overseer. 

After obtaining possession of all the remaining arms, useless as theywere at the moment, with some ammunition, I made no further examinationthen, but hurried away from the fearful scene, accompanied by the KingGeorge's Sound native, to search for the horses, knowing that if they gotaway now, no chance whatever would remain of saving our lives. Alreadythe wretched animals had wandered to a considerable distance; andalthough the night was moonlight, yet the belts of scrub, intersectingthe plains, were so numerous and dense, that for a long time we could notfind them; having succeeded in doing so at last, Wylie and I remainedwith them, watching them during the remainder of the night; but they werevery restless, and gave us a great deal of trouble. With an aching heart, and in most painful reflections, I passed this dreadful night. Everymoment appeared to be protracted to an hour, and it seemed as if thedaylight would never appear. About midnight the wind ceased, and theweather became bitterly cold and frosty. I had nothing on but a shirt anda pair of trowsers, and suffered most acutely from the cold; to mentalanguish was now added intense bodily pain. Suffering and distress hadwell nigh overwhelmed me, and life seemed hardly worth the effortnecessary to prolong it. Ages can never efface the horrors of this singlenight, nor would the wealth of the world ever tempt me to go throughsimilar ones again. 

April 30. --At last, by God's blessing, daylight dawned once more, but sadand heart-rending was the scene it presented to my view, upon driving thehorses to what had been our last night's camp. The corpse of my poorcompanion lay extended on the ground, with the eyes open, but cold andglazed in death. The same stern resolution, and fearless open look, whichhad characterized him when living, stamped the expression of hiscountenance even now. He had fallen upon his breast four or five yardsfrom where he had been sleeping, and was dressed only in his shirt. Inall probability, the noise made by the natives, in plundering the camp, had awoke him; and upon his jumping up, with a view of stopping them, they had fired upon and killed him. 

Around the camp lay scattered the harness of the horses, and the remainsof the stores that had been the temptation to this fatal deed. 

As soon as the horses were caught, and secured, I left Wylie to make afire, whilst I proceeded to examine into the state of our baggage, that Imight decide upon our future proceedings. Among the principal thingscarried off by the natives, were, the whole of our baked bread, amountingto twenty pounds weight, some mutton, tea and sugar, the overseer'stobacco and pipes, a one gallon keg full of water, some clothes, twodouble-barrelled guns, some ammunition, and a few other small articles. 

There were still left forty pounds of flour, a little tea and sugar, andfour gallons of water, besides the arms and ammunition I had secured lastnight. 

From the state of our horses, and the dreadful circumstances we wereplaced in, I was now obliged to abandon every thing but the barenecessaries of life. The few books and instruments I had still left, withmany of the specimens I had collected, a saddle, and some other things, were thrown aside to lighten somewhat more the trifling loads our animalshad to carry. A little bread was then baked, and I endeavoured once moreto put the rifle in serviceable condition, as it was the only weapon weshould have to depend upon in any dangers that might beset us. Unable inany way to take out the breech, or to extract the ball, I determined tomelt it out, and for that purpose took the barrel off the stock, and putthe breech in the fire, holding the muzzle in my hand. Whilst thusengaged, the rifle went off, the ball whizzing close past my head; thefire, it seems, had dried the powder, which had been wetted, not washedout; and when the barrel was sufficiently heated, the piece had gone off, to the imminent danger of my life, from the incautious way in which Iheld it. The gun, however, was again serviceable; and after carefullyloading it, I felt a degree of confidence and security I had before beena stranger to. 

At eight o'clock we were ready to proceed; there remained but to performthe last sad offices of humanity towards him, whose career had been cutshort in so untimely a manner. This duty was rendered even more thanordinarily painful, by the nature of the country, where we happened tohave been encamped. One vast unbroken surface of sheet rock extended formiles in every direction, and rendered it impossible to make a grave. Wewere some miles away from the sea-shore, and even had we been nearer, could not have got down the cliffs to bury the corpse in the sand. Icould only, therefore, wrap a blanket around the body of the overseer, and leaving it enshrouded where he fell, escape from the melancholyscene, accompanied by Wylie, under the influence of feelings whichneither time nor circumstances will ever obliterate. Though years havenow passed away since the enactment of this tragedy, the dreadful horrorsof that time and scene, are recalled before me with frightful vividness, and make me shudder even now, when I think of them. A life time wascrowded into those few short hours, and death alone may blot out theimpressions they produced. 

For some time we travelled slowly and silently onwards. Wylie preceding, leading one of the horses, myself following behind and driving the othersafter him, through a country consisting still of the same alternations ofscrub and open intervals as before. The day became very warm, and ateleven, after travelling ten miles to the west, I determined to haltuntil the cool of the evening. After baking some bread and getting ourdinners, I questioned Wylie as to what he knew of the sad occurrence ofyesterday. He positively denied all knowledge of it--said he had beenasleep, and was awoke by the report of the gun, and that upon seeing theoverseer lying on the ground he ran off to meet me. He admitted, however, that, after the unsuccessful attempt to leave us, and proceed alone toKing George's Sound, the elder of the other two natives had proposed tohim again to quit the party, and try to go back to Fowler's Bay, to theprovisions buried there. But he had heard or knew nothing, he said, ofeither robbery or murder being first contemplated. 

My own impression was, that Wylie had agreed with the other two to robthe camp and leave us;--that he had been cognisant of all theirproceedings and preparations, but that when, upon the eve of theirdeparture, the overseer had unexpectedly awoke and been murdered, he wasshocked and frightened at the deed, and instead of accompanying them, hadrun down to meet me. My opinion upon this point received additionalconfirmation from the subsequent events of this day; but I never couldget Wylie to admit even the slightest knowledge of the fatal occurrence, or that he had even intended to have united with them in plundering thecamp and deserting. He had now become truly alarmed; and independently ofthe fear of the consequences which would attach to the crime, should weever reach a civilized community again, he had become very apprehensivethat the other natives, who belonged to quite a different part ofAustralia to himself, and who spoke a totally different language, wouldmurder him as unhesitatingly as they had done the white man. 

We remained in camp until four o'clock, and were again preparing toadvance, when my attention was called by Wylie to two white objects amongthe scrub, at no great distance from us, and I at once recognized thenative boys, covered with their blankets only, and advancing towards us. From Wylie's account of their proposal to go back towards Fowler's Bay, Ifully hoped that they had taken that direction, and left us to pursue ourway to the Sound unmolested. I was therefore surprised, and somewhatalarmed, at finding them so near us. With my rifle and pistols I feltmyself sufficiently a match for them in an open country, or by daylight. Yet I knew that as long as they followed like bloodhounds on our tracksour lives would be in their power at any moment that they chose to takethem, whilst we were passing through a scrubby country, or by night. Whatever their intention might be, I knew, that if we travelled in thesame direction with them, our lives could only be safe by theirdestruction. Although they had taken fully one-third of the whole stockof our provisions, their appetites were so ravenous, and their habits soimprovident, that this would soon be consumed, and then they must eitherstarve or plunder us; for they had already tried to subsist themselves inthe bush, and had failed. 

As these impressions rapidly passed through my mind, there appeared to mebut one resource left, to save my own life and that of the native withme: that was, to shoot the elder of the two. Painful as this would be, Isaw no other alternative, if they still persisted in following us. Afterpacking up our few things, and putting them upon the horses, I gave thebridles to Wylie to hold, whilst I advanced alone with my rifle towardsthe two natives. They were now tolerably near, each carrying adouble-barrelled gun, which was pointed towards me, elevated across theleft arm and held by the right hand. As I attempted to approach nearerthey gradually retreated. 

Finding that I was not likely to gain ground upon them in this way, Ithrew down my weapons, and advanced unarmed, hoping that if they let menear them I might suddenly close with the eldest and wrest his gun fromhim. After advancing about sixty or seventy yards towards them, I foundthat they again began to retreat, evidently determined not to let meapproach any nearer, either armed or unarmed. Upon this I halted, andendeavoured to enter into parley with them, with a view to persuadingthem to return towards Fowler's Bay, and thus obviate the painfulnecessity I should have been under of endeavouring, for my own security, to take away the life of the eldest whenever I met with him, should theystill persist in going the same road as myself. The distance we wereapart was almost too great for parley, and I know not whether they heardme or not; though they halted, and appeared to listen, they did not replyto what I said, and plainly wished to avoid all closer contact. They nowbegan to call incessantly to Wylie, and in answer to my repeated effortsto get them to speak to me, only would say, "Oh massa, we don't want you, we want Wylie. " Thus fully confirming me in the opinion I had formed, that Wylie had agreed to go with them before the deed of violence wascommitted. It was now apparent to me that their only present object infollowing us had been to look for Wylie, and get him to join them. Inthis they were unsuccessful; for he still remained quietly where I lefthim holding the horses, and evidently afraid to go near them. There wasno use wasting further time, as I could not get them to listen to me. Thesun, too, was fast sinking in the horizon, we had been four days withoutfinding water, and the probability was we had very far still to go beforewe could hope to procure any; every moment, therefore, was precious. 

Having returned to Wylie, I made him lead one of the horses in advance, and I followed behind, driving the rest after him, according to thesystem of march I had adopted in the morning. As soon as the two nativessaw us moving on, and found Wylie did not join them, they set up a wildand plaintive cry, still following along the brush parallel to our lineof route, and never ceasing in their importunities to Wylie, until thedenseness of the scrub, and the closing in of night, concealed us fromeach other. 

I was now resolved to make the most of the opportunity afforded me, andby travelling steadily onwards, to gain so much distance in advance ofthe two natives as to preclude the possibility of their again overtakingus until we had reached the water, if indeed we were ever destined toreach water again. I knew that they would never travel more than a fewmiles before lying down, especially if carrying all the bread they hadtaken, the keg of water, guns, and other articles. We had, however, seennone of these things with them, except the fire-arms. 

Our road was over scrubby and stony undulations, with patches of drygrass here and there; in other parts, we passed over a very sandy soil ofa red colour, and overrun by immense tufts of prickly grass (spinifex), many of which were three and four yards in diameter. After pushing on foreighteen miles, I felt satisfied we had left the natives far behind, andfinding a patch of grass for the horses, halted for the remainder of thenight. It was quite impossible, after all we had gone through, to thinkof watching the horses, and my only means of preventing from themstraying, was to close the chains of their hobbles so tight, that theycould not go far; having thus secured them, we lay down, and for a fewhours enjoyed uninterrupted and refreshing sleep. 

Moving on again on the 1st of May, as the sun was above the horizon, wepassed through a continuation of the same kind of country, for sixteenmiles, and then halted for a few hours during the heat of the day. We hadpassed many recent traces of natives both yesterday and to-day, whoappeared to be travelling to the westward. After dividing a pot of teabetween us, we again pushed on for twelve miles, completing a stage oftwenty-eight miles, and halting, with a little dry grass for the horses. 

It was impossible they could endure this much longer, they had alreadybeen five days without water, and I did not expect to meet with any fortwo days more, a period which I did not think they could survive. As yetno very great change had taken place in the country; it was still scrubbyand rocky, but the surface stone now consisted of a cream-colouredlimestone of a fine compact character, and full of shells. The cliffs, parallel with which we were travelling, were still of about the sameheight, appearance, and formation as before, whilst the inland countryincreased in elevation, forming scrubby ridges to the back, with a fewopen grassy patches here and there. One circumstance in our route to-daycheered me greatly, and led me shortly to expect some important anddecisive change in the character and formation of the country. It was theappearance for the first time of the Banksia, a shrub which I had neverbefore found to the westward of Spencer's Gulf, but which I knew toabound in the vicinity of King George's Sound, and that description ofcountry generally. Those only who have looked out with the eagerness andanxiety of a person in my situation, to note any change in the vegetationor physical appearance of a country, can appreciate the degree ofsatisfaction with which I recognised and welcomed the first appearance ofthe Banksia. Isolated as it was amidst the scrub, and insignificant asthe stunted specimens were that I first met with, they led to aninference that I could not be mistaken in, and added, in a tenfolddegree, to the interest and expectation with which every mile of ourroute had now become invested. During the day the weather had been againcloudy, with the appearance of rain; but the night turned out cold andfrosty, and both I and the native suffered extremely. We had little toprotect us from the severity of the season, never being able to procurefirewood of a description that would keep burning long at once, so thatbetween cold and fatigue, we were rarely able to get more than a fewmoments rest at a time; and were always glad when daylight dawned tocheer us, although it only aroused us to the renewal of our unceasingtoil. 

May 2. --We again moved away at dawn, through a country which graduallybecome more scrubby, hilly, and sandy. The horses crawled on fortwenty-one miles, when I halted for an hour to rest, and to have a littletea from our now scanty stock of water. The change which I had noticedyesterday in the vegetation of the country, was greater and more cheeringevery mile we went, although as yet the country itself was as desolateand inhospitable as ever. The smaller Banksias now abounded, whilst theBanksia grandis, and many other shrubs common at King George's Sound, were frequently met with. The natives, whose tracks we had so frequentlymet with, taking the same course as ourselves to the westward, seemed nowto be behind us; during the morning we had passed many freshly lit fires, but the people themselves remained concealed; we had now lost all tracesof them, and the country seemed untrodden and untenanted. In the courseof our journey this morning, we met with many holes in the sheets oflimestone, which occasionally coated the surface of the ground; in theseholes the natives appeared to procure an abundance of water after rains, but it was so long since any had fallen, that all were dry and empty now. In one deep hole only, did we find the least trace of moisture; this hadat the bottom of it, perhaps a couple of wine glasses full of mud andwater, and was most carefully blocked up from the birds with huge stones:it had evidently been visited by natives, not an hour before we arrivedat it, but I suspect they were as much disappointed as we were, uponrolling away all the stones to find nothing in it. 

After our scanty meal, we again moved onwards, but the road became soscrubby and rocky, or so sandy and hilly, that we could make no progressat all by night, and at eight miles from where we dined, we werecompelled to halt, after a day's journey of twenty-nine miles; butwithout a blade even of withered grass for our horses, which was the moregrievous, because for the first time since we left the last water, a veryheavy dew fell, and would have enabled them to feed a little, had therebeen grass. We had now traversed 138 miles of country from the lastwater, and according to my estimate of the distance we had to go, oughtto be within a few miles of the termination of the cliffs of the GreatBight. 

May 3. --The seventh day's dawn found us early commencing our journey. Thepoor horses still crawled on, though slowly. I was surprised that theywere still alive, after the continued sufferings and privations they hadbeen subject to. As for ourselves, we were both getting very weak andworn out, as well as lame, and it was with the greatest difficulty Icould get Wylie to move, if he once sat down. I had myself the same kindof apathetic feeling, and would gladly have laid down and slept for ever. Nothing but a strong sense of duty prevented me from giving way to thispleasing but fatal indulgence. 

The road to-day became worse than ever, being one continued succession ofsandy, scrubby and rocky ridges, and hollows formed on the top of thecliffs along which our course lay. After travelling two and a half miles, however, we were cheered and encouraged by the sight of sandy hills, anda low coast stretching beyond the cliffs to the south-west, though theywere still some distance from us. At ten miles from where we had slept, anative road led us down a very steep part of the cliffs, and we descendedto the beach. The wretched horses could scarcely move, it was with thegreatest difficulty we got them down the hill, and now, although withinsight of our goal, I feared two of them would never reach it. Byperseverance we still got them slowly along, for two miles from the baseof the cliffs, and then turning in among the sand-drifts, to our greatjoy and relief, found a place where the natives had dug for water; thusat twelve o'clock on the seventh day since leaving the last depot, wewere again encamped at water, after having crossed 150 miles of a rocky, barren, and scrubby table land. 

Chapter II. 

REFLECTIONS UPON SITUATION--WATCH FOR THE ARRIVAL OF THE NATIVEBOYS--THEIR PROBABLE FATE--PROCEED ON THE JOURNEY--FACILITY OF OBTAININGWATER--KILL A HORSE FOR FOOD--SILVER-BARK TEA-TREE--INTENSE COLD--FIRSTHILLS SEEN--GOOD GRASS--APPETITE OF A NATIVE--INJURIOUS EFFECTS OFUNWHOLESOME DIET--CHANGE IN THE CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY--GRANITE FORMSTHE LOW WATER LEVEL--TREE WASHED ON SHORE--INDISPOSITION. 

Having at last got fairly beyond all the cliffs bounding the Great Bight, I fully trusted that we had now overcome the greatest difficulties of theundertaking, and confidently hoped that there would be no more of thosefearful long journeys through the desert without water, but that thecharacter of the country would be changed, and so far improved as toenable us to procure it, once at least every thirty or forty miles, ifnot more frequently. 

Relieved from the pressure of immediate toil, and from the anxiety andsuspense I had been in on the subject of water, my mind wandered to thegap created in my little party since we had last been at water; more thanever, almost, did I feel the loss of my overseer, now that the last andmost difficult of our forced marches had been successfully accomplished, and that there was every hope of our progress for the future, being bothless difficult and more expeditious. How delighted he would have been hadhe been with us to participate in the successful termination of a stage, which he had ever dreaded more than any other during the whole of ourjourney, and with what confidence and cheerfulness he would have gone onfor the future. Out of five two only were now present; our little bandhad been severed never to be reunited; and I could not but blame myselffor yielding to the overseer's solicitation to halt on the evening of the29th April, instead of travelling on all night as I had originallyintended: had I adhered to my own judgment all might yet have been well. Vain and bootless, however, now were all regrets for the irrecoverablepast; but the present was so fraught with circumstances calculated torecal and to make me feel more bitterly the loss I had sustained, thatpainful as the subject was, the mind could not help reverting to anddwelling upon it. 

Having given each of the horses a bucket of water, Wylie watched themwhilst I cooked our dinner and made some tea, after getting which weagain gave the horses another bucket of water a-piece, hobbled them outfor the night, and then lay down ourselves, feeling perfectly secure frombeing overtaken by the native boys. We were obliged to place ourselvesclose to the hole of water to keep the horses from getting into it, asthey were thirsty and restless, and kept walking round the well nearlythe whole night, and feeding very little. We ourselves, too, althoughdreadfully tired and weak, were so cold and restless, that we slept butlittle. I had also a large swelling on two of the joints of the secondfinger of the right hand, which gave me very great pain. 

May 4. --After an early breakfast we gave the horses as much water as theychose to drink, and removing their hobbles gave them full liberty torange where they liked. I then left Wylie to continue his slumbers, andtaking my rifle, walked about three miles among the sand-drifts to searchfor grass, but could find none, except the coarse vegetation that grewamongst the sand-drifts. I found two other places where the natives gotwater by digging, and have no doubt that it may be procured almostanywhere in these drifts, which extend for some miles, along the coast. Some black cockatoos made their appearance near the sand-hills, indicating, in connection with the change I had noticed in thevegetation, that we were now about entering a different and lessdifficult country than any we had yet traversed. These birds I knew neverinhabited that description of country we had been so long travellingthrough. We had not seen one before, during our whole journey, and poorWylie was quite delighted at the idea of our vicinity to a better region. 

During the day a strict look out was kept for the other two natives, andat night, after watering the horses and concealing the saddles, we tookour provisions and arms up among the sand-hills, and slept there at somedistance from the water: that if they travelled onwards by moon-light, they might not come upon us unawares whilst sleeping. If they hadcontinued their route to the westward, they would, I knew, both have asevere task to reach the water, and be unable to go to it without ourknowledge; the youngest boy I did not think would prove equal to soarduous a task, but the elder one I thought might, if his courage andperseverance did not fail him in travelling so far, without anyindications to lead him to hope for final success, save the fact of ourhaving gone on before. Upon the whole, however, I thought it more thanprobable that on finding they could not get Wylie to join them, and thatthey could not keep pace with us, they would turn back, and endeavour toput in practice their original intention of trying to reach Fowler's Bay. Still it was necessary to be cautious and vigilant. A few days at mostwould decide whether they were advancing this way or not, and untilsatisfied upon this point, I determined to take every precaution in mypower to guard against a surprise. My hand was dreadfully painful atnight, and quite deprived me of all rest. 

May 5. --Up before day-break, and moved down to the water to breakfast, then examined carefully round the wells, and between the sand-drifts andthe sea, to see if any foot-prints had been made during the night, butnone had. There were many pigeons about, and as I had still someammunition left, I felt the loss of my gun severely. During the morning avery large eagle came and settled near us, and I sent Wylie with therifle to try to shoot it; he crept within a very few yards of it, andbeing a good shot, I felt sure of a hearty meal, but unfortunately therifle missed fire, having got damp during the heavy fall of dew a fewevenings before. We lost our dinner, but I received a useful lesson onthe necessity of taking better care of the only gun I had left, and beingalways certain that it was in a fit and serviceable state; I immediatelyset to work, cleaned and oiled it, and in the afternoon made someoil-skin covers for the lock and muzzle to keep the damp from it atnights. For the last day or two I had been far from well, whilst myinflamed hand, which was daily getting worse, caused me most excruciatingpain, and quite destroyed my rest at nights. In the evening we againretired among the sand-hills to sleep. 

May 6. --After breakfast we carefully examined the sand-drifts and thesea-shore, to see if the two boys had passed, but there were no traces ofthem to be found, and I now felt that we were secure from all furtherinterruption from them. Three days we had been in camp at the water, making altogether a period of six since we last saw them. Had theycontinued their course to the westward, they must have arrived longbefore this, and I now felt satisfied that they had turned back toFowler's Bay for the sake of the provisions buried there, or else theyhad fallen in with the natives, whose traces we had so repeatedly seen, and either joined them, or been killed by them. 

It was now apparent to me beyond all doubt, that in following us on the30th of April, so far out of the direction they ought to have taken ifthey intended to go to the eastward, their only object had been to getWylie to accompany them. As he was the eldest of the three, and a strongfull grown man, they would have found him a protection to them from hissuperior age, strength and skill. As it was they had but little chance ofmaking their way safely either to the east or west. At the time I lastsaw them they were sixty-three miles from the nearest water in the formerdirection, and eighty-seven miles from that in the latter. They weretired and exhausted from previous walking, and in this state would haveto carry the guns, the provisions, and other things they had taken. Thiswould necessarily retard their progress, and lengthen out the periodwhich must elapse before they could obtain water in any direction. On thenight of the 29th April they must have had one gallon of water with them, but when we saw them on the 30th, I have no doubt, that with their usualimprovidence, they had consumed the whole, and would thus have to undergothe fatigue of carrying heavy weights, as well as walking for aprotracted period, without any thing to relieve their thirst. Theirdifficulties and distress would gradually but certainly increase uponthem, and they would then, in all likelihood, throw away their guns ortheir provisions, and be left in the desert unarmed, without food orwater, and without skill or energy to direct them successfully to searchfor either. A dreadful and lingering death would in all probabilityterminate the scene, aggravated in all its horrors by the consciousnessthat they had brought it entirely upon themselves. Painfully as I hadfelt the loss of my unfortunate overseer, and shocked as I was at theruthless deed having been committed by these two boys, yet I could nothelp feeling for their sad condition, the miseries and sufferings theywould have to encounter, and the probable fate that awaited them. 

The youngest of the two had been with me for four years, the eldest fortwo years and a half, and both had accompanied me in all my travelsduring these respective periods. Now that the first and strongimpressions naturally resulting from a shock so sudden and violent asthat produced by the occurrences of the 29th April, had yielded, in somemeasure, to calmer reflections, I was able maturely to weigh the whole ofwhat had taken place, and to indulge in some considerations inextenuation of their offence. The two boys knew themselves to be as farfrom King George's Sound, as they had already travelled from Fowler'sBay. They were hungry, thirsty, and tired, and without the prospect ofsatisfying fully their appetites, or obtaining rest for a long period oftime, they probably thought, that bad and inhospitable as had been thecountry we had already traversed, we were daily advancing into one stillmore so, and that we never could succeed in forcing a passage through it;and they might have been strengthened in this belief by the unlucky andincautiously-expressed opinions of the overseer. It was natural enough, under such circumstances, that they should wish to leave the party. Having come to that determination, and knowing from previous experience, that they could not subsist upon what they could procure for themselvesin the bush, they had resolved to take with them a portion of theprovisions we had remaining, and which they might look upon, perhaps, astheir share by right. Nor would Europeans, perhaps, have acted better. Indesperate circumstances men are ever apt to become discontented andimpatient of restraint, each throwing off the discipline and control hehad been subject to before, and each conceiving himself to have a rightto act independently when the question becomes one of life and death. 

Having decided upon leaving the party, and stealing a portion of theprovisions, their object would be to accomplish this as effectually andas safely as they could; and in doing this, they might, without havinghad the slightest intention originally, of injuring either myself or theoverseer, have taken such precautions, and made such previousarrangements as led to the fatal tragedy which occurred. All three of thenatives were well aware, that as long as they were willing to accompanyus, they would share with us whatever we had left; or that, if resolutelybent upon leaving us, no restriction, save that of friendly advice, wouldbe imposed to prevent their doing so; but at the same time they wereaware that we would not have consented to divide our little stock of foodfor the purpose of enabling any one portion of the party to separate fromthe other, but rather that we would forcibly resist any attempts toeffect such a division, either openly or by stealth. They knew that theynever could succeed in their plans openly, and that to do so by stealtheffectually and safely, it would first be necessary to secure all thefire-arms, that they might incur no risk from our being alarmed beforetheir purpose was completed. No opportunity had occurred to bring theirintentions into operation until the evening in question, when the scrubbynature of the country, the wildness of the night, the overseer's soundsleeping, and my own protracted absence, at a distance with the horses, had all conspired to favour them. I have no doubt, that they firstextinguished the fires, and then possessing themselves of the fire-arms, proceeded to plunder the baggage and select such things as they required. In doing this they must have come across the ammunition, and loaded theguns preparatory to their departure, but this might have been without anypremeditated intention of making use of them in the way they did. At thisunhappy juncture it would seem that the overseer must have awoke, andadvanced towards them to see what was the matter, or to put a stop totheir proceedings, when they fired on him, to save themselves from beingcaught in their act of plunder. That either of the two should havecontemplated the committal of a wilful, barbarous, cold-blooded murder, Icannot bring myself to believe--no object was to be attained by it; andthe fact of the overseer having been pierced through the breast, and manyyards in advance of where he had been sleeping, in a direction towardsthe sleeping-place of the natives, clearly indicated that it was notuntil he had arisen from his sleep, and had been closely pressing uponthem, that they had fired the fatal shot. Such appeared to me to be themost plausible and rational explanation of this melancholy affair--Iwould willingly believe it to be the true one. 

Wylie and I moved on in the evening, with the horses for two miles, andagain pitched our camp among the sand-drifts, at a place where thenatives were in the habit of digging wells for water, and where weprocured it at a very moderate depth below the surface. Pigeons were herein great numbers, and Wylie tried several times with the rifle to shootthem, but only killed one, the grooved barrel not being adapted forthrowing shot with effect. 

At midnight we arose and moved onwards, following along the beach. Iintended to have made a long stage, as I no longer had any fears aboutnot finding water; but at nine miles one of the horses knocked up, andcould proceed no farther, I was compelled, therefore, to turn in amongthe sand-drifts, and halt at five in the morning of the 7th. We wereagain fortunate in procuring water by digging only two feet under thesand-hills, which were here very high, and were a continuation of thosein which we had first found water on the 3rd. In the afternoon, I againtried to advance upon our journey, but after proceeding only four miles, the jaded horse was again unable to move further, and there was noalternative but to halt and search for water. This was found among thesand-hills, but we could procure nothing but the coarse grass growingupon the drifts for the animals to eat. 

May 8. --About two hours before daylight, rain began to fall, andcontinued steadily though lightly for three hours, so that enough hadfallen to deposit water in the ledges or holes of the rocks. The day waswild and stormy, and we did not start until late. Even then we could onlyget the tired horse along for three miles, and were again compelled tohalt. Water was still procured, by digging under the sand-hills, but wehad to sink much deeper than we had lately found occasion to do. It wasnow plain, that the tired horse would never be able to keep pace with theothers, and that we must either abandon him, or proceed at a rate tooslow for the present state of our commissariat. Taking all things intoconsideration, it appeared to me that it would be better to kill him atonce for food, and then remain here in camp for a time, living upon theflesh, whilst the other horses were recruiting, after which I hoped wemight again be able to advance more expeditiously. Upon making thisproposal to Wylie, he was quite delighted at the idea, and told meemphatically that he would sit up and eat the whole night. Our decisionarrived at, the sentence was soon executed. The poor animal was shot, andWylie and myself were soon busily employed in skinning him. Leaving me tocontinue this operation, Wylie made a fire close to the carcase, and assoon as he could get at a piece of the flesh he commenced roasting some, and continued alternately, eating, working and cooking. After cutting offabout 100 pounds of the best of the meat, and hanging it in strips uponthe trees until our departure, I handed over to Wylie the residue of thecarcase, feet, entrails, flesh, skeleton, and all, to cook and consume ashe pleased, whilst we were in the neighbourhood. Before dark he had madean oven, and roasted about twenty pounds, to feast upon during the night. The evening set in stormy, and threatened heavy rain, but a few dropsonly fell. The wind then rose very high, and raged fiercely from thesouth-west. At midnight it lulled, and the night became intensely coldand frosty, and both Wylie and myself suffered severely, we could onlyget small sticks for our fire, which burned out in a few minutes, andrequired so frequently renewing, that we were obliged to give it up indespair, and bear the cold in the best way we could. Wylie, during thenight, made a sad and dismal groaning, and complained of being very ill, from pain in his throat, the effect he said of having to work too hard. Idid not find that his indisposition interfered very greatly with hisappetite, for nearly every time I awoke during the night, I found him upand gnawing away at his meat, he was literally fulfilling the promise hehad made me in the evening, "By and bye, you see, Massa, me 'pta' (eat)all night. "

May 9. --The day was cold and cloudy, and we remained in camp to rest thehorses, and diminish the weight of meat, which was greater than ourhorses could well carry in their present state. On getting up the horsesto water them at noon, I was grieved to find the foal of my favouritemare (which died on the 28th March) missing; how we had lost it I couldnot make out, but as its tracks were not any where visible near the camp, it was evident that it had never come there at all. In leaving our lasthalting place my time and attention had been so taken up with getting theweak horse along, that I had left it entirely to Wylie to bring up theothers, and had neglected my usual precaution of counting to see if allwere there before we moved away. The little creature must have been lyingdown behind the sand-hills asleep, when we left, or otherwise it wouldnever have remained behind the others. Being very desirous not to losethis foal, which had now accompanied me so far and got through all theworst difficulties, I saddled the strongest of the horses, and mountingWylie, I set off myself on foot with him to search for it. We had notgone far from the camp, when Wylie wished me to go back, offering to goon by himself; and as I was loth to leave our provisions and ammunitionto the mercy of any native that might chance to go that way, I acceded tohis request, and delivering to him the rifle, returned to the encampment. Wylie had pledged himself to the due execution of this errand, and I hadsome confidence that he would not deceive me. Hour after hour passed awaywithout his return, and I began to be uneasy at his long delay, and halfrepented that I had been so foolish as to trust the rifle in his hands. At last, a little after dark, I was delighted to see him return, followedby the foal, which he had found six miles away and still travellingbackwards in search of the horses. Having given him an extra allowance ofbread as a reward for his good conduct, we took our tea and lay down forthe night. 

During the day, whilst Wylie was absent, I had employed my time incollecting firewood from the back of the sand-hills. In this occupation Iwas pleased to meet with the silver-bark tea-tree, another change in thevegetation, which still further convinced me that we were rapidlyadvancing into a more practicable country. 

May 10. --The morning was spent in washing my clothes, cooking meat, andpreparing to move on in the afternoon. Wylie, who knew that this was hislast opportunity, was busy with the skeleton of the horse, and neverceased eating until we moved on in the afternoon. As we took away with usnearly a hundred pounds of the flesh, the poor horses were heavily ladenfor the condition they were in. The scrubby and swampy nature of thecountry behind the shore compelled us too to keep the beach, where thesands were loose and heavy. Our progress was slow, and at eight miles Ihalted. Here we found a little dry grass not far from the sea, and as thehorses did not require water, they fared tolerably well. This was thefirst grass we had met with since we descended the cliffs on the 3rdinstant. The horses having entirely subsisted since then on the wiryvegetation which binds the sand-drifts together. Although we had water inthe canteens for ourselves, and the horses did not require any, I wascurious to know whether fresh water could be procured where we wereencamped--a long, low and narrow tongue of sandy land, lying between thesea on one side and extensive salt swamps on the other, and in no partelevated more than a few feet above the level of the sea itself. Aftertea I took the spade and commenced digging, and to my great surprise atsix feet I obtained water, which though brackish was very palatable. Thiswas very extraordinary, considering the nature of the position we werein, and that there were not any hills from which the fresh water coulddrain. 

The night was again bitterly cold and frosty, and we suffered severely. Now the winter had set in, and we were sadly unprepared to meet itsinclemency, the cold at nights became so intense as to occasion meagonies of pain; and the poor native was in the same predicament. 

May 11. --Upon moving away this morning, I kept behind the sea shore alongthe borders of the salt swamp, steering for some sand-hills which wereseen a-head of us. A hill was now visible in the distance, a little southof west, rising above the level bank behind the shore, --this was thefirst hill, properly so called, that we had met with for many hundreds ofmiles, and it tended not a little to cheer us and confirm all previousimpressions relative to the change and improvement in the character ofthe country. Our horses were dreadfully fatigued and moved along withdifficulty, and it was as much as we could do to reach the sand-hills wehad seen, though only seven miles away. In our approach to them we passedthrough a fine plain full of grass, and of a much better description thanwe had met with since leaving Fowler's Bay. Not only was it long and inthe greatest abundance, but there were also mixed with the old grass manystalks of new and green, the whole forming a rich and luxurious feast forour horses, such as they had not enjoyed for many a long day. Nearer tothe sand-hills we obtained excellent water by digging, at a depth of fivefeet, and only half a mile away from the grass. This place was toofavourable not to be made the most of, and I determined to halt for a dayor two to give our horses the benefit of it, and to enable us to diminishthe weight of meat they had to carry. Whilst here I gave Wylie freepermission to eat as much as he could, --a privilege which he was not longin turning to account. Between last night's supper and this morning'sbreakfast he had got through six-and-a-half pounds of solid cooked flesh, weighed out and free from bone, and he then complained, that as he had solittle water (the well had fallen in and he did not like the trouble ofcleaning it out again), he could hardly eat at all. On an average hewould consume nine pounds of meat per day. I used myself from two tothree when undergoing very great exertions. After dinner I ascended oneof the sand-hills, and set the hill I had seen in the morning at W. 17degrees S. 

May 12. --I intended this morning to have walked down to the beach, butwas suddenly taken ill with similar symptoms to those I had experiencedon the 19th, and 21st of April; and, as formerly, I attributed theillness entirely to the unwholesome nature of the meat diet. Wylie wasill too, but not to so great a degree; nor was I surprised at hiscomplaining; indeed, it would have been wonderful if he had not, considering the enormous quantity of horse flesh that he daily devoured. After his feasts, he would lie down, and roll and groan, and say he was"mendyt" (ill) and nothing would induce him to get up, or to do anything. There were now plenty of sting-ray fish along the beach again, andI was desirous, if possible, to get one for a change of diet; my friend, however, had so much to eat, that though he said he should like fish too, I could not get him to go about a mile to the back of the sand-hills, tocut a stick from the scrub, to make a spear for catching them. 

May 13. --After breakfast, Wylie said he thought he could catch somebandicoots, by firing the scrub near the sand-hills, and went out for anhour or two to try, but came back as he went. During his absence, I wasemployed in repairing my only two pair of socks now left, which weresadly dilapidated, but of which I was obliged to be very careful, as theywere the only security I had against getting lame. In the afternoon Iwalked down to the beach, to try to spear sting-ray, but the sea wasrough, and I saw none. In my ramble, I found plenty of the beautifulwhite clematis, so common both to the north and south of Sydney. 

May 14. --I was again seized with illness, though I had been particularlycareful in the quantity of flesh which I had used. For many hours Isuffered most excruciating pains; and after the violence of the attackwas over, I was left very weak, and incapable of exertion. Wylie was alsoaffected. It was evident that the food we were now living upon, was notwholesome or nutritious. Day after day we felt ourselves getting weakerand more relaxed, whilst the least change of weather, or the slightestdegree of cold, was most painfully felt by both of us. What we were to doin the wet weather, which might daily be expected, I knew not, sufferingas we did from the frosts and dews only. In the state we now were in, Ido not think that we could have survived many days' exposure to wet. 

May 15. --I intended to have proceeded early on our journey this morning, but was so ill again, that for some hours I could not stir. The boy wassimilarly situated. About ten we got a little better, and packing up ourthings, moved away, but had scarcely gone more than a couple of milesalong the beach, when I discovered that the horse-hobbles had been leftbehind. It was Wylie's duty always to take these off, and strap themround the horses necks, whilst I was arranging the saddles, and fixing onthem our arms, provisions, etc. ; he had forgotten to do this, and had leftthem lying on the ground. As we could not possibly do without thehobbles, I sent Wylie back for them, telling him I would drive on thehorses slowly for a few miles, and then halt to wait for him. 

After proceeding eleven miles along the coast, I halted, and Wylie cameup a little before dark, bringing the hobbles with him. We were both veryhungry; and as we had suffered so much lately from eating the horseflesh, we indulged to-night in a piece of bread, and a spoonful of flourboiled into a paste, an extravagance which I knew we should have to makeup for by and bye. I had dug for water, and procured it at a depth offive feet; but it was too brackish either to drink, or give to ourhorses; we used it, however, in boiling up our flour into paste. Theafternoon was exceedingly dark and stormy looking, but only a few lightshowers fell. The night then set in cold, with a heavy dew. 

May 16. --We commenced our journey at daylight, travelling along thebeach, which was very heavy for nine miles, and then halting, at a verylow part of the coast, to rest the horses. Whilst here, I dug for water, and getting it of very fair quality, though with an effluvia very likeHarrowgate water, I decided upon remaining for the day. We were very muchfatigued, being weak and languid, and like our horses, scarcely able toput one foot before the other. From our present encampment, some islandswere visible at a bearing of S. 18 degrees E. The tops of the hills, also, to the back, were visible above the level bank, which formed thecontinuation of the singular table land extending round the Bight, butwhich was now gradually declining in elevation, and appeared as if itwould very shortly cease altogether, so that we might hope to have anunobstructed view of the country inland. 

A jagged peak, which I named Mount Ragged, bore W. 10 degrees N. , and around topped one W. 30 degrees N. We were now actually beyond thosehills; but the level bank, under which we had been travelling, preventedour seeing more of them than the bare outline of their lofty summits. Thewhole of the intervening country, between the level bank and the hills, consisted of heavy sandy ridges, a good deal covered with scrub; but wenow found more grass than we had seen during the whole journey before. Inthe night I was taken ill again, with violent pains, accompanied by coldclammy sweats; and as the air was cold and raw, and a heavy dew falling, I suffered a great deal. 

May 17. --This morning I felt rather better, but very weak, and wishing togive the horses an opportunity of drinking, which they would not do veryearly on a cold morning, I did not break up the camp until late. Uponlaying down last night Wylie had left the meat on the ground at somedistance from our fire, instead of putting it up on a bush as I haddirected him, the consequence was that a wild dog had stolen aboutfourteen pounds of it whilst we slept, and we were now again reduced to avery limited allowance. 

After travelling about five miles we found a great and important changein the basis rock of the country; it was now a coarse imperfect kind ofgrey granite, and in many places the low-water line was occupied byimmense sheets of it. Other symptoms of improvement also graduallydeveloped themselves. Mountain ducks were now, for the first time, seenupon the shore, and the trunk of a very large tree was found washed up onthe beach: it was the only one we had met with during the whole course ofour journey to the westward, and I hailed it with a pleasure which wasonly equalled by finding, not far beyond, a few drops of water tricklingdown a huge graniterock abutting on the sea-shore. This was the onlyapproximation to running water which we had found since leaving StreakyBay, and though it hardly deserved that name, yet it imparted to me asmuch hope, and almost as much satisfaction, as if I had found a river. Continuing our course around a small bay for about five miles, we turnedinto some sand-drifts behind a rocky point of the coast. From which theislands we had seen yesterday bore E. 47 degrees S. , Cape Pasley, S. W. , Point Malcolm, S. 33 degrees W. , and Mount Ragged W. 32 degrees N. Several reefs and breakers were also seen at no great distance from theshore. 

Our stage to-day was only twelve miles, yet some of our horses werenearly knocked up, and we ourselves in but little better condition. Theincessant walking we were subject to, the low and unwholesome diet we hadlived upon, the severe and weakening attacks of illness caused by thatdiet, having daily, and sometimes twice a day, to dig for water, to carryall our fire-wood from a distance upon our backs, to harness, unharness, water, and attend to the horses, besides other trifling occupations, making up our daily routine, usually so completely exhausted us, that wehad neither spirit nor energy left. Added to all other evils, the natureof the country behind the sea-coast was as yet so sandy and scrubby thatwe were still compelled to follow the beach, frequently travelling onloose heavy sands, that rendered our stages doubly fatiguing: whilst atnights, after the labours of the day were over, and we stood so much inneed of repose, the intense cold, and the little protection we hadagainst it, more frequently made it a season of most painful sufferingthan of rest, and we were glad when the daylight relieved us once more. On our march we felt generally weak and languid--it was an effort to putone foot before the other, and there was an indisposition to exertionthat it was often very difficult to overcome. After sitting for a fewmoments to rest--and we often had to do this--it was always with thegreatest unwillingness we ever moved on again. I felt, on such occasions, that I could have sat quietly and contentedly, and let the glass of lifeglide away to its last sand. There was a dreamy kind of pleasure, whichmade me forgetful or careless of the circumstances and difficulties bywhich I was surrounded, and which I was always indisposed to break inupon. Wylie was even worse than myself, I had often much difficulty ingetting him to move at all, and not unfrequently was compelled almostforcibly to get him up. Fortunately he was very good tempered, and on thewhole had behaved extremely well under all our troubles since we had beentravelling together alone. 

Chapter III. 

HEAVY ROAD--A YOUNG KANGAROO SHOT--GRASSY COUNTRY--POINT MALCOLM--TRACESOF ITS HAVING BEEN VISITED BY EUROPEANS--GRASS TREES MET WITH--A KANGAROOKILLED--CATCH FISH--GET ANOTHER KANGAROO--CRAB HUNTING--RENEW THEJOURNEY--CASUARINAE MET WITH--CROSS THE LEVEL BANK--LOW COUNTRY BEHINDIT--CAPE ARID--SALT WATER CREEK--XAMIA SEEN--CABBAGE TREE OF THESOUND--FRESH WATER LAKE--MORE SALT STREAMS--OPOSSUMS CAUGHT--FLAG REEDSFOUND--FRESH WATER STREAMS--BOATS SEEN--MEET WITH A WHALER. 

May 18. --THIS morning we had to travel upon a soft heavy beach, and movedslowly and with difficulty along, and three of the horses werecontinually attempting to lie down on the road. At twelve miles, we foundsome nice green grass, and although we could not procure water here, Idetermined to halt for the sake of the horses. The weather was cool andpleasant. From our camp Mount Ragged bore N. 35 degrees W. , and theisland we had seen for the last two days, E. 18 degrees S. Having seensome large kangaroos near our camp, I sent Wylie with the rifle to tryand get one. At dark he returned bringing home a young one, large enoughfor two good meals; upon this we feasted at night, and for once Wylieadmitted that his belly was full. He commenced by eating a pound and ahalf of horse-flesh, and a little bread, he then ate the entrails, paunch, liver, lights, tail, and two hind legs of the young kangaroo, next followed a penguin, that he had found dead upon the beach, upon thishe forced down the whole of the hide of the kangaroo after singeing thehair off, and wound up this meal by swallowing the tough skin of thepenguin; he then made a little fire, and laid down to sleep, and dream ofthe pleasures of eating, nor do I think he was ever happier in his lifethan at that moment. 

May 19. --The morning set in very cold and showery, with the wind from thesouthward, making us shiver terribly as we went along; luckily thecountry behind the sea-shore was at this place tolerably open, and wewere for once enabled to leave the beach, and keep a little inland. Thesoil was light and sandy, but tolerably fertile. In places we found lowbrush, in others very handsome clumps of tea-tree scattered at intervalsover some grassy tracts of country, giving a pleasing and park-likeappearance we had long been strangers to. The grass was green, andafforded a most grateful relief to the eye, accustomed heretofore to restonly upon the naked sands or the gloomy scrubs we had so long beentravelling amongst. Anxious if possible to give our horses a day or two'srest, at such a grassy place, and especially as the many kangaroos wesaw, gave us hope of obtaining food for ourselves also, I twice dug forwater, but did not find any of such quality as we could use. I wascompelled therefore to turn in among the sand-hills of Point Malcolm, where I found excellent water at three and a half feet, and halted forthe day, after a stage of five miles. Unfortunately we were now beyondall grass, and had to send the horses by a long and difficult road to it, over steep sandy ridges, densely covered by scrub. Upon halting, one ofour horses lay down, appearing to be very ill, for two hours I could notget him to rise, and was sadly afraid he would die, which would have beena serious loss to us, for he was the strongest one we had left. A littleinside Point Malcolm, I found traces of Europeans who had slept on shorenear the beach, and upon one of the tea-trees, I found cut "Ship Julian, 1840, " "Haws, 1840, " "C. W. " and some few other letters, which I did notcopy. The forenoon continued very wild and stormy, with occasionalshowers of rain, and as we could get neither firewood nor shelter at ourcamp, and the sand eddied around us in showers, we were very miserable. After dinner, I sent Wylie out with the rifle, to try to shoot akangaroo, whilst I took a walk round, to look for grass, and to ascertainwhether water could not be procured in some place nearer the horses, andbetter provided with firewood and shelter. My efforts were withoutsuccess, nor did I meet with better fortune, in examining Point Malcolm, to see if there was any place where we could fish from the shore, thepoint itself was of granite, but on the sheltered side the water was veryshoal, close to the shore, whilst on the outer side the waves werebreaking with frightful violence, and the spray curling and rising fromthe rocks in one perpetual and lofty jet. In the evening Wylie returnedwithout a kangaroo. 

The night turned out showery, wild, and cold, making us keenly alive tothe bleak, shelterless position we were encamped in. 

May 20. --The sick horse was better to-day, and as they had all foundtheir way back to the best grass, I determined to remain in camp. Wylietook the rifle, and again went out kangarooing, whilst I took a long walkto examine the country, and look out for a line of road to proceed by, when we left our present position. I was anxious, if possible, to giveover travelling along the beach where the sands were so loose and heavy, not only causing great extra fatigue to the horses, but adding alsoconsiderably to the distance we should otherwise have to travel. For somedistance I passed over steep ridges, densely covered with large tea-treesor with other scrub, after which I emerged upon open sandy downs, coveredwith low shrubs or bushes, and frequently having patches of good grassinterspersed; the grass-tree was here met with for the first time, butnot very abundantly. This description of country continued between thecoast and the low level bank which still shut out all view of theinterior, though it had greatly decreased in elevation as we advanced tothe west, and appeared as if it would soon merge in the level of thecountry around. The day was tolerably fine, but windy, and a few slightshowers fell at intervals. At dusk I got up the horses, watered them, andwas preparing to remove the baggage to a more sheltered place, when Wyliemade his appearance, with the gratifying intelligence that he had shotone kangaroo, and wounded another; the dead one he said was too far awayfor us to get it to-night, and we, therefore, (very unwillingly, ) left ituntil the morning, and at present only removed our baggage nearer to thegrass, and among thick clumps of tea-trees where we had shelter andfirewood in abundance. The only inconvenience being that we were obligedto be economical of water, having to bring it all from the sand-drifts, and our kegs only carrying a few quarts at a time. In the prospect of asupply of kangaroo, we finished the last of our horse-flesh to-night. Ithad lasted us tolerably well, and though we had not gained abovesixty-five miles of distance, since we commenced it, yet we hadaccomplished this so gradually, that the horses had not suffered so muchas might have been expected, and were improving somewhat in strength andappearance every day. It was much to have got them to advance at all, considering the dreadful sufferings they had endured previous to ourarrival at water on the 3rd of May. 

Getting up one of the horses early on the 21st, we took some water withus and proceeded to where Wylie had left the kangaroo, to breakfast. Fortunately it had not been molested by the wild dogs during the night. Though not of a large species, it was a full grown animal, and furnishedus with a grateful supply of wholesome food. Once more Wylie enjoyed asmuch as he could eat, and after breakfast, I took the horse back to thecamp, carrying with me about thirty-two pounds weight of the best andmost fleshy parts of the kangaroo. Wylie remained behind with the rifle, to return leisurely and try to shoot another; but early in the afternoonhe returned, not having seen one. The truth, I suspect was, that he hadeaten too much to breakfast, and laid down to sleep when I was gone, coming back to the camp as soon as he felt hungry again. The rest of theday was taken up in attending to the horses and bringing a supply ofwater up for ourselves. The weather was mild and pleasant, and a fewslight showers fell at night, but we were now so well protected among thetea-trees, and had so much firewood, that we were not inconvenienced bythe rain. 

As I still intended to remain in camp to recruit the horses, I wishedWylie to go out again on the 22nd, to try for another kangaroo; but theother not being yet all used, he was very unwilling to do so, and it wasonly upon my threatening to move on if he did not, that I could get himout. As soon as he was gone, I went down to Point Malcolm to try to fish, as the weather was now so much more moderate. Unfortunately, my tacklingwas not strong, and after catching three rock-fish, weighing togetherthree pounds and a half; a large fish got hooked, and took great part ofmy line, hook and all, away. 

It was very vexing to lose a line when I had not many, but still more soto miss a fine fish that would have weighed fifteen or sixteen pounds. Being obliged to come back, I spent the remainder of the afternoon inpreparing lines for the morrow. 

Towards evening Wylie returned gloomy and sulky, and without having fireda shot; neither had he brought the horses up with him to water as I hadrequested him to do, and now it was too late to go for them, and theywould have to be without water for the night. I was vexed at this, andgave him a good scolding for his negligence, after which I endeavoured toascertain what had so thoroughly put him out of humour, for ordinarily hewas one of the best tempered natives I had met with: a single sentencerevealed the whole--"The----dogs had eaten the skin. "

This observation came from the very bottom of his soul, and at once gaveme an idea of the magnitude of the disappointment he had sustained; thefact was, upon leaving the camp in the morning he had taken a firestickin his hand, and gone straight back to where we skinned the kangaroo onthe 21st, with the intention of singeing off the hair and eating theskin, which had been left hanging over a bush. Upon his arrival he foundit gone: the wild dogs had been beforehand with him and deprived him ofthe meal he expected; hence his gloomy, discontented look upon hisreturn. As yet I had not told him that I had been fishing; but uponshowing him what I had brought home, and giving him the two largest forsupper, his brow again cleared, and he voluntarily offered to go outagain to try to get a kangaroo to-morrow. 

May 23. --Leaving Wylie asleep at the camp, I set off early to fish atPoint Malcolm. After catching four rock-fish, weighing five pounds, andlosing several hooks, I commenced hunting about among the rocks forcrabs, of which I procured about a dozen They were quite different fromthe English crab, being very small, not more than three or four inches indiameter, and without any meat in the inside of the shell; but the chineand claws afforded very fair pickings. Upon returning to the camp, Ilearnt from Wylie with great satisfaction that he had shot anotherkangaroo as he went to bring up the horses. The latter were now at thecamp; so sending him to water them, I remained behind to dry my clothes, which had got thoroughly wetted in catching the crabs. 

Upon Wylie's return I mounted him on one of the horses, and accompanyinghim on foot, proceeded to where he had left the kangaroo; as it was onlyone mile and a half away we brought it back upon the horse, entire, thatwe might skin it more leisurely at the camp. It was a larger one than thelast, and promised an abundant supply of food for some days; added tothis we had five pounds of fish and a dozen crabs, so that our larder waswell and variously stocked. Upon skinning the kangaroo, Wylie carefullysinged, folded up, and put away the skin for another day, fullydetermined that this time he would lose no part of the precious prize. Having taken the paunch and emptied it, he proceeded to make a kind ofhaggis (rather a dirty one to be sure), by putting into it the liver, lights, heart, and small intestines, and then tying it up, thrust it intothe fire to be roasted whole. This seemed to be a favourite dish withhim, and he was now as happy as a king, sleeping and eating alternatelythe whole night long; his only complaint now being that the water was sofar off, and that as we had to carry it all up from the sand-hills to ourcamp, he could not drink so much as he should like, and in consequence, could not eat so much either, for it required no small quantity of liquidto wash down the enormous masses of meat that he consumed whenever he hadan opportunity. 

May 24. --Leaving Wylie to continue his feast and attend to the horses, Iwent down to the beach to hunt again for crabs, of which I procured aboutthree dozen, but still of the same small size as before; a few largerones were seen in the deeper clefts of the rocks, but I could not get atthem; indeed, as it was, I was very nearly terminating my crab huntingand expedition at the same time. The places where these animals wereobtained, were the clefts and holes among large masses and sheets of rockclose to the sea, and which were covered by it at high water; many ofthese were like platforms, shelving to the sea, and terminating abruptlyin deep water. Whilst busily engaged upon one of them, in trying to getsome crabs out from its clefts, I did not notice that the surf sometimeswashed over where I stood, until whilst stooping, and in the act offishing out a crab, a roller came further than usual and dashing over me, threw me down and took both me and my crabs to some distance, nearlycarrying us down the steep into the sea, from which nothing could haverescued me, as I should soon have been dashed to pieces by the breakersagainst the rocks. Having gathered up the crabs I had collected, I setoff homewards in a sad cold uncomfortable plight, with the skin scrapedoff my hands and one of my heels, and with my shoes in such a state fromscrambling about among the rocks and in the wet, as strongly to indicateto me the propriety of never attempting to go crab hunting again with myshoes on, unless I wished to be placed altogether "hors du combat" forwalking. Wylie I found had got up the horses and watered them, and hadbrought up a supply of water for the camp, so that we had nothing to doin the afternoon but boil crabs and eat them, at which occupation I foundhim wonderfully more skilful than I was, readily getting through two tomy one. 

On the 25th we still remained in camp to take advantage of the abundantsupply of food we had for ourselves, and by giving the horses a longrest, enable them also to recruit a little upon the excellent grass whichgrew in this neighbourhood. Wylie took the rifle out to try to getanother kangaroo, but did not succeed. I remained at home to mend myboots, and prepare for advancing again to-morrow. In the afternoon wefilled our kegs, and brought away the bucket and spade from thesand-hills, that we might be ready to move without going again to thewater. For the first time since we left Fowler's Bay we were troubledwith musquitoes. 

May 26. --Up early, and Wylie, who had been eating the whole night, was sothirsty, that he actually walked all the way through the dew and cold ofthe morning to the water to drink, as I could only afford him one pintout of the kegs. We had now been in camp six clear days, at this mostfavourable position; we had got an abundant and wholesome supply ofprovisions for ourselves, and had been enabled to allow our horses toenjoy a long unbroken interval of rest, amidst the best of pasturage, andwhere there was excellent water. Now that we were again going to continueour route, I found that the horses were so much improved in appearanceand in strength, that I thought we might once again venture, withoutoppression to the animals, occasionally to ride; I selected therefore, the strongest from among them for this purpose, and Wylie and myselfwalked and rode alternately; after passing the scrubby sand-ridges, anddescending to the open downs behind them, I steered direct for Cape Arid, cutting off Cape Pasley, and encamping after a stage of eighteen miles, where it bore south-east of us. We halted for the night upon a ridgetimbered with casuarinae, and abounding in grass. Once more we were in acountry where trees were found, and again we were able at night to makeour fires of large logs, which did not incessantly require renewing toprevent their going out. We had now crossed the level bank which had solong shut out the interior from us; gradually it had declined inelevation, until at last it had merged in the surrounding country, and wehardly knew where it commenced, or how it ended. The high bluff andcraggy hills, whose tops we had formerly seen, stood out now in boldrelief, with a low level tract of country stretching to their base, covered with dwarf brush, heathy plants and grass-tree, with manyintervals of open grassy land, and abounding in kangaroos. I named theselofty and abrupt mountain masses the "Russell Range, " after the RightHonourable the Secretary of State for the Colonies--Lord John Russell. They constitute the first great break in the character and appearance ofthe country for many hundreds of miles, and they offer a point of greatinterest, from which future researches may hereafter be made towards theinterior. Nearer to the coast, and on either side of Cape Pasley weresand-drifts, in which I have no doubt that water might have beenprocured. We found none where we were encamped, but had sufficient in thekegs for our own use, and the horses were not thirsty; many and recenttracks of natives were observed, but the people themselves were not seen. 

The morning of the 27th was exceedingly cold; and as we left ourencampments early, neither I nor Wylie were inclined to ride for thefirst few miles; it was as much as we could do to keep ourselves fromshivering whilst walking; the dews were so heavy, that we were soon wetthrough by the spangles from the shrubs and grass, whilst the pace atwhich we travelled was not sufficiently rapid to promote a quickcirculation, and enable us to keep ourselves warm. 

At six miles we passed some sand hills, where there was every indicationof water, but I did not think it worth while delaying to try theexperiment in digging, and pushed on for four miles further, round abight of the coast, encamping on the east side of Cape Arid, where asmall salt water creek entered the bight. The mouth of this was closed bya bar of sand, quite dry; nor did the salt water continue for any greatdistance inland. Following it up, in the hope of finding fresh water nearits source, I found that there was none now, but that after rainsconsiderable streams must be poured into it from the gorges of Cape Arid. The rocks here were all of granite; and in some of the ledges we werefortunate enough to find abundance of water deposited by the rains, atwhich we watered our horses. This being the first time we had ever beenable to do so on our whole journey without making use of the spade andbucket. After putting the horses out upon the best grass we could find, Wylie and I went to try our luck at fishing; the sea was boisterous, andwe caught none; but in returning, got about eight or nine crabs a-piece, which, with some of the kangaroo that was still left, enabled us to makeour fare out tolerably. 

May 26. --In the latter part of the night the rain set in moderately, butsteadily, and both Wylie and myself were very wet and miserable. Themorning still continued showery, and I was anxious to have remained incamp for the sake of the horses; but as we had consumed at breakfast thelast of our kangaroo, it became necessary to find some means of renewingour resources, or else lose no time in making the best of our wayonwards. Having sent Wylie to try and get crabs, I went out with therifle, but could see nothing to shoot; and upon returning to the camp, Ifound Wylie had been equally unsuccessful among the rocks, the sea beingtoo rough; there was no alternative, therefore, but to move on, andhaving got up the horses, we proceeded behind Cape Arid for ten miles, ata course of W. 15 degrees N. , and encamped at night amid a clump oftea-trees, and bastard gums, where we got good grass for our horses, butno water. The day had been intensely cold, and I could not persuade Wylieto ride at all. At night we had abundance of firewood, and a few of thelong narrow yams were also found at this encampment, the first vegetablefood we had yet procured. Grass trees had been abundant on our line ofroute to-day, and for the first time we met with the Xamia. In theevening, the kangaroo fly (a small brown fly) became very troublesome, annoying us in great numbers, and warning us that rain was about to fall. At night it came in frequent though moderate showers. We got very muchwetted, but our fire was good, and we did not suffer so much from thecold as the damp, which affected me with cramp in the limbs, andrheumatism. 

May 29. --After breakfasting upon a spoonful of flour a-piece, mixed witha little water and boiled into a paste, we again proceeded. At ten mileswe came to a small salt water stream, running seawards; in passing up itto look for a crossing place, Wylie caught two opossums, in the tops ofsome tea-trees, which grew on the banks. As I hoped more might beprocured, and perhaps fresh water, by tracing it higher up, I took thefirst opportunity of crossing to the opposite side, and there encamped;Wylie now went out to search for opossums, and I traced the streamupwards. In my route I passed several very rich patches of land in thevalleys, and on the slopes of the hills enclosing the watercourse. Thesewere very grassy and verdant, but I could find no fresh water, nor did Iobserve any timber except the tea-tree. After tracing the stream until ithad ceased running, and merely became a chain of ponds of salt water, Ireturned to the camp a good deal fatigued; Wylie came in soon after, buthad got nothing but a few yams. The general character of the country oneither side the watercourse, was undulating, of moderate elevation, andaffording a considerable extent of sheep pasturage. The cockatoos of KingGeorge's Sound, (without the yellow crest) were here in great numbers. Kangaroos also abounded; but the country had not brush enough to enableus to get sufficiently near to shoot them. 

During the day Wylie had caught two opossums, and as these were entirelythe fruit of his own labour and skill, I did not interfere in theirdisposal; I was curious, moreover, to see how far I could rely upon hiskindness and generosity, should circumstances ever compel me to dependupon him for a share of what he might procure. At night, therefore, I satphilosophically watching him whilst he proceeded to get supper ready, asyet ignorant whether I was to partake of it or not. After selecting thelargest of the two animals, he prepared and cooked it, and then put awaythe other where he intended to sleep. I now saw that he had not theremotest intention of giving any to me, and asked him what he intended todo with the other one. He replied that he should be hungry in themorning, and meant to keep it until then. Upon hearing this I told himthat his arrangements were very good, and that for the future I wouldfollow the same system also; and that each should depend upon his ownexertions in procuring food; hinting to him that as he was so much moreskilful than I was, and as we had so very little flour left, I should beobliged to reserve this entirely for myself, but that I hoped he wouldhave no difficulty in procuring as much food as he required. I was thenabout to open the flour-bag and take a little out for my supper, when hebecame alarmed at the idea of getting no more, and stopped me, offeringthe other opossum, and volunteering to cook it properly for me. Triflingas this little occurrence was, it read me a lesson of caution, and taughtme what value was to be placed upon the assistance or kindness of mycompanion, should circumstances ever place me in a situation to bedependent upon him; I felt a little hurt too, at experiencing so littleconsideration from one whom I had treated with the greatest kindness, andwho had been clothed and fed upon my bounty, for the last fifteen months. 

May 30. --In commencing our journey this morning, our route took us overundulating hills, devoid of timber, but having occasionally small patchesof very rich land in the valleys and upon some of the slopes. Thiscontinued to a salt-water river, broad, and apparently deep near the sea. As I was doubtful whether it would have a bar-mouth to seawards, Ithought it more prudent to trace it upwards, for the purpose of crossing. At no very great distance it contracted sufficiently to enable me to getover to the other side. But in doing so the ground proved soft and boggy, and I nearly lost one of the horses. Four miles beyond this river we cameto another channel of salt water, but not so large as the last. Invalleys sloping down to this watercourse we met, for the first time, clumps of a tree called by the residents of King George's Sound thecabbage-tree, and not far from which were native wells of fresh water;there were also several patches of rich land bordering upon thewatercourse. 

Travelling for two miles further, we came to a very pretty fresh-waterlake, of moderate size, and surrounded by clumps of tea-tree. It was thefirst permanent fresh water we had found on the surface since wecommenced our journey from Fowler's Bay--a distance of nearly sevenhundred miles. I would gladly have encamped here for the night, but thecountry surrounding the lake was sandy and barren, and destitute ofgrass. We had only made good a distance of eleven miles from our lastcamp, and I felt anxious to get on to Lucky Bay as quickly as I could, inorder that I might again give our horses a rest for a few days, whichthey now began to require. From Captain Flinders' account of Lucky Bay Iknew we should find fresh water and wood in abundance. I hoped therewould also be grass, and in this case I had made up my mind to remain aweek or ten days, during which I intended to have killed the foal we hadwith us, now about nine months old, could we procure food in no otherway. After leaving Lucky Bay, as we should only be about three hundredmiles from the Sound, and our horses would be in comparatively freshcondition, I anticipated we should be able to progress more rapidly. Indeed I fully expected it would be absolutely necessary for us to do so, through a region which, from Flinders' description as seen from sea, andfrom his having named three different hills in it Mount Barrens, weshould find neither very practicable nor fertile. 

Six miles beyond the fresh-water lake we came to another salt-waterstream, and finding, upon following up a little way, that it was onlybrackish, we crossed and halted for the night. Wylie went out to searchfor food, but got nothing, whilst I unharnessed and attended to thehorses, which were a good deal fagged, and then prepared the camp andmade the fires for the night: I could get nothing but grass-tree for thispurpose, but it was both abundant and dry. Owing to its very resinousnature, this tree burns with great heat and brilliancy, emitting agrateful aromatic odour. It is easily lit up, makes a most cheerful fire, and notwithstanding the fervency with which it burns, does not oftenrequire renewing, if the tree be large. Our whole journey to-day had beenover undulations of about three hundred feet in elevation; the countryrose a little inland, and a few occasional bluffs of granite wereobserved in the distance, but no timber was seen any where. At night theflies and mosquitoes were very troublesome to us. 

May 31. --The morning showery, and bitterly cold, so that, for the firsttwo hours after starting, we suffered considerably, After travelling forseven miles and a half, through an undulating and bare country, we cameto a salt-water river, with some patches of good land about it. Havingcrossed the river a little way up where it became narrower, we againproceeded for five miles farther, through the same character of country, and were then stopped by another salt stream, which gave us a great dealof trouble to effect a crossing. We had traced it up to where the channelwas narrow, but the bed was very deep, and the water running stronglybetween banks of rich black soil. Our horses would not face this atfirst, and in forcing them over we were nearly losing two of them. Aftertravelling only a quarter of a mile beyond this stream I was chagrined tofind we had crossed it just above the junction of two branches, and thatwe had still one of them to get over; the second was even more difficultto pass than the first, and whilst I was on the far side, holding one ofthe horses by a rope, with Wylie behind driving him on, the animal made asudden and violent leap, and coming full upon me, knocked me down andbruised me considerably. One of his fore legs struck me on the thigh, andI narrowly escaped having it broken, whilst a hind leg caught me on theshin, and cut me severely. 

As soon as we were fairly over I halted for the night, to rest myself andgive Wylie an opportunity of looking for food. The water in both branchesof this river was only brackish where we crossed, and at that which weencamped upon but slightly so. 

There were many grass-trees in the vicinity, and as several of these hadbeen broken down and were dead they were full of the white grubs of whichthe natives are so fond. From these Wylie enjoyed a plentiful, and tohim, luxurious supper. I could not bring myself to try them, preferringthe root of the broad flag-reed, which, for the first time, we met withat this stream, and which is an excellent and nutritious article of food. This root being dug up, and roasted in hot ashes, yields a great quantityof a mealy farinaceous powder interspersed among the fibres; it is of anagreeable flavour, wholesome, and satisfying to the appetite. In allparts of Australia, even where other food abounds, the root of this reedis a favourite and staple article of diet among the aborigines. Theproper season of the year for procuring it in full perfection, is afterthe floods have receded, and the leaves have died away and been burntoff. It is that species of reed of which the leaves are used by coopersfor closing up crevices between the staves of their casks. 

June 1. --Upon getting up this morning I found myself very stiff and sorefrom the bruises I had received yesterday, yet I felt thankful that I hadescaped so well; had any of my limbs been broken, I should have been in adreadful position, and in all probability must have perished. After Wyliehad dug up some of the flag-roots for breakfast, and a few to take withus, we proceeded on our journey. I was anxious to have made a long stage, and if possible, to have reached Thistle Cove by night; but the countrywe had to pass over was heavy and sandy, and after travelling fifteenmiles, the horses became so jaded, that I was obliged to turn in amongsome sand-drifts near the coast, and halt for the night. The course wehad been steering for the last few days towards Lucky Bay, had graduallybrought us close to the coast again, and during a part of our journeythis afternoon we were travelling upon the sea-shore. At ten miles afterstarting, we crossed a strong stream of fresh water running through somesandy flats into the sea; a mile and a half beyond this we crossed asecond stream; and half a mile further a third, all running strongly, with narrow channels, into the sea, and quite fresh. Fresh water was alsolaying about every where on our road in large pools; a proof of the veryheavy rains that had lately fallen. We were, therefore, enjoying theadvantages of a wet season without having been subject to its inclemency, and which, in our present weak, unprotected state, we could hardly haveendured. The country to the back was sandy and undulating, coveredprincipally with low shrubs, and rising inland; there were also severalgranite bluffs at intervals, from among which, the streams I had crossed, probably took their rise; but there were no trees to be seen any where, except a few of the tea of cabbage-trees. I do not think that any of thethree fresh-water streams we had crossed would be permanent, theirpresent current being owing entirely to the recent rains; but when theyare running, and the weather is moderately fair, they afford an admirableopportunity of watering a vessel with very little trouble, the waterbeing clear and pure to its very junction with the sea. 

At night we made our supper of the flag-roots we had brought with us, anda spoonful of flour a-piece, boiled into a paste. The night was very coldand windy, and having neither shelter nor fire-wood at the sand-driftswhere we were, we spent it miserably. 

June 2. --As we had made a shorter stage yesterday than I intended to havedone, and the quantity of flour we had now remaining was very small, Idid not dare to make use of any this morning, and we commenced ourjourney without breakfast. Being now near Thistle Cove, where I intendedto halt for some time, and kill the little foal for food, whilst theother horses were recruiting, and as I hoped to get there early thisafternoon, I was anxious to husband our little stock of flour in thehope, that at the little fresh-water lake described by Flinders, asexisting there, we should find abundance of the flag-reed for oursupport. Keeping a little behind the shore for the first hour, we crossedover the sandy ridge bounding it, and upon looking towards the sea, Ithought I discovered a boat sailing in the bay. Upon pointing this objectout to Wylie, he was of the same opinion with myself, and we at oncedescended towards the shore, but on our arrival were greatly disappointedat not being able again to see the object of our search. In the course ofhalf an hour, however, whilst resting ourselves and watching the surfaceof the ocean, it again became visible, and soon after a second appeared. It was now evident that both these were boats, and that we had noticedthem only when standing off shore, and the light shone upon their sails, and had lost them when upon the opposite tack. It was equally apparentthey were standing out from the main land for the islands. I imaginedthem to be sealers, who having entered the bay to procure water orfirewood, were again steering towards the islands to fish. Having hastilymade a fire upon one of the sand-hills, we fired shots, shouted, wavedhandkerchiefs, and made every signal we could to attract attention, butin vain. They were too far away to see, or too busy to look towards us. The hopes we had entertained were as suddenly disappointed as they hadbeen excited, and we stood silently and sullenly gazing after the boatsas they gradually receded from our view. 

Whilst thus occupied and brooding over our disappointment, we weresurprised to see both boats suddenly lower their sails, and apparentlycommence fishing. Watching them steadily we now perceived that they werewhale boats, and once more our hearts beat with hope, for I felt surethat they must belong to some vessel whaling in the neighbourhood. We nowanxiously scanned the horizon in every direction, and at last weredelighted beyond measure to perceive to the westward the masts of a largeship, peeping above a rocky island which had heretofore concealed herfrom our view. She was apparently about six miles from us, and as far aswe could judge from so great a distance, seemed to be at anchor near theshore. 

Poor Wylie's joy now knew no bounds, and he leapt and skipped about withdelight as he congratulated me once more upon the prospect of gettingplenty to eat. I was not less pleased than he was, and almost as absurd, for although the vessel was quietly at anchor so near us, with no sailsloose and her boats away, I could not help fearing that she mightdisappear before we could get to her, or attract the notice of those onboard. To prevent such a calamity, I mounted one of the strongest horsesand pushed on by myself as rapidly as the heavy nature of the sands wouldallow, leaving Wylie at his own especial request to bring on the otherhorses. In a short time I arrived upon the summit of a rocky cliff, opposite to a fine large barque lying at anchor in a well sheltered bay, (which I subsequently named Rossiter Bay, after the captain of thewhaler, ) immediately east of Lucky Bay, and at less than a quarter of amile distant from the shore. The people on board appeared to be busilyengaged in clearing their cables which were foul, and did not observe meat all. I tied up my horse, therefore, to a bush, and waited for Wylie, who was not long in coming after me, having driven the poor horses at apace they had not been accustomed to for many a long day. I now made asmoke on the rock where I was, and hailed the vessel, upon which a boatinstantly put off, and in a few moments I had the inexpressible pleasureof being again among civilized beings, and of shaking hands with afellow-countryman in the person of Captain Rossiter, commanding theFrench Whaler "Mississippi. "

Our story was soon told, and we were received with the greatest kindnessand hospitality by the captain. 

Chapter IV. 

GO ON BOARD THE MISSISSIPPI--WET WEATHER--VISIT LUCKY BAY--INTERVIEW WITHNATIVES--WYLIE UNDERSTANDS THEIR LANGUAGE--GET THE HORSES SHOD--PREPARETO LEAVE THE VESSEL--KINDNESS AND LIBERALITY OF CAPTAIN ROSSITER--RENEWJOURNEY TO THE WESTWARD--FOSSIL FORMATION STILL CONTINUES--SALT WATERSTREAMS AND LAKES--A LARGE SALT RIVER--CHARACTER OF THE COUNTRY. 

June 2. --AFTER watering the horses at a deposit left by the rains, in thesheets of granite near us, and turning them loose, we piled up our littlebaggage, and in less than an hour we were comfortably domiciled on boardthe hospitable Mississippi, --a change in our circumstances so great, sosudden, and so unexpected, that it seemed more like a dream than areality; from the solitary loneliness of the wilderness, and itsattendant privations, we were at once removed to all the comforts of acivilised community. 

After we had done ample justice to the good cheer set before us, by ourworthy host, he kindly invited us to remain on board as long as wepleased, to recruit our horses, and told us, that when we felt refreshedsufficiently to renew the journey, he would supply us with such storesand other articles as we might require. I learnt that the Mississippi hadbut recently arrived from France, and that she had only been three weeksupon the ground she had taken up for the season's whaling. As yet nowhales had been seen, and the season was said not to commence before theend of June or beginning of July. The boats I saw in the morning belongedto her, and had been out chasing what they thought to be a whale, butwhich proved to be only a fin-back, a species which was not thought torepay the trouble of trying out. 

Early in the evening the whalers retired to rest, and I had a comfortableberth provided for me in the cabin, but could not sleep; my thoughts weretoo much occupied in reflecting upon the great change which the last fewhours had wrought in the position of myself and my attendant. Sincerelygrateful to the Almighty for having guided us through so manydifficulties, and for the inexpressible relief afforded us when so muchneeded, but so little expected, I felt doubly thankful for the mercy weexperienced, when, as I lay awake, I heard the wind roar, and the raindrive with unusual wildness, and reflected that by God's blessing, wewere now in safety, and under shelter from the violence of the storm, andthe inclemency of the west season, which appeared to be setting in, butwhich, under the circumstances we were in but a few short hours ago, weshould have been so little able to cope with, or to endure. 

June 3. --I arose at day-break, as I found the whalers breakfastedbetimes, to enable them to send their boats away to look out, at an earlyhour. In fact, during the season, I was informed, that it was not unusualto send them to their posts before the break of day, and especially so, if other vessels were in company, or there was any competition. Afterbreakfast I landed with the Captain, to get up and inspect the horses;poor animals they had not gone far and were doubtless glad at not beingrequired to march away to-day. I was only sorry that the country did notabound more in grass. Plenty of water left by the rains was procurable, in the ledges of the granite rocks, but the vegetation was scanty, thesoil being very sandy, and covered principally with small shrubs, heathyplants, etc. 

Leaving the horses to enjoy their respite from labour, I accompanied theCaptain to see a garden made by the sailors, in which peas and potatoeshad already been planted, and appeared to be growing well. A rich pieceof land had been selected on a slope, bordering upon a salt water creek, which here wound through the level country towards the sea. The water inthis creek, was brackish in the upper part, but seaward it was quitesalt, it had a bar mouth of sand, which was quite dry. Unfortunately, theCaptain had no garden seeds but the peas and potatoes, so that theirlabours were confined to cultivating these; otherwise during the manymonths spent by them in bay whaling, they might have abundantly suppliedthemselves with a variety of vegetables, at once an agreeable andwholesome addition to the ordinary diet on board ship. After dinner Iwent with the Captain to visit an island near, upon which he kept hislive stock, such as pigs, sheep, and tortoises; the two latter had beenprocured from the west side of the island of Madagascar; the sheep werestrange looking animals, more like goats than sheep, of all colours, andwith fat tails, like the Cape sheep. Their cost at Madagascar had been atumbler full of powder a piece; a bullock would have cost ten bottlesfull, and other things could have been procured at proportionable prices. The principal articles in request among the Madagases, were said to bepowder, brass headed trunk nails, muskets, gun-flints, clear claretbottles, looking-glasses, and cutlery. 

The greater part of the day was very cold and showery, and I remainedquietly on board, reading some old English papers. Wylie was as happy ashe could be. It was true he did not understand a word spoken by thosearound him (for not a soul on board spoke English but the Captain), buthe had as much to eat as he desired; and to do him justice, I believe hemade the most of the opportunity. On the other hand, his capacity foreating entertained the Frenchmen, with the exception, perhaps, of hisfirst meal on board, and then, I believe, that the immense number ofbiscuits he devoured, and the amazing rapidity with which theydisappeared, not only astounded, but absolutely alarmed them. Fish werecaught in great numbers from the ship's side, mackarel and baracootabeing obtained every day. Other varieties might have been procured offthe rocks near the shore, from which there were many places well adaptedfor fishing. Periwinkles abounded, and crabs were numerous among thecrevices of the rocks. Altogether, this seemed to be a most favourableplace; and had we not met with the vessel, it would have held out to usthe prospect of obtaining as abundant a supply of food for ourselves aswe had got at Point Malcolm, without the necessity of destroying the poorfoal. The night again set in very wild, cold, and wet. 

June 4. --This morning the weather appeared tolerably fine, and I landedwith the French doctor for the purpose of walking across to Thistle Cove. After travelling four miles over a sandy heathy country, we arrived atthe pretty little fresh water lake, so accurately described by CaptainFlinders, and which I had so anxiously looked forward to attaining, thatwe might halt to rest, and recruit the horses. There is no timber aroundthe lake, beyond a few xamias, grass trees, and some stunted tea-trees;neither was there much grass. In other respects, I could not have pitchedupon a more favourable place to have halted at: for near the lakeabounded the flag reed, of which the root was so valuable for food. Thisone article would have supported us well during our stay here, whilst themany bluff rocks, with deep calm water close to them, extending allaround the promontory which projected into the sea, and round the bay, held out great promise that fish could readily have been caught. Duckswere also numerous in the lake, and kangaroos on shore. The day turnedout very bleak and wet, and we both got thoroughly soaked through beforewe got back to the vessel, which was not until about two in theafternoon; I was then obliged to borrow a dry suit from the Captain, whilst my own clothes were drying. 

June 5. --From this time until the fourteenth of June I remained on boardthe Mississippi, enjoying the hospitality of Captain Rossiter. Wylie wentout once or twice to try to shoot a kangaroo for the ship, but he neversucceeded; he had so much to eat on board that he had no stimulus toexertion, and did not take the trouble necessary to insure success. During almost the whole of the time that I remained on board theMississippi, the weather was exceedingly boisterous, cold, and wet, and Icould not but feel truly thankful that I had not been exposed to it onshore; even on board the ship, with shelter and extra clothing, I feltvery sensibly the great change which had taken place in the temperature. 

I regretted greatly that during my stay I had not the opportunity ofseeing a whale caught. There was only once an attempt at a chase. In thisinstance three boats were sent out, commanded by the Captain and the twomates, but after a considerable lapse of time, and a long interval ofsuspense and anxiety, the fish chased turned out to be a hump-back, andas this was not deemed worth catching, the boats returned to the ship. The life led by the whalers, as far as I was able to judge, from theshort time I was with them, seemed to be one of regularity, but ofconsiderable hardship. At half-past six or seven in the evening theyinvariably went to bed, but were up at the first dawn of day, andsometimes even before it, the boats were then usually sent to a distancefrom the ship to look out for whales, and whether fortunate or otherwise, they would always have a pretty hard day's work before they returned. They were, however, well fed, being apparently even better dieted thanthe generality of merchant-ships; the bread was of a better quality, andthe allowance of butter, cheese, beans, and other little luxuries muchmore liberal. In the Mississippi the crew were generally young men, andwith few exceptions all were complete novices at sea; this I was told wasin consequence of an expected war between England and France, and theprohibition of able seamen from leaving their country. Captain Rossiterassured me that he had not been allowed for a considerable length of timeto sail at all from France, as the war was daily expected to break out. He was still ignorant as to what had been done in this respect, andnaturally felt very anxious at being, as he might imagine, on an enemy'scoast. 

During the time I remained on board the vessel, a party of natives onceor twice came down to the beach, and as I was anxious to enter intocommucation with them, two were induced to get into the boat and come onboard; as I expected, my boy Wylie fully understood the language spokenin this part of the country, and could converse with them fluently. Through him I learnt that they had never seen white people before theMississippi anchored here, which was somewhat singular, considering thefrankness with which they visited us, and the degree of confidence theyappeared to repose in us. Of the interior I could gain no satisfactoryaccount, they said that as far inland as they were acquainted with thecountry, it was similar to what we saw, that there was an abundance ofwater in the valleys in small wells, that there was a lake and freshwater river, but that there was little or no wood anywhere. In turn theywere curious to know where we had come from, or where we were going; butWylie, who in this respect, at least, was prudent and cautious, told themthat we had come from the eastward to join the ship, and were now goingto remain. Finding I could gain no further useful information, presentsof fish and biscuits were made to them, and they were put on shore, highly pleased with their visit. During the remainder of my stay, I hadno further opportunity of entering into conversation with these people, as the weather was generally wild, and they could not procure muchshelter or fire-wood on the coast, had they come down to see us. 

A few days before I contemplated commencing the renewal of my journey, Irequested the Captain to allow a blacksmith he had on board to shoe myhorses, and to this he kindly consented, but as a scarcity of ironprevailed, some old harpoons and lances had to be worked up for thispurpose. The blacksmith who was a Frenchman, made his shoes and nails inso different, and apparently in so much more clumsy manner than I wasaccustomed to, that I was almost afraid of letting him put them on, andtried hard, but in vain, to get him to imitate the English shoe and nailin ordinary use. 

Finding that I was likely to derive no advantage from my officiousinterference, I determined to let him have his own way, and was surprisedand delighted to find that he performed his work well and skilfully, theonly unusual part of the operation to me, being the necessity he appearedto be under, of always having a man to hold up the leg of the horsewhilst he put the shoe on, instead of holding the foot up himself, as anEnglish blacksmith does; such however, he assured me was the practicealways in France, and he appeared to think it the best too. Having had myhorses shod, I got some canvass from the Captain, to make bags forcarrying my provisions, and then giving him a list of stores that Iwished to take with me, I commenced preparations for leaving myhospitable entertainer. Every thing that I wished for, was given to mewith a kindness and liberality beyond what I could have expected; and itgives me unfeigned pleasure, to have it now in my power to record thuspublicly the obligations I was under to Captain Rossiter. 

On the 14th, I landed the stores, to arrange and pack them ready for thejourney. They consisted of forty pounds of flour, six pounds of biscuit, twelve pounds of rice, twenty pounds of beef, twenty pounds of pork, twelve pounds of sugar, one pound of tea, a Dutch cheese, five pounds ofsalt butter, a little salt, two bottles of brandy, and two tin saucepansfor cooking; besides some tobacco and pipes for Wylie, who was a greatsmoker, and the canteens filled with treacle for him to eat with rice. The great difficulty was now, how to arrange for the payment of thevarious supplies I had been furnished with, as I had no money with me, and it was a matter of uncertainty, whether the ship would touch at anyof the Australian colonies. Captain Rossiter however, said that he hadsome intention of calling at King George's Sound, when the Bay whalingwas over, and as that was the place to which I was myself going, I gavehim an order upon Mr. Sherratt, who had previously acted as my agentthere in the transaction of some business matters in 1840. To this day, however, I have never learnt whether Captain Rossiter visited KingGeorge's Sound or not. 

In arranging the payment, I could not induce the Captain to receive anything for the twelve days' that we had been resident in the ship, norwould he allow me to pay for some very comfortable warm clothing, whichhe supplied me with, both for myself and Wylie. Independently too of thethings which I had drawn from the ship's stores, Captain Rossitergenerously and earnestly pressed me to take any thing that I thoughtwould be serviceable to me from his own private stock of clothes. Theattention and hospitality shewn me, during my stay on board the vessel, and the kindness and liberality which I experienced at my departure, willlong be remembered by me with feelings of gratitude. In the evening Islept on shore, and got every thing ready for commencing my labours againin the morning. 

June 15. --Early this morning the boat came on shore for me, and I went onboard to take a farewell breakfast, in the Mississippi, and to wish goodbye to her kind-hearted people. At eight I landed with the Captain, gotup my horses and loaded them, a matter of some little time and trouble, now my stock of provisions and other things was so greatly augmented; inaddition too to all I had accumulated before, the Captain insisted nowupon my taking six bottles of wine, and a tin of sardines. 

Having received a few letters to be posted at Albany for France, I askedthe Captain if there was anything else I could do for him, but he saidthere was not. The only subject upon which he was at all anxious, was toascertain whether a war had broken out between France and England or not. In the event of this being the case, he wished me not to mention havingseen a French vessel upon the coast, and I promised to comply with hisrequest. 

After wishing my kind host good bye, and directing Wylie to lead one ofthe horses in advance, I brought up the rear, driving the others beforeme. Once again we had a long and arduous journey before us, and werewending our lonely way through the unknown and untrodden wilds. We were, however, in very different circumstances now, to what we had been inprevious to our meeting with the French ship. The respite we had had fromour labours, and the generous living we had enjoyed, had rendered uscomparatively fresh and strong. We had now with us an abundance, not onlyof the necessaries, but of the luxuries of life; were better clothed, andprovided against the inclemency of the weather than we had been; andentered upon the continuation of our undertaking with a spirit, anenergy, and a confidence, that we had long been strangers to. 

From the great additional weight we had now to carry upon the horses, wewere again obliged to give up riding even in turn, and had both to walk. This was comparatively of little consequence, however, now we were sowell provided with every thing we could require, and the country appearedto be so well watered, that we could arrange our stages almost accordingto our own wishes. 

Steering to the north-west we passed over a sandy country, covered withlow heathy plants, and grasstrees, and having granite elevationsscattered over its surface at intervals. Under these hills fresh waterswamps and native wells were constantly met with, and at one of them weencamped for the night, after a stage of about four miles. 

During the day, we passed a variety of beautiful shrubs, and among themwere many different kind of Banksias, one was quite new to me, and had ascarlet flower, which was very handsome. The fossil formation stillconstituted the geological character of the country, most of the lowerridges of rock intervening between the various hills of granite, exhibiting shells in great abundance. In the more level parts, thesurface was so coated over with sand, that nothing else could be seen. Ihave no doubt, however, that the whole of the substrata would have beenfound an uninterrupted continuation of the tertiary deposit. 

At night I observed native fires about a mile from us, in a directiontowards the sea; but the natives did not come near us, nor was I myselfanxious to come into communication with them whilst my party was sosmall. 

The evening had set in with steady rain, which continuing with littleintermission during the night, wet us considerably. 

June 16. --This morning, I found I had caught cold, and was very unwell. Upon leaving the encampment, we steered N. 30 degrees W. To clear a rockyhill, passing which, on our left at six miles, we changed the course toW. 10 degrees N. Three miles from the hill, we crossed a small stream ofbrackish water running very strongly towards the sea, and then halted forthe day upon it, after a short stage. The country we had traversed in ourroute, still consisted of the same sandy plains and undulations, coveredwith low shrubs, heathy plants, grass and cabbage-trees, with here andthere elevations of granite, and fresh water swamps: in and around which, the soil was black and very rich; very little wood was to be met withanywhere, and nothing that deserved the appellation of trees. 

The country, inland, appeared to rise gradually, but did not seem todiffer in character and features from that we were traversing. 

June 17. --A little before daylight it commenced raining, and continuedshowery all day, and though we got wet several times, we experiencedgreat comfort from the warm clothing we had obtained from CaptainRossiter. Upon ascending the hills, above our camp, which confined thewaters of the little stream we were upon, we could trace its coursesouth-west by south, to a small lake lying in the same direction, andwhich it appeared to empty into. A second small lake was observable tothe north-west of the first. Two and a half miles from our camp, wepassed a granite elevation, near which, were many fresh swamps, permanently, I think, abounding in water and having much rich and grassyland around, of which the soil was a deep black, and but little mixedwith sand. For the next three miles and a half, our route lay over a richswampy grassy land, and we were literally walking all the way in waterleft by the rains; besides crossing in that distance two fresh waterstreams, running strongly towards the sea, and both emptying into smalllakes seen under the coast ridges. The largest of these two was one yardand a half wide and a foot deep, and appeared of a permanent character. We now ascended an undulating and rather more elevated tract of countryof an oolitic limestone formation, most luxuriantly clothed with therichest grass, and having several lakes interspersed among the hollowsbetween the ridges. Near this we halted for the night under some of thecoast sand-hills, after a day's stage of twelve miles. We had splendidfeed for our horses, but were without any water for ourselves, beingunable to carry any with us, as the canteens were full of treacle. Fromour camp, a peak, near Cape le Grand, bore E. 33 degrees S. 

June 18. --During the night heavy showers had fallen, and in the oilskinswe caught as much water as sufficed for our tea. After breakfast weproceeded onwards, and at a little more than three miles came to theborders of a large salt lake, lying southwest and north-east, and beingone of two noted by Captain Flinders as having been copied into his mapfrom a French chart. Following the borders of the lake for a mile wefound abundance of fresh water under the banks by which it was inclosed, and which, judging from the rushes and grasses about it, and the manytraces of native encampments, I imagine to be permanent. The lake itselfwas in a hollow sunk in the fossil formation, which was now very clearlyrecognisable in the high banks surrounding the lake, and which variedfrom sixty to a hundred and fifty feet in elevation, and were generallypretty steep towards the shore. The day being fine I halted at this placeto re-arrange the loads of the horses and take bearings. 

A year had now elapsed since I first entered upon the NorthernExpedition. This day twelve months ago I had left Adelaide to commencethe undertaking, cheered by the presence and good wishes of many friends, and proudly commanding a small but gallant party--alas, where were theynow? Painful and bitter were the thoughts that occupied my mind as Icontrasted the circumstances of my departure then with my position now, and when I reflected that of all whose spirit and enterprise had led themto engage in the undertaking, two lone wanderers only remained to attemptits conclusion. 

June 19. --The dew was very heavy this morning, and we did not start untilrather late, travelling through a very grassy country, abounding in freshswamps of a soft peaty soil, and often with the broad flag-reed growingin them. All these places were boggy and impassable for horses. Inattempting to cross one a horse sunk up to his haunches, and we had muchdifficulty in extricating him. At five miles from our camp we ascendedsome high ridges of an oolitic limestone formation, which were partiallycovered by drift-sand, and in the distance looked like the ridge of a seashore. From their summit Cape le Grand bore E. 27 degrees S. , the peakcalled by the French the "Chapeau, " E. 23 degrees S. , and the head of thesalt-water lake E. 10 degrees S. We had now a succession of barren, sandyand stony ridges for more than three miles, and as there was but littleprospect of our finding permanent water in such a miserable region, Itook the opportunity of halting at a little rain water deposited in ahole of the rocks; here we procured enough for ourselves, but could notobtain any for the horses. Our camp not being far from the coast, Iwalked after dinner to the sand-hills to take bearings. Several islandswere visible, of which the centres were set at S. 10 degrees W. , S. 26degrees W. , E. 41 degrees S. , E. 44 degrees S. And S. 33 degrees E. Respectively; the west point of a bay bore S. 51 degrees W. The easternpoint E. 36 degrees S. Upon digging for water under the sand-hills it wasfound to be salt. 

June 20. --Rain fell lightly but steadily until one P. M. , making it verydisagreeable travelling through the rugged and stony ridges we had toencounter, and which were a good deal covered with scrub and brush. Aboutfour miles from our camp of last night we crossed high stony ridges, andimmediately beyond came to some steep sand-drifts, among the hollows ofwhich I dug for water, but at five feet was stopped by rock. The scrubby, hilly, and rugged nature of the back country, generally about threehundred feet above the level of the sea, now compelled me to keep thebeach for five miles, from which I was then again driven by the hillsterminating abruptly towards the sea, and forcing me to scale a steepstony range, which for four miles and a half kept us incessantly toilingup one rugged ascent after another. We then came to an extensive hollow, being a partial break in the fossil formation, and having two large lakesand many smaller ones interspersed over its surface. Around the marginsof the lakes we again found timber--the tea-tree and the bastard gum. Thewater in the lakes was salt, but some slight elevations of graniteafforded us in their hollows an abundance of water for ourselves andhorses. The traces of natives were numerous and recent, but yet we sawnone. Swans, ducks, and wild fowl of various kinds were in great numbers, and kept up an unceasing noise at night whilst passing from one lake tothe other. Our stage had been twelve miles and a half, but the hilly andrugged nature of the road had made it severe upon the horses, whilst thewet overhead and the wet grass under our feet made it equally harassingto ourselves. From our encampment some white drifts in the coast linebore S. 35 degrees E. , and probably were the "white streak in thesand-hills" of Flinders. 

June 21. --We did not get away until late, but the dew had been so heavyduring the night that even then the shrubs and bushes wet us completelythrough, and made our journey cold and miserable. After travelling ashort distance we lost all symptoms of grass, and the country was againsandy and barren, and covered with shrubs and heathy plants. In thisregion we passed two native women and a boy, within gun-shot of us; butas they were so intent upon their occupation of digging roots, and didnot notice us, I was unwilling to alarm them, and we passed silently by. At six miles we came to a fine deep hole of excellent water about thirtyyards in circumference. It was situated in a narrow, short, but steep androcky gorge, and is, I think, permanent. Four miles beyond this wecrossed a chain of salt ponds, trending seawards, towards an apparent gapin the coast-line; and six miles further another. Upon the latter wehalted for the night, as there was good grass for the horses, andbrackish water was procurable a little way up the stream, where itdivided into branches. The constant travelling in the wet for the lastfew days began now to affect our limbs considerably, and upon halting atnights we found our feet always much swollen, and our legs generallystiff and cramped. 

June 22. --A very heavy dew fell in the night, and we were again condemnedto wade for three hours up to our middle among the wet brush; after whichthe day became fine, and we got our clothes dried. Travelling for two anda half miles, we crossed another small brackish chain of ponds, and thenascending rather higher ground, obtained a view of a large lake under thesand-hills, into which the channel we encamped upon last night emptieditself. The lake appeared as if it were deep, and its dark blue colourled me to imagine there might be a junction with the sea towards thesouth-west, where the low appearance of the coast ridge indicated a gapor opening of some kind. At four miles from our last night's encampmentwe were stopped by a large salt-water river, fully a hundred yards wide, and increasing to three or four times that size as it trended to itsjunction with the large lake, and which was visible from the hills abovethe river. This river was deep where we first struck upon it, butappeared to be much more so towards the lake, where the water was of adark blue colour, as was that also of the lake itself. This confirmed mein my opinion that there must be a junction with the sea; butunfortunately I was obliged to trace its course upwards, for the purposeof crossing, and the circumstances under which I was travelling precludedme from delaying, or going so far back out of my way to examine itsmouth. I dared not leave Wylie in charge of the camp for the timenecessary for me to have gone alone; and to take the horses such adistance, and through a rough or heavy country, on the uncertainty ofprocuring for them either grass or water, would have been a risk which, in their condition, I did not think myself justified in incurring. 

After tracing the river northerly for two miles and a half, I found itdivided into two branches, and though these were still of considerablesize, yet a ledge of rocks extending across the channels enabled us toeffect a passage to the other side. At the place where we crossed, thestream running over the rocks was only slightly brackish, and we wateredour horses there; had we traced it a little further it might possiblyhave been quite fresh, but we had no time for this, for Wylie havingtaken charge of the horses but for a few moments, whilst I had beenexamining the river for a crossing place, contrived to frighten them allin some way or other, and set them off at a gallop; the result was, thatour baggage was greatly disturbed, and many things knocked off anddamaged, whilst it took us some time again to get our horses andre-arrange the loads. 

The valley through which the river took its course, was rocky, withsheets of granite extending in many places to the water's edge. There wasabundance of good grass, however, and in its upper branches, probably, there might have been some considerable extent of pasturage. The treesgrowing upon the margin, were the paper-barked tea-tree, and the bastardgum. 

Leaving the river, and proceeding over an undulating sandy country, without timber, but covered with shrubs, we passed at six miles betweentwo small lakes, and in three more descended to a deep valley amonggranite rocks; here we encamped after a stage of sixteen miles, withplenty of fresh water in pools, and very fair grass for the horses, abouta mile and a half before we halted, we had obtained a view to seawards, and I set the "Rocky Islets" at a bearing of S. 25 degrees W. 

The character of the country generally, through which we travelledto-day, was very similar to that we had so long been traversing. Itsgeneral elevation above the level of the sea, was about three hundredfeet, and to a distant observer, it seemed to be a perfect table land, unbroken to the horizon, and destitute of all timber or trees, exceptoccasionally a few cabbage-trees, grass-trees, or minor shrubs; it wasalso without grass. Upon crossing this region deep gorges or valleys aremet with, through which flow brackish or salt-water streams, and shadingthese are found the tea-tree and the bastard gum. The steep banks whichinclose the valleys, through which the streams take their course, andwhich until lately we had found of an oolitic limestone, now exhibitedgranite, quartz, sandstone or iron-stone. 

June 23. --Our horses having rambled some distance back upon ouryesterday's tracks, it was late when they were recovered, and we did notget away until eleven. After travelling a mile and a half, we crossed astream of most excellent water running over a bed of granite, in whichwere some large deep pools with reeds growing around their margins. Abranch of this watercourse was crossed a little further on, but was quitedry where we passed it. 

Nine miles from our last night's camp a view of the "Rocky Islets" wasobtained from a hill, and set at due south. Immediately on descendingfrom the hill we crossed a salt chain of ponds in a bed of sandstone andironstone, and nine miles beyond this we came to another, also of saltwater; here we halted for the night as there was tolerable grass for thehorses, and we were fortunate enough to discover fresh water in a graniterock. 

In the course of the afternoon I obtained a view of a very distant hillbearing from us W. 8 degrees S. This I took to be the east Mount Barren ofFlinders; but it was still very far away, and the intervening countrylooked barren and unpromising. During the day our route had still beenover the same character of country as before, with this exception, thatit was more stony and barren, with breccia or iron-stone grit coveringthe surface. The streams were less frequently met with, and were of agreatly inferior character, consisting now principally of only chains ofsmall stagnant ponds of salt water, destitute of grass, and without anygood soil in the hollows through which they took their course. Many ofthese, and especially those we crossed in the latter part of the day, were quite dry, and appeared to be nothing more than deep gutters washedby heavy rains between the undulations of the country. 

The rock formation, where it was developed, was exclusively sandstone orironstone, with inferior granite; and even the higher levels, which hadheretofore been of a sandy nature, were now rugged and stony, and moresterile than before; the grasstrees, which generally accommodatethemselves to any soil, were stunted and diminutive, and by no means soabundant as before. The general elevation of the country still appearedto be the same. I estimated it at about three hundred feet. 

One circumstance, which struck me as rather singular, with regard to thelast forty miles of country we had traversed, was, that it did not appearto have experienced the same weather as there had been to the eastward. The little water we found deposited in the rocks, plainly indicated thatthe late rains had either not fallen here at all, or in a much lessdegree than they had, in the direction we had come from; whilst the dryand withered state of any little grass that we found, convinced me thatthe earlier rains had still been more partial, so great was the contrastbetween the rich luxuriance of the long green grass we had met withbefore, and the few dry withered bunches of last year's growth, which wefell in with now. 

Chapter V. 

LARGE WATERCOURSE--LAKE OF FRESH WATER--HEAVY RAINS--REACH MOUNTBARREN--SALT LAKES AND STREAMS--BARREN SCRUBBY COUNTRY--RANGES BEHINDKING GEORGE'S SOUND ARE SEEN--BRACKISH PONDS--PASS CAPE RICHE--A LARGESALT RIVER--CHAINS OF PONDS--GOOD LAND--HEAVILY TIMBERED COUNTRY--COLDWEATHER--FRESH LAKE--THE CANDIUP RIVER--KING'S RIVER--EXCESSIVERAINS--ARRIVAL AT KING GEORGE'S SOUND AND TERMINATION OF THEEXPEDITION--RECEPTION OF WYLIE BY THE NATIVES. 

June 24. --UPON moving on early this morning, we crossed the bed of aconsiderable watercourse, containing large deep pools of brackish water, but unconnected at present by any stream. The late hour at which wehalted last night had prevented us from noticing this larger chain ofponds, and of which, that we were encamped upon formed only a branch. Thecountry we now passed through, varied but little in character, exceptthat the shrubs became higher, with a good deal of the Eucalyptus dumosaintermingled with them, and were entangled together by matted creepers orvines, which made it extremely difficult and fatiguing to force a waythrough. The whole was very sterile, and without grass. 

After travelling nine miles, we passed on our right a small lake of freshwater; and two miles beyond this another, about a mile in circumference, but deep, and evidently of a permanent character. Close to this freshwater lake was another, divided from it by only a narrow neck of land, and yet the latter was as salt as the sea. We had only made a short stageas yet; but as there was a little food for the horses near the lake, Ithought it more prudent to halt there than run the risk of being leftwithout in the wretched looking country before us, The Mount Barren ranges were observed again, but the weather was cloudy, so that I could make nothing out distinctly. In the afternoon, Wylie shotthree teal, of which there were numbers on the lake. At night, ourbaggage and clothes had nearly all been destroyed by fire, a spark havingbeen carried by the wind to the tarpaulin which covered them, and which, as it had been but newly tarred, was soon in a blaze. I was fortunateenough, however, to observe the accident in time to save our othereffects. 

June 25. --We commenced our journey early, but had not gone far before therain began to fall, and continued until ten o'clock. Occasionally theshowers came down in perfect torrents, rendering us very cold andmiserable, and giving the whole country the appearance of a large puddle. We were literally walking in water; and by stooping down, almost anywhere as we went along, could have dipped a pint pot half full. It wasdreadful work to travel thus in the water, and with the wet from the longbrush soaking our clothes for so many hours; but there was no help forit, as we could not find a blade of grass for our horses, to enable us tohalt sooner. The surface of the whole country was stony and barren in theextreme. A mile from our camp, we passed a small salt lake on our left;and at fifteen miles more, came to a valley with some wiry grass in it. At this I halted, as there was no prospect of getting better grass, andthe water left by the rains was abundant. The latter, though it had onlyfallen an hour or two, was in many places quite salt, and the best of itbrackish, so thoroughly saline was the nature of the soil upon which ithad been deposited. 

As the afternoon proved fine, I traced down the valley we were upon toits junction with a stream flowing over a granite bed, about a mile fromour camp. In this the pools of water were large, deep, and brackish, butthere was plenty of fresh water left by the rains in holes of the rocksupon its banks. As, however, there did not appear to be better grass uponthe larger channel, than in the valley where we were, I did not think itworth while to remove our camp. 

June 26. --I determined to remain in camp today to rest the horses, and toenable me to arrange their loads, so that Wylie and I might again rideoccasionally. We had both walked for the last eleven days, during whichwe had made good a distance of 134 miles from Rossiter Bay, and as Icalculated we ought under ordinary circumstances to reach the Sound inten days more, I thought that we might occasionally indulge in riding, and relieve ourselves from the great fatigue we had hitherto been subjectto, especially as the horses were daily improving in strength andcondition. 

Whilst I was engaged in making the necessary preparations, and throwingaway some things which I thought we could dispense with, such as ourbucket, some harness, ammunition, cooking utensils, and sundry otherthings, Wylie took the rifle, and went down to the watercourse to shoot. On his return in the afternoon he produced four teal and a black swan, asthe produce of his day's sport; he had, however, shot away every chargeof shot from the belt, which had been filled on board the Mississippi, and held three pounds and a half, besides three ball cartridges; howoften he fired at the swan before he got it I could never discover, but Iheard shot after shot as fast as he could load and fire for some time, and he himself acknowledged to firing at it seven times, but I suspect itto have been nearer twice seven. 

To-day we were obliged to fetch up what water we required for our ownuse, from the holes in the granite rocks near the river, that lying onthe ground near our camp being too salt for use. 

June 27. --Upon moving on this morning we passed towards the Mount Barrenranges for ten miles through the same sterile country, and then observinga watercourse coming from the hills, I became apprehensive I shouldexperience some difficulty in crossing it near the ranges, from theirrocky and precipitous character, and at once turned more southerly tokeep between the sea and a salt lake, into which the stream emptieditself. After getting nearly half round the lake, our progress wasimpeded by a dense and most difficult scrub of the Eucalyptus dumosa. Upon entering it we found the scrub large and strong, and growing veryclose together, whilst the fallen trees, dead wood, and sticks lyingabout in every direction, to the height of a man's breast, rendered ourpassage difficult and dangerous to the horses in the extreme. Indeed, when we were in the midst of it, the poor animals suffered so much, andprogressed so little, that I feared we should hardly get them eitherthrough it or back again. By dint of great labour and perseverance wepassed through a mile of it, and then emerging upon the beach followed itfor a short distance, until steep rocky hills coming nearly bluff intothe sea, obliged us to turn up under them, and encamp for the night notfar from the lake. Here our horses procured tolerable grass, whilst weobtained a little fresh water for ourselves among the hollows of therocks. 

Our stage had been about thirteen miles, and our position was S. 30degrees E. From East Mount Barren, the hills under which we were encampedbeing connected with that range. Most properly had it been called MountBarren, for a more wretched aridlooking country never existed than thataround it. The Mount Barren ranges are of quartz or reddish micaceousslate, the rocks project in sharp rugged masses, and the strata are allperpendicular. 

June 28. --Upon getting up this morning we saw the smoke of native firesalong the margin of the lake, at less than a mile from us. They hadalready noticed our fire, and called out repeatedly to us, but as I didnot wish to come into communication with them at all, I did not reply. Soon afterwards we saw them in the midst of the lake carrying boughs, andapparently fishing. Three miles from the lake we crossed a small saltstream, and a mile further another. Four miles beyond the latter we cameto a very deep narrow salt lake, swarming with swans, pelicans, andducks. As the passage between the lake and the sea appeared to bescrubby, and very similar to that we had found so much difficulty inpassing yesterday, I turned to the north-west to head it inland; but hadnot proceeded far before I found our progress stopped by a largesalt-water stream, which joined the lake, and whose course was throughsteep precipitous ravines. By following the river upwards I came to aplace where we could descend into its basin, and as the water there, though brackish, was still drinkable, I halted for the night after astage of fourteen miles. The horses were a good deal tired with the roughhilly road they had passed over, and having been without water lastnight, stood greatly in need of rest. 

In the afternoon Wylie took the rifle to shoot some of the swans andducks around us, but was not successful. I remained at the camp, breakingdown and clearing a passage amongst the shrubs and trees which grew inthe rocky bed of the watercourse, to enable us to get our horses readilyacross to-morrow. Our position bore S. W. From East Mount Barren, E. Froma bluff range three miles from us, and N. 55 degrees E. From some highhills in the direction of Middle Mount Barren. The course of the streamwe were encamped upon being nearly north and south. 

June 29. --Having found so much difficulty in keeping between the hillsand the sea, I determined now to keep more inland, and steering W. 20degrees N. , headed all ranges in four miles. From this point East MountBarren bore E. 20 degrees N. , and as I was now clear of hills in front, Ichanged my course to W. 20 degrees S. , passing through a barren worthlesscountry for eleven miles, and encamping upon a deep ravine, in which weprocured brackish water. Our horses were greatly fagged. From our campWest Mount Barren bore S. 41 degrees W. 

June 30. --For the first ten miles to-day we had a very bad road, oversteep stony ridges and valleys, covered for the most part with dense gumscrub. The surface was strewed over with rough pebbles or ironstone grit, and was broken a good deal into steep-faced ridges and deep hollows, asif formed so by the action of water. The formation of these precipitousbanks appeared to be an ochre of various colours--red and yellow, and ofa soft friable description. At ten miles we crossed a watercourse withmany pools of brackish water in it, trending to a lake visible under thecoast ridge. There was good grass near this, and many kangaroos wereseen, but as no fresh water could be obtained, we passed on, and at threemiles further came to a hole of rain-water in a rocky gorge, but herethere was not a blade of grass. Hoping to meet with more success furtheron, we still advanced for twelve miles, until night compelled us at lastto encamp without either grass or water, both ourselves and our horsesbeing greatly fatigued. 

In the evening we obtained a view of some high rugged and distant ranges, which I at once recognised as being the mountains immediately behind KingGeorge's Sound. At last we could almost say we were in sight of thetermination of our long, harassing, and disastrous journey. Early in themorning I had told Wylie that I thought we should see the King George'sSound hills before night, but he at the time appeared rather sceptical;when, however, they did break upon our view, in picturesque thoughdistant outline, his joy knew no bounds. For the first time on ourjourney he believed we should really reach the Sound at last. Thecheering and not-to-be-mistaken view before him had dissipated all hisdoubts. Once more he gazed upon objects that were familiar to him; thehome of his childhood was before him, and already almost in fancy he wasthere, and amongst his friends; he could think, or talk of nothing else, and actually complimented me upon the successful way in which I hadconducted him to the end of his journey. From our camp the distant rangesbore W. 5 degrees S. , and West Mount Barren E. 5 degrees S. 

July 1. --After travelling three miles we came to a chain of large pondsof brackish water, but with excellent grass around them, and as thehorses had nothing to eat or drink last night we halted for three hours. The water was bad, but they drank it, and we were obliged to do so too, after an ineffectual search for better. At noon we again moved on, andafter proceeding about five miles, came to a large watercourse where thewater was excellent, and the feed abundant. Here we halted for the night, to make our horses amends for the bad fare and hard work of yesterday. From the hill above our camp West Mount Barren bore E. 8 degrees N. , Middle Mount Barren E. 21 degrees N. , and Rugged Mountains behind theSound, W. 4 degrees S. The watercourse we were upon, like all those wehad lately crossed, had perpendicular cliffs abutting upon it, either onone side or the other, and the channel through which it wound lookedalmost like a cut made through the level country above it. A fewcasuarinae were observed in parts of the valley, being the first met withsince those seen near Cape Arid. 

July 2. --Our route to-day lay through a country much covered withgum-scrub, banksias, and other shrubs, besides occasionally a few patchesof stunted gum-trees growing in clumps in small hollows, where waterappeared to lodge after rains. At two miles we crossed a smallwatercourse, and at fifteen further, came to a deep valley with finefresh-water pools in it, and tolerable feed around; here we halted forthe night. The valley we were upon (and one or two others near) led to amuch larger one below, through which appeared to take its course thechannel of a considerable watercourse trending towards a bight in thecoast at S. 17 degrees W. 

Some high land, seen to the southward and westward of us, I took to beCape Riche, a point I should like greatly to have visited, but did notthink it prudent to go so far out of my direct course, in thecircumstances I was travelling under. 

July 3. --Upon commencing our journey to-day I found our route was muchintersected by deep ravines and gorges, all trending to the larger valleybelow, and where I had no doubt a large chain of ponds, and probably muchgood land, would have been found. After proceeding four miles and a half, we were stopped by a large salt-water river, which seemed to be very deepbelow where we struck it, and trended towards a bight of the coast whereit appeared to form a junction with the sea. 

Many oyster and cockle shells were on its shore. This was the largestriver we had yet come to, and it gave us much trouble to cross it, for, wherever it appeared fordable, the bed was so soft and muddy, that wedared not venture to take our horses into it. By tracing it upwards foreight miles, we at last found a rocky shelf extending across, by which wewere enabled to get to the other side. At the point where we crossed, ithad become only a narrow rocky channel; but there was a strong streamrunning, and I have no doubt, higher up, the water might probably havebeen quite fresh. Its waters flowed from a direction nearly ofwest-north-west, and appeared to emanate from the high rugged rangesbehind King George's Sound. The country about the lower or broad part ofthis river, as far as I traced it, was rocky and bad; but higher up, there was a good deal of grass, and the land appeared improving. In thedistance, the hills seemed less rocky and more grassy, and might probablyafford fair runs for sheep. Upon the banks of the river were a fewcasuarinae and more of the tea-tree, and bastard gum, than we had seenbefore upon any other watercourse. 

Upon crossing the river, we found the country getting more wooded, with astunted-looking tree, apparently of the same species as the stringy bark, with bastard gums, and large banksias, the intervals being filled up withgrass-trees and brush, or shrubs, common at King George's Sound. At darkwe could find no water, and I therefore pushed on by moonlight, makingWylie lead one of the horses whilst I drove the rest after him. At nineo'clock, we came to a deep valley with plenty of water and grass in it, and here we halted for the night, after a stage of full thirty miles. Theearly part of the morning had been very wet, and it continued to rainpartially for the greatest part of the day, rendering us very cold anduncomfortable. At night it was a severe frost. 

July 4. --Our horses having been a good deal fagged yesterday, I did notdisturb them early, and it was nearly noon when we moved away from ourencampment, crossing the main watercourse, of which the ponds we wereupon last night were only a branch. In the larger channel, there weremany fine pools of water, connected by a strongly running stream in adeep narrow bed, and which wound at a course of E. 25 degrees S. Througha valley of soft, spongy, peaty formation, and over which we had muchtrouble in getting our horses, one having sunk very deep, and being withdifficulty extricated. After travelling two miles and a half, we obtaineda view of Bald Island, bearing S. 15 degrees W. ; and in two miles and ahalf more, we crossed a fine chain of ponds, taking its course throughnarrow valleys between hills of granite; these valleys and the slopes ofthe hills were heavily timbered; the soil was very rich, either a reddishloam, or a light black mixed with sand, and the grass interspersed amongthe trees was abundant and luxuriant. After ascending the range, wepassed principally over stony hills, and valleys heavily timbered, andwith brush or underwood, filling up the interstices of the trees. 

Ten miles from our last night's camp we crossed the tracks of horses, apparently of no very old date, this being the first symptom we had yetobserved of our approach towards the haunts of civilised man. The day wascold with heavy squalls of rain, and as the night appeared likely to beworse, I halted early, after a stage of thirteen miles. After dark therain ceased, and the night cleared up, but was very cold. 

July 5. --Another rainy day, and so excessively cold that we were obligedto walk to keep ourselves at all warm; we spent a miserable time, splashing through the wet underwood, and at fifteen miles we passed afresh water lake, in a valley between some hills. This Wylie recognisedas a place he had once been at before, and told me that he now knew theroad well, and would act as guide, upon which I resigned the post ofhonour to him, on his promising always to take us to grass and water atnight. Two miles and a half beyond the lake, we came to a fresh waterswamp, and a mile beyond that to another, at which we halted for thenight, with plenty of water, but very little grass. During the day, wehad been travelling generally through a very heavily timbered country. 

At night the rain set in again, and continued to fall in torrents atintervals; we got dreadfully drenched, and suffered greatly from cold andwant of rest, being obliged to stand or walk before the fire, nearly thewhole night. 

July 6. --The morning still very wet and miserably cold. With Wylie actingas guide, we reached in eight miles, the Candiup river, a large chain ofponds, connected by a running stream, and emptying into a wide and deeparm of the sea, with much rich and fertile land upon its banks. The wholedistrict was heavily timbered, and had good grass growing amongst thetrees. From the very heavy rains that had fallen, we had great trouble incrossing many of the streams, which were swollen by the floods intoperfect torrents. In the Candiup river I had to wade, cold and chill as Iwas, seven times through, with the water breast high, and a current thatI with difficulty could keep my feet against, in order to get the horsesover in safety; the only fordable place was at a narrow ledge of rocks, and with so strong a stream, and such deep water below the ledge, I darednot trust Wylie to lead any of them, but went back, and took each horseacross myself. The day was bitterly cold and rainy, and I began to sufferseverely from the incessant wettings I had been subject to for many dayspast. 

Four miles beyond the Candiup river, we came to King's river, a largesalt arm of Oyster Harbour, here my friend Wylie, who insisted upon itthat he knew the proper crossing place, took me into a large swampymorass, and in endeavouring to take the horses through, three of them gotbogged and were nearly lost, and both myself and Wylie were detained inthe water and mud for a couple of hours, endeavouring to extricate them. At last we succeeded, but the poor animals were sadly weakened andstrained, and we were compelled to return back to the same side of theriver, and encamp for the night, instead of going on to King George'sSound as I had intended!

Fortunately there was tolerable grass, and fresh water lay every whereabout in great abundance, so that the horses would fare well, but forourselves there was a cheerless prospect. For three days and nights, wehad never had our clothes dry, and for the greater part of this time, wehad been enduring in full violence the pitiless storm--whilst wading soconstantly through the cold torrents in the depth of the winter season, and latterly being detained in the water so long a time at the King'sriver, had rendered us rheumatic, and painfully sensitive to either coldor wet. I hoped to have reached Albany this evening, and should have doneso, as it was only six miles distant, if it had not been for the unluckyattempt to cross King's river. Now we had another night's misery beforeus, for we had hardly lain down before the rain began to fall again intorrents. Wearied and worn-out as we were, with the sufferings andfatigues of the last few days, we could neither sit nor lie down to rest;our only consolation under the circumstances being, that however bad orinclement the weather might be, it was the last night we should beexposed to its fury. 

July 7. --Getting up the horses early, we proceeded up the King's river, with a view of attempting to cross, but upon sounding the depths in oneor two places, I found the tide, which was rising, was too high; I hadonly the alternative, therefore, of waiting for several hours until thewater ebbed, or else of leaving the horses, and proceeding on withoutthem. Under all the circumstances, I decided upon the latter; the rainwas still falling very heavily, and the river before us was so wide andso dangerous for horses, from its very boggy character, that I did notthink it prudent to attempt to force a passage, or worth while to delayto search for a proper crossing place. There was good feed for the horseswhere they were, and plenty of water, so that I knew they would farebetter by remaining than if they were taken on to the Sound; whilst itappeared to me more than probable that I should have no difficulty, whenever I wished to get them, to procure a guide to go for and conductthem safely across, at the proper crossing place. 

Having turned our horses loose, and piled up our baggage, now againgreatly reduced, I took my journals and charts, and with Wylie forded theriver about breast high. We were soon on the other side, and rapidlyadvancing towards the termination of our journey; the rain was falling intorrents, and we had not a dry shred about us, whilst the whole countrythrough which we passed, had, from the long-continued and excessiverains, become almost an uninterrupted chain of puddles. For a great partof the way we walked up to our ankles in water. This made our progressslow, and rendered our last day's march a very cold and disagreeable one. Before reaching the Sound, we met a native, who at once recognised Wylie, and greeted him most cordially. From him we learnt that we had beenexpected at the Sound some months ago, but had long been given up forlost, whilst Wylie had been mourned for and lamented as dead by hisfriends and his tribe. The rain still continued falling heavily as weascended to the brow of the hill immediately overlooking the town ofAlbany--not a soul was to be seen--not an animal of any kind--the placelooked deserted and uninhabited, so completely had the inclemency of theweather driven both man and beast to seek shelter from the storm. 

For a moment I stood gazing at the town below me--that goal I had so longlooked forward to, had so laboriously toiled to attain, was at lastbefore me. A thousand confused images and reflections crowded through mymind, and the events of the past year were recalled in rapid succession. The contrast between the circumstances under which I had commenced andterminated my labours stood in strong relief before me. The gay andgallant cavalcade that accompanied me on my way at starting--the smallbut enterprising band that I then commanded, the goodly array of horsesand drays, with all their well-ordered appointments and equipment wereconjured up in all their circumstances of pride and pleasure; and I couldnot restrain a tear, as I called to mind the embarrassing difficultiesand sad disasters that had broken up my party, and left myself and Wyliethe two sole wanderers remaining at the close of an undertaking enteredupon under such hopeful auspices. 

Whilst standing thus upon the brow overlooking the town, and buried inreflection, I was startled by the loud shrill cry of the native we hadmet on the road, and who still kept with us: clearly and powerfully thatvoice rang through the recesses of the settlement beneath, whilst theblended name of Wylie told me of the information it conveyed. For aninstant there was a silence still almost as death--then a singlerepetition of that wild joyous cry, a confused hum of many voices, ahurrying to and fro of human feet, and the streets which had appeared soshortly before gloomy and untenanted, were now alive with natives--men, women and children, old and young, rushing rapidly up the hill, towelcome the wanderer on his return, and to receive their lost one almostfrom the grave. 

It was an interesting and touching sight to witness the meeting betweenWylie and his friends. Affection's strongest ties could not have produceda more affecting and melting scene--the wordless weeping pleasure, toodeep for utterance, with which he was embraced by his relatives, thecordial and hearty reception given him by his friends, and the joyousgreeting bestowed upon him by all, might well have put to the blush thoseheartless calumniators, who, branding the savage as the creature only ofunbridled passions, deny to him any of those better feelings andaffections which are implanted in the breast of all mankind, and whichnature has not denied to any colour or to any race. 

Upon entering the town I proceeded direct to Mr. Sherrats', where I hadlodged when in King George's Sound, in 1840. By him and his family I wasmost hospitably received, and every attention shewn to me; and in thecourse of a short time, after taking a glass of hot brandy and water, performing my ablutions and putting on a clean suit of borrowed clothes, I was enabled once more to feel comparatively comfortable, and to receivethe many kind friends who called upon me. 

I feel great pleasure in the opportunity now afforded me of recording thegrateful feelings I entertain towards the residents at Albany for thekindness I experienced upon this occasion. Wet as the day was, I hadhardly been two hours at Mr. Sherrats before I was honoured by a visitfrom Lady Spencer, from the Government-resident, Mr. Phillips, and fromalmost all the other residents and visitors at the settlement, --all vyingwith each other in their kind attentions and congratulations, and inevery offer of assistance or accommodation which it was in their power torender. 

Finding that a vessel would shortly sail for Adelaide, I at once engagedmy passage, and proceeded to make arrangements for leaving King George'sSound. 

To the Governor of the Colony, Mr. Hutt, I wrote a brief report of myjourney, which was forwarded, with a copy both of my own and Wylie'sdepositions, relative to the melancholy loss of my overseer on the 29thApril. I then had my horses got up from the King's river, and left themin the care of Mr. Phillips, who had in the most friendly manner offeredto take charge of them until they recovered their condition and could besold. 

Wylie was to remain at the Sound with his friends, and to receive fromthe Government a weekly allowance of provisions, [Note 29: This wasconfirmed by Governor Hutt. ] by order of Mr. Phillips; who promised torecommend that it should be permanently continued, as a reward for thefidelity and good conduct he had displayed whilst accompanying me inthe desert. 

On the 13th July I wished my friends good bye, and in the afternoon wenton board the Truelove to sail for Adelaide; whilst working out of harbourwe were accompanied as long as any of the shore boats remained, by someof the natives of the place, who were most anxious to have gone with meto Adelaide. Wylie had given them so flattering an account of SouthAustralia and its pleasures, that he had excited the envy and curiosityof the whole tribe; dozens applied to me to take them, and I really thinkI could have filled the ship had I been disposed; one or two, morepersevering than the rest, would not be denied, and stuck close to thevessel to the last, in the hope that I might relent and take them with mebefore the pilot boat left, but upon this occurring, to their greatdiscomforture, they were compelled to return disappointed. 

On the afternoon of the 26th of July I arrived in Adelaide, after anabsence of one year and twenty-six days. 

Chapter VI. 

CONCLUDING REMARKS. 

Having now brought to a close the narrative of my explorations in 1840-1, it may not be out of place to take a brief and cursory review of thewhole, and to state generally what have been the results effected. Inmaking this summary, I have no important rivers to enumerate, no fertileregions to point out for the future spread of colonization andcivilization, or no noble ranges to describe from which are washed thedebris that might form a rich and fertile district beneath them; on thecontrary, all has been arid and barren in the extreme. 

Such, indeed, has been the sterile and desolate character of thewilderness I have traversed, and so great have been the difficultiesthereby entailed upon me, that throughout by far the greater portion ofit, I have never been able to delay a moment in my route, or to deviatein any way from the line I was pursuing, to reconnoitre or examine whatmay haply be beyond. Even in the latter part of my travels, when withinthe colony of Western Australia, and when the occasionally meeting withtracts of a better soil, or with watercourses appearing to have an outletto the ocean, rendered the country one of much greater interest, I wasquite unable, from the circumstances under which I was placed, thereduced and worn-out state of my horses, and the solitary manner in whichI was travelling, ever to deviate from my direct line of route, either toexamine more satisfactorily the character of the country, or to determinewhether the watercourses, some of which occasionally bore the characterof rivers (though of only short course), had embouchures opening to thesea or not. 

In a geographical point of view, I would hope the result of my labourshas not been either uninteresting, or incommensurate with the nature ofthe expedition placed under my command, and the character of the countryI had to explore. By including in the summary I am now making, thejourneys I undertook in 1839, as well as those of 1840-1 (for aconsiderable portion of the country then examined was recrossed by theNorthern Expedition), it will be seen that I have discovered and examineda tract of country to the north of Adelaide, which was previouslyunknown, of about 270 miles in length, extending between the parallels of33 degrees 40 minutes and 29 degrees S. Latitude. In longitude, that partof my route which was before unknown, extends between the parallels of138 degrees E. , and 118 degrees 40 minutes E. , or about 1060 miles ofdirect distance. These being connected with the previously known portionsof South-western, South-eastern, and part of Southern Australia, completethe examination of the whole of the south line of the coast of thiscontinent. Indeed, I have myself (at various times) crossed over thewhole of this distance from east to west, from Sydney to Swan River. Inthe early part of the Expedition, 1840, the continuation of Flindersrange, from Mount Arden, was traced and laid down to its termination, near the parallel of 29 degrees S. It was ascertained to be hemmed in byan impassable barrier, consisting of the basin of an immense lake, whichI named Lake Torrens, and which, commencing from the head of Spencer'sGulf, increased in width as it swept to the north-west, but subsequentlybent round again to the north-east, east and south-east, incorrespondence with the trend of Flinders range, the northern extremityof which it completely surrounded in the form of a horse-shoe. The shoresof this lake I visited to the westward of Flinders range, at threedifferent points, from eighty to ninety miles apart from each other, andon all these occasions I found the basin to consist, as far as I couldpenetrate, of a mass of mud and sand, coated on the surface with a crustof salt, but having water mixed with it beneath. At the mostnorth-westerly point attained by me, water was found in an arm of themain lake, about two feet deep, clear, and salt as the sea; it did notextend, however, more than two or three hundred yards, nor did itcontinue to the bed of the main lake, which appeared, from a rise that Iascended near the arm, to be of the same character and consistency asbefore. The whole course of the lake, to the farthest point visited byme, was bounded by a steep, continuous, sandy ridge, exactly like asea-shore ridge; those parts of its course to the north, and to the eastof Flinders range, which I did not go down to, were seen and laid downfrom various heights in that mountain chain. Altogether, the outline ofthis extraordinary feature, as thus observed and traced, could not haveextended over a circuit of less than 400 miles. 

It is singular enough that all the springs found near the termination ofFlinders range should have been salt, and that these were very nearly inthe same latitude in which Captain Sturt had found brine springs in thebed of the Darling in 1829, although our two positions were so farseparated in longitude. My furthest position to the north-west was alsoin about the same latitude, as the most inland point gained by anyprevious exploring party, viz. That of Sir Thomas Mitchell's in 1832, about the parallel of 149 degrees E. Longitude; but by my being about 600miles more to the westward, I was consequently much nearer to the centreof New Holland. It is, to say the least, remarkable that from both ourpositions, so far apart as they are, the country should present the samelow and sterile aspect to the west and north-west. Since my return fromthe expedition, a party has been sent out under Captain Frome, theSurveyor-General, in South Australia, to examine the south-east extremityof Lake Torrens; the following is the report made by that officer uponhis return. 

"The most northern point at which I found water last year, was near thetop of a deep ravine of the Black Rock Hills, in lat. 32 degrees 45minutes 25 seconds, where I left the dray and the larger portion of myparty on the 20th July, taking on only a light spring cart, the bottomfilled entirely with kegs containing sufficient water for our horses fornearly three days, and provisions for one month, which was as much as thecart would contain. 

"My object being to ascertain the boundaries of the southern terminationof the eastern branch of Lake Torrens, as laid down by Mr. Eyre, and alsothe nature of the country between Flinders range, as high as the parallelof Mount Hopeless, and the meridian of 141 degrees, (the eastern limitsof the province), I kept at first a course as near N. N. E. As the natureof the ground would admit, to ensure my not passing to the east of thisextremity of the lake; from whence I intended, if possible, to pursue aline nearly north-east, as far as my time and the means at my disposalwould allow me, hoping to reach the high land laid down by Sir ThomasMitchell, on the right banks of the Darling, to the north of Mount Lyell, and thus ascertain if any reasonable hope existed of penetrating at somefuture time towards the interior from thence. The continued heavy rainswhich had fallen for more than three weeks before my departure fromAdelaide, on the 8th July, and for nearly a fortnight afterwards, hadleft the surface water in pools on the scrubby plains, and in some of theravines; but on proceeding north, it was evident that these rains had notbeen there so general or so heavy, though by steering from point to pointof the hills, after crossing the Black Rock Range at Rowe's Creek, I wasable to find sufficient water for the horses, and to replenish the kegsevery second or third day. From this spot, the plains, as well as thehigher land, appeared evidently to dip away to the north-east, the barrenhills all diminishing in elevation, and the deep watercourses fromFlinders range all crossing the plains in that direction. In one of thesewatercourses, the Siccus (lat. About 31 degrees 55 minutes), whosesection nearly equals that of the Murray, there were indications of notvery remote floods having risen to between twenty and thirty feet aboveits bed, plainly marked by large gum-trees lodged in the forks of thestanding trees, and lying high up on its banks, on one of which Iremarked dead leaves still on the branches; and in another creek (PasmoreRiver), lat. 31 degrees 29 minutes, a strong current was running at thespot where we struck it (owing, I suppose, to recent heavy rains amongthe hills from whence it has its source), but below this point the bedwas like that of all the other creeks, as dry as if no rain had everfallen, and with occasional patches of various shrubs, and salt watertea-tree growing in it. After crossing the low ridge above Prewitt'sSprings, lat. 31 degrees 45 minutes, forming the left bank of the basinof the Siccus, the plain extended between the north and east as far asthe eye could reach, and the lurid glare of the horizon, as we advancednorthward, plainly indicated the approach of Lake Torrens, which, fromthe direction I had followed, I expected to turn about this point. I wasobliged, however, to continue a northerly course for the sake of water, which I could only hope to find in the ravines of the hills on our left, as high as the parallel of 30 degrees 59 minutes, where the lake wasvisible within fifteen or sixteen miles, and appeared from the high landto be covered with water, studded with islands, and backed on the east bya bold rocky shore. These appearances were, however, all deceptive, beingcaused solely by the extraordinary refraction, as on riding to the spotthe following day, not a drop of water was to be seen in any direction. The islands turned out to be mere low sandy ridges, very scantily clothedwith stunted scrub on their summits, and no distant land appeared anywhere between the north and south-east, though from the hills above ourcamp of the previous night, I could discern, with the aid of a verypowerful telescope, a ridge of low land, either on the eastern side ofthe lake, or rising out of it, distant at least seventy miles, renderedvisible at that distance by the excessive refractive power of theatmosphere on the horizon. A salt crust was seen at intervals on thesurface of the sand at the margin of the lake, or as it might moreproperly be called, the Desert; but this appearance might either becaused by water brought down by the Siccus, and other large watercoursesspreading over the saline soil in times of flood, or by rain, andappeared to me no proof of its ever being covered with water for anyperiod of time. A few pieces of what appeared drift timber were alsolying about its surface. The sand, as we advanced farther east, becamemore loose and drifting, and not a blade of grass, or any species ofvegetation, was visible, rendering hopeless any attempt to cross it withhorses. This point of the lake shore, being by Mr. Eyre's chart aboutthirty miles to the westward of where I found it, I thought it advisableto push further north, in the direction of the highest point of therange, which I imagined was probably his Mount Serle; for though it wasnot to be expected that Mr. Eyre, whose principal and almost sole objectwas to discover a road to the interior, would, at the same time, havebeen able to lay down the position of his route with the same accuracythat might have been expected from a surveyor; this difference oflongitude prevented my being certain of the identity of the spot, or thatthe range on our left, might not after all, be another long promontoryrunning to the north, similar to that on the western side of which wasMr. Eyre's course. The appearance of the country, however, from the hillsclose under Mount Serle (for the perpendicular cliffs on the east side ofthis range of hills prevented my ascending to their summit withoutturning them among the ranges, for which I had not time), convinced me atonce, from its perfect accordance with the description given by Mr. Eyre, that his eastern arm of Lake Torrens was the sandy desert I had left, itssurface being about three hundred feet above the level of the sea; andour two converging lines having thus met at Mount Serle, I knew it wasuseless to advance further in the same direction to a spot which he hadnamed, from the impossibility of proceeding beyond it, "Mount Hopeless. "

"I was thus forced to return to Pasmore River, as the nearest point fromwhence I could cross to the low hills to the eastward, south of LakeTorrens; and from thence I sent back to the depot two men of the party, and three horses--the former for the sake of their rations, and thelatter on account of the probable difficulty I should have in procuringwater--taking on with me only Mr. Henderson and Mr. Hawker on foot, withthe light cart and one policeman. The second evening I made the mostnorthern of these hills, but could not find a drop of water in any ofthem; and having unluckily lost the policeman, who had crossed in frontof the dray and got entangled in the dense scrub, I was detained threedays riding upon his tracks, until I had traced them to our dray tracksfrom the depot at the Black Rock Hill, which he reached in safety, afterbeing out five days without food. The cart, in the mean time, had beenobliged to leave the spot where I left it, for want of water--having beenout six days without obtaining any but what we carried in the kegs; andwhen I overtook it, we had not sufficient provisions for another attempt, the period of one month, for which they were intended to last, havingalready nearly expired. 

"I very much regret not having been able to reach, at all events, withinsight of Mount Lyell; but where I turned I could plainly see the wholecountry within fifty or sixty miles of the boundaries of the province, and can speak with almost as much confidence of its absolute sterility asif I had actually ridden over it. It would certainly be possible in thewet season to take a small party from Prewitt's Springs across to thishill of Sir Thomas Mitchell (distant about one hundred and sixty miles), by carrying on water for eight or ten days; but no further supply mightbe found short of the Darling (eighty miles beyond Mount Lyell), on whichriver it would be madness to attempt anything without a considerableforce, on account of the natives; and the same point might be reached innearly as short a time, and with much more certainty, with any number ofmen that might be considered necessary, by ascending the Murray as highas the Laidley Ponds, and proceeding north from thence. 

"On returning to the depot, I moved the party down to Mount Bryan, andmade another attempt on the 25th August, with Mr. Henderson, and one manleading a pack-horse, to the north-east, hoping, from the heavy rainswhich had fallen during the past two months, to find sufficient water inthe ravines to enable me to push on for several days. The second day, Icrossed the high range I had observed from the Black Rock Hills and MountBryan, for the southern termination of which Colonel Gawler steered whenhe left the northern bend of the Murray in December, 1839; but thoughthese hills had an elevation of twelve hundred or fourteen hundred feetabove the plain, there was no indication of rain having fallen theresince the deluge. This want of water prevented my proceeding further tothe north-east; but from the summit of the highest of these hills (MountPorcupine, ) I had a clear view of the horizon in every direction, and amore barren, sterile country, cannot be imagined. 

"The direction of the dividing ridge between the basin of the Murray andthe interior desert plain was generally about north-east from the BlackRock Hills (the highest point north of Mount Bryan, ) gradually decreasingin elevation, and, if possible, increasing in barrenness. The summits ofthose hills I found invariably rock--generally sandstone--the lowerslopes covered with dense brush, and the valleys with low scrub, withoccasional small patches of thin wiry grass. I was obliged to return onthe third day, and reached the foot of Mount Bryan on the fourth evening, at the southern extremity of which hill the horses were nearly bogged inthe soft ground, though only fifty miles distant from land where the dustwas flying as if in the midst of summer. 

"It appears to me certain, from the result of these different attempts, that there is no country eastward of the high land extending north fromMount Bryan, as far as Mount Hopeless, a distance of about three hundredmiles, as far as the meridian of 141 degrees (and probably much beyondit), available for either agricultural or pastoral purposes; and that, though there may be occasional spots of good land at the base of the mainrange on the sources of the numerous creeks flowing from thence towardsthe inland desert, these must be too limited in extent to be of anypresent value. 

"The nature of the formation of the main range I found generallyiron-stone, conglomerate and quartz, with sandstone and slate at thelower elevation. At the points of highest elevation from Mount Bryannorthward, igneous rocks of basaltic character protruded from below, forming rugged and fantastic outlines. 

"At one spot, particularly, about 30 degrees, there were markedindications of volcanic action, and several hollows resembling smallcraters of extinct volcanoes, near one of which we found a small springof water, maintaining always a temperature of about 76 degrees Farenheit, when the thermometer standing in water in the kegs stood at 52 degrees, and in the atmosphere at 54 degrees. 

"The accompanying sketch of the country from Mount Bryan northwards, willprobably explain its character better than any written description. Thealtitudes marked at the different spots where they were observed, wereobtained by the temperature of boiling water, as observed by twothermometers; but as they were not graduated with sufficient minutenessfor such purposes, the results can only be considered approximate. "

E. C. FROME, Capt. Royal Engineers, Surveyor-General. September 14th, 1843. 

In the above report it will be observed, that there are some apparentdiscrepancies between my account and Captain Frome's. First, with respectto the position of the south-east extremity of Lake Torrens. CaptainFrome states that he found that point thirty miles more to the east thanI had placed it in my chart. Now the only sketch of my course underFlinders range, and that a rough one, which I furnished to the ColonialGovernment, was sent from Port Lincoln, and is the same which wassubsequently published with other papers, relative to South Australia, for the House of Commons, in 1843. This sketch was put together hastilyfor his Excellency the Governor, that I might not lose the opportunity offorwarding it when I sent from Port Lincoln to Adelaide for suppliesearly in October, 1840. It was constructed entirely, after I found myselfcompelled to return from the northern interior, and could only beattended to, in a hurried and imperfect manner, during the briefintervals I could snatch from other duties, whilst travelling back fromthe north to Port Lincoln (nearly 400 miles, ) during which time mymovements were very rapid, and many arrangements, consequent upondividing my party at Baxter's range, had to be attended to; added to thiswere the difficulties and embarrassments of conducting myself onedivision of the party to Port Lincoln, through 200 miles of a desertcountry which had never been explored before, and which, from its aridand sterile character, presented impediments of no ordinary kind. 

Upon my return to Adelaide in 1841, after the Expedition had terminated, other duties engrossed my time, and it was only after the publication ofCaptain Frome's report, that my attention was again called to thesubject. Upon comparing my notes and bearings with the original sketch Ihad made, I found that in the hurry and confusion of preparing it, whilsttravelling, I had laid down all the bearings and courses magnetic, without allowing for the variation; nor can this error, perhaps, bewondered at, considering the circumstances under which the sketch wasconstructed. 

At Mount Hopeless the variation was 4 degrees E. , at Mount Arden it was 7degrees 24 minutes E. Now if this variation be applied proportionably toall the courses and bearings as marked down in the original chart, commencing from Mount Arden, it will be found that Mount Serle will bebrought by my map very nearly in longitude to where Captain Frome placesit. [Note 30 at end of para. ] Our latitudes appear to agree exactly. The second point upon which some difference appears to existbetween Captain Frome's report and mine is the character of Lake Torrensitself, which Captain Frome thought might more properly be calleda desert. This, it will be observed, is with reference to its south-eastextremity--a point I never visited, and which I only saw once fromMount Serle; a point, too, which from the view I then had of it, distant although it was, even at that time seemed to me to be"apparently dry, " and is marked as such in Arrowsmith's chart, published from the sketch alluded to. 

[Note 30: This has been done by Arrowsmith in the map which accompaniesthese volumes;--to which Mr. Arrowsmith has also added Captain Frome'sroute from the original tracings. ]

There is, however, a still greater, and more singular difference alludedto in Captain Frome's report, which it is necessary to remark; I meanthat of the elevation of the country. On the west side of Flinders range, for 200 miles that I traced the course of Lake Torrens, it was, as I haveobserved, girded in its whole course by a steep ridge, like a sea-shore, from which you descended into a basin, certainly not above the level ofthe sea, possibly even below it (I had no instruments with me to enableme to ascertain this, ) the whole bed consisted of mud and water, and Ifound it impossible to advance far into it from its boggy nature. On theeast side of Flinders range, Captain Frome found the lake a desert, 300feet above the level of the sea, [Note 31: By altitude deduced from thetemperature of boiling water. ] and consisting of "loose and driftingsand, " and "low sandy ridges, very scantily clothed with stunted scrub ontheir summits. " Now, by referring to Captain Frome's chart and report, itappears that the place thus described was nearly thirty miles south ofMount Serle, and consequently twenty miles south of that part of the bedof Lake Torrens which I had seen from that hill. It is further evident, that Captain Frome had not reached the basin of Lake Torrens, and Icannot help thinking, that if he had gone further to the north-east, hewould have come to nearly the same level that I had been at on thewestern side of the hills. There are several reasons for arriving at thisconclusion. First, the manner in which the drainage is thrown off fromthe east side of Flinders range, and the direction which the watercoursestake to the north-east or north; secondly, because an apparent connectionwas traceable in the course of the lake, from the heights in Flindersrange, nearly all the way round it; thirdly, because the loose sands andlow sandy ridges crowned with scrub, described by Captain Frome, werevery similar to what I met with near Lake Torrens in the west side, before I reached its basin. 

After the Northern Expedition had been compelled to return south, (beingunable to cross Lake Torrens, ) the peninsula of Port Lincoln wasexamined, and traversed completely round, in all the three sides of thetriangle formed by its east and west coasts, and a line from Mount Ardento Streaky Bay. A road overland from Mount Arden was forced through thescrub for a dray; but the country travelled through was of soinhospitable a character as to hold out no prospect of its beinggenerally available for overland communication. One unfortunateindividual has since made an attempt to take over a few head of cattle bythis route, but was unable to accomplish it, and miserably perished withhis whole party from want of water. [Note 32: Vide note to page 154, Vol. I. (Note 11)]

On the northern side of the triangle I have alluded to, or on the linebetween Mount Arden and Streaky Bay, a singularly high and barren range, named the Gawler Range after His Excellency the Governor, was foundconsisting of porphoritic granite, extending nearly all the way across, and then stretching out to the north-west in lofty rugged outline as faras the eye could reach; the most remarkable fact connected with thisrange, was the arid and sterile character of the country in which it wassituated, as well as of the range itself, which consisted entirely ofrugged barren rocks, without timber or vegetation. There was not a streamor a watercourse of any kind emanating from it; we could find neitherspring nor permanent fresh water, and the only supply we procured forourselves was from the deposits left by very recent rains, and which in afew days more, would have been quite dried up. The soil was in manyplaces saline, and wherever water had lodged in any quantity (as in lakesof which there were several) it was quite salt. 

[Note 33: A small exploring party, under a Mr. Darke, was sent from PortLincoln in August, 1844, but after getting as far as the Gawler Range werecompelled by the inhospitable nature of the country to return. Theunfortunate leader was murdered by the natives on his route homewards. ]

Continuing the line of coast to the westward, the expedition passedthrough the most wretched and desolate country imaginable, consistingalmost entirely of a table-land, or of undulating ridges, covered for themost part with dense scrubs, and almost wholly without either grass orwater. The general elevation of this country was from three to fivehundred feet, and all of the tertiary deposit, with primary rocksprotruding at intervals. 

The first permanent fresh water met with on the surface was a smallfresh-water lake, beyond the parallel of 123 degrees E. ; but from MountArden to that point, a distance of fully 800 miles in a direct line, nonewhatever was found on the surface (if I except a solitary small springsunk in the rock at Streaky Bay). During the whole of this vast distance, not a watercourse, not a hollow of any kind was crossed; the only waterto be obtained was by digging close to the sea-shore, or the sand-hillsof the coast, and even by that means it frequently could not be procuredfor distances of 150 to 160 miles together. With the exception of theGawler Range, which lies between Streaky Bay and Mount Arden, this drearywaste was one almost uniform table-land of fossil formation, with anelevation of from three to five hundred feet, covered for the most partby dense impenetrable scrubs, and varied only on its surface byoccasional sandy or rocky undulations. 

What then can be the nature of that mysterious interior, bounded as it isby a table-land without river or lakes, without watercourses or drainageof any kind, for so vast a distance? Can it be that the whole is oneimmense interminable desert, or an alternation of deserts and shallowsalt lakes like Lake Torrens? Conjecture is set at defiance by theimpenetrable arrangements of nature; where, the more we pry into hersecrets, the more bewildered and uncertain become all our speculations. 

It has been a common and a popular theory to imagine the existence of aninland sea, and this theory has been strengthened and confirmed by theopinion of so talented, so experienced, and so enterprising a travelleras my friend Captain Sturt, in its favour. That gentleman, with the nobleand disinterested enthusiasm by which he has ever been characterised, hasonce more sacrificed the pleasure and quiet of domestic happiness, at theshrine of enterprise and science. With the ardour of youth, and theperseverance and judgment of riper years, he is even now traversing thetrackless wilds, and seeking to lift up that veil which has hitherto hungover their recesses. May he be successful to the utmost of his wishes, and may he again rejoin in health and safety his many friends, to forgetin their approbation and admiration the toils he has encountered, and toenjoy the rewards and laurels which will have been so hardly earned, andso well deserved. 

It was in August, 1844, that Captain Sturt set out upon his arduousundertaking, with a numerous and well equipped party, and havingprovisions calculated to last them for eighteen months. I had thepleasure of accompanying the expedition as far as the Rufus (about 240miles from Adelaide), to render what assistance I could, in passing up, on friendly terms among the more distant natives of the Murray. Since myreturn, Captain Sturt has been twice communicated with, and twice heardfrom, up to the time I left the Colony, on the 21st December, 1844. Thelast official communication addressed to the Colonial Government will befound in Chapter IX. Of Notes on the Aborigines. The following is a copyof a private letter to John Morphett, Esq M. C. , and published in theAdelaide Observer of the 9th November, 1844:--

"14th October, 1844. 

"I left Lake Victoria, as I told you in a former letter, on the 18th ofSeptember, and again cut across the country to the Murray. As wetravelled along we saw numerous tracks of wild cattle leading from themarshes to the river, and we encamped at the junction of the river and alagoon (one of the most beautiful spots you ever saw), just where thesetracks were most numerous. In the night therefore we were surrounded bylowing herds, coming to the green pastures of which we had takenpossession. In the morning I sent Messrs. Poole and Brown, with Flood mystockman, and Mark to drive in some bullocks, as I was anxious to secureone or two workers. The brush however was too thick, and in gallopingthrough it after a bull, Flood's carbine exploded, and blew off three ofthe fingers of his right hand. This accident obliged me to remainstationary for two days, notwithstanding my anxiety to get up to thelagoon at Williorara, to ascertain the truth or otherwise of the report Ihad heard of the massacre of a party of overlanders there. 

"On the 23rd I reached the junction of the Ana branch with the Murray, discovered by Eyre, and then turned northwards. Running this Ana branchup, I crossed it where the water ceased, and went to the Darling, striking it about fifteen miles above its junction with the Murray. Theunlooked-for course of the Darling however kept me longer on its banksthan I had anticipated; but you can form no idea of the luxuriant verdureof its flats. They far surpass those of the Murray, both in quantity andquality of soil; and extended for many miles at a stretch along the riverside. We have run up it at a very favourable season, and seen thecommencement of its floods; for, two days after we reached it, and foundit with scarcely any water in its bed, we observed a fresh in it, indicated by a stronger current. The next morning to our surprise thewaters were half-bank high. They had risen six feet during the night, andwere carrying everything before them; now they are full sixteen feetabove their level, and a most beautiful river it is. Over this saidmysterious river, as Major Mitchell calls it, the trees drooped likewillows, or grew in dark clusters at each turn; the sloping banks were ofa vivid green, the flats lightly timbered, and the aspect of the wholeneighbourhood cheerful. 

"I had hoped that we should have been able to approach the ranges prettyclosely along the line of Laidley's Ponds; but fancy our disappointmentwhen we arrived on its banks to find that instead of a mountain stream itwas a paltry creek, connecting a lake, now dry, with the river, and thatits banks were quite bare. I was therefore obliged to fall back upon theDarling, and have been unable to stir for the last four days by reason ofheavy rain. 

"On Tuesday I despatched Mr. Poole to the ranges, which are forty milesdistant from us, to ascertain if there is water or feed under them; but Ihave no hope of good tidings, and believe I shall ultimately be obligedto establish myself on the Darling. 

"You will be glad to hear, and so ought every body, that we havemaintained a most satisfactory intercourse with the natives. The reportwe had heard referred to Major Mitchell's affray with them, and you willnot be surprised at their reverting to it, when I tell you that severalold men immediately recognized me as having gone down the Murray in aboat, although they could have seen me for an hour or two only, andfifteen years have now elapsed since I went down the river. I suppose wemisunderstood the story; but most assuredly I fully anticipated weshould, sooner or later, come on some dreadful acene or other, and I cameup fully prepared to act; but the natives have been exceedingly quiet, nor have we seen a weapon in the hands of any of them: in truth I havebeen quite astonished at the change in the blacks; for instead ofcollecting in a body, they have visited us with their wives and children, and have behaved in the most quiet manner. We may attribute this in partto our own treatment of the natives, and in part to Eyre's influence overthem, which is very extensive, and has been productive of great good. Theaccount the natives give of the distant interior is very discouraging. Itis nothing more however than what I expected. They say that beyond thehills it is all sand and rocks; that there is neither grass or water, orwood; and that it is awfully hot. This last feature appears to terrifythem. They say that they are obliged to take wood to the hills for fire, and that they clamber up the rocks on the hills; that when there is waterthere, it is in deep holes from which they are obliged to sponge it upand squeeze it out to drink. I do not in truth think that any of thenatives have been beyond the hills, and that the country is perfectlyimpracticable. 

"We are now not more than two hundred and fifteen feet above the sea, with a declining country to the north-west, and the general dip of thecontinent to the south-west. What is the natural inference where there isnot a single river emptying itself upon the coast, but that there is aninternal basin? Such a country can only be penetrated by cool calculationand determined perseverance. I have sat down before it as a besiegerbefore a fortress, to make my approaches with the same systematicregularity. I must cut hay and send forage and water in advance, as faras I can. I have the means of taking sixteen days' water and feed for twohorses and three men; and if I can throw my supplies one hundred miles inadvance, I shall be able to go two hundred miles more beyond that point, at the rate of thirty miles a-day, one of us walking whilst two rode. Surely at such a distance some new feature will open to reward ourefforts! My own opinion is, that an inland sea will bring us up erelong--then how shall we get the boat upon it? 'Why, ' you will say, 'necessity is the mother of invention. ' You will find some means orother, no doubt; and so we will. However, under any circumstances, dependupon it I will either lift up or tear down the curtain which hides theinterior from us, so look out for the next accounts from me as of themost interesting kind, as solving this great problem, or shutting thedoor to discovery from this side the continent for ever. 

"P. S. Poole has just returned from the ranges. I have not time to writeover again. He says that there are high ranges to N. And N. W. Andwater, --a sea extending along the horizon from S. W. By W. , to ten E. OfN. In which there are a number of islands and lofty ranges as far as theeye can reach. What is all this? Are we to be prosperous? I hope so; andI am sure you do. To-morrow we start for the ranges, and then for thewaters, --the strange waters on which boat never swam, and over which flagnever floated. But both shall are long. We have the heart of the interiorlaid open to us, and shall be off with a flowing sheet in a few days. Poole says that the sea was a deep blue, and that in the midst of itthere was a conical island of great height. When will you hear from meagain?"

From this communication, Captain Sturt appears to be sanguine of havingrealized the long hoped for sea, and at last of having found a key to thecentre of the continent. Most sincerely do I hope that this may be thecase, and that the next accounts may more than confirm such satisfactoryintelligence. 

My own impressions were always decidedly opposed to the idea of an inlandsea, nor have I changed them in the least, now that circumstancesamounting almost to proof, seem to favour that opinion. 

Entertaining, as I do, the highest respect for the opinion of one soevery way capable of forming a correct judgment as Captain Sturt, it iswith considerable diffidence that I advance any conjectures in oppositionto his, and especially so, as I may be thought presumptuous in doing soin the face of the accounts received. Until these accounts, however, arefurther confirmed, the question still remains as it was; and it mayperhaps not be out of place to allude to some of the reasons which haveled me to form an opinion somewhat different from that entertained byCaptain Sturt, and which I have been compelled to arrive at after a longpersonal experience, a closer approach to the interior, and a moreextensive personal examination of the continent, than any other travellerhas hitherto made. In the course of that experience, I have never metwith the slightest circumstance to lead me to imagine that there shouldbe an inland sea, still less a deep navigable one, and having an outercommunication with the ocean. I can readily suppose, and, in fact, I doso believe, that a considerable portion of the interior consists of thebeds or basins of salt lakes or swamps, as Lake Torrens, and some ofwhich might be of great extent. I think, also, that these alternate, withsandy deserts, and that probably at intervals, there are many isolatedranges, like the Gawler range, and which, perhaps, even in some placesmay form a connection of links across the continent, could any favourablepoint be obtained for commencing the examination. 

It is very possible that among these ranges, intervals of a better oreven of a rich and fertile country might be met with. 

The suggestion thrown out by Captain Sturt a few years ago, thatAustralia might formerly have been an Archipelago of islands, appears tome to have been a happy idea, and to afford the most rational andsatisfactory way of accounting for many of the peculiarities observableupon its surface or in its structure. That it has only recently (comparedwith other countries) obtained its present elevation, is often forciblyimpressed upon the traveller, by the appearance of the country he istraversing, but no where have I found this to be the case in a greaterdegree, than whilst exploring that part of it, north of Spencer's Gulf, where a great portion of the low lands intervening, between the base ofFlinders range, and the bed of Lake Torrens, presents the appearance of asuccession of rounded undulations of sand or pebbles washed perfectlysmooth and even, looking like waves of the sea, and seeming as if theyhad not been very many centuries deserted by the element that had mouldedthem into their present form. In this singular district I found scatteredat intervals throughout the whole area inclosed by, but south of, LakeTorrens, many steep-sided fragments of a table land, [Note 34 at end ofpara. ] which had evidently been washed to pieces by the violent action ofwater, and which appeared to have been originally, of nearly the samegeneral elevation as the table lands to the westward. It seems to me, that these table lands have formerly been the bed of the ocean, and thisopinion is fully borne out by the many marine remains, fossil shells, andbanks of oyster shells, [Note 35 at end of para. ] which are frequently tobe met with embedded in them. What are now the ranges of the continentwould therefore formerly have been but rocks or islands, and if thissupposition be true, there are still hopes that some other islands arescattered over the immense space occupied by Australia, and which may beof as rich and fertile a character, as any that are yet known. Thus ifthe intervening extent of desert lying between any of the known portionsof Australia, and what may be considered as having been the next island, can be ascertained and crossed over, new and valuable regions may yet beoffered for the extension of the pastoral interest of our Colonies, and for the general spread of civilization and improvement. 

[Note 34: "An hundred miles above this, I passed a curious feature, calledthe "Square Hills" (plate 123 ). I landed my canoe and went ashore, and totheir tops to examine them. Though they appeared to be near the river, Ifound it half a day's journey to travel to and from them; they beingseveral miles from the river. On ascending them I found them to be two orthree hundred feet high, and rising on their sides at an angle of 45 deg. And on their tops, in some places for half a mile in length perfectlylevel, with a green turf, and corresponding exactly with the tabularhills spoken of above the Mandans, in plate 39, vol. 1. I therein saidthat I should visit these hills on my way down the river; and I am fullyconvinced from close examination, that they are a part of the sameoriginal superstratum, which I therein described, though 7 or 800 milesseparated from them. They agree exactly in character, and also in thematerials of which they are composed; and I believe that someunaccountable gorge of waters has swept away the intervening earth, leaving these solitary and isolated, though incontrovertible evidences, that the summit level of all this great valley, has at one time beenwhere the level surface of these hills now is, two or three hundred feetabove what is now denominated the summit level. "--Catlin's AmericanIndians, Vol. 2. Pp. 11 and 12. ]

[Note 35: Similar banks of fossil shells and oyster beds, are found in theArkansas. --Vide Catlin, Vol. 2. P. 85. At page 86, Mr. Catlin describesbanks of gypsum and salt, extending through a considerable extent ofcountry, and which apparently was of a very similar formation to some ofthe localities I was in to the north of Spencer's Gulf. ]

I have already observed that several circumstances connected with my ownpersonal experience have led me to the conclusion, that there is noinland sea now occupying the centre of New Holland; it will be sufficientto name three of the most important of these. 

First. I may mention the hot winds which in South Australia, or oppositethe centre of the continent, always blow from the north, to those, whohave experienced the oppressive and scorching influence of these winds, which can only be compared to the fiery and withering blasts from aheated furnace, I need hardly point out that there is little probabilitythat such winds can have been wafted over a large expanse of water. 

Secondly. I may state that between the Darling river and the head of theGreat Australian Bight, I have at various points come into friendlycommunication with the Aborigines inhabiting the outskirts of theinterior, and from them I have invariably learnt that they know of nolarge body of water inland, fresh or salt; that there were neither treesnor ranges, but that all was an arid waste so far as they were accustomedto travel. 

Thirdly. I infer the non-existence of an inland sea, from the coincidenceobservable in the physical appearance, customs, character, and pursuitsof the Aborigines at opposite points of the continent, whilst no suchcoincidence exists along the intervening lines of coast connecting thosepoints. 

With respect to the first consideration, it is unnecessary to add furtherremark; as regards the second, I may state, that although I may sometimesnot have met with natives at those precise spots which might have beenbest suited for making inquiry, or although I may sometimes have had adifficulty in explaining myself to, or in understanding a people whoselanguage I did not comprehend; yet such has not always been the case, andon many occasions I have had intercourse with natives at favourablepositions, and have been able, quite intelligibly, to carry on anyinquiries. One of these opportunities occurred in the very neighbourhoodof the hill from which Mr. Poole is said to have seen the inland sea, asdescribed in Captain Sturt's despatch. 

There are several reasons for supposing Mr. Poole to have been deceivedin forming an opinion of the objects which he saw before him from thatelevation: first, I know, from experience, the extraordinary anddeceptive appearances that are produced in such a country as Mr. Poolewas in, by mirage and refration combined. I have often myself been verysimilarly deceived by the semblance of hills, islands, and water, wherenone such existed in reality. Secondly, in December 1843, I was withintwenty-five miles of the very spot from which Mr. Poole thought he lookedupon a sea, and I was then accompanied by natives, and able, by means ofan interpreter, to communicate with those who were acquainted with thecountry to the north-west. My inquiries upon this point were particular;but they knew of no sea. They asserted that there was mud out in thatdirection, and that a party would be unable to travel; from which Iinferred either that some branch of the Darling spread out its watersthere in time of flood, or that Lake Torrens itself was stretching out inthe direction indicated. Thirdly, I hold it physically impossible that asea can exist in the place assigned to it, in as much as during anexpedition, undertaken by the Surveyor-general of the Colony, inSeptember, 1843, that officer had attained a position which would placehimself and Mr. Poole at two opposite points, upon nearly the sameparallel of latitude; but about 130 miles of longitude apart, in a lowlevel country, and in which, therefore, the ranges of their respectivevision from elevations would cross each other, and if there was a sea, Captain Frome must have seen it as well as Mr. Poole; again, I myself hadan extensive and distant view to the north-east and east from MountHopeless, a low hill, about ninety miles further north than CaptainFrome's position, but a little more east; yet there was nothing like asea to be seen from thence, the dry and glazed-looking bed of LakeTorrens alone interrupting the monotony of the desert. 

There are still some few points connected with our knowledge of theoutskirts of the interior which leave great room for speculation, andmight lead to the opinion that it is not altogether a low or a desertregion. The facts which have more immediately come under my ownobservation, are connected, first with the presence of birds belonging toa higher and better country in the midst of a desert region, andsecondly, with the line of route taken by the Aborigines in spreadingover the continent, as deduced from a coincidence or dissimilarity of themanners, customs, or languages of tribes remotely apart from one another. 

With respect to the presence of birds in a region such as they do notusually frequent, I may state that at Mount Arden, near the head ofSpencer's Gulf, swans were seen taking their flight high in the air, tothe north, as if making for some river or lake they were accustomed tofeed at. At the Frome river, where it spreads into the plains to thenorth of Flinders range; four white cockatoos were found flying aboutamong the trees, although those birds had not been met with for 200 milesbefore I attained that point. [Note 36: Vide Vol. I. July 4, Aug 31, and March 19. ] And about longitude 128 degrees 20 minutes E. , whencrossing over towards King George's Sound, large parrots were found comingfrom the north-east, to feed upon the berries of a shrub growing on thesea coast, although no parrots were seen for two or three hundredmiles on either side, either to the east or to the west, theymust, therefore, have come from the interior. Now the parrot is a birdthat often frequents a mountainous country, and always inhabits onehaving timber of a better description and larger growth than themiserable shrubs met with along the coast; it is a bird too that alwayslives within reach of permanent fresh-water, as rivers, lakes, creeks, pools, etc. Can there then be such in the interior, with so barren andarid a region, bounding it? and how are we to commence an examinationwith so many difficulties and embarrassments attending the very outset?

The second series of facts which have attracted my attention, relate tothe Aborigines. It is a well known circumstance that the dialects, customs, and pursuits in use among them in the various parts of thecontinent, differ very much from each other in some particulars, and yetthat there is such a general similarity in the aggregate as to leave noroom to doubt that all the Aborigines of Australia have had one commonorigin, and are in reality one and the same race. If this then is reallythe case, they must formerly have spread over the continent from onefirst point, and this brings me to the

Third reason I have mentioned as being one, from which I infer, thatthere is not an inland sea, viz. , the coincidence observable in thephysical appearance, customs, character, and pursuits of the Aborigines, at opposite points of the continent, whilst no such coincidence existsalong the intervening lines of coast connecting those two points, andwhich naturally follows from the circumstances connected with the presentlocation of the various tribes in which this is observable, and with theroute which they must have taken to arrive at the places they now occupyon the continent. [Note 37 at end of para. ] I believe that the idea ofattempting to deduce the character of the continent, and the most probableline for crossing it, from the circumstances and habits of the nativesinhabiting the coast line is quite a novel one. It appears to me, however, to be worth consideration; and if it is true that the natives have all onecommon origin, and have spread over the continent from one first point, I think it may reasonably be inferred that there is a practicable routeacross the centre of New Holland, and that this line lies between the125th and 135th degrees of east longitude. It further appears that theremust still be a second route, other than the coast line, in the directionbetween Port Jackson in New South Wales and the south-east corner of theGulf of Carpentaria on the north coast. 

[Note 37: Vide Chapter VII. Of Notes on the Aborigines, where this subjectwill be found fully discussed, and the reasons given for supposing theconclusions here assumed. ]

If then we have reasonable grounds for believing that such lines of routeactually do exist, it becomes a matter of much interest and importance todetermine the most favourable point from which to explore them. My ownexperience has pointed out the dreadful nature of the southern coast, andthe very great and almost insuperable difficulties that beset thetraveller at the very commencement--in his efforts even to establish asingle depot from which to enter upon his researches. The northern coastmay, probably, afford greater facilities, but in a tropical climate, where the heat and other circumstances render ordinary difficulties andimpediments still more embarrassing and dangerous, it is a matter of deepmoment that the expedition for interior exploration should commence atthe right point, and this can only be ascertained by a previousexamination. 

I have myself always been most anxious to attempt to cross from MoretonBay on the N. E. Coast to Port Essington on the N. W. I believe that thisjourney is quite practicable, and I have no doubt that if judiciouslyconducted, and the country to the south of the line of route alwaysexamined, as far as that could be done, it would completely develop, inconnection with what is already known, the character and formation ofAustralia, and would at once point out the most proper place from whichsubsequent expeditions ought to start in order finally to accomplish thepassage across its interior--from the north to the south. 

MANNERS AND CUSTOMS OF THE ABORIGINES OF AUSTRALIA. 

CHAPTER I. 

PRELIMINARY REMARKS--UNJUST OPINIONS GENERALLY ENTERTAINED OF THECHARACTER OF THE NATIVE--DIFFICULTIES AND DISADVANTAGES HE LABOURS UNDERIN HIS RELATIONS WITH EUROPEANS--AGGRESSIONS AND INJURIES ON THE PART OFTHE LATTER IN GREAT DEGREE EXTENUATE HIS CRIMES. 

Upon bringing to a close the narrative of an Expedition of Discovery inAustralia, during the progress of which an extensive portion of thepreviously unknown parts of that continent were explored, I have thoughtit might not be uninteresting to introduce a few pages on the subject ofthe Aborigines of the country. 

It would afford me much gratification to see an interest excited on theirbehalf proportioned to the claims of a people who have hitherto beenmisjudged or misrepresented. 

For the last twelve years I have been personally resident in one or otherof the Australian Colonies, and have always been in frequent intercoursewith the aboriginal tribes that were near, rarely being without some ofthem constantly with me as domestics. 

To the advantages of private opportunities of acquiring a knowledge oftheir character were added, latterly, the facilities afforded by myholding a public appointment in South Australia, in the midst of adistrict more densely populated by natives than any in that Colony, whereno settler had ventured to locate, and where, prior to my arrival inOctober 1841, frightful scenes of bloodshed, rapine, and hostilitybetween the natives and parties coming overland with stock, had been offrequent and very recent occurrence. 

As Resident Magistrate of the Murray District, I may almost say, that forthe last three years I have lived with the natives. My duties havefrequently taken me to very great distances up the Murray or the Darlingrivers, when I was generally accompanied only by a single European, or atmost two, and where, if attacked, there was no possibility of myreceiving any human aid. I have gone almost alone among hordes of thosefierce and blood-thirsty savages, as they were then considered, and havestood singly amongst them in the remote and trackless wilds, whenhundreds were congregated around, without ever receiving the least injuryor insult. 

In my first visits to the more distant tribes I found them shy, alarmed, and suspicious, but soon learning that I had no wish to injure them, theymet me with readiness and confidence. My wishes became their law; theyconceded points to me that they would not have done to their own people, and on many occasions cheerfully underwent hunger, thirst, and fatigue toserve me. 

Former habits and prejudices in some respects gave way to the influence Iacquired. Tribes that never met or heard of one another before werebrought to mingle in friendly intercourse. Single individuals traversedover immense distances and through many intervening tribes, whichformerly they never could have attempted to pass, and in accomplishingthis the white man's name alone was the talisman that proved theirsafe-guard and protection. 

During the whole of the three years I was Resident at Moorunde, not asingle case of serious injury or aggression ever took place on the partof the natives against the Europeans; and a district, once considered thewildest and most dangerous, was, when I left it in November 1844, lookedupon as one of the most peaceable and orderly in the province. 

Independently of my own personal experience, on the subject of theAborigines, I have much pleasure in acknowledging the obligations I amunder to M. Moorhouse, Esq. Protector of Aborigines in Adelaide, for hisvaluable assistance, in comparing and discussing the results of ourrespective observations, on matters connected with the natives, and forthe obliging manner in which he has furnished me with many of his ownimportant and well-arranged notes on various points of interest in theirhistory. 

By this aid, I am enabled, in the following pages, to combine my ownobservations and experience with those of Mr. Moorhouse, especially onpoints connected with the Adelaide Tribes. In some cases, extracts fromMr. Moorhouse's notes, will be copied in his own words, but in most Ifound an alteration or rearrangement to be indispensable to enable me toconnect and amplify the subjects: I wish it to be particularlyunderstood, however, that with any deductions, inferences, remarks, orsuggestions, that may incidentally be introduced, Mr. Moorhouse istotally unconnected, that gentleman's notes refer exclusively to abstractmatters of fact, relating to the habits, customs, or peculiarities of thepeople treated of, and are generally confined to the Adelaide Tribes. 

[Note 38: Some few of these notes were printed in the Colony, in adetached form, as Reports to the Colonial Government, or in theVocabularies of the Missionaries, and since my return to England I findothers have been published in papers, ordered to be printed by the Houseof Commons, in August 1844. From the necessity, however, of altering insome measure the phraseology, to combine Mr. Moorhouse's remarks with myown, and to preserve a uniformity in the descriptions, it has not beenpracticable or desirable in all cases, to separate or distinguish byinverted commas, those observations which I have adopted. I have, therefore, preferred making a general acknowledgment of the use I havemade of the notes that were supplied to me by Mr. Moorhouse. ]

In the descriptions given in the following pages, although there mayoccasionally be introduced, accounts of the habits, manners, or customsof some of the tribes inhabiting different parts of Australia I havevisited, yet there are others which are exclusively peculiar to thenatives of South Australia. I wish it, therefore, to be understood, thatunless mention is made of other tribes, or other parts of the continent, the details given are intended to apply to that province generally, andparticularly to the tribes in it, belonging to the districts of Adelaideand the Murray river. 

As far as has yet been ascertained, the whole of the aboriginalinhabitants of this continent, scattered as they are over an immenseextent of country, bear so striking a resemblance in physical appearanceand structure to each other; and their general habits, customs, andpursuits, are also so very similar, though modified in some respects bylocal circumstances or climate, that little doubt can be entertained thatall have originally sprung from the same stock. The principal points ofdifference, observable between various tribes, appear to consist chieflyin some of their ceremonial observances, and in the variations of dialectin the language they speak; the latter are, indeed, frequently so great, that even to a person thoroughly acquainted with any one dialect, thereis not the slightest clue by which he can understand what is said by atribe speaking a different one. 

The only account I have yet met with, which professed to give anyparticular description of the Aborigines of New Holland, is thatcontained in the able papers upon this subject, by Captain Grey, in thesecond volume of his travels. When it is considered, that the materialfor that purpose was collected by the author, during a few monthsinterval between his two expeditions, which he spent at Swan River, and ashort time subsequently passed at King George's Sound, whilst holding theappointment of Government Resident there; it is perfectly surprising thatthe amount of information amassed should be so great, and so generallycorrect, on subjects where so many mistakes are liable to be made, in allfirst inquiries, when we are ignorant of the character and habits of thepeople of whom information is to be sought, and unacquainted with thelanguage they speak. 

The subject, however, upon a portion of which Captain Grey sosuccessfully entered, is very extensive, and one which no singleindividual, except by the devotion of a life-time, could hope fully todiscuss. The Continent of Australia is so vast, and the dialects, customs, and ceremonies of its inhabitants so varied in detail, though sosimilar in general outline and character, that it will require the lapseof years, and the labours of many individuals, to detect and exhibit thelinks which form the chain of connection in the habits and history oftribes so remotely separated; and it will be long before any one canattempt to give to the world a complete and well-drawn outline of thewhole. 

It is not therefore to satisfy curiosity, or to interrupt the course ofinquiry, that I enter upon the present work; I neither profess, nor couldI attempt to give a full or matured account of the Aborigines of NewHolland. Captain Grey's descriptions on this subject are limited to theraces of South-western, as mine are principally directed to those ofSouthern Australia, with occasionally some remarks or anecdotes relatingto tribes in other parts of the Continent with whom I have come incontact. 

The character of the Australian native has been so constantlymisrepresented and traduced, that by the world at large he is looked uponas the lowest and most degraded of the human species, and is generallyconsidered as ranking but little above the members of the brute creation. Savages have always many vices, but I do not think that these are worsein the New Hollanders, than in many other aboriginal races. It is said, indeed, that the Australian is an irreclaimable, unteachable being; thathe is cruel, blood-thirsty, revengeful, and treacherous; and in supportof such assertions, references are made to the total failure of allmissionary and scholastic efforts hitherto made on his behalf, and tomany deeds of violence or aggression committed by him upon the settler. 

[Note 39: I cannot adduce a stronger proof in support of the position Iassume, in favour of the natives, than by quoting the clear and justconclusions at which the Right Honourable Lord Stanley, the presentSecretary of State for the Colonies, arrived, when considering the case ofsome collisions with the natives on the Ovens River, and after a fullconsideration of the various circumstances connected with the occurrence. In a despatch to Governor Sir G. Gipps, dated 5th October, 1841, LordStanley says, "Contrasting the accounts of the Aborigines given by Mr. Docker with those given by Mr. Mackay, and the different terms on whichthose gentlemen appear to be with them in the same vicinity, I cannotdivest myself of the apprehension that the fault in this case lies withthe colonists rather than with the natives. It was natural, that conductso harsh and intemperate as that of the Messrs. Mackay should be signallyvisited on them, and probably also on wholly unoffending persons, by arace of uninstructed and ignorant savages. At the same time the case ofMr. Docker affords a most satisfactory instance of natives entering intopermanent service with white men, and working, as they appear to do, steadily for wages. "]

With respect to the first point, I consider that an intimate knowledge ofthe peculiar habits, laws, and traditions, by which this people aregoverned, is absolutely necessary, before any just opinion can be formedas to how far the means hitherto pursued, have been suitable, or adaptedto counteract the influence of custom and the force of prejudice. Untilthis knowledge is attained, we have no right to brand them as eitherirreclaimable, or unteachable. My own impression, after long experience, and an attentive consideration of the subject, is, that in the presentanomalous state of our relations with the Aborigines, our measures areneither comprehensive enough for, nor is our system sufficiently adaptedto, the singular circumstances they are in, to enable us successfully tocontend with the difficulties and impediments in the way of their risingin the scale of civilization. 

Upon the second point it is also necessary to make many inquiries beforewe arrive at our conclusions; and I have no doubt, if this be done withcalmness, and without prejudice, it will be generally found that thereare many extenuating circumstances which may be brought to modify ourjudgment. I am anxious, if possible, to place a few of these before thepublic, in the hope, that by lessening in some degree the unfavourableopinion heretofore entertained of the Aborigines, they may be consideredfor the future as more deserving our sympathy and benevolence. 

Without assuming for the native a freedom from vice, or in any wayattempting to palliate the many brutalising habits that pollute hischaracter, I would still contend that, if stained with the excesses ofunrestrained passions, he is still sometimes sensible to the betteremotions of humanity. Many of the worst traits in his character are theresult of necessity, or the force of custom--the better ones areimplanted in him as a part of his nature. With capabilities forreceiving, and an aptness for acquiring instruction, I believe he hasalso the capacity for appreciating the rational enjoyments of life. 

Even in his present low and debased condition, and viewed under everydisadvantages, I do not imagine that his vices would usually be foundgreater, or his passions more malignant than those of a very largeproportion of men ordinarily denominated civilised. On the contrary, Ibelieve were Europeans placed under the same circumstances, equallywronged, and equally shut out from redress, they would not exhibit halfthe moderation or forbearance that these poor untutored children ofimpulse have invariably shewn. 

It is true that occasionally many crimes have been committed by them, androbberies and murders have too often occurred; but who can tell what werethe provocations which led to, what the feelings which impelled suchdeeds? Neither have they been the only or the first aggressors, nor hastheir race escaped unscathed in the contest. Could blood answer blood, perhaps for every drop of European's shed by natives, a torrent of their, by European hands, would crimson the earth. 

[Note 40: "The whites were generally the aggressors. He had been informedthat a petition had been presented to the Governor, containing a list ofnineteen murders committed by the blacks. He could, if it were necessary, make out a list of five hundred blacks who had been slaughtered by thewhites, and that within a short time. "--Extract from speech of Mr. Threlkeld to the Auxiliary Aborigines' Protection Society in New SouthWales. Abstract of a "Return of the number of homicides committedrespectively by blacks and whites, within the limits of the northwesterndistrict (of Port Phillip), since its first occupation by settlers--"

"Total number of white people killed by Aborigines 8"Total number of Aborigines killed by white people 43. "

This is only in one district, and only embraces such cases as came to theknowledge of Mr. Protector Parker. For particulars vide Papers onAborigines of Australian Colonies, printed for the House of Commons, August 1844, p. 318. ]

Let us now inquire a little, upon whose side right and justice arearrayed in palliation (if any such there can be) of deeds of violence oraggression on the part of either. 

It is an undeniable fact, that wherever European colonies have beenestablished in Australia, the native races in that neighbourhood arerapidly decreasing, and already in some of the elder settlements, havetotally disappeared. It is equally indisputable that the presence of thewhite man has been the sole agent in producing so lamentable an effect;that the evil is still going on, increased in a ratio proportioned to thenumber of new settlements formed, or the rapidity with which the settlersoverrun new districts. The natural, the inevitable, but the no lessmelancholy result must be, that in the course of a few years more, ifnothing be done to check it, the whole of the aboriginal tribes ofAustralia will be swept away from the face of the earth. A people who, bytheir numbers, have spread around the whole of this immense continent, and have probably penetrated into and occupied its inmost recesses, willbecome quite extinct, their name forgotten, their very existence but arecord of history. 

It is a popular, but an unfair and unwarranted assumption, that theseconsequences are the result of the natural course of events; that theyare ordained by Providence, unavoidable, and not to be impeded. Let us atleast ascertain how far they are chargeable upon ourselves. 

Without entering upon the abstract question concerning the right of onerace of people to wrest from another their possessions, simply becausethey happen to be more powerful than the original inhabitants, or becausethey imagine that they can, by their superior skill or acquirements, enable the soil to support a denser population, I think it will beconceded by every candid and right-thinking mind, that no one can justlytake that which is not his own, without giving some equivalent in return, or deprive a people of their ordinary means of support, and not providethem with any other instead. Yet such is exactly the position we are inwith regard to the inhabitants of Australia. 

[Note 41: "The invasion of those ancient rights (of the natives) bysurvey and land appropriations of any kind, is justifiable only on theground, that we should at the same time reserve for the natives an AMPLESUFFICIENCY for THEIR PRESENT and future use and comfort, under the newstyle of things into which they are thrown; a state in which we hope theywill be led to live in greater comfort, on a small space, thanthey enjoyed before it occurred, on their extensive originalpossessions. "--Reply of His Excellency Colonel Gawler, to the gentlemenwho objected to sections of land being appropriated for the natives, before the public were allowed to select. ]

Without laying claim to this country by right of conquest, withoutpleading even the mockery of cession, or the cheatery of sale, we haveunhesitatingly entered upon, occupied, and disposed of its lands, spreading forth a new population over its surface, and driving before usthe original inhabitants. 

To sanction this aggression, we have not, in the abstract, the slightestshadow of either right or justice--we have not even the extenuation ofendeavouring to compensate those we have injured, or the merit ofattempting to mitigate the sufferings our presence inflicts. 

It is often argued, that we merely have taken what the natives did notrequire, or were making no use of; that we have no wish to interfere withthem if they do not interfere with us, but rather that we are disposed totreat them with kindness and conciliation, if they are willing to befriends with us. What, however, are the actual facts of the case; andwhat is the position of a tribe of natives, when their country is firsttaken possession of by Europeans. 

It is true that they do not cultivate the ground; but have they, therefore, no interest in its productions? Does it not supply grass forthe sustenance of the wild animals upon which in a great measure they aredependent for their subsistence?--does it not afford roots and vegetablesto appease their hunger?--water to satisfy their thirst, and wood to maketheir fire?--or are these necessaries left to them by the white man whenhe comes to take possession of their soil? Alas, it is not so! all are inturn taken away from the original possessors. The game of the wilds thatthe European does not destroy for his amusement are driven away by hisflocks and herds. [Note 42 at end of para. ] The waters are occupied andenclosed, and access to them in frequently forbidden. The fields arefenced in, and the natives are no longerat liberty to dig up roots--thewhite man claims the timber, and the very firewood itself is occasionally denied to them. Do they pass by the habitation of the intruder, theyare probably chased away or bitten by his dogs, and for this they canget no redress. [Note 43 at end of para. ] Have they dogs of their own, they are unhesitatingly shot or worried because they are an annoyance tothe domestic animals of the Europeans. Daily and hourly do their wrongsmultiply upon them. The more numerous the white population becomes, andthe more advanced the stage of civilization to which the settlementprogresses, the greater are the hardships that fall to their lot and themore completely are they cut off from the privileges of their birthright. All that they have is in succession taken away from them--theiramusements, their enjoyments, their possessions, their freedom--and allthat they receive in return is obloquy, and contempt, and degradation, and oppression. [Note 44 appears after note 43, below]

[Note 42: "But directly an European settles down in the country, hisconstant residence in one spot soon sends the animals away from it, andalthough he may in no other way interfere with the natives, the merecircumstance of his residing there, does the man on whose land he settlesthe injury of depriving him of his ordinary means of subsistence. "--GREY'STRAVELS, vol. Ii. P. 298. 

"The great question was, were we to give them no equivalent for that whichwe had taken from them? Had we deprived them of nothing? Was itnothing that they were driven from the lands where their fatherslived, where they were born and which were endeared to them byassociations equally strong with the associations of more civilsedpeople? He believed that their affections were as warm as the Europeans. ""Perhaps he obtained his subsistence by fishing, and occupied a slip ofland on the banks of a river or the margin of a lake. Was he to be turnedoff as soon as the land was required, without any considerationwhatever?" "Had any proper attempt been made for their civilization? Theyhad not yet had fair play--they had been courted by the missionaries withthe Bible on the one hand, and had at the sametime been driven away anddestroyed by the stock-keepers on the other. He thought that they mightbe reclaimed if the proper course was adopted. "--EXTRACTS FROM THE SPEECHOF SYDNEY STEPHEN, ESQ. , AT A MEETING ON BEHALF OF THE ABORIGINES INSYDNEY, OCTOBER 19, 1838. 

I have myself repeatedly seen the natives driven off private lands in thevicinity of Adelaide, and their huts burned, even in cold wet weather. The records of the Police Office will shew that they have been driven offthe Park lands, or those belonging to Government, or at least that theyhave been brought up and punished for cutting wood from the trees there. What are they to do, when there is not a stick or a tree within miles ofAdelaide that they can legally take?]

[Note 43: I have known repeated instances of natives in Adelaidebeing bitten severely by savage dogs rushing out at them from theyards of their owners, as they were peaceably passing along the street. Onthe other hand I have known a native imprisoned for throwing his waddy at, and injuring a pig, which was eating a melon he had laid down for a momentin the street, and when the pig ought not to have been in the street atall. In February 1842, a dog belonging to a native was shot by order ofMr. Gouger, the then Colonial Secretary, and the owner as soon as hebecame aware of the circumstance, speared his wife for not taking bettercare of it, although she could not possibly have helped the occurrence. Ifnatives then revenge so severely such apparently trivial offences amongthemselves, can we wonder that they should sometimes retaliate upon usfor more aggravated ones. ]

[Note 44: The following are extracts from an address to a jury, whentrying some aboriginal natives, by Judge Willis. They at least shew someof the BLESSINGS the Aborigines experience from being made Britishsubjects, and placed under British laws:--"I have, on a recent occasion, stated my opinion, which I still entertain, that the proprietor of a run, or, in other words, one who holds a lease or license from the Crown todepasture certain Crown lands, may take all lawful means to prevent eithernatives or others from entering or remaining upon it. " "The aboriginals ofVan Diemen's Land were strictly commanded, by Governor Arthur'sproclamation of the 15th of April 1828 (a proclamation of which HisMajesty King George the Fourth, through the Right honourable the thenSecretary of State, by a dispatch of the 2nd of February, 1829, under thecircumstances, signified his approval, ) "to retire and depart from, andfor no reason, and no pretence, save as therein provided, (viz. Travelling annually to the sea coast in quest of shellfish, under certainregulations, ) to re-enter the settled districts of Van Diemen's Land, orany portions of land cultivated and occupied by any person whomsoever, under the authority of Her Majesty's Government, on pain of forcibleexpulsion therefrom, and such consequences as might be necessarilyattendant on it, and all magistrates and other persons by them authorizedand deputed, were required to conform themselves to the directions andinstructions of this proclamation, in effecting the retirement andexpulsion of the Aborigines from the settled districts of thatterritory. "]

What are they to do under such circumstances, or how support a life sobereft of its wonted supplies? Can we wonder that they should stillremain the same low abject and degraded creatures that they are, loitering about the white man's house, and cringing, and pandering to thelowest menial for that food they can no longer procure for themselves? orthat wandering in misery through a country, now no longer their own, their lives should be curtailed by want, exposure, or disease? If, on theother hand, upon the first appearance of Europeans, the natives becomealarmed, and retire from their presence, they must give up all the hauntsthey had been accustomed to frequent, and must either live in a starvingcondition, in the back country, ill supplied with game, and often wantingwater, or they must trespass upon the territory of another tribe, in adistrict perhaps little calculated to support an additional population, even should they be fortunate enough to escape being forced into onebelonging to an enemy. 

Under any circumstances, however, they have but little respite frominconvenience and want. The white man rapidly spreads himself over thecountry, and without the power of retiring any further, they areovertaken, and beset by all the evils from which they had previouslyfled. 

Such are some of the blessings held out to the savage by civilization, and they are only some of them. The picture is neither fanciful noroverdrawn; there is no trait in it that I have not personally witnessed, or that might not have been enlarged upon; and there are often othercircumstances of greater injury and aggression, which, if dwelt upon, would have cast a still darker shade upon the prospects and condition ofthe native. 

Enough has, however, perhaps been said to indicate the degree of injuryour presence unavoidably inflicts. I would hope, also, to point out thejustice, as well as the expediency of appropriating a considerableportion of the money obtained, by the sales of land, towards alleviatingthe miseries our occupation of their country has occasioned to theoriginal owners. 

[Note 44a: "That it appears to memorialists that the original occupants ofthe soil have an irresistible claim on the Government of this country forsupport, inasmuch as the presence of the colonists abridges their meansof subsistence, whilst it furnishes to the public treasury a largerevenue in the shape of fees for licences and assessments on stock, together with the very large sums paid for land seized by the Crown, andalienated to private individuals. 

"That it appears to memorialists that the interests at once of thenatives and the colonists would be most effectually promoted by thegovernment reserving suitable portions of land within the territoriallimits of the respective tribes, with the view of weaning themfrom their erratic habits, forming thereon depots for supplyingthem with provisions and clothing, under the charge of individualsof exemplary moral character, taking at the same time an interestin their welfare, and who would endeavour to instruct them in agriculturaland other useful arts. "--Extract from Memorial of the Settlers ofthe County of Grant, in the district of Port Phillip, to His ExcellencySir G. Gipps, in 1840. ]

Surely if we acknowledge the first principles of justice, or if we admitthe slightest claims of humanity on behalf of these debased, but harshlytreated people, we are bound, in honour and in equity, to afford themthat subsistence which we have deprived them of the power of providingfor themselves. 

It may, perhaps, be replied, and at first it might seem, with someappearance of speciousness, that all is done that can be done for them, that each of the Colonial Governments annually devotes a portion of itsrevenue to the improvement, instruction, and maintenance of the natives. So far this is very praiseworthy, but does it in any degree compensatefor the evil inflicted?

The money usually voted by the councils of Government, towards defrayingexpenses incurred on behalf of the Aborigines of Australia, is but a verysmall per centage upon the sums that have been received for the sales oflands, and is principally expended in defraying the salaries ofprotectors, in supporting schools, providing food or clothing for one ortwo head stations, and perhaps supplying a few blankets once in the yearto some of the outstations. Little is expended in the daily provisioningof the natives generally, and especially in the more distant countrydistricts least populated by Europeans, but most densely occupied bynatives, and where the very thinness of the European inhabitantsprecludes the Aborigines from resorting to the same sources to supplytheir wants, that are open to them in a town, or more thickly inhabiteddistrict. Such are those afforded by the charity of individuals, by therewards received for performing trifling services of work, by theobtaining vast quantities of offal, or of broken victuals, which arealways abundant in a country where animal food is used in excess, andwhere the heat of the climate daily renders much of it unfit forconsumption in the family, and by others of a similar nature. 

Such resources, however humiliating and pernicious they are in theireffects, are not open to the tribes living in a district almostexclusively occupied by the sheep or cattle of the settler, and where thevery numbers of the stock only more completely drive away the originalgame upon which the native had been accustomed to subsist, and hold out agreater temptation to him to supply his wants from the superabundancewhich he sees around him, belonging to those by whom he has beendispossessed. The following appropriate remarks are an extract fromReport of Aborigines' Protection Society, of March, 1841, (published inthe South Australian Register, 4th December, 1841. )

"Under that system it is obvious to every coloured man, even the leastintelligent, that the extending settlements of the Europeans involve asentence of banishment, and eventual extermination, upon his tribe andrace. Major Mitchell, in his travels, refers to this apprehension on thepart of the Aborigines--"White man come, Kangaroo go away"--from which asan inevitable consequence follows--"black man famished away. " If, then, this appears a necessary result of the unjust, barbarous, unchristianmode of colonization pursued in New Holland, over-looking the otherincidental, and more pointedly aggravating provocations, to the colouredman, associated with that system, how natural, in his case, is an enmitywhich occasionally visits some of the usurping race with death! We callthe offence in him MURDER; but let the occasion be only examined, and wemust discover that, in so designating it, we are imposing geographical, or national restrictions, upon the virtue of patriotism; or that in themani-festations of that principle, we make no allowances for theinfluence on its features of the relative degradation or elevation ofthose among whom it is met. 

"Our present colonization system renders the native and the colonizingraces from necessity belligerents; and there can be no real peace, noreal amity, no mutual security, so long as that system is not substitutedby one reconciling the interest of both races. Colonists will fall beforethe spears and the waddies of incensed Aborigines, and they in returnwill be made the victims of 'summary justice. '

"In cases of executive difficulty, the force of popular prejudice will beapt to be too strong for the best intentioned Governor to withstand it;Europeans will have sustained injury; the strict forms of legal justicemay be found of difficult application to a race outcast or degraded, although ORIGINALLY in a condition fitted to appreciate them, to benefitby them, and reflect their benefits upon others; impatient at thisdifficulty, the delay it may occasion, and the shelter from ultimatepunishment, the temptation will ever be strong to revert to summarymethods of proceeding; and thus, as in a circle, injustice will be foundto flow reciprocal injury, and from injury injustice again, in anotherform. The source of all these evils, and of all this injustice, is theunreserved appropriation of native lands, and the denial, in the firstinstance of colonization, of equal civil rights. To the removal of thoseevils, so far as they can be removed in the older settlements, to theirprevention in new colonies, the friends of the Aborigines are invoked todirect their energy; to be pacified with the attainment of nothing less;for nothing less will really suffice. "

Can it be deemed surprising that a rude, uncivilized being, driven fromhis home, deprived of all his ordinary means of subsistence [Note 45 atend of para. ], and pressed perhaps by a hostile tribe from behind, shouldoccasionally be guilty of aggressions or injuries towards his oppressors?The wonder rather is, not that these things do sometimes occur, but thatthey occur so rarely. 

[Note 45: "If you can still be generous to the conquered, relieve thehunger which drives us in despair to slaughter your flocks and the men whoguard them. Our fields and forests, which once furnished us with abundanceof vegetable and animal food, now yield us no more; they and their produceare yours; you prosper on our native soil, and we are famishing. "--STRZELECKI'S N. S. WALES, p. 356. ]

In addition to the many other inconsistencies in our conduct towards theAborigines, not the least extraordinary is that of placing them, on theplea of protection, under the influence of our laws, and of making themBritish subjects. Strange anomaly, which by the former makes amenable topenalties they are ignorant of, for crimes which they do not consider assuch, or which they may even have been driven to commit by our owninjustice; and by the latter but mocks them with an empty sound, sincethe very laws under which we profess to place them, by their nature andconstruction are inoperative in affording redress to the injured. 

[Note 46: "To subject savage tribes to the penalties of laws with whichthey are unacquainted, for offences which they, very possibly, regard asacts of justifiable retaliation for invaded rights, is a proceedingindefensible, except under circumstances of urgent and extremenecessity. "--Fourth Report of the Colonization Commissioners, presented tothe House of Commons, 29th July, 1840. 

"The late act, declaring them naturalized as British subjects, has onlyrendered them legally amenable to the English criminal law, and added onemore anomaly to all the other enactments affecting them. Thisnaturalization excludes them from sitting on a jury, or appearing aswitnesses, and entails a most confused form of judicial proceedings; allwhich, taken together, has made of the Aborigines of Australia anondescript caste, who, to use their own phraseology, are 'neither blacknor white. '"--Strzelecki's N. S. Wales. ]

If, in addition to the many evils and disadvantages the natives mustnecessarily be subject to from our presence, we take still further intoaccount the wrongs they are exposed to from the ill feeling towards themwhich has sometimes existed among the settlers, or their servants, on theoutskirts of the country; the annoyances they are harassed by, even wherethis feeling does not exist, in being driven away from their usual hauntsand pursuits (and this is a practice often adopted by the remote grazieras a mere matter of policy to avoid trouble or the risk of a collision);we shall find upon the whole that they have often just causes of offence, and that there are many circumstances connected with their crimes which, from the peculiar position they are placed in, may well require from ussome mitigation of the punishment that would be exacted from Europeansfor the same misdeeds. 

Captain Grey has already remarked the strong prejudice and recklessnessof human life which frequently exist on the part of the settlers withregard to the natives. Nor has this feeling been confined to WesternAustralia alone. In all the colonies, that I have been in, I have myselfobserved that a harsh and unjust tone has occasionally been adopted inspeaking of the Aborigines; and that where a feeling of prejudice doesnot exist against them, there is too often a great indifferencemanifested as to their fate. I do not wish it to be understood that suchis always the case; on the contrary, I know that the better, and rightthinking part of the community, in all the colonies, not only disavowsuch feelings, but are most anxious, as far as lies in their power, topromote the interests and welfare of the natives. Still, there are alwayssome, in every settlement, whose passions, prejudices, interests, orfears, obliterate their sense of right and wrong, and by whom these poorwanderers of the woods are looked upon as intruders in their own country, or as vermin that infest the land, and whose blood may be shed with aslittle compunction as that of the wild animals they are compared to. 

By those who have heard the dreadful accounts current in WesternAustralia, and New South Wales, of the slaughter formerly committed bymilitary parties, or by the servants [Note 47 at end of para. ] of thesettlers upon the Aborigines, in which it is stated that men, women, andchildren have been surprised, surrounded and shot down indiscriminately, at their camps at night; or who have heard such deeds, or other similarones, justified or boasted of, it will readily be believed to what anextent the feeling I have alluded to has occasionally been carried, andto what excesses it has led. [Note 48 appears after Note 47, below]

[Note 47: The following extract from a reply of his Honour theSuperintendent of Port Phillip to the representation made to his Honourby the settlers and inhabitants of the district of Port Fairy, inMarch 1842, shews that these frightful atrocities against the nativeshad not even then ceased. 

"That the presence of a protector in your district, and other means ofprevention hitherto employed, have not succeeded better than they havedone in repressing aggression or retaliation, and have failed to establisha good understanding between the natives and the European settlers, is greatly to be deplored. 

"As far as the local government has power, every practicable extensionof these arrangements shall be made without delay; but, gentlemen, however harsh, a plain truth must be told, the destruction ofEuropean property, and even the occasional sacrifice of Europeanlife, by the hands of the savage tribes, among whom you live, ifunprovoked and unrevenged, may justly claim sympathy and pity; but thefeeling of abhorrence which one act of savage retaliation or cruelty onyour part will rouse, must weaken, if not altogether obliterate everyother, in the minds of most men; and I regret to state, that I havebefore me a statement presented in a form which I dare not discredit, shewing that such acts are perpetrated among you. 

"It reveals a nightly attack upon a small number of natives, by aparty of the white inhabitants of your district, and the murder ofno fewer than three defenceless aboriginal women and a child, intheir sleeping place; and this at the very time your memorial wasin the act of signature, and in the immediate vicinity of the stationof two of the parties who have signed it. Will not the commission ofsuch crimes call down the wrath of God, and do more to check theprosperity of your district, and to ruin your prospects, than allthe difficulties and losses under which you labour?" Mr. Sievewright'sletter gives an account of this infamous transaction. 

"WESTERN ABORIGINAL ESTABLISHMENT, THOLOR, 26TH FEBRUARY, 1842. 

"Sir, --I have the honour to report that on the afternoonof the 24th instant, two aboriginal natives, named Pwe-bin-gan-nai, Calangamite, returned to this encampment, which they had left with theirfamilies on the 22nd, and reported 'that late on the previous evening, while they with their wives, two other females, and two children, wereasleep at a tea-tree scrub, called One-one-derang, a party of eight whitepeople on horseback surrounded them, dismounted, and fired upon them withpistols; that three women and a child had been thus killed, and the otherfemale so severely wounded as to be unable to stand or be removed bythem;' they had saved themselves and the child, named 'Uni bicqui-ang, 'by flight, who was brought to this place upon their shoulders. 

"At daybreak yesterday I proceeded to the spot indicated, and there foundthe dead bodies of three women, and a male child about three years of age;and also found a fourth woman dangerously wounded by gunshot wounds, andseverely scorched on the limbs by the discharge of fire-arms. 

"Having proceeded to the station of the Messrs. Osbrey and Smith, distantabout 700 yards from where the bodies were found, and requested thepresence of those gentlemen as witnesses, I proceeded to view the bodies, upon which were found the wounds as set forth in the accompanying report. 

"All knowledge of this barbarous transaction is denied by the proprietors, overseer, and servants at the home station, so near to which the bodieswere found, nor have I as yet obtained any information which may lead tothe discovery of the perpetrators of these murders. 

"I have, etc. (Signed) "C. W. SIEVEWRIGHT. "James Croke, Esq. , Crown Prosecutor, "etc. Etc. Etc. 

Description of Gun-shot Wounds upon the bodies of three Aboriginal Womenand One Male Child found dead, and an Aboriginal Woman found wounded in atea-tree scrub, near the Station of Messrs. Osbrey and Smith, PortlandDistrict, upon the 25th of February, 1842, by Assistant-ProtectorSievewright. 

"No. 1. Recognised by the assistant-protector as'Wooi-goning, ' wife of an Aboriginal native 'Pui-bui-gannei;' one gun-shotwound through the chest (a ball), and right thigh broken by a gun-shotwound (a ball). 

"No. 2. Child (male); one gun-shot wound through the chest (a bullet), left thigh lacerated by some animal. 

"No. 3. Woman big with child; one gun-shot wound through the chest(a bullet), left side scorched. 

"No. 4. Woman; gun-shot wound through abdomen (a bullet), by right hip;gun-shot wound, left arm broken, (a bullet. )

"No. 5. Woman wounded; gun-shot wound in back (a ball), gun-shot throughright hand (a ball). 

"(Signed)"C. W. SIEVEWRIGHT. "]

[Note 48: The belief on the part of the Home authorities that such deedsdid occur, and their opinion, so many years ago, regarding them, may begathered from the following extract from a despatch from Lord Glenelg toGovernor Sir James Stirling, dated 23rd of July, 1835. "I perceive, withdeep concern, that collisions still exist between the colonists and thenatives. 

"It is impossible, however, to regard such conflicts withoutregret and anxiety, when we recollect how fatal, in too many instances, our colonial settlements have proved to the natives of the places wherethey have been formed. 

"It will be your duty to impress upon the settlers that it is thedetermination of the Government to visit any act of injustice orviolence on the natives, with the utmost severity, and that in nocase will those convicted of them, remain unpunished. Nor will itbe sufficient simply to punish the guilty, but ample compensation must bemade to the injured party, for the wrong received. You will make itimperative upon the officers of police never to allow any injustice orinsult in regard to the natives to pass by unnoticed, as being of tootrifling a character; and they should be charged to report to you, withpunctuality, every instance of aggression or misconduct. Every neglect ofthis point of duty you will mark with the highest displeasure. "

Such were the benevolent views entertained by the Government in Englandtowards the Aborigines ten years ago, and it might be readily proved frommany despatches of subsequent Secretaries of State to the differentGovernors, that such have been their feelings since, and yet how littlehas been done in ten years to give a practical effect to their goodintentions towards the natives. ]

Were other evidence necessary to substantiate this point, it would beonly requisite to refer to the tone in which the natives are so oftenspoken of by the Colonial newspapers, to the fact that a large number ofcolonists in New South Wales, including many wealthy landed proprietorsand magistrates, petitioned the Local Government on behalf of a party ofconvicts, found guilty on the clearest testimony of having committed oneof the most wholesale, cold-blooded, and atrocious butcheries of theAborigines ever recorded [Note 49 at end of para. ], and to the acts of theColonial Governments themselves, who have found it necessary, sometimes, to prohibit fire-arms at out-stations, and have been compelled to takeaway the assigned servants, or withdraw the depasturing licences ofindividuals, because they have been guilty of aggression upon theAborigines. 

[Note 49: Seven men were hanged for this offence, on the 18th of December, 1838. In the Sydney Monitor, published on the 24th or next issue after theoccurrence, is the following paragraph:--

"The following conversation between two gentlemen took place in themilitary barrack square, on Tuesday, just after the execution of the sevenmurderers of the native blacks, and while General O'Connell was reviewingthe troops of the garrison. 

"COUNTRY GENTLEMAN. --So I find they have hanged these men. "TOWN GENTLEMAN. --They have. ""COUNTRY GENTLEMAN. --Ah! hem, we are going on a safer game now. "TOWN GENTLEMAN. --Safer game! how do you mean?""COUNTRY GENTLEMAN. --Why, we are poisoning the blacks; which is much better, and serve them right too!"

"We vouch for the truth of this conversation, and for the very words;and will prove our statement, if public justice should, in ouropinion require it. "

The following letter from His Honour the Superintendent of Port Philipshews, that even in 1843, suspicions were entertained in the colony, that this most horrible and inhuman cruelty towards the Aborigines hadlately been practised there. 

"Melbourne, 17th March, 1843. 

"SIR, --I have the honour to report, for his Excellency's information, that in the month of December last, I received a letter from the ChiefProtector, enclosing a communication received from Dr. Wotton, thegentleman in charge of the Aboriginal station at Mount Rouse, stating thata rumour had reached him that a considerable number of Aborigines hadbeen poisoned at the station of Dr. Kilgour, near Port Fairy. 

"I delayed communicating this circumstance at the time, as I expectedthe Chief Protector and his assistants would find it practicable tobring the crime home to the parties accused of having perpetrated it;but I regret to state, that every attempt to discover the guiltyparties has hitherto proved ineffectual, and that although theremay be strong grounds of suspicion that such a deed had been perpetrated, and that certain known parties in this district were the perpetrators, yet it seems nearly impossible to obtain any legal proof to bear oneither one point or the other. 

"I beg leave to enclose copies of two communications which I have receivedfrom Mr. Robinson on the subject. 

"I have, etc. "(Signed)"C. J. LATROBE. ""The Honourable the Colonial Secretary, etc. Etc. Etc. "

Rumours of another similar occurrence existed in the settlementsnorth of Sydney, about the same time. To the inquiries made on thesubject, by the Government, the following letters refer. 

"Moreton Bay, Zion's Hill, 14th January 1843. 

"Sir, --In reply to your inquiry respecting the grounds on which I mademention in my journal, kept during a visit to the Bunga Bunga country, of a considerable number of blacks having been poisoned in thenorthern part of this district, I beg leave to state, that havingreturned from Sydney in the month of March 1842, I learnt, first, by my coadjutor, the Rev. Mr. Epper, that such a rumour was spreading, of which I have good reason to believe also his Excellency the Governorwas informed during his stay at Moreton Bay. I learnt, secondly, by the lay missionaries, Messrs. Nique and Rode, who returnedfrom an excursion to "Umpie-boang" in the first week of April, thatnatives of different tribes, who were collecting from the north for afight, had related the same thing to them as a fact. Messrs. Nique andRode have made this statement also in their diary, which is laid beforeour committee in Sydney. I learnt, thirdly, by the runaway Davis, whencollecting words and phrases of the northern dialect from him, previousto my expedition to the Bunga Bunga country, that there was not the leastdoubt but such a deed had been done, and moreover that the relatives ofthe poisoned blacks, being in great fury, were going to revengethemselves. Davis considered it, therefore, exceedingly dangerous for usto proceed to the north, mentioning at the same time, that two white menhad already been killed by blacks in consequence of poisoning. Iascertained likewise from him the number, 50 or 60. 

"When inquiring of him whether he had not reported this fact toyourself, he replied, that both he, himself, and Bracewell, theother runaway, whom Mr. Petrie had brought back from the Wide Bay, had done so, and that you had stated it fully in your report to hisExcellency the Governor, respecting himself and Bracewell. 

"4. The natives who had carried our provisions up to Mr. Archer's station, made the same statement to us, as a reason why they would not accompanyus any farther to the Bunga Bunga country. 

"When writing down, therefore, my journal, I considered it unnecessary tomake a full statement of all that had come to my knowledge since the monthof March, concerning that most horrid event, or even to relate it assomething new, as it was not only known several months since to therespective authorities, but also as almost every one at Moreton Baysupposed that an investigation would take place without delay. 

"I have, etc. "(signed) "WILLIAM SCHMIDT, "Missionary. ""S. Simpson, Esq. , "Commissioner of Crown Lands, "Eagle Farm. "

"WOOGAROO, MORETON BAY, 6TH MAY, 1843. 

"Sir, --I have the honour to report, for the information of his Excellency, that during my excursion to the Bunga country, I have taken everyopportunity of instituting an inquiry as to the truth of the allegedpoisoning of some Aborigines at a sheep station in the north of thisdistrict. A report of the kind certainly exists among the two tribes Ifell in with, namely, the Dallambarah and Coccombraral tribes, but asneither of them were present at the time, they could give me nocircumstantial information whatever on the subject. The Giggabarahtribe, the one said to have suffered, I was unable to meet with. Upon inquiry at the stations to the north, I could learn nothingfurther than that they had been using arsenic very extensively forthe cure of the scab, in which operation sheep are occasionallydestroyed by some of the fluid getting down their throats; and as themen employed frequently neglect to bury the carcases, it is very possiblethat the Aborigines may have devoured them, particularly the entrails, which they are very fond of, and that hence some accident of the kindalluded to may have occurred without their knowledge. 

"I have, etc. "(signed) S. SIMPSON, "Commissioner of Crown Lands. "

"The Honourable E. D. Thomson, "Colonial Secretary. "

For the sake of humanity I would hope that such unheard of atrocitiescannot really have existed. That the bare suspicion even of such crimesshould have originated and gained currency in more than one districtof Australia, is of itself a fearful indication of the feelingamong the lowest classes in the colonies, and of the harrowingdeeds to which that might lead. 

Extract from South Australian Registe, 10th of July, 1841, after thereturn of Major O'Halloran and a party of sixty-eight individuals, sentup the Murray to try and rescue property stolen by blacks. "In the meantime we cannot but think that the DISAPPOINTMENT SO GENERALLYEXPRESSED, because Major O'Halloran has returned 'WITHOUT FIRING A SHOT, 'is somewhat unreasonable, seeing that in his presence the natives DIDNOTHING TO WARRANT AN EXTREME MEASURE, and that there were no means ofidentifying either the robbers of Mr. Inman, or the murderers of Mr. Langhorne's servants. It is quite clear that a legally authorised Englishforce could not be permitted to fire indiscriminately upon the natives ASSOME PERSONS THINK they ought to have done, or to fire at all, save whenattacked, or under circumstances in which any white subject of the Queenmight be shot at. We KNOW that many overland parties HAVE NOT HESITATEDTO FIRE AT THE NATIVES WHEREVER THEY APPEARED; and it is possible thatthe tribes now hostilely disposed may have received some provocation. "]

The following extract from a letter addressed by the Chief Protector ofthe Port Phillip district, Mr. Robinson, to his Honour the Superintendentat Melbourne, shews that officer's opinion of the feeling of the lowerclass of the settlers' servants, with regard to the Aborigines inAustralia Felix. 

"Anterior to my last expedition I had seen a large portion of thisprovince; I have now seen nearly the entire, and, in addition, have mademyself thoroughly acquainted with the character of its inhabitants. 

"The settlers are, for the most part, a highly respectable body of men, many, to my knowledge, deeply commiserating the condition of the natives;a few have been engaged in the work of their amelioration; these, however, are but isolated instances; the majority are averse to havingthe natives, and drive them from their runs. 

"Nothing could afford me greater pleasure than to see a reciprocity ofinterest established between the settler and aborigine, and it woulddelight me to see the settlers engaged in the great work of theiramelioration; and though on the part of the settlers, a large majoritywould readily engage, I nevertheless feel persuaded that, until a betterclass of peasantry be introduced, and a code of judicature suited to thecondition of the natives, its practicability, as a general principle, isunattainable. 

"In the course of my wanderings through the distant interior, I found itnecessary, in order to arrive at a correct judgment, to observe therelative character of both classes, i. E. The European and the Aborigine. The difficulty on the part of the Aborigine by proper management can beovercome; but the difficulty on the part of the depraved white man is offar different character, and such as to require that either their placeshould be supplied by a more honest and industrious peasantry, or that amore suitable code of judicature be established, to restrain theirnefarious proceedings with reference to the aboriginal natives. 

"I found, on my last expedition, that a large majority of the whiteservants employed at the stock stations in the distant interior were, forthe most part, men of depraved character; and it was with deep regretthat I observed that they were all armed; and in the estimation of someof these characters, with whom I conversed, I found that the life of anative was considered to be of no more value than that of a wild dog. Thesettlers complained generally of the bad character of their men. Thesaying is common among them, 'That the men and not we are the masters. 'The kind of treatment evinced towards the aboriginal natives in remoteparts of the interior by this class of persons, may be easily imagined;but as I shall have occasion more fully to advert to this topic in thereport I am about to transmit to the Government, I shall defer for thepresent offering further observations. 

"The bad character of the white servants is a reason assigned by manysettlers for keeping the natives from their stations. At a fewestablishments, viz. Norman M'Leod's, Baillie's, Campbell's, Lenton's, and Urquhart's, an amicable and friendly relation has been maintained forseveral years; the Aborigines are employed and found useful. I visitedthese stations; and the proprietors assured me the natives had never donethem any injury; the natives also spoke in high terms of these parties. There are other settlers also who have rendered assistance in improvingthe condition of the natives, and to whom I shall advert in my nextreport. 

"Whether the proprietors of these establishments devote more attention, or whether their white servants are of less nefarious character thanothers, I am not prepared to say; but the facts I have stated areincontrovertible, and are sufficient to shew the reclaimability of thenatives, when proper persons are engaged, and suitable means had recourseto. I cannot but accede to the proposition, namely, that of holding outinducements to all who engage in the amelioration of the aboriginalnatives. Those who have had experience, who have been tried and founduseful, ought to have such inducements held out to them as would ensure acontinuance of their appointments, the more especially as it has alwaysbeen found difficult to obtain suitable persons for this hazardous andpeculiar service. "

The following extract from another letter, also addressed to his Honourthe Superintendent, shews the opinions and feelings of the writer, aMagistrate of the Colony, and a Commissioner of Crown Lands, in theGeelong district. 

"In offering my candid opinion, I submissively beg leave to state, thatfor the last three years, on all occasions, I have been a friend to thenatives; but from my general knowledge of their habits of idleness, extreme cunning, vice, and villany, that it is out of the power of allexertion that can be bestowed on them to do good by them; and I furtherbeg leave to state, that I can plainly see the general conduct of thenative growing worse, and, if possible, more useless, and daily moredaring. One and all appear to consider that no punishment awaits them. This idea has latterly been instilled into their minds with, I shouldthink, considerable pains, and also that the white men should be punishedfor the least offence. 

"In reply to the latter part of your letter, I beg leave to bring to yournotice that, at considerable risk, two years ago, I apprehended a nativefor the murder of one of Mr. Learmonth's men, near Bunengang. He wascommitted to Sydney gaol, and at the expiration of a year he was returnedto Melbourne to be liberated, and is now at large. In the case of Mr. Thomson's, that I apprehended two, and both identified by the men who sofortunately escaped. It is a difficult thing to apprehend natives, andwith great risk of life on both sides. On the Grange, and many parts ofthe country, it would be impossible to take them; AND IN MY OPINION, theonly plan to bring them to a fit and proper state is to insist on thegentlemen in the country to protect their property, AND TO DEAL WITH SUCHUSELESS SAVAGES ON THE SPOT. "

Captain Grey bears testimony to similar feelings and occurrences inWestern Australia. In speaking of capturing some natives, he says, vol. 2. P. 351. "It was necessary that I should proceed with great caution, inorder not to alarm the guilty parties when they saw us approaching, inwhich case, I should have had no chance of apprehending them, and I didnot intend to adopt the popular system of shooting them when they ranaway. " And again, at page 356, he says, "It was better that I, animpartial person, should see that they were properly punished for theft, than that the Europeans should fire indiscriminately upon them, as hadlately been done, in another quarter. "

Even in South Australia, where the Colonists have generally been moreconcentrated, and where it might naturally be supposed there would beless likelihood of offenders of this kind escaping detection andpunishment, there are not wanting instances of unnecessary andunprovoked, and sometimes of wanton injury upon the natives. In almostall cases of this description, it is quite impracticable from theinadmissibility of native evidence, or from some other circumstances, tobring home conviction to the guilty. [Note 50 at end of para. ] On theother hand, where natives commit offences against Europeans, if they canbe caught, the punishment is certain and severe. Already since theestablishment of South Australia as a colony, six natives have been triedand hung, for crimes against Europeans, and many others have been shot orwounded, by the police and military in their attempts to capture orprevent their escape. No European has, however, yet paid the penalties ofthe law, for aggressions upon the Aborigines, though many have deservedto do so. The difficulty consists in legally bringing home the offence, or in refuting the absurd stories that are generally made up injustification of it. 

[Note 50: Vide Chapter 9, of Notes on the Aborigines. ]

A single instance or two will be sufficient, in illustration of theimpunity which generally attends these acts of violence. On the 25thJanuary, 1843, the sheep at a station of Mr. Hughes, upon the Hutt river, had been scattered during the night, and some of them were missing. Itwas concluded the natives had been there, and taken them, as the tracksof naked feet were said to have been found near the folds. Upon thesegrounds two of Mr. Hughes' men, and one belonging to Mr. Jacobs, anothersettler in the neighbourhood, took arms, and went out to search for thenatives. About a mile from the station they met with one native and hiswife, whom they asked to accompany them back to the station, promisingbread and flour for so doing. They consented to go, but were thenescorted AS PRISONERS, the two men of Mr. Hughes' guarding the malenative, and Mr. Jacobs' servant (a person named Gregory) the female. Naturally alarmed at the predicament they were in, the man ran off, pursued by his two guards, but escaped. The woman took another direction, pursued by Gregory, who recaptured her, and she was said to have thenseized Gregory's gun, and to have struck at him several blows with aheavy stick, upon which, being afraid that he would be overcome, HE SHOTHER. Mr. Hughes, the owner of the lost sheep, came up a few moments afterthe woman was shot, and heard Gregory's story concerning it, but no marksof his receiving any blows were shewn. On the 23rd of March, he was triedfor the offence of manslaughter; there did not appear the slightestextenuating circumstances beyond his own story, and his master giving hima good character, and yet the jury, without retiring, returned a verdictof Not Guilty!

At the very next sittings of the Supreme Court Criminal Sessions, anotherand somewhat analogous case appeared. The following remarks were made byHis Honour Judge Cooper, to the Grand Jury respecting it: "There was alsoa case of manslaughter to be tried, and he called their attention tothis, because it did not appear in the Calendar. The person charged wasnamed Skelton, and as appeared from the depositions, was in custody ofsome sheep, when an alarm of the rushing of the sheep being given, helooked and saw something climbing over the fence, and subsequentlysomething crawling along the ground, upon which he fired off his piece, and hit the object, which upon examination turned out to be a native. Thenight was dark, and the native was brought into the hut, where he diedthe next day. He could not help observing, that cases of this kind weremuch more frequent than was creditable to the reputation of the Colony. Last Sessions a man was tried and acquitted of the charge of killing anative woman. That verdict was a very merciful one, but not so merciful, he trusted, as to countenance the idea that the lives of the natives areheld too cheaply. The only observation that he would make upon this casewas, that it was ONE OF GREAT SUSPICION. "

[Note 51: I believe this case was not brought to trial. ]

Other cases have occurred in which some of the circumstances have comeunder my own notice, and when Europeans have committed wanton aggressionson the Aborigines, and have then made up a plausible story to account forwhat had taken place, but where, from obvious circumstances, it was quiteimpossible to disprove or rebut their tale, however improbable it mightbe. In the Port Phillip District in 1841, Mr. Chief Protector thus writesto the local Government. 

"Already appalling collisions have happened between the white andaboriginal inhabitants, and, although instances, it is possible, havetranspired when natives have been the aggressors, yet it will be foundthat the largest majority originated with the Europeans. The lives ofaboriginal natives known to have been destroyed are many, and if thetestimony of natives be admissible, the amount would be great indeed; buteven in cases where the Aborigines are said to be the aggressors, who cantell what latent provocation existed for perpetrating it? Of the numerouscases that could be cited, the following from a recent journal of anassistant protector, Mr. Parker, of the Lodden, will suffice to shew theinsurmountable difficulty, I may add the impossibility, of bringing theguilty parties to justice, for in nine cases, I may say, out of ten, where natives are concerned, the only evidence that can be adduced isthat of the Aborigines. 

"This evidence is not admissible. Indeed the want of a code, suited tothe Aborigines, is now so strongly felt, and of such vital importance tothe welfare and existence of the natives, that I earnestly trust thatthis important subject may be brought under the early consideration andnotice of Her Majesty's Government. 

"The following is the extract from Mr. Parker's journal referred to: 'Onthe 8th of March 1841, I proceeded to the Pyrenees to investigate thecircumstances connected with the slaughter of several Aborigines, by aMr. Frances. On the 9th and 10th I fell in with different parties ofnatives. From the last of these I obtained some distressing statements, as to the slaughter of the blacks; they gave me the names of sevenindividuals shot by Mr. Frances within the last six months. I found, however, no legal evidence attainable. The only persons present in thelast and most serious affair with the Aborigines, which took place inDecember of last year, were Frances, a person named Downes, and astock-keeper in Melbourne. No other admissible evidence of the death ofthese poor people can be obtained than what Frances's written statementconveys. In that he reports that he and the person before named WENT OUTIN CONSEQUENCE OF SEEING THE BUSH ON FIRE, AND FELL IN SUDDENLY WITH SOMENATIVES, ON WHOM THEY FIRED AND KILLED FOUR. The natives say six wereslain, and their information on that point is more to be depended on. Owing to the legal disabilities of the Aborigines, this case must beadded with many others which have passed without judicial notice. Icannot, however, but wish that squatting licenses were withheld frompersons who manifest such an utter disregard of human life as Mr. Frances, even on his own shewing, has done. '

"And in this latter sentiment, under existing circumstances, I mostcordially agree. In Frances' case, the PERPETRATOR ADMITS his having SHOTFOUR ABORIGINES, and for aught that is shewn to the contrary, it was ANUNPROVOKED AGGRESSION. The natives, whose testimony Mr. Parker states, can be relied upon, affirm that six were slain, and these within thebrief period of six months. 

"In my last expedition I visited the country of the 'Barconedeets, ' thetribe attacked by Frances; of these I found a few sojourning with the"Portbullucs, ' a people inhabiting the country near Mount Zero, thenorthernmost point of the Grampians. These persons complained greatly ofthe treatment they had received, and confirmed the statement made to thesub-protector by the other natives. The following are a few of thecollisions, from authentic documents brought under the notice of thisdepartment, that have happened between settlers and Aborigines, and arerespectfully submitted for the information of the Government. 

"CASES. --CHARLES WEDGE AND OTHERS. --Five natives killed and otherswounded at the Grampians. 

"AYLWARD AND OTHERS. --Several natives killed and others wounded at theGrampians. In this case Aylward deposed, 'that there must have been agreat many wounded and several killed, as he saw blood upon the grass, and in the tea-tree two or three dead bodies. '

"MESSRS. WHYTE'S FIRST COLLISION. --William Whyte deposed that 30 nativeswere present, and they were all killed but two, and one of these it isreported died an hour after of his wounds. 

"DARLOT. --One native shot. Two natives shot near Portland Bay by theservants of the Messrs. Henty. 

"HUTTON AND MOUNTED POLICE. --The written report of this case states, 'that the party overtook the aborigines at the junction of the'Campaspee;' they fired, and it is stated, that to the best of the beliefof the party, five or six were killed. ' In the opinion of thesub-protector a greater number were slain. 

"MESSRS. WINTER AND OTHERS. --On this occasion five natives were killed. 

"One black shot by Frances. 

"MUNROE AND POLICE. --Two blacks shot and others wounded. 

"The following from Lloyd's deposition:--'We fired on them; I have nodoubt some were killed; there were between forty and fifty natives. '

"BY PERSONS UNKNOWN. --A native of the Coligan tribe killed by whitepersons. 

"MESSRS. WEDGE AND OTHERS. --Three natives killed and others wounded. 

"Names of Taylor and Lloyd are mentioned as having shot a black at LakeColac. 

"WHYTE'S SECOND COLLISION. --ALLAN'S CASE. --Two natives shot. 

"Taylor was overseer of a sheep station in the Western district, and wasnotorious for killing natives. No legal evidence could be obtainedagainst this nefarious individual. The last transaction in which he wasconcerned, was of so atrocious a nature, that he thought fit to abscond, and he has not been heard of since. No legal evidence was attainable inthis latter case. There is no doubt the charges preferred were true, forin the course of my inquiries on my late expedition, I found a tribe, asection of the Jarcoorts, totally extinct, and it was affirmed by thenatives that Taylor had destroyed them. The tribes are rapidlydiminishing. The 'Coligans, ' once a numerous and powerful people, inhabiting the fertile region of Lake 'Colac, ' are now reduced, all agesand sexes, under forty, and these are still on the decay. The Jarcoorts, inhabiting the country to the west of the great lake 'Carangermite, ' oncea very numerous and powerful people, are now reduced to under sixty. Buttime would fail, and I fear it would be deemed too prolix, were I toattempt to particularise in ever so small a degree, the previous state, condition, and declension of the original inhabitants of so extensive aprovince. "

Upon the same subject, His Honour the Superintendent of Port Phillip thuswrites:--

"On this subject, I beg leave to remark that great impediments evidentlydo interpose themselves in the way of instituting proper judicial inquiryinto the causes and consequences of the frequent acts of collisionbetween the settlers and the aboriginal natives, and into the conduct ofthe settlers on such occasions. I am quite ready to lament with theProtectors, that numerous as the cases have unfortunately been in whichthe lives of the Aborigines have been taken in this district, IN NOSINGLE INSTANCE HAS THE SETTLER BEEN BROUGHT BEFORE THE PROPER TRIBUNAL. "

Many similar instances might be adduced to shew the little chance thereis of evidence enough being procurable, even to cause the aggressor to beput upon his trial, still less to produce his conviction. 

Independently of the instances of wanton outrage, which sometimes areperpetrated on the outskirts of the settled districts by the lowest andmost abandoned of our countrymen, there are occasions also, when equalinjuries are inflicted unintentionally, from inexperience orindiscretion, on the part of those whose duty it is to protect ratherthan destroy, when the innocent have been punished instead of theguilty [Note 52 at end of para. ], and thus the very efforts made topreserve peace and good order, have inadvertently become the means ofsubverting them. 

[Note 52: Upon collisions of this character, Lord John Russell remarks inhis despatch, 21st December, 1839, to Sir G. Gipps: "In the case nowbefore me the object of capturing offenders was entirely lost sight of, and shots were fired at men who were apparently only guilty of jumpinginto the water to escape from an armed pursuit. I am, however, happy toacknowledge that you appear to have made every practicable exertion forthe prevention of similar calamities in future, and I approve themeasures adopted by you for that purpose. You cannot overrate thesolicitude of Her Majesty's Government on the subject of the Aboriginesof New Holland. It is impossible to contemplate the condition and theprospects of that unfortunate race without the deepest commiseration. Iam well aware of the many difficulties which oppose themselves to theeffectual protection of these people, and especially of those which mustoriginate from the exasperation of the settlers, on account ofaggressions on their property, which are not the less irritating, becausethey are nothing else than the natural results of the pernicious examplesheld out to the Aborigines, and of the many wrongs of which they havebeen the victims. Still it is impossible that the Government shouldforget that the original aggression was our own; and that we have neveryet performed the sacred duty of making any systematic or considerableattempt to impart to the former occupiers of New South Wales, theblessings of Christianity, or the knowledge of the arts and advantages ofcivilized life. "]

Several very lamentable instances of this kind, have occurred in PortLincoln. The following is one among others. Soon after the murder ofMessrs. Biddle and Brown, a party of soldiers was sent over to try andcapture the aggressors. In one of their attempts a native guide wasprocured from the Eastern tribe, who promised to conduct them to wherethe murderers were. The party consisting of the military and theirofficer, the police, a settler, and the missionary, in all twelve orfourteen persons, set off towards Coffin's Bay, following as theysupposed upon the track of the murders. Upon reaching the coast somenatives were seen fishing in the water, and the party was at once spreadout in a kind of semicircle, among the scrub, to close upon and capturethem; the officer, missionary, and guide, being stationed near thecentre. As the party advanced nearer, the guide saw that he was mistakenin the group before him, and that they were not the guilty parties, butfriends. The officer called out not to fire, but unfortunately from thedistance the men were at, and the scrubby nature of the country, he wasnot heard or attended to. A shot was fired, one of the natives sprung upconvulsively in the water, walked on shore and fell down, exclaimingwhilst dying, "me Kopler, me good man, " and such indeed it proved. He wasone of a friendly tribe, and a particular protege of the missionary's, having taken the name of Kopler from his German servant who was socalled. 

The other natives at once came forward to their dying friend, scornfullymotioning away his murderers, fearless alike of the foes around them, andregardless of their ill-timed attempts to explain the fatal mistake. Willit be credited, that at such a scene as this the soldiers were indulgingin coarse remarks, or brutal jests, upon the melancholy catastrophe; andcomparing the last convulsive spring of the dying man to a salmon leapingin the water. Yet this I was assured was the case by the GovernmentResident at Port Lincoln, from when I received this account. 

Another melancholy and unfortunate case of the same nature occurred atPort Lincoln, on the 11th of April, 1844, where a native was shot by apoliceman, for attempting to escape from custody, when taken in charge onsuspicion of being implicated in robbing a stranded vessel. Aninvestigation was made into this case by the Commissioner of Police, whenit was stated in the depositions, that attempts at rescue were made bythe other natives. Upon these grounds, I believe, it was considered thatthe policeman was justified in what he did. 

The following extract relating to this subject, is from a letteraddressed to a gentleman in Adelaide, by the Rev. C. Schurmann, one ofthe German Missionaries, who has for some years past been stationed amongthe Port Lincoln natives, and is intimately acquainted with theirlanguage. 

[Note 53: Without adopting the tone of this letter, and which in somerespects I cannot approve of, I believe the writer to be deeply interestedin the welfare of the Aborigines, and strongly impressed with a convictionof the evils and injuries to which they are subject from our anomalousposition with regard to them. I have quoted it, therefore, not for thepurpose of casting imputations on the Government, but to shew howpowerless they are, and how frequently, under the existing system inforce with respect to the Aborigines, those very measures which wereconceived and entered upon with the best intentions, produce in theirresult the most unmitigated evils. ]

"You will probably recollect, that some time ago (I think it was in themonth of May) the Adelaide newspapers contained a short notice of a PortLincoln native having been shot by the police in self-defence, and aletter in the 'Observer, ' mentioned another as being shot by Mr. ----, butas the charitable correspondent added, 'Unfortunately only in the arm, instead of through the body. ' From these statements one would infer thatthe parties concerned in these transactions were without blame, beingperfectly justified--the one to protect his life, and the other hisproperty. However, since my return to Port Lincoln, I have learned thatboth tales run very differently when told according to truth. I addressmyself, therefore, to you, with the true facts of the transactions, as Ihave learned them. Partly from the settlers themselves, partly from thenatives. My motive for so doing is to case my own mind, and to gratifythe interest which I know you take in the Aborigines of this country. 

"The man shot by the police was named Padlalta, and was of so mild andinoffensive a disposition, that he was generally noticed by the settlerson that very account, several of whom I have heard say since, it was apity that some other native had not been hit in his stead. The same manwas captured last year by Major O'llalloran's party, but was set atliberty as soon as I came up and testified his innocence, for which thepoor fellow kissed my hand near a dozen times. 

"The day before he met his death he was as usual in the town, doinglittle jobs for the inhabitants, to get bread or other food. On theevening when he was killed, he had encamped with about half a dozen othernatives on the northern side of Happy Valley, a short mile from the town. The police who were sent by the Government Resident to see what number ofnatives were at the camp state, that while searching the man's wallet, heseized hold of one gun, and when the other policeman came up to wrest itfrom him, he the native grasped the other gun too. In the scuffle thatensued, one of the guns went off, when the other natives who had fledreturned and presented their spears. They then shot the native who heldthe gun. 

"Now this statement is a very strange one, when it is considered that thenative was a very spare and weak man, so that either of the police oughtto have been able to keep him at arm's length; but to say that he seizedboth their guns is beyond all credibility. The natives were sitting downwhen the police arrived. How they could therefore find a wallet upon themurdered man, I cannot conceive; since the natives never have theirwallets slung, except when moving; and it certainly is not probable, thatthe man, in spite of the fright he is admitted to have been in, shouldhave thought of taking up his wallet. 

"The wallet is said to have contained some sovereigns, taken from thecutter Kate, which was wrecked some time previous to this affair, aboutforty miles up the coast, and to have been one of those marked by thepolice, at a native camp near the wreck from which the natives had beenscared away, leaving all their things behind. But if the murdered nativehad taken the sovereigns, why were they not then in his wallet, or whywas the wallet not examined the day before when he was in town?[Note 54 at end of para. ] I think that there is little doubt that thepolice found no wallet at all upon the native, and that they coined awayone of those found at the camp upon him, with a view to incriminate him. "

[Note 54: There cannot be a greater act of injustice towards the nativesthan that of applying the English law to them with respect to stolenproperty. Any one who knows any thing of their habits, and the customprevalent amongst them, of giving any European clothing, or other articlesthey may acquire, from one to another, must be fully aware how little thefact of their being found in possession of stolen property is justevidence against them. Articles such as I have mentioned, often pass, in avery short time, through the hands of three or four individuals, andperhaps even through as many tribes. ]

"Another native, Charley, who was present when the said affair tookplace, tells me, that the police sneaked upon, and fired at them, whilesitting round the fire; [Note 55 at end of para. ] that he jumped up, andendeavoured to make himself known, as a friendly native, by saying, "Yarri (that is the name the natives have given to one of the police), Yarri, I Charley, I Charley, "--but that the effect produced had been thepointing of a gun at him, when of course he ran away. That any of thenatives returned, and poised their spears, he firmly denies; but accountsfor the murder, by supposing that the dead man made resistance, andoffered to spear his assailants. He moreover says, that Padlalta would nothave died in consequence of the first shot, but that the police firedrepeatedly, which agrees with the settlers, who say they heard threeshots. When the bloody deed had been committed (a ball had passed rightthrough his body), the cruel perpetrators ran home, leaving the murderedman helpless. "

[Note 55: There must, I think, be some mistake here in the phrascology. I cannot think any of the police would fire upon a small party of friendlynatives whilst unresisting. The probability is, that they surrounded thenatives to make prisoners, and fired upon being resisted. This mustgenerally occur if the police have positive orders to make captures. Natives, not very much in contact with Europeans, will almost alwaysresist an attempt to make prisoners of them, or will try to escape. Verymany have, at various times, met their death under such circumstances;and too often it has occurred, that the innocent have been the sufferingparties. This shews the absurdity of applying European customs and lawsto a people situated as the Australian natives are. It shews, too, thenecessity of altering our present system and policy towards them, to onethat will exercise sufficient influence over them to induce them to giveup offenders themselves. I believe such a system may be devised. --VideChapter IX. ]

"Some time after, a party of three settlers went to the spot, one of whomhe recognized, and claimed his acquaintance, and perhaps assistance, bymentioning the party's Christian name; but, alas! no good Samaritan wasfound amongst these three; they all passed by on the other side, withoutalleviating his pain, moistening his parched lips, warming his shiveringlimbs, or aiding him in any way whatever. There he lay a whole cold andlong winter night, without a fire to warm him, or a soul to talk to him. Next morning he was found still alive, but died on the way into town, where he was buried in the jail yard, like a condemned felon. 

"What awful and melancholy reflections crowd upon one's mind in thinkingon this transaction. But what conclusians must a poor people, whom aChristian and civilized nation calls savages, arrive at, with such factsbefore them. 

"The other native, wounded by Mr. --in the arm, was doubtless of the partywho attacked the flock; but it must have been some hours after that hewas shot, for the shepherd had to come home with the flock to inform himof the occurrence, and then search and pursuit had to be made, duringwhich he was overtaken. He is a stupid idiotic sort of man, so that thenatives have not deemed him worthy of receiving the honours of theirceremonies, and still call him a boy, or youth, although he is an oldishman. 

"On another occasion, when an uninhabited hut, with some wheat in it, hadbeen broken into by some unknown natives, a party went in search of theoffenders. It was night when they came on a camp, on the opposite side ofthe lake to where the hut stands; the natives, acting upon the firstimpulse, and warned by frequent examples, ran away, when two of the partysnapped their pieces, but providentially both guns missed fire. Thenatives, however, soon took confidence, and returned, when it was foundthat two of the most orderly and useful men would have been shot if theguns had gone off. The party took upon themselves to make one of themprisoner, but of course did not venture to bring him before themagistrate. 

"These facts incontestably prove, that, notwithstanding the Aboriginesare called British subjects, and in spite of the so-called protectionsystem, there is no shadow of protection for them, while they aredebarred from the first and most important of all liberties, namely, thatof being heard in a Court of civil Justice. 

"Several instances have occurred during my residence in this district, inwhich natives have been arraigned before the administrators of the law, although I was morally convinced of their innocence; in other cases, theyhave sought redress through me, for wanton attacks on their person andlives, without being listened to. 

"Only a few weeks ago a native was very nearly being taken up, on thecharge of having thrown a spear at Mr. Smith's shepherd, without, however, any felonious intent, the distance being too great. Thiscircumstance saved the man, or else he would, no doubt, have been triedand found guilty on the shepherd's evidence, who would not allow that hecould be mistaken in the individual, although the accused native cameboldly into town and court (a circumstance that has never before occurredsince I have known these natives), although he was an intimate friend ofthe shepherd and his wife; and although all the other natives could provewhere he had been at the time of the attack on the flock, and state whowere the guilty parties. 

"For those who have had an opportunity of observing the Aborigines intheir original state, it is not very difficult to distinguish the guiltyfrom the innocent, for they are a simple-minded race, little skilled inthe arts of dissimulation. 

"It is bad enough that a great part of the colonists are inimical to thenatives; it is worse that the law, as it stands at present, does notextend its protection to them; but it is too bad when the press lends itsinfluence to their destruction. Such, however, is undoubtedly the case. When Messrs. Biddle and Brown were murdered, the newspapers entertainedtheir readers week after week with the details of the bloody massacre, heaping a profusion of vile epithets upon the perpetrators. But of theslaughter by the soldiers, (who killed no less than four innocentnatives, while they captured not one guilty party), among the tribes whohad had nothing to do with the murders--of the treachery of attacking inthe darkness of the night, a tribe who had the day before been huntingkangaroo with their informers, when one of the former guides to themagistrates' pursuing party was killed amongst others; of the wantonoutrage on the mutilated body of one of the victims;--of these things thepress was as silent as the grave. "

Without attempting to enlarge more fully upon the subjects entered uponin the preceding pages, I trust that I have sufficiently shewn that thecharacter of the Australian natives has been greatly misrepresented andmaligned, that they are not naturally more irreclaimably vicious, revengeful, or treacherous than other nations, but on the contrary, thattheir position with regard to Europeans, places them under so manydisadvantages, subjects them to so many injuries, irritates them with somany annoyances, and tempts them with so many provocations, that it is amatter of surprise, not that they sometimes are guilty of crime, but thatthey commit it so rarely. 

If I have in the least degree succeeded in establishing that such is thecase, it must be evident that it is incumbent upon us not only to makeallowances when pronouncing an opinion on the character or the crimes ofthe Aborigines; but what is of far greater and more vital importance, asfar as they are concerned, to endeavour to revise and improve such partsof our system and policy towards them as are defective, and by betteradapting these to the peculiar circumstances of this people, at onceplace them upon juster and more equal terms, and thus excite a reasonablehope that some eventual amelioration may be produced, both in their moraland physical condition. 

[Note 56: "We say distinctly and deliberately that nothing comparativelyhas yet been done--that the natives have hitherto acquired nothing ofEuropean civilization, but European vices and diseases, and that thespeedy extinction of the whole race is inevitable, save by theintroduction of means for their civilization on a scale much morecomprehensive and effectual than any yet adopted. "--Leading Article inSouth Australian Register, 1st August, 1840. ]

I shall now proceed to give an account of the appearance, habits, mode oflife, means of subsistance, social relations, government, ceremonies, superstitions, numbers, languages, etc. Etc. Of the natives of Australia, so as to afford some insight into the character and circumstances of thispeculiar race, to exhibit the means hitherto adopted for, and theprogress made in attempting, their civilization, and to shew the effectsproduced upon them by a contact with Europeans. 

Chapter II. 

PHYSICAL APPEARANCE--DRESS--CHARACTER--HABITS OF LIFE--MEETINGS OFTRIBES--WARS--DANCES--SONGS. 

The Aborigines of Australia, with whom Europeans have come in contact, present a striking similarity to each other in physical appearance andstructure; and also in their general character, habits, and pursuits. Anydifference that is found to exist is only the consequence of localcircumstances or influences, and such as might naturally be expected tobe met with among a people spread over such an immense extent of country. Compared with other aboriginal races, scattered over the face of theglobe, the New Hollander appears to stand alone. 

The male is well built and muscular, averaging from five to six feet inheight, with proportionate upper and lower extremities. The anteriorlobes of the brain are fairly developed, so as to give a facial angle, far from being one of the most acute to be found amongst the black races. The eyes are sunk, the nose is flattened, and the mouth wide. The lipsare rather thick, and the teeth generally very perfect and beautiful, though the dental arrangement is sometimes singular, as no differenceexists in many between the incisor and canine teeth. The neck is short, and sometimes thick, and the heel resembles that of Europeans. The anklesand wrists are frequently small, as are also the hands and feet. Thelatter are well formed and expanded, but the calves of the legs aregenerally deficient. Some of the natives in the upper districts of theMurray, are, however, well formed in this respect. In a few instances, natives attain to a considerable corpulency. The men have fine broad anddeep chests, indicating great bodily strength, and are remarkably erectand upright in their carriage, with much natural grace and dignity ofdemeanour. The eye is generally large, black, and expressive, with theeye-lashes long. 

When met with for the first time in his native wilds there is frequentlya fearless intrepidity of manner, an ingenuous openness of look, and apropriety of behaviour about the aboriginal inhabitant of Australia, which makes his appearance peculiarly prepossessing. 

In the female the average height is about five feet, or perhaps a littleunder. The anterior part of the brain is more limited than in the male;the apex of the head is carried further back; the facial angle is moreacute; and the extremities are more attenuated. The latter circumstancemay probably be accounted for from the fact, that the females have toendure, from a very early age, a great degree of hardship, privation, andill-treatment. Like most other savages the Australian looks upon his wifeas a slave. To her belongs the duty of collecting and preparing the dailyfood, of making the camp or hut for the night, of gathering and bringingin firewood, and of procuring water. She must also attend to thechildren; and in travelling carry all the moveable property andfrequently the weapons of her husband. In wet weather she attends to allthe outside work, whilst her lord and master is snugly seated at thefire. If there is a scarcity of food she has to endure the pangs ofhunger, often, perhaps, in addition to ill-treatment or abuse. No wonder, then, that the females, and especially the younger ones, (for it is thenthey are exposed to the greatest hardships, ) are not so fully or soroundly developed in person as the men. Yet under all these disadvantagesthis deficiency does not always exist. Occasionally, though rarely, Ihave met with females in the bloom of youth, whose well-proportionedlimbs and symmetry of figure might have formed a model for the sculptor'schisel. In personal appearance the females are, except in early youth, very far inferior to the men. When young, however, they are notuninteresting. The jet-black eyes, shaded by their long, dark lashes, andthe delicate and scarcely-formed features of incipient womanhood give asoft and pleasing expression to a countenance that might often be calledgood-looking--occasionally even pretty. 

The colour of the skin, both in the male and female, is generally black, or very darkly tinged. The hair is either straight or curly, but neverapproaching to the woolliness of the negro. It is usually worn short byboth sexes, and is variously ornamented at different periods of life. Sometimes it is smeared with red ochre and grease; at other times adornedwith tufts of feathers, the tail of the native dog, kangaroo teeth, andbandages or nets of different kinds. 

[Note 57: The same fondness for red paint, ornaments of skins, tufts offeathers, etc. , is noticed by Catlin as prevalent among the AmericanIndians, and by Dieffenbach as existing among the New Zealanders. ]

When the head of the native is washed clean, and purified from the odourof the filthy pigment with which it is bedaubed, the crop of hair is veryabundant, and the appearance of it beautiful, being a silken, glossy, andcurly black. Great pains are, however, used to destroy or mar thisstriking ornament of nature. 

Without the slightest pride of appearance, so far as neatness orcleanliness is concerned, the natives are yet very vain of their own rudedecorations, which are all worn for EFFECT. A few feathers or teeth, abelt or band, a necklace made of the hollow stem of some plant, with afew coarse daubs of red or white paint, and a smearing of grease, complete the toilette of the boudoir or the ball-room. Like the sceneryof a panorama, they are then seen to most advantage at a distance; for ifapproached too closely, they forcibly remind us of the truth of theexpression of the poet, that "nature unadorned is adorned the most. "

The body dress is simple; consisting of the skins of the opossum, thekangaroo, or the wallabie, when they can be procured. A single garmentonly is used, made in the form of an oblong cloak, or coverlet; by theskins being stretched out and dried in the sun, and then sewn togetherwith the sinews of the emu, etc. The size of the cloak varies according tothe industry of the maker, or the season of the year. The largest sizedones are about six feet square, but the natives frequently contentthemselves with one not half this size, and in many cases are without italtogether. The cloak is worn with the fur side outwards, and is thrownover the back and left shoulder, and pinned on in front with a littlewooden peg; the open part is opposite the right side, so as to leave theright arm and shoulder quite unconfined, in the male; the female throwsit over the back and left shoulder, and brings it round under the rightarm-pit, and when tied in front by a string passing round the cloak andthe back, a pouch is formed behind, in which the child is alwayscarried. [Note 58 at end of para. ] In either if the skin be a handsomeone, the dress is very pretty and becoming. 

[Note 58: A similar custom prevails among the women of the AmericanIndians. --CATLIN. Vol. Ii. P. 132. ]

On the sea coast, where the country is barren, and the skins of animalscannot readily be procured, sea-weed or rushes are manufactured intogarments, with considerable ingenuity. In all cases the garments worn byday constitute the only covering at night, as the luxury of variety indress is not known to, or appreciated by, the Aborigines. 

No covering is worn upon the head, although they are continually exposedto the rays of an almost tropical sun. In extreme seasons of heat, and'when they are travelling, they sometimes gather a few green bunches orwet weeds and place upon their heads; but this does not frequently occur. 

The character of the Australian natives is frank, open, and confiding. Ina short intercourse they are easily made friends, and when such terms areonce established, they associate with strangers with a freedom andfearlessness, that would give little countenance to the impression sogenerally entertained of their treachery. On many occasions where I havemet these wanderers in the wild, far removed from the abodes ofcivilization, and when I have been accompanied only by a single nativeboy, I have been received by them in the kindest and most friendlymanner, had presents made to me of fish, kangaroo, or fruit, had themaccompany me for miles to point out where water was to be procured, andbeen assisted by them in getting at it, if from the nature of the soiland my own inexperience. I had any difficulty in doing so myself. 

I have ever found them of a lively, cheerful disposition [Note 59 at endof para. ], patiently putting up with inconveniences and privations, andnever losing that natural good temper which so strongly characterizesthem. On the occasion of my second visit from Moorunde, to the Rufusnatives in 1841, when I had so far overcome the ill-feelings and dread, engendered by the transactions in that quarter, in 1840, as to inducea large body of them to accompany me back to the station, they had towalk a distance of 150 miles, making daily the same stages that thehorses did, and unprovided with any food but what they could procurealong the road as they passed, and this from the rapidity with whichthey had to travel, and the distance they had to go in a day, wasnecessarily limited in quantity, and very far from sufficient toappease even the cravings of hunger, yet tired, foot-sore, and hungryas they were, and in company with strangers, whose countrymen had slainthem in scores, but a few months before, they were always merry attheir camps at nights, and kept singing, laughing, and joking, to alate hour. 

[Note 59: Such appears usually to be the characteristic of Nature'schildren, than whom no race appears more thoroughly to enjoy life. --Videcharacter of the American Indians, by Catlin, vol. 1. P. 84. ]

On falling in with them in larger numbers, when I have been travelling inthe interior with my party, I have still found the same disposition tomeet me on terms of amity and kindness. Nor can a more interesting sightwell be imagined, than that of a hundred or two hundred natives advancingin line to meet you, unarmed, shouting and waving green boughs in bothhands, men, women, and children, the old and the young, all joining inexpressing their good feelings and pacific intentions. On such occasionsI have been often astonished at the facility with which large bodies, have by a little kindness and forbearance been managed, and kept frombeing troublesome or annoying, by a party of only six or seven Europeans. I have occasionally had upwards of 150 natives sitting in a long line, where I placed them, and as orderly and obedient almost as a file ofsoldiers. 

At other times, when riding with only a native boy over the plains of theinterior, I have seen the blue smoke of the native fires, curling upthrough the distant line of trees, which marked some yet unvisitedwatercourse, and upon making towards it, have come suddenly upon a partyencamped in the hollow, beneath the banks upon which I stood. Here I haveremained, observing them for a few moments, unseen and unthought of. Asingle call would arouse their attention, and as they looked up, woulddraw from them a wild exclamation of dismay, accompanied by a look ofindescribable horror and affright, at beholding the strange, and to themincomprehensible beings who stood before them. Weapons would hastily beseized, baggage gathered up, and the party so lately buried in repose andsecurity, would at once be ready either to fight or to evacuate theircamps, as circumstances might seem to render most expedient. A fewfriendly gestures and a peaceable demeanour would however soon dissipatetheir terror, and in a few moments their weapons would be thrown aside, and both invaders and invaded be upon intimate and confiding terms. 

I have always found the natives ready to barter their nets, weapons, orother implements, for European articles, and sometimes they will givethem unsolicited, and without any equivalent; amongst themselves theyconstantly do this. 

In their intercourse with each other, natives of different tribes areexceedingly punctilious and polite, the most endearing epithets arepassed between those who never met before; almost every thing that issaid is prefaced by the appellation of father, son, brother, mother, sister, or some other similar term, corresponding to that degree ofrelationship which would have been most in accordance with their relativeages and circumstances. In many instances, too, these titles are evenaccompanied by the still more insinuating addition of "dear, " to saynothing of the hugs and embraces which they mutually give and receive. 

The natives are very fond of the children they rear, and often play with, and fondle them; but husbands rarely shew much affection for their wives. After a long absence, I have seen natives, upon their return, go to theircamp, exhibiting the most stoical indifference, never take the leastnotice of their wives, but sit down, and act, and look, as if they hadnever been out of the encampment; in fact, if any thing, they are moretaciturn and reserved than usual, and some little time elapses beforethey enter into conversation with freedom, or in their ordinary manner. 

[Note 60: For the existence of similar customs amongst the AmericanIndians, vide Catlin, vol. I. P. 56. ]

Upon meeting children after a long absence, I have seen parents "fallupon their necks, and weep" bitterly. It is a mistaken idea, as well asan unjust one, that supposes the natives to be without sensibility offeeling. It may often be repressed from pride or policy, but it willsometimes break forth uncontrolled, and reveal, that the best and genuinefeelings of the heart are participated in by savage in common withcivilized man. The following is an instance in point:--A fine intelligentyoung boy, was, by his father's consent, living with me at the Murray formany weeks; but upon the old man's going into Adelaide, he took his sonaway to accompany him. Whilst there, the boy died, and for nearly a yearI never saw any thing more of the father, although he occasionally hadbeen within a few miles of my neighbourhood. One day, however, I was outshooting about three miles from home, and accidentally fell in with him. Upon seeing me he immediately burst into tears, and was unable to speak. It was the first time he had met me since his son's death, and mypresence forcibly reminded him of his loss. The same circumstanceoccurred when he accompanied me to the house, where every thing he sawrecalled the memory of his child. 

Innate propriety of behaviour is also frequently exhibited by theAborigines in their natural state, in the modest unassuming manner inwhich they take their positions to observe what is going on, and in atotal absence of any thing that is rude or offensive. It is true that thereverse of this is also often to be met with; but I think it will usuallybe found that it is among natives who have before been in contact withEuropeans, or where familiarities have been used with them first, or aninjudicious system of treatment has been adopted towards them. 

DELICACY of feeling is not often laid to the charge of the Aborigines, and yet I was witness to a singular instance of it at King George'sSound. I was looking one evening at the natives dancing, and who were, asthey always are on these occasions, in a state of complete nudity. In themidst of the performance, one of the natives standing by a spectator, mentioned that a white woman was passing up the road; and although thiswas some little distance away, and the night was tolerably dark, they allwith one accord crossed over to the bushes where their cloaks were, putthem on, and resumed their amusement. 

It has been said, and is generally believed, that the natives are notcourageous. There could not be a greater mistake, at least as far as theyare themselves concerned, nor do I hold it to be any proof that they arecowards, because they dread or give way before Europeans and theirfire-arms. So unequal a match is no criterion of bravery, and yet eventhus, among natives, who were labouring under the feelings, naturallyproduced by seeing a race they were unacquainted with, and weapons thatdealt death as if by magic, I have seen many instances of an open manlyintrepidity of manner and bearing, and a proud unquailing glance of eye, which instinctively stamped upon my mind the conviction that theindividuals before me were very brave men. 

In travelling about from one place to another, I have always made it apoint, if possible, to be accompanied by one or more natives, and I haveoften found great advantage from it. Attached to an exploring party theyare frequently invaluable, as their perceptive powers are very great, andenable them both to see and hear anything at a much greater distance thana European. In tracking stray animals, and keeping on indistinct paths, they display a degree of perseverance and skill that is really wonderful. They are useful also in cutting bark canoes to cross a river, should suchimpede the progress of the party, and in diving for anything that may belost in the water, etc. Etc. The Aborigines generally, and almost alwaysthose living near large bodies of water, are admirable swimmers anddivers, and are almost as much at home in the water as on dry land. Ihave known them even saw a small log or root at the bottom of a deepriver. In a locality, however, which is badly watered, it sometimeshappens that they cannot swim. At Meerkap, in Western Australia, whilecrossing with some friends, from the Sound to Swan River, we met withsome who were in this predicament, and who seemed a good deal astonishedat our venturing into the small ponds at that place. I have been toldthat the natives at the Sound could not swim before that settlement wasoccupied by Europeans--this seems hardly probable, however, upon thesea-coast; at all events, be this as it may, they all swim now. 

In habit they are truly nomadic, seldom remaining many weeks in onelocality, and frequently not many days. The number travelling togetherdepends, in a great measure, upon the period of the year, and thedescription of food that may be in season. If there is any particularvariety more abundant than another, or procurable only in certainlocalities, the whole tribe generally congregate to partake of it. Shouldthis not be the case, then they are probably scattered over theirdistrict in detached groups, or separate families. 

At certain seasons of the year, usually in the spring or summer, whenfood is most abundant, several tribes meet together in each other'sterritory for the purpose of festivity or war, or to barter and exchangesuch food, clothing, implements, weapons, or other commodities as theyrespectively possess; or to assist in the initiatory ceremonies by whichyoung persons enter into the different grades of distinction amongstthem. The manner and formalities of meeting depend upon the cause forwhich they assemble. If the tribes have been long apart, many deaths mayhave occurred in the interim; and as the natives do not often admit thatthe young or the strong can die from natural causes, they ascribe theevent to the agency of sorcery, employed by individuals of neighbouringtribes. This must of course be expiated in some way when they meet, butthe satisfaction required is regulated by the desire of the injured tribeto preserve amicable relations with the other, or the reverse. 

The following is an account of a meeting which I witnessed, between thenatives of Moorunde (comprising portions of several of the neighbouringtribes) and the Nar-wij-jerook, or Lake Bonney tribe, accompanied also bymany of their friends. This meeting had been pre-arranged, as meetings oflarge bodies of natives never take place accidentally, for even when adistant tribe approaches the territory of another unexpectedly, messengers are always sent on in advance, to give the necessary warning. The object of the meeting in question was to perform the initiatoryceremonies upon a number of young men belonging to both of the tribes. Inthe Murray district, when one tribe desires another to come from adistance to perform these ceremonies, young men are sent off withmessages of invitation, carrying with them as their credentials, longnarrow news, made of string manufactured from the rush. These nets areleft with the tribe they are sent to, and brought back again when theinvitation is responded to. 

Notice having been given on the previous evening to the Moorunde nativesof the approach of the Nar-wij-jerook tribe, they assembled at an earlyhour after sunrise, in as clear and open a place as they could find. Herethey sat down in a long row to await the coming of their friends. The menwere painted, and carried their weapons, as if for war. The women andchildren were in detached groups, a little behind them, or on one side, whilst the young men, on whom the ceremonies were to be performed, satshivering with cold and apprehension in a row to the rear of the men, perfectly naked, smeared over from head to foot with grease andred-ochre, and without weapons. The Nar-wij-jerook tribe was now seenapproaching. The men were in a body, armed and painted, and the women andchildren accompanying them a little on one side. They occasionallyhalted, and entered into consultation, and then, slackening their pace, gradually advanced until within a hundred yards of the Moorunde tribe. Here the men came to a full stop, whilst several of the women singled outfrom the rest, and marched into the space between the two parties, havingtheir heads coated over with lime, and raising a loud and melancholywail, until they came to a spot about equi-distant from both, when theythrew down their cloaks with violence, and the bags which they carried ontheir backs, and which contained all their worldly effects. The bags werethen opened, and pieces of glass and shells taken out, with which theylacerated their thighs, backs, and breasts, in a most frightful manner, whilst the blood kept pouring out of the wounds in streams; and in thisplight, continuing their wild and piercing lamentations, they moved uptowards the Moorunde tribe, who sat silently and immoveably in the placeat first occupied. One of the women then went up to a strange native, whowas on a visit to the Moorunde tribe and who stood neutral in the affairof the meeting, and by violent language and frantic gesticulationsendeavoured to incite him to revenge the death of some relation orfriend. But he could not be induced to lift his spear against the peopleamongst whom he was sojourning. After some time had been spent inmourning, the women took up their bundles again, and retiring, placedthemselves in the rear of their own party. An elderly man then advanced, and after a short colloquy with the seated tribe, went back, and beckonedhis own people to come forward, which they did slowly and in good order, exhibiting in front three uplifted spears, to which were attached thelittle nets left with them by the envoys of the opposite tribe, and whichwere the emblems of the duty they had come to perform, after the ordinaryexpiations had been accomplished. 

In advancing, the Nar-wij-jerooks again commenced the death wail, and oneof the men, who had probably sustained the greatest loss since the tribeshad last met, occasionally in alternations of anger and sorrow addressedhis own people. When near the Moorunde tribe a few words were addressedto them, and they at once rose simultaneously, with a suppressed shout. The opposite party then raised their spears, and closing upon the line ofthe other tribe, speared about fifteen or sixteen of them in the leftarm, a little below the shoulder. This is the generally understood orderof revenge; for the persons who were to receive the wounds, as soon asthey saw the weapons of their assailants poised, at once put out the leftfoot, to steady themselves, and presented the left shoulder for the blow, frequently uttering the word "Leipa" (spear), as the others appeared tohesitate. 

Whilst this was going on, the influential men of each tribe wereviolently talking to each other, and apparently accusing one another ofbeing accessory to the death of some of their people. Disclaimers passedon each side, and the blame was imputed to other and more distant tribes. The manes of the dead having been appeased, the honour of each party wasleft unsullied, and the Nar-wij-jerooks retired about a hundred yards, and sat down, ready to enter upon the ceremonies of the day, which willbe described in another place. [Note 61: Chapter V. ]

If the meeting of the tribes be for the purpose of war, a favourablesituation is selected by one of the parties, and notice is sent to theother, who then proceed to the place of meeting, where both draw outtheir forces in opposing parallel lines. Day-break, or nearly aboutsunset in the evening, are the times preferred for these engagements, asthe softened light at those hours does not so much affect the eyesight, and the spears are more easily seen and avoided. Both parties are fullyarmed with spears, shields, and other weapons, and the fight sometimeslasts for three or four hours, during which scarcely a word is spoken, and but little noise of any kind is heard, excepting a shrill cry now andthen, when some one is wounded or has a narrow escape. Many are injuredgenerally on both sides, and some severely so; but it rarely happens thatmore than one or two are killed, though hundreds may have been engaged. 

The fights are sometimes witnessed by men who are not concerned in them, by the women and the children. The presence of the females may besupposed probably to inspire the belligerents with courage and incitethem to deeds of daring. 

The most dangerous and fatal affrays in which the natives engage arethose which occur suddenly amongst tribes who have been encamped near oneanother on amicable terms, and between whom some cause of difference hasarisen, probably in relation to their females, or some recent death, which it is imagined the sorcerers have been instrumental in producing. In the former case a kind of melee sometimes takes place at night, whenfire-brands are thrown about, spears launched, and bwirris [Note 62 at endof para. ] bran-dished in indescribable confusion. In the latter case theaffray usually occurs immediately after the body is buried, and is more ofa hand-to-hand fight, in which bwirris are used rather than spears, andin which tremendous blows are struck and frightful wounds inflicted. 

[Note 62: A short, heavy, wooden stick, with a knob at one end. ]

In wars males are always obliged to join their relatives by blood andtheir own tribe. Women frequently excite the men to engage in theseaffrays to revenge injuries or deaths, and sometimes they assistthemselves by carrying spears or other weapons for their husbands. I amnot aware that women or children are ever butchered after a battle isover, and I believe such is never the case. Single camps are sometimestreacherously surprised when the parties are asleep, and the malesbarbarously killed in cold blood. This generally takes place just beforethe morning dawns, when the native is most drowsy, and least likely togive his attention to any thing he might hear. In these cases the attackis generally made under the belief that the individual is a desperatesorcerer, and has worked innumerable mischiefs to their tribe. In theirattacks upon European parties I believe the natives generally advance ina line or crescent, beating their weapons together, throwing dust in theair, spitting, biting their beards, or using some other similar act ofdefiance and hostility. I have never witnessed any such collision myself, but am told that the attack is always accompanied by that peculiar savagesound produced by the suppressed guttural shout of many voices in unison, which they use in conflicts amongst themselves, and which is continued tothe moment of collision, and renewed in triumph whenever a weapon strikesan opponent. 

When hostilely disposed from either fear or from having been previouslyill-treated, I have seen the natives, without actually proceeding toextremities, resort to all the symptoms of defiance I have mentioned, orat other times, run about with fire-brands in their hands, lighting thebushes and the grass, either as a charm, or in the hope of burning outthe intruders. When much alarmed and rather closely pressed, they haverun up the trees like monkeys, and concealed themselves among the boughs, evidently thinking they were secure from pursuit there. 

If tribes meet simply for the purpose of festivity, and have no deaths toavenge on either side, although they appear in warlike attitude, paintedand bearing spear and shield, yet when they approach each other, they allbecome seated upon the ground. After which, the strangers, should therebe any, undergo a formal introduction, and have their country and lineagedescribed by the older men. At these meetings all occurrences of interestare narrated, information is given as to the localities in which food ismost abundant, and invitations are issued by the proprietors of thesedistricts, to their relations and friends to accompany them thither. 

The position of one tribe towards another, whether on friendly terms orotherwise, is talked about, and consultations are held on the existingstate of affairs, whether hostilities shall be continued or withdrawn, and future plans of operation are marked out. 

Whilst the men are occupied in discussing these matters, the femalesengage in a narration of family occurrences, such as births of children, marriages, deaths, etc. , not omitting a sprinkling of gossip and scandal, from which, even these ebon sisters of a fairer race, are not altogetherexempt. 

In the evening, the huts of the different tribes are built as near toeach other as practicable, each tribe locating itself in the directionfrom whence it came. The size and character of the huts, with the numberof their occupants, vary according to the state of the weather, and thelocal circumstances of their position. In fine weather, one hut willcontain from two to five families, in wet weather more, each familyhowever having a separate fire. 

The amusements of the natives are various, but they generally have areference to their future occupations or pursuits. Boys who are veryyoung, have small reed spears made for them by their parents, the ends ofwhich are padded with grass, to prevent them from hurting each other. They then stand at a little distance, and engage in a mimic fight; and bythis means acquire early that skill in the use of this weapon, for which, in after life, they are so much celebrated. At other times round piecesof bark are rolled along the ground, to represent an animal in the act ofrunning, at which the spears are thrown for the sake of practice. 

Another favourite amusement among the children, is to practise the dancesand songs of the adults, and a boy is very proud if he attains sufficientskill in these, to be allowed to take part in the exhibitions that aremade before other tribes. 

String puzzles are another species of amusement with them. In these aEuropean would be surprised to see the ingenuity they display, and thevaried and singular figures which they produce. Our juvenile attempts inthis way, are very meagre and uninteresting compared to them. [Note 63: Anamusement of the New Zealand children. --Dieffenbach, vol. 2. P. 32. ]

Other gratifications enjoyed by children, consist in learning theoccupations and pursuits of after life, as to make twine, and weapons; toascend trees; to procure food; to guide the canoe, and many other things, which enter into the pursuits of a savage. 

The elder boys engage more extensively in similar occupations, as theyare more particularly interested in them, and by their exertions have toprovide chiefly for their own support. Mock combats frequently take placeamongst them, in which they are encouraged by the adults, that they mayacquire the dexterities of warfare, in which they are soon to be moreseriously engaged. [Note 64: For an account of a similar practise amongthe American Indians, vide Catlin, vol. 1. P. 131. ]

An amusement of the adults, is a large bunch of emu feathers tiedtogether, (fig. 1. Pl. 1. ) which is held out and shaken as if indefiance, by some individual, whilst the others advance to try to take itout of his hands. This occasions an amusing struggle before the prize isgained, in which it is not uncommon to see from ten to twenty strong andlusty men rolling in a heap together. This is a sort of athletic exerciseamongst them, for the purpose of testing each other's strength. On suchan occasion they are all unarmed and naked. 

At nights, dances or plays are performed by the different tribes in turn, the figures and scenes of which are extensively varied, but all areaccompanied by songs, and a rude kind of music produced by beating twosticks together, or by the action of the hand upon a cloak of skinsrolled tightly together, so as to imitate the sound of a drum. In some ofthe dances only are the women allowed to take a part; but they havedances of their own, in which the men do not join. At all times they arethe chief musicians, vocal and instrumental. Sometimes, however, theyhave an old man to lead the band and pitch the tunes; and at others theyare assisted by the old and young men indiscriminately. 

The natives have not any war-dance, properly so called, though sometimesthey are decorated in all the pomp and circumstance of war. Beingexcellent mimies, they imitate in many of their dances the habits andmovements of animals. They also represent the mode of hunting, fighting, love-making, etc. New figures and new songs are constantly introduced, andare as much applauded and encored, as more refined productions of asimilar kind in civilized communities; being sometimes passed from tribeto tribe for a considerable distance. I have often seen dances performedto songs with which I was acquainted, and which I knew to belong todistant parts of the country where a different dialect was spoken, andwhich consequently could not be understood where I heard them. Many ofthe natives cannot even give an interpretation of the songs of their owndistricts [Note 65 at end of para. ], and most of the explanations they dogive are, I am inclined to think, generally very imperfect, as themeasures or quantities of the syllables appear to be more attended tothan the sense. 

[Note 65: "Not one in ten of the young men who are dancing and singing it, know the meaning of the song they are chaunting over. "--Catlin, vol. 1. P. 126. Also the case in New Zealand, with respect to some of thesongs. --Vide Dieffenbach, vol. 2. P. 57. ]

Of these amusements the natives are passionately fond; and when once theyhave so far overcome their naturally indolent disposition as to beinduced to engage in them there is no knowing when they will give over. Dances are sometimes held during the day, but these are of rareoccurrence, and seem to be in some way connected with their ceremonialobservances or superstitions, since rude figures, and lofty branches oftrees, decorated with tufts of feathers, emu plumes, swan's down and redochre, occupy a prominent part in the exhibition, although never met within the dances by night. 

The dances vary a great deal among the different tribes, both as tofigures and music; the painting or decoration of their persons, their useof weapons, and the participation of the females in them. Throughout theentire continent, as far as it is known. There are many points ofresemblance in the dances of all the Aborigines, such as the practice ofpainting the body with white and red ochre, carrying boughs in theirhands, or tying them round their limbs; adorning the head with feathersor down, bearing bunches of feathers, tied in tufts in their hands, thewomen singing and beating time upon folded skins, the men beating timeupon sticks or some of their smaller weapons, an old man acting as leaderof the band, and giving the time and tune to the others; the dancesrepresenting the actions of animals, the circumstances of the chase, ofwar, or of love; and the singular and extraordinary quivering motion ofthe thighs when the legs are distended, a peculiarity probably confinedto the natives of the continent of Australia. 

The most interesting dances are those which take place at the meeting ofdifferent tribes. Each tribe performs in turn, and as there is muchrivalry, there is a corresponding stimulus to exertion. The dancesusually commence an hour or two after dark, and are frequently kept upthe greater part of the night, the performers becoming so much excitedthat, notwithstanding the violent exercise required to sustain all theirevolutions, they are unwilling to leave off. It is sometimes difficult toinduce them to commence a dance; but if they once begin, and enter intothe spirit of it, it is still more difficult to induce them to break up. 

The females of the tribe exhibiting, generally sit down in front of theperformers, either irregularly, in a line, or a semicircle, folding uptheir skin cloaks into a hard ball, and then beating them upon their lapswith the palm of their hand, and accompanying the noise thus producedwith their voices. It is surprising to see the perfect time that is keptin this way, and the admirable manner in which the motions of the dancersaccord with the music. There is no confusion, irregularity, or mistake. Each person is conversant with his part; and all exhibit a degree ofelasticity and gracefulness in their movements which, in some of thedances, is very striking and beautiful. 

In many of the figures, weapons are carried, such as the waddy, theshield, the spear, etc. And in these it is amazing to behold the facilityand skill with which they form in close array, spread into open rank, change places, and thread through the mazes of the dance, without everderanging their plans, or coming in contact with each other. 

The tribes who are not engaged in dancing, are seated in a largesemicircle as spectators, occasionally giving a rapturous exclamation ofdelight, as any part of the performance is well gone through or anyremarkable feat of activity exhibited. Where natives have not muchacquaintance with Europeans, so as to give up, in some measure, theiroriginal habits, if there is any degree of jealousy between therespective tribes, they are sometimes partitioned off from each other byboughs of trees, whilst they look at the dance. On one occasion I sawfive tribes met together, and the evening was of course spent in dancing. Each tribe danced in turn, about forty being engaged at once, besidessixteen females, eight of whom were at each corner of the maleperformers. The men were naked, painted in various devices with red andwhite, and had their heads adorned with feathers. The women wore theiropossum cloaks, and had bands of white down round their foreheads, withthe long feathers of the cockatoo sticking up in front like horns. In thedance the men and women did not intermingle; but the two sets of womenwho were dancing at the corners of the line, occasionally changed placeswith each other, passing in this transit, at the back of the men. Allsung, and the men beat time upon their smaller weapons whilst dancing, the whole making up a wild and piercing noise, most deafening andungrateful to the ears. 

The natives of the Rufus and Lake Victoria (Tar-ru) have a great varietyof dances and figures. One of these, which I witnessed, representing thecharacter, habits, and chase of the kangaroo was admirably performed, andwould have drawn down thunders of applause at any theatre in Europe. Onepart of this figure, where the whole of the dancers successively dropdown from a standing to a crouching posture, and then hop off in thisposition with outstretched arms and legs, was excellently executed. Thecontrast of their sable skins with the broad white stripes painted downtheir legs; their peculiar attitudes, and the order and regularity withwhich these were kept, as they moved in a large semicircle, in thesoftening light of the fire, produced a striking effect; and inconnection with the wild and inspiriting song, which gave an impulse totheir gesticulation, led me almost to believe that the scene wasunearthly. 

In some of the dances the music varies rapidly from slow to quick, andthe movements alter accordingly. In some they are altogether measured andmonotonous, in others very lively and quick, keeping the performersalmost constantly at a double quick march, moving in advance and retreat, crossing past or threading through the ranks, and using a kind of motionwith the feet in unison with the music, that bears a strong resemblanceto the European mode of dancing. At particular points the figuresterminate by some simultaneous motion of the whole performers, accompanied by a deep, gutteral "Waugh, " [Note 66 at end of para. ] utteredby all together; at others by the actors closing in a dense circle, andraising and pointing their weapons upwards with the same exclamation. 

[Note 66: This very peculiar sound appears to be common among the AmericanIndians, and to be used in a similar manner. --Vide Catlin, vol. 2. P. 136. ]

The "Paritke, " or natives inhabiting the scrub north-west of Moorunde, have quite a different form of dancing from the river natives. They arepainted or decorated with feathers in a similar way; but each dancer tiesbunches of green boughs round the leg, above the knees, whilst the modeof dancing consists in stamping with the foot and uttering at each motiona deep ventral intonation, the boughs round the knees making a loudrustling noise in keeping with the time of the music. One person, whodirects the others in the movements of this dance, holds in his hands aninstrument in the form of a diamond, made of two slight sticks, from twoand a half to three feet long, crossed and tied in the middle, round thisa string, made of the hair of the opposum, is pressed from corner tocorner, and continued successively towards the centre until there is onlyroom left for the hand to hold the instrument. At each corner is appendeda bunch of cockatoo feathers. With this the chief performer keeps alittle in advance of the dancers, and whisking it up and down to the timeof the music, regulates their movements. 

In another dance, in which women are the chief performers, their bodiesare painted with white streaks, and their hair adorned with cockatoofeathers. They carry large sticks in their hands, and place themselves ina row in front, whilst the men with their spears stand in a line behindthem. They then all commence their movements, but without intermingling, the males and females dancing by themselves. There is little variety orlife in this dance, yet it seems to be a favourite one with the natives. 

The women have occasionally another mode of dancing, by joining the handstogether over the head, closing the feet, and bringing the knees intocontact. The legs are then thrown outwards from the knee, whilst the feetand hands are kept in their original position, and being drawn quickly inagain a sharp sound is produced by the collision. This is eitherpractised alone by young girls, or by several together for their ownamusement. It is adopted also when a single woman is placed in front of arow of male dancers to excite their passions; for many of the nativedances are of a grossly licentious character. In another figure they keepthe feet close together, without lifting them from the ground, and by apeculiar motion of the limbs advance onwards, describing a shortsemicircle. This amusement is almost exclusively confined to youngfemales among themselves. 

It has already been remarked, that the natives, on particular occasions, have dances which they perform in the day-time, which are different fromothers, and seem to have some connection with their ceremonialobservances or superstitions. I have only witnessed one of these. It tookplace at Moorunde, in March 1844, on the occasion of a large number ofdistant natives coming to visit the place; and the visitors were theperformers. The Moorunde natives were seated upon the brow of asand-bank; the strangers, consisting of two tribes, down in a hollow alittle way off, among a few bushes. When ready, they advanced in a linetowards the others, dancing and singing, being painted and decorated asusual, some having tufts of feathers placed upon their heads likecockades and others carrying them in their hands tied to short sticks. Nearly all the males carried bunches of green boughs, which they wavedand shook to the time of the song. The women were also painted, anddanced in a line with the men, those of each tribe stationing themselvesat opposite ends of the line. Dancing for a while, they retired againtowards the hollow, and after a short interval advanced as before, butwith a person in the centre carrying a curious, rude-looking figure, raised up in the air. This singular object consisted of a large bundle ofgrass and reeds bound together, enveloped in a kangaroo skin, with theflesh side outwards, and painted all over in small white circles. Fromthe top of this projected a thin stick, with a large tuft of feathers atthe end to represent the head, and sticks were stuck out laterally fromthe sides for the arms, terminating in tufts of feathers stained red torepresent the hands. From the front, a small stick about six inches longwas projected, ending with a thick knob, formed of grass, around which apiece of old cloth was tied. This was painted white and represented thenavel. The figure was about eight feet long, and was evidently intendedto symbolise a man. It was kept in its elevated position by the personwho carried it, and who advanced and retired with the movements of thedancers. The position of the latter was alternately erect and crouching, whilst they sang and beat time with the green boughs. Sometimes theystretched out their right arms simultaneously, and at other times theirleft, apparently for the purpose of marking the time at particular partsof the song. After dancing for a while in this way, they again retired tothe hollow, and for a few moments there was another pause; after whichthey again advanced as before, but without the image. In the place ofthis two standards were exhibited, made of poles, about twelve feet long, and borne by two persons. These were perfectly straight, and for thefirst eight feet free from boughs; above this nine branches were leftupon each pole, having at their ends each a bunch of feathers of the hawkor owl. On the top of one of the standards was a bunch of emu feathers. The branches were stripped of all their smaller twigs and leaves, and oftheir bark. They were painted white, and wound round with the white downof the black swan, twisted into a rope. This also extended for aconsiderable distance down the pole, below the undermost branch. 

Having again retired towards the hollow, they remained there for a fewminutes, and then advanced for the third time. On this occasion, however, instead of the image or standards, they all carried their spears. Afterdancing with these for some time, they went forward towards the Moorundenatives, who sprang upon their feet, and seizing their weapons, spearedtwo or three of the strangers in the shoulder, and all was over. I wasanxious to have got hold of the rude figure to have a drawing made of it, but it had been instantly destroyed. The standards I procured. 

This dance took place between nine and ten in the morning, and was quiteunlike any thing I had seen before. A stranger might have supposed it tobe a religious ceremony, and the image the object of worship. Such, however, I am convinced was not the case, although I believe it to havehad some connection with their superstitions, and that it was regarded inthe light of a charm. 

Before the country was occupied by Europeans, the natives say that thisdance was frequently celebrated, but that latterly it has not been muchin use. No other instance of it ever came under my own observation in anypart of New Holland. 

The songs of the natives are of a very rude and unmeaning character, rarely consisting of more than one or two ideas, which are continuallyrepeated over and over again. They are chiefly made on the spur of themoment, and refer to something that has struck the attention at the time. The measure of the song varies according to circumstances. It is gay andlively, for the dance; slow and solemn for the enchanter; and wild andpathetic for the mourner. The music is sometimes not unharmonious; andwhen heard in the stillness of the night and mellowed by distance, isoften soothing and pleasing. I have frequently laid awake, after retiringto rest, to listen to it. Europeans, their property, presence, andhabits, are frequently the subject of these songs; and as the nativespossess great powers of mimicry, and are acute in the observation ofanything that appears to them absurd or ludicrous, the white man oftenbecomes the object of their jests or quizzing. I have heard songs of thiskind sung at the dances in a kind of comic medley, where differentspeakers take up parts during the breaks in the song, and where asentence or two of English is aptly introduced, or a quotation made fromsome native dialect, other than that of the performers. It is usuallyconducted in the form of question and answer, and the respective speakersuse the language of the persons they are supposed to represent. Thechorus is, however, still the same repetition of one or two words. 

The following specimens, taken from a vocabulary published by Messrs. Teichelmann, and Schurmann, German Missionaries to the Aborigines, willgive an idea of the nature of the songs of the Adelaide tribe. 

KADLITPIKO PALTI. Pindi mai birkibirki parrato, parrato. (DE CAPO BIS. )

CAPTAIN JACK'S SONG. The European food, the pease, I wished to eat, I wished to eat. 

MULLAWIRRABURKARNA PALTI. Natta ngai padlo ngaityarniappi; watteyernaurlo tappandi ngaityo parnitatti. (DA CAPO. )

KING JOHN'S SONG. Now it (viz. The road or track) has tired me;throughout Yerna there is here unto me a continuous road. 

WILTONGARROLO kundandoStrike (him, viz. The dog) with the tuft of eagle feathers. 

Kadlottikurrelo paltandoStrike (him) with the girdle

Mangakurrelo paltandoStrike (him) with the string round the head

Worrikarrolo paltandoStrike (him) with the blood of circumcision

Turtikarrolo paltandoStrike (him) with the blood of the arm. Etc. Etc. 

Kartipaltapaltarlo padlara kundando

Wodliparrele kadlondo

Kanyamirarlo kadlondo

Karkopurrelo kadlondo

"This curse or imprecation is used in hunting a wild dog, which, by themysterious effects of those words, is induced to lie down securely tosleep, when the natives steal upon and easily kill him. The first word ineach line denotes things sacred or secret, which the females and childrenare never allowed to see. 

* * *

KAWEMUKKA minnurappindo Durtikarro minnurappindoTarralye minnurappindo Wimmari minnurappindiKirki minurappindo Wattetarpirri minnurappindoWorrikarro minurappindo

"These sentences are used in hunting opossums, to prevent their escape, when the natives set fire to hollow trees in which the opossums areliving. 

* * *

KARRO karro wimmari Karra yernka makkitiaKarro karro kauwemukka Makkitia mulyeriaKarro karro makkitia

"These words are rapidly repeated to the NGULTAS, while undergoing thepainful operation of tattooing; they are believed to be so powerful as tosoothe the pain, and prevent fatal consequences of that barbarousoperation. "

Another specimen may be given from the Vocabulary published by Mr. Meyer, another of the German Missionaries at Encounter Bay. 

"Miny-el-ity yarluke an-ambe what is it road me for Aly-. . El-. . Arr'yerk-in yangaiak-ar! here are they standing up hill . . . . . . S

What a fine road is this for me winding between the hills!

"The above words compose one of the native songs. It refers to the roadbetween Encounter Bay and Willunga. All their songs appear to be of thesame description, consisting of a few words which are continuallyrepeated. This specimen, it will be observed, consists of two regularverses:

-u|--|u-|u-u-u|--|u-|u-u

"This may, however, be accidental. "

I have not thought it worth while to give any specimens of the songs Ihave collected myself, because I could not be quite certain that I shouldgive the original words with strict accuracy, neither could I besatisfied about the translations. 

The assemblage of several tribes at one place for any of the objects Ihave described, rarely continues uninterrupted for any great length oftime, for even where it has taken place for the most pacific purposes, itseldom terminates as it began; and the greater the number of nativespresent, the less likelihood is there that they will remain very long ina state of quiescence. 

If not soon compelled to separate by the scarcity of food, or a desire tofollow some favourite pursuit, for which the season of the year isfavourable, they are generally driven to it by discord and disagreementsamongst themselves, which their habits and superstitions are calculatedto foment. 

Chapter III. 

FOOD--HOW PROCURED--HOW PREPARED--LIMITATION AS TO AGE, ETC. , ETC. 

The food of the Aborigines of Australia embraces an endless variety ofarticles, derived both from the animal and vegetable kingdom. Thedifferent kinds in use depend in a great measure upon the season of theyear and local circumstances. Every district has in it something peculiarto itself. The soil and climate of the continent vary greatly in theircharacter and afford a corresponding variety of productions to theAborigines. As far as it is yet known there are no localities on itscoast, no recesses in its interior, however sterile and inhospitable theymay appear to the traveller, that do not hold out some inducements to thebordering savage to visit them, or at proper seasons of the year providehim with the means of sustenance. Captain Grey remarks, in volume 2, ofhis travels, page 261--

"Generally speaking, the natives live well; in some districts there mayat particular seasons of the year be a deficiency of food, but if such isthe case, these tracts are, at those times, deserted. It is, however, utterly impossible for a traveller or even for a strange native to judgewhether a district affords an abundance of food, or the contrary; for intraversing extensive parts of Australia, I have found the sorts of foodvary from latitude to latitude, so that the vegetable productions used bythe Aborigines in one are totally different to those in another; if, therefore, a stranger has no one to point out to him the vegetableproductions, the soil beneath his feet may teem with food, whilst hestarves. The same rule holds good with regard to animal productions; forexample, in the southern parts of the continent the Xanthorrea affords aninexhaustible supply of fragrant grubs, which an epicure would delightin, when once he has so far conquered his prejudices as to taste them;whilst in proceeding to the northward, these trees decline in health andgrowth, until about the parallel of Gantheaume Bay they totallydisappear, and even a native finds himself cut off from his ordinarysupplies of insects; the same circumstances taking place with regard tothe roots and other kinds of food at the same time, the travellernecessarily finds himself reduced to cruel extremities. A native from theplains, taken into an elevated mountainous district near his own country, for the first time, is equally at fault. 

"But in his own district a native is very differently situated; he knowsexactly what it produces, the proper time at which the several articlesare in season, and the readiest means of procuring them. According tothese circumstances he regulates his visits to the different portions ofhis hunting ground; and I can only state that I have always found thegreatest abundance in their huts. "

It is evident therefore that a European or even a stranger native wouldperish in a district capable of supplying the necessaries of life, simplybecause he had not the experience necessary to direct him where to searchfor food, or judgment to inform him what article might be in season atthe particular time of his visit. It is equally the same with respect toprocuring water. The native inhabiting a scrubby and an arid districthas, from his knowledge of the country and from a long residence andpractical experience in the desert, many resources at command to supplyhis wants, where the white man would faint or perish from thirst. 

The very densest brushes, which to the latter are so formidable andforbidding, hold out to the former advantages and inducements to resortto them of more than ordinary temptation. Abounding in wild animals ofvarious kinds, they offer to the natives who frequent them an unlimitedsupply of food: a facility for obtaining firewood, a grateful shade fromthe heat, an effectual screen from the cold, and it has already beenshewn that they afford the means of satisfying their thirst by a processbut little known, and which from a difference in habits and temperamentwould be but little available to the European. [Note 67 at end of para. ]In judging, therefore, of the character of any country, from the merefact of natives being seen there, or even of their being numerous, we musttake all these circumstances into consideration; and, in estimating thefacility with which a native can remain for a long time in a country, apparently arid and inhospitable, we must not omit to take into accounthis education and experience, and the general nature of his habits. Thetwo former have accustomed him from infancy to feel at home and at ease, where a European sees only dread and danger: he has thus the advantageover the European in the desert, that a swimmer has in the water over theman who cannot swim; conscious of his own powers and resources, he feelsnot the least apprehension, whilst the very terrors of the other butaugment his danger. On the other hand, the general habits, mode of life, and almost temperament of the savage, give him an equally great advantage. Indolent by disposition and indulgence, he makes very short stages in hisordinary travels, rarely moving more than from eight to twelve miles inthe day, and this he does so leisurely and quietly, that he neitherbecomes excited nor heated, and consequently does not experience thatexcessive thirst, which is produced by the active exertions or violentexercise of the European, and which in the latter is at the same time sogreatly augmented, by his want of confidence and anxiety. 

[Note 67: Vide vol. I. P. 349 (March 26. )]

Another very great advantage on the part of the natives is, the intimateknowledge they have of every nook and corner of the country they inhabit;does a shower of rain fall, they know the very rock where a little wateris most likely to be collected, the very hole where it is the longestretained, and by repairing straight to the place they fill their skins, and thus obtain a supply that lasts them many days. Are there heavy dewsat night, they know where the longest grass grows, from which they maycollect the spangles, and water is sometimes procured thus in very greatabundance. [Note 68 at end of para. ] Should there be neither rains nordews, their experience at once points out to them the lowest levels wherethe gumscrub grows, and where they are sure of getting water from itsroots, with the least possible amount of labour that the methodadmits of, and with the surest prospect of success. 

[Note 69: Vide vol. I. P. 349 (March 27. )]

[Note 68: Vide vol. I. P. 361 (March 30. )]

Another very important circumstance in favour of the native, and onewhich results in a measure from some of the above-mentionedconsiderations, is the fact, that the native sets to work to procure hissupply calmly and collectedly, and before he requires it; whilst theEuropean, even if acquainted with the method of obtaining it, would notresort to it until the last extremity, when the body was fatigued andheated by previous exertion, the mouth dry and parched by thirst, and themind excited and anxious from apprehension. The natural consequence ofsuch a very different combination of circumstances would be, that thenative would obtain an abundant and satisfying supply, whilst theEuropean would never be able to procure a sufficiency to appease histhirst, but would rather fatigue and exhaust his strength the more, fromhis want of skill and experience, and from his body and mind being bothin an unfit state for this particular kind of exertion. Such at least, onmany various occasions, I have found to be the case both with myself, andwith natives with me who have not been accustomed to the scrub, or tothis method of procuring water. The difficulty and labour of finding anddigging out the roots, our want of skill in selecting proper ones, thegreat dust arising from the loose, powdery soil in which they were, andour own previously excited and exhausted state, have invariably preventedus from deriving the full advantage we expected from our efforts. 

In cases of extreme thirst, where the throat is dry and parched, or lifeat all in danger, the toil of digging for the roots would be well repaidby the relief afforded. I have myself, in such cases, found that though Icould by no means satiate my thirst, I could always succeed in keeping mymouth cool and moist, and so far in rendering myself equal to exertions Icould not otherwise have made. Indeed, I hold it impossible that aperson, acquainted with this means of procuring water, and in a districtwhere the gum-scrub grew, could ever perish from thirst in any moderatelapse of time, if he had with him food to eat, and was not physicallyincapable of exertion. Under such circumstances, the moisture he would beable to procure from the roots, would, I think, be quite sufficient toenable him to eat his food, and to sustain his strength for aconsiderable time, under such short stages as would gradually conduct himfree from his embarrassments. 

In addition to the value of the gum-scrub to the native, as a source fromwhence to obtain his supply of water, it is equally important to him asaffording an article of food, when his other resources have failed. Toprocure this, the lateral roots are still made use of, but the smallerones generally are selected, such as vary in diameter from an inchdownwards. The roots being dug up, the bark is peeled off and roastedcrisp in hot ashes; it is then pounded between two stones, and has apleasant farinaceous taste, strongly resembling that of malt. I haveoften seen the natives eating this, and have frequently eaten it myselfin small quantities. How far it alone would support life, or sustain aman in strength, I have of course no means of forming an opinion; but itis, probably, only resorted to when other food is scarce. Several of theroots of other shrubs are also used for food, and some of them aremucilaginous and very palatable. 

Throughout the greater portion of New Holland, where there do not happento be European settlers, and invariably where fresh water can bepermanently procured upon the surface, the native experiences nodifficulty whatever in procuring food in abundance all the year round. Itis true that the character of his diet varies with the changing seasons, and the formation of the country he inhabits; but it rarely happens thatany season of the year, or any description of country does not yield himboth animal and vegetable food. Amongst the almost unlimited catalogue ofedible articles used by the natives of Australia, the following may beclassed as the chief:--all salt and fresh-water fish and shell-fish, ofwhich, in the larger rivers, there are vast numbers and many species;freshwater turtle; frogs of different kinds; rats and mice; lizards, andmost kinds of snakes and reptiles; grubs of all kinds; moths of severalvarieties; fungi, and many sorts of roots; the leaves and tops of avariety of plants; the leaf and fruit of the mesembryanthemum; variouskinds of fruits and berries; the bark from the roots of many trees andshrubs; the seeds of leguminous plants; gum from several species ofacacia; different sorts of manna; honey from the native bee, and alsofrom the flowers of the Banksia, by soaking them in water; the tenderleaves of the grass-tree; the larvae of insects; white ants; eggs ofbirds; turtles or lizards; many kinds of kangaroo; opossums; squirrels, sloths, and wallabies; ducks; geese; teal; cockatoos; parrots; wild dogsand wombats; the native companion; the wild turkey; the swan; thepelican; the leipoa, and an endless variety of water-fowl, and otherdescriptions of birds. 

Of these articles, many are not only procurable in abundance, but in suchvast quantities at the proper seasons, as to afford for a considerablelength of time an ample means of subsistence to many hundreds of nativescongregated in one place; and these are generally the kinds of food ofwhich the natives are particularly fond. On many parts of the coast, andin the larger inland rivers, fish are obtained of a very finedescription, and in great abundance. At Lake Victoria, which is filledwith the back waters of the Murray, I have seen six hundred nativesencamped together, all of whom were living at the time upon fish procuredfrom the lake, with the addition, perhaps, of the leaves of themesembryanthemum. When I went amongst them I never perceived any scarcityin their camps. The fish were caught in nets. 

At Moorunde, when the Murray annually inundates the flats, fresh-watercray-fish make their way to the surface of the ground from holes wherethey have been buried during the year, in such vast numbers that I haveseen four hundred natives live upon them for weeks together, whilst thenumbers spoiled or thrown away would have sustained four hundred more. This fish is an excellent and nutritious article of food, and would behighly prized by the epicure. It is caught by the women who wade into thewater in a long close line, stooping down and walking backwards, whilstthey grope with their hands and feet, presenting a singular, and to theuninitiated, an incomprehensible spectacle, as they thus move slowlybackwards, but keep the line regular and well preserved, as all generallyoccupy the same position at one time. When a cray-fish is caught thelarge claws are torn off to prevent the animal from biting, and bothclaws and body are put into a small net suspended from the neck for thatpurpose. In two or three hours a woman will procure as many fish as willlast her family for a day. The men are too lazy to do anything when foodis so abundant, and lie basking under the trees in luxurious indolence, whilst their wives, mothers, or sisters are engaged in cooking for them. 

An unlimited supply of fish is also procurable at the Murray about thebeginning of December, when the floods, having attained their greatestheight, begin again to recede; and when the waters, which had been thrownby the back water channels of the river into the flats behind its banks, begin again to reflow through them into the river as it falls in height. At this time the natives repair to these channels, and making a weiracross them with stakes and grass interwoven, leave only one or two smallopenings for the stream to pass through. To these they attach bag nets, which receive all the fish that attempt to re-enter the river. The numberprocured in this way in a few hours is incredible. Large bodies ofnatives depend upon these weirs for their sole subsistence, for some timeafter the waters have commenced to recede. 

Another very favourite article of food, and equally abundant at aparticular season of the year, in the eastern portion of the continent, is a species of moth which the natives procure from the cavities andhollows of the mountains in certain localities. This, when roasted, hassomething of the appearance and flavour of an almond badly peeled. It iscalled in the dialect of the district, where I met with it, Booguon. Thenatives are never so well conditioned in that part of the country, as atthe season of the year when they return from feasting upon this moth; andtheir dogs partake equally of the general improvement. 

The tops, leaves, and stalks of a kind of cress, gathered at the properseason of the year, tied up in bunches, and afterwards steamed in anoven, furnish a favourite, and inexhaustible supply of food for anunlimited number of natives. When prepared, this food has a savoury andan agreeable smell, and in taste is not unlike a boiled cabbage. In someof its varieties it is in season for a great length of time, and isprocured in the flats of rivers, on the borders of lagoons, at theMurray, and in many other parts of New Holland. 

There are many other articles of food among the natives, equally abundantand valuable as those I have enumerated: such as various kinds ofberries, or fruits, the bulbous roots of a reed called the belillah, certain kinds of fungi dug out of the ground, fresh-water muscles, androots of several kinds, etc. Indeed, were I to go through the list ofarticles seriatim, and enter upon the varieties and subdivisions of eachclass, with the seasons of the year at which they were procurable, itwould at once be apparent that the natives of Australia, in their naturalstate, are not subject to much inconvenience for want of the necessariesof life. In almost every part of the continent which I have visited, where the presence of Europeans, or their stock, has not limited, ordestroyed their original means of subsistence, I have found that thenatives could usually, in three or four hours, procure as much food aswould last for the day, and that without fatigue or labour. They are notprovident in their provision for the future, but a sufficiency of food iscommonly laid by at the camp for the morning meal. In travelling, theysometimes husband, with great care and abstinence, the stock they haveprepared for the journey; and though both fatigued and hungry, they willeat sparingly, and share their morsel with their friends, withoutencroaching too much upon their store, until some reasonable prospectappears of getting it replenished. 

In wet weather the natives suffer the most, as they are then indisposedto leave their camps to look for food, and experience the inconveniencesboth of cold and hunger. If food, at all tainted, is offered to a nativeby Europeans, it is generally rejected with disgust. In their naturalstate, however, they frequently eat either fish or animals almost in astate of putridity. 

Cannibalism is not common, though there is reason to believe, that it isoccasionally practised by some tribes, but under what circumstances it isdifficult to say. Native sorcerers are said to acquire their magicinfluence by eating human flesh, but this is only done once in alife-time. 

[Note 70: The only authentic and detailed account of any instance ofcannibalism, that I am acquainted with, is found in Parliamentary Paperson Australian Aborigines, published August, 1844, in a report ofMr. Protector Sievewright, from Lake Tarong, in one of the Port Phillipdistricts. 

"On going out I found the whole of the men of the different tribes(amounting to upwards of 100) engaged hand to hand in one general melee. 

"On being directed by some of the women, who had likewise sought shelternear my tent, to the huts of the Bolaghers, I there found a young woman, supported in the arms of some of her tribe, quite insensible, andbleeding from two severe wounds upon the right side of the face; shecontinued in the same state of insensibility till about 11 o'clock, whenshe expired. 

"After fighting for nearly an hour, the men of the Bolagher tribereturned to their huts, when finding that every means I had used torestore the young woman was in vain, they gave vent to the most franticexpressions of grief and rage, and were employed till daylight inpreparing themselves and weapons to renew the combat. 

"Shortly before sunrise they again rushed towards the Targurt andElengermite tribes, who, with about a dozen of Wamambool natives, wereencamped together, when a most severe struggle took place between them, and very few escaped on either side without serious fractures or dangerousspear wounds. Although the Targurt tribe were supported by the Elengermiteand Wamambool natives, and were consequently much superior in number, they were, after two hours hard fighting, driven off the ground andpursued for about four miles, to where their women and children hadretired; when one of the former, named Mootinewhannong, was selected, and fell, pierced by about 20 spears of the pursuers. 

"The body of this female was shortly afterwards burned to ashes by herown people, and the Bolagher natives returned to their encampment, apparently satisfied with the revenge they had taken, and remainedsilently and sullenly watching the almost inanimate body of the woundedfemale. 

"When death took place, they again expressed the most violent andextravagant grief; they threw themselves upon the ground, weeping andscreaming at the height of their voices, lacerating their bodies andinflicting upon themselves wounds upon their heads, from blows which theygave themselves with the leangville. About an hour after the death of theyoung woman, the body was removed a few hundred yards into the bushby the father and brother of the deceased; the remainder of the tribefollowing by one at a time, until they had all joined what I imaginedto be the usual funeral party. Having accompanied the body when itwas removed, I was then requested to return to my tent, which requestI took no notice of. In a few minutes I was again desired, rathersternly, and by impatient signs to go. I endeavoured to make themunderstand that I wished to remain, and I sat down upon a tree close towhere the body lay. The father of the deceased then came close up to me, and pointed with his finger to his mouth, and then to the dead body. Iwas at this moment closely and intensely scrutinized by the whole party. I at once guessed their meaning, and signified my intention to remain, and, with as much indifference as I could assume, stretched myself uponthe tree, and narrowly watched their proceedings. 

"With a flint they made an incision upon the breast, when a simultaneousshriek was given by the party, and the same violent signs of grief wereagain evinced. After a short time the operation was again commenced, and in a few minutes the body disembowelled. 

"The scene which now took place was of the most revolting description;horror-stricken and utterly disgusted, while obliged to preserve thatequanimity of demeanour upon which I imagined the development of thistragedy to depend, I witnessed the most fearful scene of ferociouscannibalism. 

"The bowels and entire viscera having been disengaged from the body, were at first portioned out; but from the impatience of some of the womento get at the liver, a general scramble took place for it, and it wassnatched in pieces, and, without the slightest process of cooking, was devoured with an eagerness and avidity, a keen, fiendish expressionof impatience for more, from which scene, a memory too tenacious uponthis subject will not allow me to escape; the kidneys and heart werein like manner immediately consumed, and as a climax to these revoltingorgies, when the whole viscera were removed, a quantity of blood andserum which had collected in the cavity of the chest, was eagerlycollected in handsful, and drunk by the old man who had dissectedthe body; the flesh was entirely cut off the ribs and back, thearms and legs were wrenched and twisted from the shoulder and hipjoints, and their teeth employed to dissever the reeking tendons, whenthey would not immediately yield to their impatience. The limbs were nowdoubled up and put aside in their baskets; and on putting a portion ofthe flesh upon a fire which had previously been lit, they seemed toremember that I was of the party; something was said to one of the women, who cut off a foot from the leg she had in her possession, and offered itto me; I thought it prudent to accept of it, and wrapping it in myhandkerchief, and pointing to my tent, they nodded assent, and I joyfullyavailed myself of their permission to retire. They shortly afterwardsreturned to their huts with the debris of the feast, and during the day, to the horror and annoyance of my two boys, and those belonging to theestablishment, they brought another part, and some half-picked bones, andoffered them to us. The head was struck off with a tomahawk and placedbetween hot stones in the hollow of a tree, where it has undergone aprocess of baking, and it is still left there otherwise untouched. "]

Many methods of obtaining the various articles of food, are resorted toby the natives, some of these are very simple; some exceedinglyingenious; whilst others require great tact and skill; and not a fewexercise to their fullest extent those qualities, which they possess sogreatly, and prize so highly, such as quickness of sight, readiness ofhand, caution in arranging plans, judgment in directing them, patience inwaiting for the result, endurance in pursuing, and strength in holdingfast. 

Fish are procured in different ways. They are caught with weirs or dams, as already described; and also with large seines made of stringmanufactured from the rush, and buoyed up with dry reeds, bound intobundles, and weighted by stones tied to the bottom. This is used just inthe same way as the European seine, being either shot from a canoe, orset by swimming or wading, according to the depth of the water. Greatnumbers of fish of various kinds, and often of a large size, are caughtin this way. Fresh water turtles, varying in weight from three to twelvepounds, are also taken in the same way, and are excellent eating. 

Another kind of net (ngail-le) used in fishing is made of slender twine, and has a large mesh. It is long, but not more than from two to threefeet deep. A string is passed through the loops of the upper part, and isthen stretched across a lagoon, or any other sheet of still water, theupper part being nearly level with the surface of the water, and thelower part dangling loose below, without weight. In setting it eachextremity is fastened to a pole or spear, stuck firmly in the mud to keepit in its place, whilst a third pole is occasionally put in the middle. Afew dry reeds are sometimes fastened at intervals to the line, runningthrough the upper part to prevent the net from sinking too low. When set, the native either remains by it to take the fish out as they are caught, or leaves it there all night. The fish swimming about the lagoon, orsporting near the surface, strike against the net, and get their headsfast in the meshes. The net swinging loose, yields to their pressure, andentangles them the more as they struggle to extricate themselves from it. This is a most destructive mode of catching fish, and generally securesthe finest and largest. 

Fish are sometimes taken in another way. A party of natives proceed to alagoon, or lake of still water, each carrying in his hand a small net(ken-de-ran-ko) of a semi-oval shape, about twenty inches long, fromseven to nine inches across, and from five to seven inches deep. This netis kept in shape by a thin hoop of wood running round it in the upperpart. With this the native dives to the bottom, and searches among theweeds until he sees a fish; he then cautiously places the net under it, and, rising suddenly to the surface, holds his victim at arm's lengthabove his head; and then biting it to kill it, he throws it on the shoreand dives down again for another. 

The natives are very skilful in this mode of fishing, and it is aninteresting sight to see several of them in the water diving together, and exerting themselves against each other in their efforts to catch thebest fish, whilst the affrighted inhabitants of the water swim wildly andconfusedly about, seeking shelter in the mud and weeds, only to become aneasier prey. I have even seen natives dive down in the river, without netor implement of any kind, and bring up good-sized fish, which they hadcaught with their hands at the bottom. 

Another method of diving with the net is conducted on a larger scale. Thenet itself is made of strong twine, from six to eight feet long, oval atthe top, about two feet across, and two deep. It is looped to a woodenhoop or bow, with a strong string drawn tightly across the two ends ofthe bow, and passed through the loops of the straight side of the net. With this two natives dive together under the cliffs which confine thewaters of the Murray, each holding one end of the bow. They then place itbefore any hole or cavity there may be in the rocks beneath the surface, with the size, shape, and position of which they have by previousexperience become well acquainted; the terrified fish is then driven intothe net and secured. Fishes varying from twenty to seventy pounds arecaught in this way. It is only, however, at particular seasons of theyear, when the female fish are seeking for a place to deposit their spawnthat this mode of fishing can be adopted. 

Other kinds of hoop-nets are used for catching fish in shallow waters, orfor taking the shrimp, and a small fish like the white-bait, but theyneed not be particularly described. 

The next principal mode of procuring fish is by spearing them, and eventhis is performed in a variety of ways, according to the season of theyear, the description of fish to be taken, and the peculiarities of theplace where they are found. In the shallow waters upon the sea-coast thenative wades with his spear and throwing-stick, and follows the windingsof the fish with singular rapidity and skill, rarely missing his aimwhere he has an opportunity of striking. 

In the larger rivers, when the waters are low and clear, a party ofnatives varying in numbers from five to forty plunge in with theirspears, which for the purpose are made of hard wood, with smooth, sharppoints, and about six feet long. Forming themselves into a largesemicircle in the water, they all dive down, simultaneously, with theirweapons, accompanied sometimes by a young man, a few yards in advance ofthe middle of the party, and without a spear. For a considerable timethey remain under water, and then, if successful, gradually emerge, anddeliver the fish that have been speared, to their friends on the shore. If unsuccessful they swim a few yards further down, and dive again withtheir weapons. And thus they frequently go on for a mile or two, untilthey are either tired or satisfied with their success. I have known aparty of thirty natives kill seven or eight fish in the course of anhour, none of which were under fifteen pounds, whilst some of them weremuch larger. 

The regularity with which they keep their relative positions, notwithstanding the current of the river, and the dexterity and orderwith which they dive under the water, are truly surprising to a personwho witnesses them for the first time. 

At the period of floods, and when they have nearly attained their height, and the young reeds and rushes begin to shew themselves above the surfaceof the water, near the bank of rivers or of lagoons formed by the floodsin the alluvial flats behind, another method of spearing fish ispractised from a canoe (mun) made out of a solid sheet of the bark of thegum-tree (eucalyptus). 

To these reeds the fish are very fond of resorting, probably to feed uponthe insects that are found upon the tender leaves; in moving about fromone place to another they strike against the reeds, and produce avibration in the tops above the water; this indicates to the native, whois sailing stealthily along in his canoe, the exact place where they arepassing, and suddenly raising his arm with great energy he strikesforcibly among the reeds with his spear, without letting it go out of hishand. If the first blow does not succeed, it is rapidly repeated, andseldom fails in securing a prize. When a large fish is speared, it ispressed downwards to the ground, and the native leaps out of his canoeand dives to the bottom to secure it. The spear (moo-ar-roo) used in thismethod of fishing varies from ten to sixteen feet in length, and is madeof pine, pliant, and of nearly a uniform thickness; it is about an inchand a half in diameter, and has two short pointed pieces of hard woodlashed to one end, projecting about five or six inches, and set a littleapart, so as to form a kind of prongs or grains. This instrument is alsoused for propelling the canoe. 

It is used too for spearing fish by night, which is by far the mostinteresting method of any. 

Having previously prepared his canoe, straightened his spear, andhardened and sharpened the points of the prongs, the native breaks up hisfire-wood in small pieces, and loads his canoe with a stock calculated tolast the time he intends to be absent. An oval piece of bark, about threefeet long and two broad, is then coated over with wet mud and placed inthe stern of the canoe, on a framework of sticks. One or two sticks arestuck upright in the mud, and others placed around them in the form of acone. A fire is then put underneath, and the native, stepping into thebow of his canoe, pushes steadily into the stream, and commences hisnocturnal employment. The wood of which the fire is made is of aparticular kind, and, as only one description of tree will answer, it hasfrequently to be brought from a considerable distance. It is obtainedamong the brush of the table-land stretching behind the valley of theMurray, on either side, and its peculiarities are that it is light, brittle, and resinous, emitting when burning a most agreeable fragranceand a powerful and brilliant light, almost wholly free from smoke. 

Two men usually accompany each canoe, one to attend to the fire, and keepit always burning brightly, and the other to guide the canoe and spearthe fish. As soon as the fire begins to blaze up the scene becomes mostbeautiful. The low black looking piece of bark floats noiselessly downthe middle of the stream, or stealthily glides under the frowning cliffs, now lit up by a brilliant light. In the bow is seen the dark, naked, butgraceful form of the savage, standing firm and erect, and scarcelyseeming to move, as with the slightest motion of his arms he guides thefrail canoe. His spear is grasped in his hand, whilst his whole attitudeand appearance denote the most intense vigilance and attention. Suddenlyyou see his arm uplifted, and the weapon descending with the rapidity ofthought, a splash is seen, a struggle heard, and a fish is slowly andcautiously drawn towards the canoe pierced through with the spear. If itis a large one, the native at once plunges into the water, stillretaining his hold of the spear, and soon reappears with the trophy inhis arms. 

Among the rocks under the cliffs, or among logs or roots of trees, or ona clayey bottom, large fresh-water lobsters (poo-ta-ron-ko) are procuredin the same way, weighing from two to four pounds each, and of a mostdelicate and excellent flavour. I have frequently been out with a singlenative, and seen him spear from ten to sixteen of these in an hour ortwo. 

It has a singular and powerful effect upon the imagination, to witness atmidnight a fleet of these canoes, gliding about in the distance like somany balls of fire, imparting a still deeper shade to the gloom ofdarkness which surrounds the spectator, and throwing an air of romance onthe whole scene. Occasionally in travelling at night, and coming suddenlyupon the river from the scrub behind, I have been dazzled and enchantedwith the fairy sight that has burst upon me. The waters have been alivewith brilliant fires, moving to and fro in every direction, like meteorsfrom a marsh, and like those too, rapidly and inexplicably disappearingwhen the footsteps of strangers are heard approaching. 

A few other methods of catching fish are sometimes resorted to, such asstirring up the mud in stagnant ponds, and taking the fish when they comeup almost choked to the surface. Groping with their hands or with boughs, etc. Etc. 

There is also a particular season of the year (about September), when inthe larger rivers the fish become ill or diseased, and lie floating onthe surface unable to descend, or drift down dead with the current. Fishes weighing nearly eighty pounds are sometimes taken in this way. Thenatives are always looking out for opportunities of procuring food soeasily, and never hesitate to eat any fish, although they may have beendead for some time. 

I have never seen the natives use hooks in fishing of their ownmanufacture, nor do I believe that they ever make any, though they areglad enough to get them from Europeans. 

The large fresh-water lobster is sometimes procured by diving, in whichcase the females are generally employed, as the weather is cold, andnight is the best time to procure them. It is extraordinary to see aparty of women plunge into the water on a cold dark night, and swim anddive about amongst logs, stumps, roots, and weeds without ever hurtingthemselves, and seldom failing to obtai the object of their search. 

Turtle are procured in the same way, but generally by the men, and in theday time. 

Muscles of a very large kind are also got by diving. The women whose dutyit is to collect these, go into the water with small nets (len-ko) hunground their necks, and diving to the bottom pick up as many as they can, put them into their bags, and rise to the surface for fresh air, repeating the operation until their bags have been filled. They have thepower of remaining for a long time under the water, and when they rise tothe surface for air, the head and sometimes the mouth only is exposed. Astranger suddenly coming to the river when they were all below, would bepuzzled to make out what the black objects were, so frequently appearingand disappearing in the water. 

Cray-fish of the small kind (u-kod-ko) weighing from four to six ouncesare obtained by the women wading into the water as already described, orby men wading and using a large bow-net, called a "wharro, " which isdragged along by two or three of them close to the bottom where the wateris not too deep. 

Frogs are dug out of the ground by the women, or caught in the marshes, and used in every stage from the tadpole upwards. 

Rats are also dug out of the ground, but they are procured in thegreatest numbers and with the utmost facility when the approach of thefloods in the river flats compels them to evacuate their domiciles. Avariety is procured among the scrubs under a singular pile or nest whichthey make of sticks, in the shape of a hay-cock, three or four feet highand many feet in circumference. A great many occupy the same pile and arekilled with sticks as they run out. 

Snakes, lizards and other reptiles are procured among the rocks or in thescrubs. Grubs are got out of the gum-tree into which they eat their way, as also out of the roots of the mimosa, the leaves of the zamia, thetrunk of the xanthorra, and a variety of other plants and shrubs. 

One particularly large white grub, and a great bon-bouche to the natives, is procured out of the ground. It is about four inches long and half aninch in thickness, and is obtained by attaching a thin narrow hook ofhard wood to the long, wiry shoots of the polygonum, and then pushingthis gently down the hole through which the grub has burrowed into theearth until it is hooked. Grubs are procured at a depth of seven feet inthis way without the delay or trouble of digging. 

Moths are procured as before described; or the larger varieties arecaught at nights whilst flying about. 

Fungi are abundant, and of great variety. Some are obtained from thesurface of the ground, others below it, and others again from the trunksand boughs of trees. 

Roots of all kinds are procured by digging, one of the most importantbeing that of the flag or cooper's reed, which grows in marshes oralluvial soils that are subject to periodical inundations. This is usedmore or less at all seasons of the year, but is best after the floodshave retired and the tops have become decayed and been burnt off. Theroot is roasted in hot ashes, and chewed, when it affords a nutritiousand pleasant farinaceous food. 

The belillah is another important bulbous root, which also grows on landssubject to floods. It is about the size of a walnut, of a hard and oilynature, and is prepared by being roasted and pounded into a thin cakebetween two stones. Immense tracts of country are covered with this planton the flats of the Murray, which in the distance look like the mostbeautiful and luxuriant meadows. After the floods have retired I haveseen several hundreds of acres, with the stems of the plant six or sevenfeet high, and growing so closely together as to render it very difficultto penetrate far amongst them. 

The thick pulpy leaf of the mesembryanthemum is in general use in allparts of Australia which I have visited, and is eaten as a sort of relishwith almost every other kind of food. That which grows upon the elevatedtable lands is preferred to that which is found in the valleys. It isselected when the full vigour of the plant begins to decline and the tipsof the leaves become red, but before the leaf is at all withered. Thefruit is used both when first ripe and also after it has become dried upand apparently withered. In each case it has an agreeable flavour and ismuch prized by the natives. 

Many other descriptions of fruits and berries are made use of indifferent parts of the continent, the chief of which, so far as their usehas come under my own observation, are--

1. A kind of fruit called in the Moorunde dialect "ketango, " about thesize and shape of a Siberian crab, but rounder. When this is ripe, it isof a deep red colour, and consists of a solid mealy substance, about theeighth of an inch in thickness, enclosing a large round stone, which, upon being broken, yields a well-flavoured kernel. The edible part of thefruit has an agreeable acid taste, and makes excellent puddings orpreserves, for which purpose it is now extensively used by Europeans. Theshrub on which this grows, is very elegant and graceful, and varies fromfour to twelve feet in height. [Note 71: A species of fusanus. ] When infull bearing, nothing can exceed its beauty, drooping beneath itscrimson load. 

Another shrub found in the scrubs, may sometimes be mistaken for this, asit bears in appearance a similar fruit; but on being tasted, it is bitterand nauseous. This in the Murray dialect is called "netting. " The nativesprepare it by baking it in an oven, which takes the bitter taste away. The "netting" is earlier in season than the "ketango. "

2. A berry about the size and shape of a large sloe, but with a smallerstone; conical in shape, and rounded at the large end. This fruit isjuicy and saline, though not disagreeable in taste. There are severalvarieties of it, which when ripe are of a black, red, or yellow colour. The black is the best. The bush upon which it grows is a salsolaceousbramble [Note 72: Nitraria Australis], and is found in large quantitieson the saline flats, bordering some parts of the Murrumbidgee and Murrayrivers; and along the low parts of the southern coast, immediately behindthe ridges bounding the sea shore. It is a staple article of food in itsseason, among the natives of those districts where it abounds, and iseaten by them raw, stone and all. 

3. A small berry or currant, called by the natives of Moorunde"eertapko, " about the size of No. 2. Shot. When ripe it is red, and of anagreeable acid flavour. It grows upon a low creeping tap-rooted plant, ofa salsolaceous character, found in the alluvial flats of the Murray, among the polygonum brushes, and in many other places. A single plantwill spread over an area of many yards in diameter, covering the dry andarid ground with a close, soft, and velvety carpet in the heat of summer, at which time the fruit is in perfection. To collect so small a berrywith facility, and in abundance, the natives cut a rounded tray of thinbark, two or three feet long, and six or eight inches wide, over thisthey lift up the plant, upon which the fruit grows, and shake the berriesinto it. When a sufficiency has been collected, the berries are skilfullytossed into the air, and separated from the leaves and dirt. The nativesare very fond of this fruit, which affords them an inexhaustible resourcefor many weeks. In an hour a native could collect more than he could usein a day. 

The other sorts of fruits and berries are numerous and varied, but do notmerit particular description. 

[Note 73: Mr. Simpson gives the following account of the Bunya Bunya, afruit-bearing tree lately discovered on the N. E. Coast of NewHolland. 

"Ascending a steep hill, some four miles further on, we passedthrough a bunya scrub, and for the first time had an opportunity ofexamining this noble tree more closely. It raises its majestic head aboveevery other tree in the forest, and must, therefore, frequently reach theheight of 250 feet; the trunk is beautifully formed, being as straight asan arrow, and perfectly branchless for above two-thirds of its height;branches then strike off, nearly at right angles from the trunk, formingcircles which gradually diminish in diameter till they reach the summit, which terminates in a single shoot; the foliage shining, dark green, theleaves acutely pointed and lanceolate, with large green cones, the sizeof a child's head, hanging from the terminal branches in the fruitingseason (January). It is, too, very remarkable that the bunya tree, according to the natives, is nowhere to be met with but in these parts;it is, however, there is no doubt, a species of the araucaria genus, wellknown in South America; the timber, when green, is white, fine grainedand very tough, but whether it retains these qualities when dry, has notyet been determined. The Aborigines are particularly fond of the bunyanuts, which are as large as a full sized almond, including the shell, and, in good seasons, come from a distance of 100 or 200 miles to feastupon them. "]

Bark from the roots of trees and shrubs is roasted, and then poundedbetween two stones for use. 

Gums exude from the trees on which they are procured. These are generallyvarieties of the Mimosa. 

Manna exudes in great abundance from the tree already mentioned, asconstituting the firewood which the natives use in fishing by night. Itis of a mottled red or brown colour, of a firm consistency and sweettaste, resembling exactly in appearance, flavour, and colour, the mannaused medicinally in Europe. 

Another variety is yielded by the Eucalyptus mannifera and is found earlyin the morning under the tree, scattered on the ground. This isbeautifully white and delicate, resembling flakes of snow. 

Honey is procured by steeping the cones of the Banksia or othermelliferous flowers in water. It is procured pure from the hives of thenative bees, found in cavities of rocks, and the hollow branches oftrees. The method of discovering the hive is ingenious. Having caught oneof the honey bees, which in size exceeds very little the common housefly, the native sticks a piece of feather or white down to it with gum, and then letting it go, sets off after it as fast as he can: keeping hiseye steadily fixed upon the insect, he rushes along like a madman, tumbling over trees and bushes that lie in his way, but rarely losingsight of his object, until conducted to its well-filled store, he isamply paid for all his trouble. The honey is not so firm as that of theEnglish bee, but is of very fine flavour and quality. 

White ants are dug in great numbers out of their nests in the ground, which are generally found in the scrubs. They are a favourite food of thenatives in the spring of the year. The females only are used, and at atime just before depositing their eggs. They are separated from the dirtthat is taken up with them, by being thrown into the air, and caughtagain upon a trough of bark. 

The eggs of birds are extensively eaten by the natives, being chieflyconfined to those kinds that leave the nest at birth, as the leipoa, theemu, the swan, the goose, the duck, etc. But of others, where the youngremain some time in the nest after being hatched, the eggs are usuallyleft, and the young taken before they can fly. The eggs of the leipoa, ornative pheasant, are found in singular-looking mounds of sand, thrown upby the bird in the midst of the scrubs, and often measuring several yardsin circumference. The egg is about the size of the goose egg, but theshell is extremely thin and fragile. The young are hatched by the heat ofthe sand and leaves, with which the eggs are covered. Each egg isdeposited separately, and the number found in one nest varies from one toten. 

One nest that I examined, and that only a small one, was twelve yards incircumference, eighteen inches high, and shaped like a dome. It wasformed entirely of sand scraped up by the bird with its feet. Under thecentre of the dome, and below the level of the surrounding ground was anirregular oval hole, about eighteen inches deep, and twelve in diameter. In this, the eggs were deposited in different layers among sand andleaves; on the lower tier was only one egg, on the next two, at a depthof four or five inches from the ground. All the eggs were placed upontheir smaller ends, and standing upright. The colour of the egg is a darkreddish pink; its length, three inches six-tenths; breadth, two inchestwo-tenths; circumference, lengthwise, ten inches, and across, seveninches two-tenths. The eggs appear to be deposited at considerableintervals. In the nest alluded to, two eggs had only been laid sixteendays after it was discovered, at which time there had been one previouslydeposited. The bird is shaped like a hen pheasant, of a brownish colour, barred with black, and its weight is about four pounds and a half. 

The eggs of the emu are rather smaller than those of the ostrich. Theyare of a dark green colour and the shell is very thick. They aredeposited by the bird almost upon the ground, in the vicinity of a fewbushes, or tufts of grass, and usually in a country that is tolerablyopen; a great many eggs are found in one nest, so that it is generallylooked upon by the natives as a great prize. 

Eggs are eaten in all stages. I have even seen rotten ones roasted, anddevoured with great relish. 

Kangaroos are speared, netted, or caught in pit falls. Four methods ofspearing them are practised. 1st. A native travelling with his familythrough the woods, when he sees a kangaroo feeding or sleeping, willsteal silently and cautiously upon it, keeping, as he advances, a tree orshrub between himself and the animal, or holding up before him, if he bein an open place, a large branch of a tree, until sufficiently near tothrow the fatal weapon. 2ndly. Two natives get upon the track of akangaroo, which they follow up perseveringly even for two or three days, sleeping upon it at night, and renewing their pursuit in the morning, until, at last, the wearied animal, fairly tired out by its relentlesspursuers, is no longer able to fly before them, and at last becomes aprize to the perseverance of the hunters. 3rdly. A small hut of reeds ismade near the springs, or water holes, in those districts, where water isscarce; and in this, or in the top of a tree, if there be one near, thenative carefully conceals himself, and patiently waits until his gamecomes to drink, when he is almost sure to strike it with his spear, seldom quitting his lurking place without an ample remuneration for hisconfinement. 4thly. A large party of men go out early in the morning, generally armed with barbed spears, and take their stations upon groundthat has been previously fixed upon in a large semicircle. The women andchildren, with a few men, then beat up, and fire the country for aconsiderable extent, driving the game before them in the direction of thepersons who are lying in wait, and who gradually contract the space theyhad been spread over, until they meet the other party, and then closingtheir ranks in a ring upon the devoted animals, with wild cries andshouts they drive them back to the centre as they attempt to escape, until, at last, in the conflict, many of them are slaughtered. At othertimes, the ground is so selected as to enable them to drive the game overa precipice, or into a river, where it is easily taken. Netting thekangaroo does not require so large a party; it is done by simply settinga strong net (mugn-ko) across the path, which the animal isaccustomed to frequent, and keeping it in its place by long sticks, witha fork upon the top. A few natives then shew themselves in a directionopposite to that of the net, and the kangaroo being alarmed, takes to hisusual path, gets entangled in the meshes, and is soon despatched bypersons who have been lying in wait to pounce upon him. 

Pitfalls are also dug to catch the kangaroo around the springs, or poolsof water they are accustomed to frequent. These are covered lightly overwith small sticks, boughs, etc. And the animal going to drink, hops uponthem, and falls into the pit without being able to get out again. I haveonly known this method of taking the kangaroo practised in WesternAustralia, between Swan River and King George's Sound, The emu is taken similarly to the kangaroo. It is speared in the first, third, and fourth methods I have described. It is also netted like thekangaroo, indeed with the same net, only that the places selected forsetting it are near the entrance to creeks, ravines, flats bounded bysteep banks, and any other place where the ground is such as to hold outthe hope, that by driving up the game it may be compelled, by surroundingscouts, to pass the place where the net is set. When caught the old menhasten up, and clasping the bird firmly round the neck with their arms, hold it or throw it on the ground, whilst others come to their assistanceand despatch it. This is, however, a dangerous feat, and I have known anative severely wounded in attempting it; a kick from an emu would breaka person's leg, though the natives generally keep so close to the bird asto prevent it from doing them much harm. 

The emu is frequently netted by night through a peculiarity in the habitsof the bird, that is well-known to the natives, and which is, that itgenerally comes back every night to sleep on one spot for a long timetogether. Having ascertained where the sleeping place is, the natives setthe net at some little distance away, and then supplying themselves withfire-sticks, form a line from each end of the net, diverging in thedistance. The party may now be considered as forming two sides of atriangle, with the net at the apex and the game about the middle of thebase; as soon as the sides are formed, other natives arrange themselvesin a line at the base, and put the bird up. The emu finding only onecourse free from fire-sticks, viz. That towards the net or apex of thetriangle, takes that direction, and becomes ensnared. 

Opossums are of various kinds and sizes. They inhabit the hollows oftrees, or sometimes the tops, where they make a house for themselves withboughs. They are also found in the holes of rocks. They are hunted bothin the day-time and by moon-light. During the day the native, as hepasses along, examines minutely the bark of the trees, to see whether anymarks have been left by the claws of the animal in climbing on theprevious night. If he finds any he is sure that an opossum is concealed, either in that tree or one adjoining. The way he distinguishes whetherthe marks are recently made or otherwise is, by examining the appearanceof the bark where the wound is, if fresh it is white, has rough edges, orhas grains of sand adhering to it; if otherwise it is dry and brown, andfree from loose particles. Having ascertained that an opossum hasrecently been there, he then ascends the tree to look for it; this, ifthe tree be in a leaning position, or has a rough bark, is not difficultto him, and he rarely requires any other aid than his hands and feet; butif the bark be smooth, and the tree straight, or of very largedimensions, he requires the assistance of his stone hatchet, or of astrong sharp-pointed stick, flattened on one side near the point (calledin the Adelaide dialect, "Wadna, " in that of Moorunde "Ngakko, "); withthis instrument a notch is made in the bark about two feet above theground. In this the small toes of the left foot are placed, the left armis employed in clasping the trunk of the tree, and the right in cuttinganother notch for the right foot, about two feet above the first; but alittle to one side of it, the wadna or ngakko is now stuck firmly in thebark above, and serves to enable him to raise the body whilst gaining thesecond notch, into which the ball of the great toe of the right foot isplaced, and the implement liberated to make a third step on the leftside, and so on successively until the tree is ascended. The descent ismade in the same manner, by clasping the tree, and supporting the feet inthe notches. The principle of climbing in the way described, appears toconsist in always having three points of contact with the tree, eithertwo arms and one leg, or two legs and one arm. 

Having got up the tree, the native proceeds to search for any holes theremay be in its trunk, or among the boughs; these vary from one foot tonine, or more, in depth, for the whole trunk itself is sometimes hollow. To ascertain in which hole the opossum is, the native drops in a pebbleor a piece of bark, or a broken bit of stick, and then applying his earto the outside, listens for the rustling motion made by the animal inshifting its position, when disturbed by what has been dropped upon it. Astick is sometimes made use of, if the hole be not very deep, for thesame purpose, after inserting it in the hole, and twisting the rough endround and withdrawing it, he looks to see if any fur is left on thepoint, if so, the animal is there, but if the point of the stick shews nofur, he goes to the next hole or tree, and so on until he finds it. 

If not very far in the hole the native puts in his arm, and draws it outby the tail, striking its head violently against the tree to prevent itsbiting him, as soon as it is clear of the orifice; if the hole be deep, the furthest point to which the animal can recede is ascertained, and anopening made near it with whatever implement he may be using. If thewhole trunk of the tree, or a large portion of it be hollow, a fire ismade in the lower opening, which soon drives out the game. 

When opossums are hunted by moonlight, the native dog is useful inscenting them along the ground where they sometimes feed, and in guidingthe native to the tree they have ascended, when alarmed at his approach. They are then either knocked down with sticks or the tree is ascended asin the day time. 

Flying squirrels are procured in the same way as opossums. The sloth, which is an animal as large as a good sized monkey, is also caught amongthe branches of the larger scrub-trees, among which it hides itself; butit is never found in holes. 

Wallabies are of many kinds, and are killed in various ways. By huntingwith bwirris, by nets, by digging out of the ground; the larger sorts, asrock wallabies, by spearing, and several kinds by making runs, into whichthey are driven. In hunting with bwirris (a short heavy stick with a knobat one end) a party of natives go out into the scrub and beat the bushesin line, if any game gets up, the native who sees it, gives a peculiar"whir-rr" as a signal for the others to look out, and the animal is atonce chased and bwirris thrown at him in all directions, the peculiarsound of the "whir-rr" always guiding them to the direction he has taken. It rarely happens that an animal escapes if the party of natives be atall numerous. 

In netting the wallabies, a party of seven or eight men go in advance, with each a net of from twenty to forty feet long, and when they arrivenear the runs, usually made use of by these animals, a favourable spot isselected, and the nets set generally in a line and nearly together, eachnative concealing himself near his own net. The women and children who, in the mean time had been making a considerable circuit, now begin tobeat amongst the bushes with the wind, shouting and driving the wallabiesbefore them towards the nets, where they are caught and killed. 

Other species of the wallabie burrow in the ground like rabbits, and aredug out. The large rock-wallabies are speared by the natives creepingupon them stealthily among the rugged rocks which they frequent, on thesummits of precipitous heights which have craggy or overhanging cliffs. 

In making runs for taking the wallabie, the natives break the branchesfrom the bushes, and laying them one upon another, form, through thescrubs, two lines of bush fence, diverging from an apex sometimes to theextent of several miles, and having at intervals large angles formed bythe fence diverging. At the principal apex and at all the angles orcorners the bushes are tied up, and a hole in the fence left like the runof a hare. At each of these a native is stationed with his bwirris, andthe women then beating up the country, from the base of the triangledrive up the game, which finding themselves stopped by the bush fence oneither side, run along in search of an opening until the first anglepresents itself, when they try to escape by the run, and are knocked onthe head by the native guarding it. 

Native companions and swans are sometimes speared or killed with bwirris;the latter are also caught easily in the water holes or lakes whenmoulting, as they are then unable to fly. Pelicans are caught in nets orwhilst asleep in the water, by natives wading in and seizing them by thelegs. 

Wild dogs are speared, but young ones are often kept and tamed, to assistin hunting, in which they are very useful. The wombat is driven to hishole with dogs at night, and a fire being lighted inside, the mouth isclosed with stones and earth. The animal being by this means suffocated, is dug out at convenience. 

Birds are killed on the wing, with bwirris, or whilst resting on theground, or in the water, or upon branches of trees. They are also takenby spearing, by snaring, by noosing, and by netting. In spearing them thenatives make use of a very light reed spear (kiko), which is pointed withhard wood, and projected when used, with the nga-waonk or throwingstick. They resort to the lagoons or river flats, when flooded, andeither wading or in canoes, chase and spear the wild fowl. Thekiko is thrown to a very great distance, with amazing rapidity andprecision, so that a native is frequently very successful by this method, particularly so when the young broods of duck and other wild fowl arenearly full grown, but still unable to fly far. Getting into his canoe, the native paddles along with extraordinary celerity after his game, chasing them from one side of the lagoon to the other, until he loadshimself with spoil. 

Ducks and teal are caught by snaring, which is practised in the followingmanner. After ascertaining where there is a shelving bank to any of thelagoons, which is frequented by these birds, and upon which there isgrass, or other food that they like near the edges, the natives get anumber of strong reeds, bend them in the middle, and force the two endsof each into the ground, about seven inches apart, forming a number oftriangles, with their uppermost extremities about five or six inches fromthe ground. From these, strings are suspended with slip nooses, and whena sufficient number are set, the natives go away, to let the ducks comeup to feed. This they soon do; and whilst poking their heads about inevery direction a great many push them through the snares and get hung. 

Noosing waterfowl is another general and very successful mode of takingthem. It is performed by a native, with a tat-tat-ko, or long rod, tapering like a fishing rod, but longer, and having a piece of string atthe end, with a slip noose working over the pliant twig which forms thelast joint of the rod. [Note 74: Plate 4, fig. 1. (not reproduced in thisetext)] This being prepared, and it having been ascertained wherethe birds are, the native binds a quantity of grass or weeds aroundhis head, and then taking his long instrument, plunges into the waterand swims slowly and cautiously towards them, whilst they see nothingbut a tuft of grass or weeds coming floating towards them, of whichthey take no notice, until coming close upon them he gently raisesthe tapering end of the instrument, and carefully putting the noose overthe head of the bird, draws it under water towards him. After taking itout of the noose, he tucks its head in his belt, or lets it float on thewater, whilst he proceeds to catch another, or as many more as he canbefore the birds take the alarm at the struggles of their companions, andfly away. A windy day is generally selected for this employment, when thewater is ruffled by waves. On such occasions a skilful native will securea great many birds. 

Netting birds remains to be described, and is the most destructive modeof taking them of any that is practised. Geese, ducks, teal, widgeons, shags, pelicans, pigeons, and others are procured in this way. The methodadopted is as follows:--a large square or oblong net, (kue-rad-ko) fromthirty to sixty feet broad, and from twenty to forty deep, is formed bylacing together pieces of old fishing nets, or any others, made of lighttwine, that they may have. A strong cord is then passed through themeshes of one end, and tied at both extremes of the net. The natives thengo down to a lagoon of moderate width, where two tall trees may bestanding opposite to each other on different sides, or they select anopening of a similar kind among the trees on the bank of the river, through which the ducks, or other birds, are in the habit of passing whenflying between the river and the lagoons. An old man ascends each of thetrees, and over the topmost branch of both lowers the end of a strongcord passing through the net. The other end is tied near the root of eachtree, and serves for the native, who is stationed there, to raise orlower the net as it may be required. When set, the ropes are hauledtight, and the net dangles in the air between the two trees, hanging overthe lagoon, or dry passage, as the case may be. All being ready, a nativeis left holding each end of the rope, and others are stationed atconvenient places near, with little round pieces of bark in their handsto throw at the birds, and drive them onwards as they approach the net. The women are then sent to put the birds up, and they come flying throughthe open space towards the net, not dreaming of the evil that awaitsthem; as they approach nearer, the two natives at the trees utter ashrill whistle, resembling the note of the hawk, upon which the flock, which usually consists of ducks, lower their flight at once, andproceeding onwards, strike full against the net, which is instantlylowered by the men attending to it, and the birds are left struggling inthe water, or on the ground, entangled in its meshes, whilst the nativesare busy paddling in their canoes, or scampering towards the net on theground, to wring their necks off, and get the instrument of destructionraised again, to be ready for the next flight that may come. Should thebirds fly too high, or be inclined to take any other direction, littlepieces of bark are thrown above them, or across their path, by thenatives stationed for that purpose. These circling through the air, makea whirring noise like the swoop of the eagle when darting on his prey, and the birds fancying their enemy upon them, recede from the pieces ofbark, and lowering their flight, become entangled in the net. Early inthe morning, late in the evening, and occasionally in the night, thiswork is conducted, with the greatest success, though many are caughtsometimes in the day. 

As many as fifty birds are taken in a single haul. I have myself, withthe aid of a native, caught thirty-three, and many more would have beengot, but that the net was old, and the birds broke through it before theycould be all killed. On other occasions, I have been out with thenatives, where a party of five or six have procured from twenty to thirtyducks, on an average, daily, for many days successively. In theseoccupations the natives make use of a peculiar shrill whistle to frightendown the birds; it is produced by pulling out the under lip with thefore-finger and thumb, and pressing it together, whilst the tongue isplaced against the groove, or hollow thus formed, and the breath stronglyforced through. Whistling is also practised in a variety of other ways, and has peculiar sounds well known to the natives, which indicate theobject of the call. It is used to call attention, to point out that gameis near, to make each other aware of their respective positions in awooded country, or to put another on his guard that an enemy is near, etc. , etc. 

Such is an outline of some of the kinds of food used by the natives, andthe modes of procuring it as practised in various parts of Australiawhere I have been. There is an endless variety of other articles, and aninfinite number of minute differences in the ways of procuring them, which it is unnecessary to enter upon in a work which professes to giveonly a general account of the Aborigines, their manners, habits, andcustoms, and not a full or complete history, which could only be compiledafter the observation of many years devoted exclusively to socomprehensive a subject. 

In the preparation and cooking of their food, and in the extent to whichthis is carried, there are almost as many differences as there arevarieties of food. Having no vessels capable of resisting the action offire, the natives are unacquainted with the simple process of boiling. Their culinary operations are therefore confined to broiling on the hotcoals, baking in hot ashes, and roasting, or steaming in ovens. Thenative oven is made by digging a circular hole in the ground, of a sizecorresponding to the quantity of food to be cooked. It is then lined withstones in the bottom, and a strong fire made over them, so as to heatthem thoroughly, and dry the hole. As soon as the stones are judged to besufficiently hot, the fire is removed, and a few of the stones taken, andput inside the animal to be roasted if it be a large one. A few leaves, or a handful of grass, are then sprinkled over the stones in the bottomof the oven, on which the animal is deposited, generally whole, with hotstones, which had been kept for that purpose, laid upon the top of it. Itis covered with grass, or leaves, and then thickly coated over withearth, which effectually prevents the heat from escaping. Bark issometimes used to cover the meat, instead of grass or leaves, and is insome respects better adapted for that purpose, being less liable to letdirt into the oven. I have seen meat cooked by the natives in thismanner, which, when taken out, looked as clean and nicely roasted as anyI ever saw from the best managed kitchen. 

If the oven is required for steaming food, a process principally appliedto vegetables and some kinds of fruits, the fire is in the same wayremoved from the heated stones, but instead of putting on dry grass orleaves, wet grass or water weeds are spread over them. The vegetablestied up in small bundles are piled over this in the central part of theoven, wet grass being placed above them again, dry grass or weeds uponthe wet, and earth over all. In putting the earth over the heap, thenatives commence around the base, gradually filling it upwards. Whenabout two-thirds covered up all round, they force a strong sharp-pointedstick in three or four different places through the whole mass of grassweeds and vegetables, to the bottom of the oven. Upon withdrawing thestick, water is poured through the holes thus made upon the hissingstones below, the top grass is hastily closed over the apertures and thewhole pile as rapidly covered up as possible to keep in the steam. Thegathering vegetable food, and in fact the cooking and preparing of foodgenerally, devolves upon the women, except in the case of an emu or akangaroo, or some of the larger and more valuable animals, when the mentake this duty upon themselves. 

In cooking vegetables, a single oven will suffice for three or fourfamilies, each woman receiving the same bundles of food when cooked, which she had put in. The smaller kinds of fish and shell-fish, birds andanimals, frogs, turtle, eggs, reptiles, gums, etc. , are usually broiledupon the embers. Roots, bark of trees, etc. , are cooked in the hot ashes. Fungi are either eaten raw or are roasted. The white ant is always eatenraw. The larvae of insects and the leaves of plants are either eaten rawor in a cooked state. The larger animals, as the kangaroo, emu, nativedog, etc. And the larger fishes, are usually roasted in the oven. 

In preparing the food for the cooking process a variety of forms areobserved. In most animals, as the opossum, wallabie, dog, kangaroo, etc. The the bones of the legs are invariably broken, and the fur is singedoff; a small aperture is made in the belly, the entrails withdrawn, andthe hole closed with a wooden skewer, to keep in the gravy whilstroasting. The entrails of all animals, birds, and fishes, are made useof, and are frequently eaten whilst the animal itself is being prepared. Most birds have the feathers pulled or singed off, they are then thrownon the fire for a moment or two and when warm are withdrawn, skinned andthe skin eaten. The meat is now separated on each side of the breastbone, the limbs are disjointed and thrown back, and the bird is placedupon the fire, and soon cooked, from the previous dissection it hadundergone, and from hot coals being put above it. 

The smaller fish and reptiles are simply thrown upon the fire, sometimesgutted, at other times not. The larger fish are divided into threepieces, in the following manner. The fish is laid on its side, and alongitudinal cut made from the head to within three or four inches of thetail, just above where the ribs are joined to the back bone, these areseparated by a sharp pointed stick, and the same done on the other side;a transverse incision is then made near the root of the tail, the gillsare separated from the head, the fleshy part covering the back dissectedfrom one to two inches thick, over the whole surface left between thelongitudinal cuts that had been made in the sides, and extending from thehead to the transverse incision near the tail. The divisions then consistof three pieces, one comprising the head, backbone, and tail, another thefleshy part that covered the back, and the third the belly and sides. Thelast is the most prized of the three. This method of dividing the fish iswell adapted for ensuring rapid preparation in the process of cooking; itis also well suited for satisfying the respective owners and claimants;the three pieces being, if not quite equal in size, sufficiently so forthe purpose of partition. 

There are many usages in force among the natives respecting theparticular kinds of food allowed to be eaten at different ages;restrictions and limitations of many kinds are placed upon both sexes atdifferent stages of life. What is proper to be eaten at one period, isdisallowed at another, and vice versa. And although laws of this natureappear to be in force throughout the whole continent, there appear to beoccasional differences of custom as to restriction in regard to both foodand age. It also appears that there are more restrictions placed upon thefemales, until past the age of child-bearing, than upon the males. 

Infants are not often weaned until between two and three years old; butduring this time any food is given to them which they can eat, exceptthose kind of vegetables which are likely to disagree with them. Norestrictions are placed upon very young children of either sex, a portionbeing given to them of whatever food their parents may have. About nineor ten years appears to be the age at which limitations commence. Boysare now forbidden to eat the red kangaroo, or the female or the youngones of the other kinds; the musk duck, the white crane, the bandicoot, the native pheasant, (leipoa, meracco), the native companion, some kindsof fungi, the old male and female opossum, a kind of wallabie (linkara), three kinds of fish (toor-rue, toitchock, and boolye-a), the black duck, widgeon, whistling duck, shag (yarrilla), eagle, female water-mole(nee-witke), two kinds of turtles (rinka and tung-kanka), and some othervarieties of food. 

When young men they are disallowed the black duck, the widgeon, thewhistling duck, the emu, the eggs of the emu, a fish called kalapko, thered kangaroo, the young of other kinds of kangaroo, if taken from thepouch; a kind of shag called yarrilla, the snake (yarl-dakko), the whitecrane, the eagle, a kind of water-mole (nee-witke), two kinds of turtle(rinka and tung-kanka), the musk-duck, the native dog, the large grub dugout of the ground (ronk), a vegetable food called war-itch (being thatthe emu feeds upon), the native companion, bandicoot, old male opossum, wallabie (linkara), coote, two fishes (toor-rue and toit-chock), etc. Etc. 

Married men, until from thirty-five to forty years of age, are stillforbidden the red kangaroo, the young of any kangaroo from the pouch, thefish kelapko, the shag yarrilla, the coote, the white crane, the turtlerinka, the native companion, the eagle, etc. 

Young females, before the breasts are fully developed, are disallowed theyoung of any of the kangaroo species if taken from the pouch, the redkangaroo, the white crane, the bandicoot, the native companion, the oldmale opossum, the wallabie (linkara), the shag (yarrilla), the eagle, etc. 

Full grown young females are not allowed to eat the male opossum, thewallabie (linkara), the red kangaroo, the fish kelapko, the black duck, the widgeon, the whistling duck, the coote, the native companion, twoturtles (rinka and tung-kanka), the emu, the emu's egg, the snake(yarl-dakko), cray-fish which may have deformed claws, the female or theyoung from the pouch of any kangaroo, the musk duck, the white crane, thebandicoot, the wild dog, two kinds of fish (toor-rue and toitchock), theshag (yarrilla), the water mole (neewitke), the ground grub (ronk), thevegetable food eaten by the emu (war-itch), etc. When menstruating, theyare not allowed to eat fish of any kind, or to go near the water at all;it being one of their superstitions, that if a female, in that state, goes near the water, no success can be expected by the men in fishing. Fish that are taken by the men diving under the cliffs, and which arealways females about to deposit their spawn, are also forbidden to thenative women. 

Old men and women are allowed to eat anything, and there are very fewthings that they do not eat. Among the few exceptions are a species oftoad, and the young of the wombat, when very small, and before the hairis well developed. 

Chapter IV. 

PROPERTY IN LAND--DWELLINGS--WEAPONS--IMPLEMENTS--GOVERNMENT--CUSTOMS--SOCIAL RELATIONS--MARRIAGE--NOMENCLATURE. 

It has generally been imagined, but with great injustice, as well asincorrectness, that the natives have no idea of property in land, orproprietary rights connected with it. Nothing can be further from thetruth than this assumption, although men of high character and standing, and who are otherwise benevolently disposed towards the natives, havedistinctly denied this right, and maintained that the natives were notentitled to have any choice of land reserved for them out of their ownpossessions, and in their respective districts. 

In the public journals of the colonies the question has often beendiscussed, and the same unjust assertion put forth. A single quotationwill be sufficient to illustrate the spirit prevailing upon this point. It is from a letter on the subject published in South Australian Registerof the 1st August, 1840:--"It would be difficult to define whatconceivable proprietary rights were ever enjoyed by the miserable savagesof South Australia, who never cultivated an inch of the soil, and whoseideas of the value of its direct produce never extended beyond obtaininga sufficiency of pieces of white chalk and red ochre wherewith to bedaubtheir bodies for their filthy corrobberies. " Many similar proofs might begiven of the general feeling entertained respecting the rights of theAborigines, arising out of their original possession of the soil. It is afeeling, however, that can only have originated in an entire ignorance ofthe habits, customs, and ideas of this people. As far as my ownobservation has extended, I have found that particular districts, havinga radius perhaps of from ten to twenty miles, or in other cases varyingaccording to local circumstances, are considered generally as being theproperty and hunting-grounds of the tribes who frequent them. Thesedistricts are again parcelled out among the individual members of thetribe. Every male has some portion of land, of which he can always pointout the exact boundaries. These properties are subdivided by a fatheramong his sons during his own lifetime, and descend in almost hereditarysuccession. A man can dispose of or barter his land to others; but afemale never inherits, nor has primogeniture among the sons any peculiarrights or advantages. Tribes can only come into each other's districts bypermission, or invitation, in which case, strangers or visitors arealways well treated. The following extract from Captain Grey's work givesthe result of that gentlemen's observations in Western Australia, corroborated by Dr. Lang's experience of the practice among the nativesof New South Wales, (vol. Ii. P. 232 to 236. )

"TRADITIONAL LAWS RELATIVE TO LANDED PROPERTY. --Landed property does notbelong to a tribe, or to several families, but to a single male; and thelimits of his property are so accurately defined that every native knowsthose of his own land, and can point out the various objects which markhis boundary. I cannot establish the fact and the universality of thisinstitution better than by the following letter addressed by Dr. Lang, the Principal of Sydney College, New South Wales, to Dr. Hodgkin, thezealous advocate of the Aboriginal Races:

"LIVERPOOL, 15th Nov. 1840. 

"My Dear Friend, --In reply to the question which you proposed to me sometime ago, in the course of conversation in London, and of which you havereminded me in the letter I had the pleasure of receiving from youyesterday, with the pamphlets and letters for America, viz. --'Whether theAborigines of the Australian continent have any idea of property inland, ' I beg to answer most decidedly in the affirmative. It is wellknown that these Aborigines in no instance cultivate the soil, butsubsist entirely by hunting and fishing, and on the wild roots they findin certain localities (especially the common fern), with occasionally alittle wild honey; indigenous fruits being exceedingly rare. The wholerace is divided into tribes, more or less numerous, according tocircumstances, and designated from the localities they inhabit; foralthough universally a wandering race with respect to places ofhabitation, their wanderings are circumscribed by certain well-definedlimits, beyond which they seldom pass, except for purposes of war orfestivity. In short, every tribe has its own district, the boundaries ofwhich are well known to the natives generally; and within that districtall the wild animals are considered as much the property of the tribeinhabiting, or rather ranging on, its whole extent, as the flocks ofsheep and herds of cattle, that have been introduced into the country byadventurous Europeans, are held by European law and usage the property oftheir respective owners. In fact, as the country is occupied chiefly forpastoral purposes, the difference between the Aboriginal and the Europeanideas of property in the soil is more imaginary than real, the nativegrass affording subsistence to the kangaroos of the natives, as well asto the wild cattle of the Europeans, and the only difference indeedbeing, that the former are not branded with a particular mark like thelatter, and are somewhat wilder and more difficult to catch. Nay, as theEuropean regards the intrusion of any other white man upon theCATTLE-RUN, of which European law and usage have made him the possessor, and gets it punished as a trespass, the Aborigines of the particulartribe inhabiting a particular district, regard the intrusion of any othertribe of Aborigines upon that district, for the purposes of kangaroohunting, etc. As an intrusion, to be resisted and punished by force ofarms. In short, this is the frequent cause of Aboriginal, as it is ofEuropean wars; man, in his natural state, being very much alike in allconditions--jealous of his rights, and exceedingly pugnacious. It istrue, the European intruders pay no respect to these Aboriginal divisionsof the territory, the black native being often hunted off his own ground, or destroyed by European violence, dissipation, or disease, just as hiskangaroos are driven off that ground by the European's black cattle; butthis surely does not alter the case as to the right of the Aborigines. 

"But particular districts are not merely the property of particulartribes; particular sections or portions of these districts areuniversally recognised by the natives as the property of individualmembers of these tribes; and when the owner of such a section or portionof territory (as I ascertained was the case at King George's Island) hasdetermined on burning off the grass on his land, which is done for thedouble purpose of enabling the natives to take the older animals moreeasily, and to provide a new crop of sweeter grass for the risinggeneration of the forest, not only all the other individuals of his owntribe, but whole tribes from other districts are invited to the huntingparty, and the feast and dance, or corrobory that ensue; the wild animalson the ground being all considered the property of the owner of the land. I have often heard natives myself tell me, in answer to my questions onthe subject, who were the Aboriginal owners of particular tracts of landnow held by Europeans; and indeed this idea of property in the soil, FORHUNTING PURPOSES, is universal among the Aborigines. They seldom complainof the intrusion of Europeans; on the contrary, they are pleased at theirSITTING DOWN, as they call it, on their land: they do not perceive thattheir own circumstances are thereby sadly altered for the worse in mostcases; that their means of subsistence are gradually more and morelimited, and their numbers rapidly diminished: in short, in thesimplicity of their hearts, they take the frozen adder in their bosom, and it stings them to death. They look for a benefit or blessing fromEuropean intercourse, and it becomes their ruin. 

"If I had a little more leisure I would have written more at length, andin a style more worthy of your perusal; but you may take it as certain, at all events, that the Aborigines of Australia HAVE an idea of propertyin the soil in their native and original state, and that that idea is, inreality, not very different from that of the European proprietors ofsheep and cattle, by whom they have, in so many instances, beendispossessed, without the slightest consideration of their rights orfeelings. 

"Indeed, the infinity of the native names of places, all of which aredescriptive and appropriate, is of itself a PRIMA FACIE evidence of theirhaving strong ideas of property in the soil; for it is only where suchideas are entertained and acted on, that we find, as is certainly thecase in Australia, NULLUM SINE NOMINE SAXUM. 

"I am, my dear Friend, "Your's very sincerely, "JOHN DUNMORE LANG. 

"To Dr. Hodgkin. "

The dwellings of the Aborigines are simple, of a very temporarycharacter, and requiring but little skill or labour to construct them. Inthe summer season, or when the weather is fine, they consist of littlemore than a few bushes laid one upon the other, in the form of asemicircle, as a protection from the wind, for the head, which is laidusually close up to this slight fence. In the winter, or in cold or wetweather, the semicircular form is still preserved, but the back and sidesare sheltered by branches raised upon one end, meeting at the top in anarch, and supported by props in front, the convex part being alwaysexposed to the wind. The sizes of these huts depends upon the facilitiesthat may be afforded for making them, the number of natives, and thestate of the weather. 

[Note 75: "Travelled northerly for 20 miles; at evening encamped atTarcone, adjacent to the station (then being formed) of Drs. Bernardand Kilgour. The greater part of the servants at this establishmenthad been convicts, they were in a state of great insubordination. My native attendants pointed out an extensive weir, 200 feet longand five feet high; they said it was the property of a family, and emphatically remarked, "that white men had stolen it and theircountry;" the Yow-ew-nil-lurns were the original inhabitants. "Tapoe, "the Mount Napier of Mitchell, is an isolated hill of volcanicformation; the crater is broken down on the west side to its base. The great swamp is skirted by low hills and well grassed open forestland; the natives are still the undisputed occupants, no white menhaving been there to dispossess them. The people who occupy thecountry have fixed residences; at one village were 13 large huts, they are warm and well constructed, in shape of a cupola or "kraal;" astrong frame of wood is first made, and the whole covered with thickturf, with the grass inwards; there are several varieties; those like akraal are sometimes double, having two entrances, others aredemicircular; some are made with boughs and grass, and last are thetemporary screens; one hut measured 10 feet diameter by five feet high, and sufficiently strong for a man on horseback to ride over. 

"Left early, attended by Pevay, to reconnoitre the country. In themarshes numerous trenches were again met with; these resembled more theworks of civilized than of savage men; they were of considerable extent;one continuous treble line measured 500 yards in length, two feet inwidth, and from 18 inches to two feet in depth; these treble dikes led toextensive ramified watercourses; the whole covered an area of at leastten acres, and must have been done at great cost of labour to theAborigines, a convincing proof of their persevering industry. These arethe most interesting specimens of native art I had seen; thousands ofyards had been accomplished; the mountain streams were made to passthrough them. In fishing, the natives use the arabine or eel-pot ofplatted grass, from nine to twelve feet in length. On the elevated groundwere some of the largest ash-hills I had seen, and must have been thework of generations; one measured 31 yards in length, 29 in width, andtwo in height, with hollow cavities for the natives' bivouacs and campingplaces. "--"Extract from Mr. Robinson's Letter, copied from papersrelative to Australian Aborigines, printed for the House of Commons, August 1844, p. 240. "]

Sometimes each married man will have a hut for himself, his wives, andfamily, including perhaps occasionally his mother, or some other nearrelative. At other times, large long huts are constructed, in which, fromfive to ten families reside, each having their own separate fire. Youngunmarried men frequently unite in parties of six or eight, and make a hutfor themselves. The materials of which the huts are composed, aregenerally small branches or boughs of trees, covered in wet weather withgrass, or other similar material. At other times, and especially iflarge, or made in wet weather, they are formed of thick solid logs ofwood, piled and arranged much in the same way as the lighter material, but presenting an appearance of durability that the others do notpossess. In this case they are generally well covered over with grass, creeping plants, or whatever else may appear likely to render themwaterproof. In travelling through the country, I have found that wherebushes or shrubs abounded, I could at any time in an hour or two, byworking hard, make myself a hut in which I could lie down, perfectlysecure from any rain. The natives, of course, have much less difficultyin doing this, from their great skill and constant practice. In manyparts of New Holland that I have been in, bark is almost exclusively usedby the natives, for their huts; where it can be procured good it isbetter than any thing else. I have frequently seen sheets of bark twelvefeet long, and eight or ten feet wide, without a single crack or flaw, insuch cases one sheet would form a large and good hut; but even where itis of a far inferior description, it answers, by a little system in thearrangement, better than almost any thing else. Projecting, oroverhanging rocks, caverns, hollows of trees, etc. Etc. , are alsofrequently made use of by the natives for lodging houses in cold or wetweather. When hostile parties are supposed to be in the neighbourhood, the natives are very cautious in selecting secret and retired places tosleep. They go up on the high grounds, back among scrubs, or encamp inthe hollows of watercourses, or where there are dense bushes ofpolygonum, or close belts of reeds; the fires are very small on theseoccasions, and sometimes none are made; you may thus have a large body ofnatives encamped very near you without being conscious of it. I have beentaken by a native to a camp of about twenty people in a dense belt ofreeds, which I had gone close by without being aware of their presence, although I could not have been more than three or four yards from some ofthem when I passed. 

It has already been remarked, that where many natives meet together, thearrangements of their respective huts depends upon the direction theyhave come from. In their natural state many customs and restrictionsexist, which are often broken through, when they congregate in theneighbourhood of European settlements. 

Such is the custom requiring all boys and uninitiated young men to sleepat some distance from the huts of the adults, and to remove altogetheraway in the morning as soon as daylight dawns, and the natives begin tomove about. This is to prevent their seeing the women, some of whom maybe menstruating; and if looked upon by the young males, it is supposedthat dire results will follow. Strangers are by another similar rulealways required to get to their own proper place at the camp, by goingbehind and not in front of the huts. In the same way, if young males meeta party of women going out to look for food, they are obliged to take acircuit to avoid going near them. It is often amusing to witness thedilemma in which a young native finds himself when living with Europeans, and brought by them into a position at variance with his prejudices onthis point. All the buildings of the natives are necessarily from theirhabits of a very temporary character, seldom being intended for more thana few weeks' occupation, and frequently only for a few days. By this timefood is likely to become scarce, or the immediate neighbourhood unclean, and a change of locality is absolutely unavoidable. When the huts areconstructed, the ground is made level within, any little stumps ofbushes, or plants, stones, or other things being removed, and grass, reeds, or leaves of trees frequently gathered and spread over the bottom, to form a dry and soft bed; this and their opossum cloak constitute thegreatest degree of luxury to which they aspire. Occasionally native men, in very cold weather, are both without huts and clothing of any kind. Inthis case, many small fires are made (for the natives never make a largeone), by which they keep themselves warm. I have often seen singlenatives sleep with a fire at their head, another at their feet, and oneon either side, and as close as ever they could make them without burningthemselves; indeed, sometimes within a very few inches of their bodies. 

The weapons of the natives are simple and rudimental in character, butvaried in their kind and make, according to the purposes for which theymay be required, or the local circumstances of the district in which theyare used. The spear, which is the chief weapon of offence over all theknown parts of the continent, is of two kinds, one kind is used with thethrowing stick, and the other is thrown out of the hand; of each thereare four varieties that I am acquainted with. Of those launched with thethrowing stick there are--1, the kiko, or reed spear, pointed with hardwood; 2, the kiero, or hard wood spear, with about two feet of theflower-stem of the grass-tree jointed to the upper end; 3, a similarweapon, with five or six jags cut in the solid wood of the point upon oneside; and 4, the light hard wood spear of Port Lincoln, and the coast tothe eastward, where a single barb is spliced on at the extreme point withthe sinew of the emu or the kangaroo: each spear averages from six toeight feet in length, and is thrown with facility and precision todistances, varying from thirty to one hundred yards, according to thekind made use of, and the skill of the native in using it. 

Of the large spear there is--1, the karkuroo, or smooth heavy spear, madeof the gum-scrub; 2, the same description of weapon, barbed withfragments of flint or quartz; 3, another variety, having five or six jagscut at the point, upon one side; and 4, a similar weapon, with the samenumber of barbs cut upon both sides of the point: each of them is fromtwelve to fourteen feet long, and is thrown with most deadly force andaccuracy to distances of from thirty to forty feet. The fishing spear hasalready been described. The Nga-wa-onk, or throwing stick is fromtwenty to twenty-six inches in length, and is of a very similar characterthroughout the continent, varying a little in width or shape according tothe fashion of particular districts. It consists of a piece of hard wood, broad about the middle, flattened and sometimes hollowed on the inside, and tapering to either extremity; at the point the tooth of a kangaroo istied and gummed on, turning downwards like a hook; the opposite end has alump of pitch with a flint set in it, moulded round so as to form a knob, which prevents the hand from slipping whilst it is being used, or it iswound round with string made of the fur of the opossum for the samepurpose. In either case it is held by the lower part in the palm of thehand, clasped firmly by the three lower fingers, with its upper partresting between the fore-finger and the next; the head of the spear, inwhich is a small hole, is fitted to the kangaroo tooth, and then comingdown between the fore-finger and thumb, is firmly grasped for throwing;the arm is then drawn back, the weapon levelled to the eye, a quiveringmotion given to it to steady it, and it is hurled with a rapidity, force, and precision quite incredible. 

The Wangn or wangno (the boomerang of Eastern and kiley of WesternAustralia) is another simple but destructive weapon, in the hands of thenative. It consists of a thin, flat, curved piece of hard wood, about twofeet long, made out of the acacia pendula or gum-scrub, the raspberry-jamwood, or any other of a similar character, a branch or limb is selectedwhich has naturally the requisite curve (an angle from one hundred to onehundred and thirty degrees) and is dressed down to a proper shape andthickness, and rounded somewhat at the bend, those whose angles areslightly obtuse, are usually thrown with the sharp edge against the wind, and go circling through the air with amazing velocity, and to a greatheight and distance, describing nearly a parabola and descending again atthe foot of the person who throws them; those which have the largestobtuse angle are thrown generally against the ground from which theybound up to a great height, and with much force. With both, the nativesare able to hit distant objects with accuracy, either in hunting or inwar; in the latter case this weapon is particularly dangerous, as it isalmost impossible, even when it is seen in the air, to tell which way itwill go, or where descend. I once nearly had my arm broken by a wangno, whilst standing within a yard of the native who threw it, and looking outpurposely for it. 

The (katta twirris) or two-edged sword is a formidable weapon, used amongthe tribes to the north of Adelaide, exclusively for war; another weapon, common among the same tribes, is the katta, a round chisel-pointed stick, about three feet long, and used principally in pitched battles betweentwo individuals. 

Another weapon is an angular piece of hard wood, pointed and shaped verymuch like a miner's pick, the longer or handle-end being rounded andcarved, to give a firmer grasp; another dreadful weapon, intended forclose combat, is made out of hard wood, from two to three feet long, straight and with the handle rounded and carved for the grasp, which hasan immense pointed knob at the end; the bwirri, is also a weapon of hardwood about two feet long, rather slight and merely smoothed in thehandle, with a round knob at the extremity, it is principally thrown, andwith very great precision; but is more generally used after game than inwarfare. 

The shield (tar-ram) is made out of the bark or wood of the gum-tree, andvaries in shape and device, the ordinary shield is about two or two and ahalf feet long, from eight to eighteen inches across, and tapering fromthe middle towards the extremities, two holes are made near the centre, through which a piece of wood is bent for a handle; shields are alwayscarved and painted in time of war. 

The implements made use of by the natives are not very numerous, andtheir general characteristics are nearly the same all over the continent. The native hatchet is made of a very hard greenish-looking stone, rubbedto an edge on either side; it is fixed in the cleft of a stick, or abranch is doubled round it, and either tied or gummed to prevent itsslipping. The throwing sticks have generally a sharp piece of quartz orflint gummed on at the lower end, which is used as a knife or chisel;flints or muscle shells are used for skinning animals, dissecting food, cutting hair, etc. 

The ngak-ko, a strong chisel-pointed stick, from three to four feet long, is used for dissecting the larger animals and fish, for digging grubs outof the trees, for making holes to get out opossums, etc. , for strippingbark, ascending trees, for cutting bark canoes, and a variety of otheruseful purposes. The rod for noosing ducks, (tat-tat-ko) and other wildfowl, is about sixteen feet long, and consists, in its lower part, forthe first ten feet, of hard wood, tapering like an ordinary spear, tothis is cemented with resin, a joint of tolerably strong reed aboutsixteen inches long, at the upper end of this is inserted and cementedwith wax, a tapering rod of hard wood, three feet long and very similarto the top joint of a fly-fishing rod, to this is spliced a fine springyand strong top, of about eighteen inches in length, at the end of whichis bound a piece of fine strong cord, which works with a running nooseupon the tapering end of the instrument. Needles are made from the fibulaof the emu or kangaroo, and are pointed at one end by being rubbed on astone, they are used in sewing as we use a shoemaker's awl, the hole isbored and the thread put through with the hand; the thread is made of thesinews of the emu and kangaroo. The netting needle is a little round bitof stick or reed, about the size of a lead pencil, round which the stringis wound, no mesh is used, the eye and hand enabling the native to netwith the utmost regularity, speed, and neatness. 

The nets for hunting, for carrying their effects or food, for makingbelts for the waist, or bandages for the head, are all made from thetendons or fur of animals, or from the fibres of plants. In the former, the sinews of the kangaroo or emu, and the fur of opossums and othersimilar animals, are used; in the latter, a species of rush, the fibresof the root of the mallow, the fibres of the root of the broad flag-reed, etc. And in some parts of the continent, the fibrous bark of trees. Thematerials are prepared for use by being soaked in water and carded withthe teeth and hands, or by being chewed or rubbed. 

String is made by the fibres being twisted, and rubbed with the palm ofthe hand over the naked thighs, and is often as neatly executed asEnglish whip-cord, though never consisting of more than two strands, --thestrands being increased in thickness according to the size of the cordthat may be required. Nets vary in size and strength according to thepurposes for which they are required; the duck net (kew-rad-ko) hasalready been described, as also the kenderanko, or small net for divingfor fish, and the taendilly net, for diving with under the rocks for thelarger fish; the kenyinki is a net with very small meshes, and set outwith a wooden bow, for catching shrimps and other very small fish. Thereare also, a wharro, a large hoop-net for catching small cray-fish; alenko, or small net for hanging round the neck, to put muscles, cray-fish, frogs, etc. In; a rocko, or large net bag, used by the womenfor carrying their worldly effects about with them; the kaar-ge-rum, ornet for the waistband; the rad-ko, or fishing net, which is a regularseine for catching fish, about fifty or sixty feet in length, and varyingin depth according to the place where it is to be used; the emu orkangaroo net (nunko) is very strong, with meshes from five to six inchessquare; it is made of cord as thick as a large quill, and its length isfrom a hundred to a hundred and thirty feet, and depth about five feetwhen set. The wallabie net is about thirty feet long, of strong cord, andwhen set about eighteen inches high. The size of the meshes of all thenets depends upon the game to be taken; generally they are small. Neat, and variously striped baskets and mats are made by the women of certaintribes, from rushes, or a broad-leaved description of grass. The kallateris a round basket, wide at the base, and tapering upwards; its sizevaries. The poola-danooko is a very pretty looking, flat, oval basket, adapted for laying against the back. The poneed-ke is a large, flat, circular mat, worn over the back and shoulders, and when tied by a bandround the waist affords a lodging for an infant. Large bags or walletsare also made of kangaroo skins, with the fur outside, and small ones ofthe skins of lesser animals with the fur inside. Skins are prepared formaking cloaks by pegging them tight out upon the ground soon after theyare taken off the animal, when dry, cold ashes or dust are thrown in, toabsorb any grease that may have exuded. If the weather is damp, or thenative is in a hurry, they are pegged out near the fire; after drying, the smaller skins are rubbed with stones to make them flexible, or arescored or ornamented with various devices, cut with a flint or shell onthe skin side; the larger skins have their inner layers shaved off byflints, shells, or implements of wood. Opossums, wallabies, youngkangaroos, etc. Are skinned sometimes by simply making a slit about thehead, through which the rest of the body is made to pass; the skins areturned inside out, and the ends of the legs tied up, and are then readyfor holding water, and always form part of the baggage of natives whotravel much about, or go into badly watered districts. I have seen theseskins (lukomb) capable of holding from two to three gallons of water: thefur is always inside. The karko is a small spade of wood, used by thenatives north of Adelaide for digging up grubs from the ground. The canoeor "mun" is a large sheet of bark cut from the gum-tree, carefullylowered to the ground, and then heated with fire until it becomes softand pliable, and can be moulded into form, it is then supported by woodenprops, to keep it in shape, until it becomes hard and set, which is inabout twenty-four hours, though it is frequently used sooner. On itsbeing launched, sticks or stretchers are placed across each end and inthe middle, to prevent the bark from contracting or curling up withexposure to the air. A large canoe will hold seven or eight peopleeasily; it is often twenty feet long. The following is a description ofan ordinary one for fishing:--length fifteen feet, width three feet, depth eight inches, formed out of a single sheet of bark, with one end alittle narrower than the other and pointing upwards. This end is paddledfirst; the bottom is nearly flat, and the canoe is so firm, that a personcan take hold of one side, and climb into it from the water withoutupsetting it. It is paddled along with the long pine-spear moo-aroo, described as being used in fishing at night by firelight. In propellingit the native stands near the centre, pushing his moo-aroo against thewater, first on one side and then on the other; in shallow water one endof the moo-aroo is placed on the bottom, and the canoe so pushed along. The natives are well acquainted with the use of fire, for hardening thepoints of their weapons or softening the wood to enable them to bendthem. In the former case, the point is charred in the fire, and scrapedwith a shell or flint to the precise shape required; in the latter, theirspears, and other similar weapons, are placed upon hot ashes, and bentinto form by pressure. It is a common practice among many of the tribesto grease their weapons and implements with human fat, taken from theomentum, either of enemies who have been killed, or of relations who havedied. Spears, and other offensive arms, are supposed to possessadditional powers if thus treated; and nets and other implements forprocuring game are imagined to become much more effectual in ensnaringprey. In setting nets, too, the natives have a practice of taking up ahandful of water to the mouth, and then squirting it out over the net, ina shower of spray, this they think is a powerful charm to ensure the fishbeing caught. 

There can hardly be said to be any form of government existing among apeople who recognize no authority, and where every member of thecommunity is at liberty to act as he likes, except, in so far as he maybe influenced by the general opinions or wishes of the tribe, or by thatfeeling which prompts men, whether in civilised or savage communities tobend to the will of some one or two persons who may have taken a moreprominent and leading part than the rest in the duties and avocations oflife. Among none of the tribes yet known have chiefs ever been found tobe acknowledged, though in all there are always some men who take thelead, and whose opinions and wishes have great weight with the others. 

Other things being equal, a man's authority and influence increase amonghis tribe in proportion to his years. To each stage of life through whichhe passes is given some additional knowledge or power, and he isprivileged to carry an additional number of implements and weapons, as headvances in life. An old grey-headed man generally carries the principalimplements and weapons, either for war or sorcery; many of the latter thewomen and children are never allowed to see, such as pieces ofrock-crystal, by which the sorcerer can produce rain, cause blindness, orimpart to the waters the power of destroying life, etc. ; sacred daggersfor causing the death of their enemies by enchantment; themoor-y-um-karr or flat oval piece of wood which is whirled roundthe camp at nights, and many others of a similar nature. 

I have not, however, found that age is invariably productive ofinfluence, unless the individual has previously signalized himself amonghis people, and taken up a commanding position when youth and strengthenabled him to support his pretensions, and unless he be still in fullpossession of vigour of mind and energy of character, though no longerendowed with personal strength. The grey-head appears to be usuallytreated with respect as long as the owner is no incumbrance to thosearound him, but the moment he becomes a drag, every tie is broken, and heis at once cast off to perish. Among many tribes with which I have beenacquainted, I have often noticed that though the leading men weregenerally elderly men from forty-five to sixty years old, they were notalways the oldest; they were still in full vigour of body and mind, andmen who could take a prominent part in acting as well as counselling. Iam inclined, therefore, to think that the degree of estimation in whichany native is held by his fellows, or the amount of deference that may bepaid to his opinions, will in a great measure depend upon his personalstrength, courage, energy, prudence, skill, and other similarqualifications, influenced, perhaps, collaterally by his familyconnections and the power which they possess. 

Each father of a family rules absolutely over his own circle. In hismovements and arrangements he is uncontrolled, yet, as a matter ofpolicy, he always informs his fellows where he is going, what he is goingto do, how long he will be absent, when he will meet them again, etc. Itthus happens that, although a tribe may be dispersed all over their owndistrict in single groups, or some even visiting neighbouring tribes, yetif you meet with any one family they can at once tell you where you willfind any other, though the parties themselves may not have met for weeks. Some one or other is always moving about, and thus the news of eachother's locality gets rapidly spread among the rest. The principaloccupation, indeed, of parties when they meet, is to give and receiveinformation relative to neighbouring families or tribes. In cases ofsudden danger or emergency, the scattered groups are rapidly warned orcollected by sending young men as messengers, or by raising signal smokesin prominent positions. 

In an assembly of the tribe, matters of importance are generallydiscussed and decided upon, by the elder men, apart from the others. Itnot unfrequently happens, however, that some discontented individual willloudly and violently harangue the whole tribe; this usually occurs in theevening, and frequently continues for hours together; his object beinggenerally either to reverse some decision that has been come to, toexcite them to something they are unwilling to do, or to abuse some onewho is absent. Occasionally he is replied to by others, but morefrequently allowed uninterruptedly to wear himself out, when from sheerexhaustion he is compelled to sit down. 

Occasionally the tribe is addressed by its most influential members inthe language of admonition or advice, and though at such times a loudtone and strong expressions are made use of, there is rarely any thingamounting to an order or command; the subject is explained, reasons aregiven for what is advanced, and the result of an opposite course to thatsuggested, fully pointed out; after this the various members are left toform their own judgments, and to act as they think proper. 

In their domestic relations with one another polygamy is practised in itsfullest extent. An old man having usually from one to four wives, or asmany as he can procure. 

The females, and especially the young ones are kept principally among theold men, who barter away their daughters, sisters, or nieces, in exchangefor wives for themselves or their sons. Wives are considered the absoluteproperty of the husband, and can be given away, or exchanged, or lent, according to his caprice. A husband is denominated in the Adelaidedialect, Yongarra, Martanya (the owner or proprietor of a wife). Femalechildren are betrothed usually from early infancy, and such arrangementsare usually adhered to; still in many cases circumstances occurfrequently to cause an alteration; but if not, the girls generally go tolive with their husbands about the age of twelve, and sometimes evenbefore that. Relatives nearer than cousins are not allowed to marry, andthis alliance does not generally take place. Female orphans belong to thenearest male relative, as also does a widow, instead of to the nearestmale relative of the husband, as was found to be the case in WesternAustralia by Captain Grey. Two or three months generally elapse beforethe widow goes to another husband; but if the wife dies, the man takesanother as soon as he can get one. If a woman, having young children, join another tribe, the children go with her; but I am not aware whetherthey would remain permanently attached to that tribe or not. Brothersoften barter their sisters for wives for themselves, but it can only bedone with the parents' consent, or after their death. If a wife bestolen, war is always continued until she is given up, or another femalein her place. 

There is no ceremony connected with the undertaking of marriage. In thosecases where I have witnessed the giving away of a wife, the woman wassimply ordered by the nearest male relative in whose disposal she was, totake up her "rocko, " the bag in which a female carries the effects of herhusband, and go to the man's camp to whom she had been given. Marriage isnot looked upon as any pledge of chastity, indeed no such virtue isrecognised. 

[Note 76: Foeminae sese per totam pene vitam prostituunt. Apud plurimastribus juventutem utriusque sexus sine discrimine concumbere in usus est. Si juvenis forte indigenorum coetum quendam in castris manentem adveniatubi quaevis sit puella innupta, mos est; nocte veniente et cubantibusomnibus, illam ex loco exsurgere et juvenem accedentem cum illo pernoctem manere unde in sedem propriam ante diem redit. Cui foemina sit, eam amicis libenter praebet; si in itinere sit, uxori in castris manentialiquis ejus supplet ille vires. Advenis ex longinquo accedentibusfoeminas ad tempus dare hospitis esse boni judicatur. Viduis et foeminisjam senescentibus saepe in id traditis, quandoque etiam invitis etinsciis cognatis, adolescentes utuntur. Puellae tenerae a decimo primumanno, et pueri a decimo tertio vel quarto, inter se miscentur. Senioribusmos est, si forte gentium plurium castra appropinquant, viros noctu huicinde transeuntes, uxoribus alienis uti et in sua castra ex utraque partemane redire. Temporis quinetiam certis, machina quaedam ex ligno ad formamovi facta, sacra et mystica, uam foeminas aspicere haud licitam, decemplus minus uncias longa et circa quatuor lata insculpta ac figurisdiversis ornata, et ultimam perforata partem ad longam (plerumque ecrinibus humanis textam) inscrendam chordam cui nomen "Mooyumkarr, " extracastra in gyrum versata, stridore magno e percusso aere facto, libertatemcoeundi juventuti esse tum concessam omnibus indicat. Parentes saepeinfantum, viri uxorum quaestum corporum faciunt. In urbe Adelaide panispraemio parvi aut paucorum denariorum meretrices fieri eas libentercogunt. Facile potest intelligi, amorem inter nuptos vix posse essegrandem, quum omnia quae ad foeminas attinent, hominum arbitrioordinentur et tanta sexuum societati laxitas, et adolescentes quibus itamultae ardoris explendi dantur occasiones, haud magnopere uxores, nisi utservas desideraturos. 

But little real affection consequently exists between husbands and wives, and young men value a wife principally for her services as a slave; infact when asked why they are anxious to obtain wives, their usual replyis, that they may get wood, water, and food for them, and carry whateverproperty they possess. In 1842 the wife of a native in Adelaide, a girlabout eighteen, was confined, and recovered slowly; before she was wellthe tribe removed from the locality, and the husband preferredaccompanying them, and left his wife to die, instead of remaining toattend upon her and administer to her wants. When the natives were gone, the girl was removed to the mission station, to receive medicalattendance, but eventually died. In the same year an old woman who brokeher thigh was left to die, as the tribe did not like the trouble ofcarrying her about. Parents are treated in the same manner when helplessand infirm. [Note 77 at end of para. ] In 1839 I found an aged manleft to die, without fire or food, upon a high bare hill beyond theBroughton. In 1843 I found two old women, who had been abandoned inthe same way, at the Murray, and although they were taken every careof when discovered, they both died in about a week afterwards. No ageis prescribed for matrimony, but young men under twenty-five yearsof age do not often obtain wives, there are exceptions, however, to this: I have seen occasionally young men of seventeen or eighteenpossessing them. When wives are from thirty-five to forty years of age, they are frequently cast off by the husbands, or are given to theyounger men in exchange for their sisters or near relatives, if such areat their disposal. 

[Note 77: "Practised by the American Indians. "--Catlin, vol. I. P. 216. 

"The early life of a young woman at all celebrated for beauty is generallyone continued series of captivity to different masters, of ghastly wounds, of wanderings in strange families, of rapid flights, of bad treatment fromother females amongst whom she is brought a stranger by her captor; andrarely do you see a form of unusual grace and elegance, but it is markedand scarred by the furrows of old wounds; and many a female thus wandersseveral hundred miles from the home of her infancy, being carried offsuccessively to distant and more distant points. "]

Women are often sadly ill-treated by their husbands or friends, inaddition to the dreadful life of drudgery, and privation, and hardshipthey always have to undergo; they are frequently beaten about the head, with waddies, in the most dreadful manner, or speared in the limbs forthe most trivial offences. No one takes the part of the weak or theinjured, or ever attempts to interfere with the infliction of such severepunishments. 

Few women will be found, upon examination, to be free from frightfulscars upon the head, or the marks of spear-wounds about the body. I haveseen a young woman, who, from the number of these marks, appeared to havebeen almost riddled with spear wounds. Upon this point Captain Greyremarks, vol. Ii. P. 249. 

The menses commence to flow among the native females at an earlier agethan among Europeans, frequently beginning at about twelve; they are alsosubject to many irregularities in their periodical return, arisingprobably from the kind of life they lead and the nature of the diet uponwhich they live. I have known cases where this irregularity has extendedto three months. Child-bearing does not commence often before the age ofsixteen, nor have I ever noticed pregnant women under that age. Ininquiries conducted by Mr. Moorhouse among the natives of Adelaide, thatgentleman ascertained, that as many as nine children have occasionallybeen born to one woman; that the average number is about five; but thateach mother only reared an average of two. At childbirth, the placenta, which is considered as sacred, is carefully put away from the reach ofthe dogs as soon as thrown off from the uterus, and the female is up andfollowing her usual avocations a very few hours after the accouchement. Instances have occurred of women sitting up, and asking for food an hourafter confinement, though wet with rain, and having very little fire. Twodays after it, I have seen a woman walking two or three miles, and goingout to look for food in her usual manner. Infanticide is very common, andappears to be practised solely to get rid of the trouble of rearingchildren, and to enable the woman to follow her husband about in hiswanderings, which she frequently could not do if encumbered with a child. The first three or four are often killed; no distinction appears to bemade in this case between male or female children. Half-castes appear tobe always destroyed. 

The nomenclature of the natives is a subject of considerable difficulty, and is at present involved in much obscurity and uncertainty, so manydifferent practices obtaining, and so many changes of name occurring tosome individuals during the course of their life. In the Adelaidedistrict, and among the tribes to the north, Mr. Moorhouse has found thatnumerical names are given to children when first born, in the order ofbirth, a variation in the termination constituting the distinction ofname for male or female, thus:--

 IF MALE. IF FEMALE. The 1st child would be called Kertameru Kertanya2nd child would be called Warritya Warriarto3rd child would be called Kudnutya Kudnarto4th child would be called Monaitya Monarto5th child would be called Milaitya Milarto6th child would be called Marrutya Marruarto7th child would be called Wangutya Wangwarto8th child would be called Ngarlaitya Ngarlarto9th child would be called Pouarna Ngarlarto

These are given at birth; but a short time after another name is added, which is derived from some object in nature, as a plant, animal, orinsect. This name continues until after marriage and the birth of thefirst child, upon which the father takes the name of this child, and hasthe word binna or spinna, (an adult, ) affixed, as Kadli; name of a child, Kadlitpinna, the father of Kadli; the mother is called Kadli ngangki, ormother of Kadli, from ngangki, a female or woman. The names of the fatherand mother are changed at the birth of every child in the same manner. 

At Moorunde, and among many other tribes, I have not found any numericalnames to be given at birth, the first name usually being that derivedfrom some object in nature. This is occasionally changed after marriageand the birth of a child; as among the Adelaide or northern natives, thefather taking the name of the child with the affix of imbe or nimbe(implying father), as Kartul, a child's name, Kartulnimbe the father ofKartul, Memparne, a child's name, Memparnimbe the father of Memparne. This paidronymic is not, however, always adhered to in preference to theoriginal name; thus Memparnimbe is as often called by his former name ofTenberry as his paidronymic; he is also called occasionally Worrammo, from his being left-handed. Neither have I found the name of the parentchange at the birth of every child; thus Memparnimbe has other children, younger than Memparne, as Warrulan, Timarro, etc. Yet he is never calledWarrulanimbe, Timarronimbe, etc. The mother's name, similarly to that ofthe father, is also occasionally altered to that of the child, with theaffix of arwer, or emarwer, as Kartulemarwer, the mother of Kartul, Memparnemarwer, the mother of Memparne, yet is the original name of themother as often used as the paidronymic. Old men are frequently called bythe name of the place which belongs to them, with the affix of bookolathus Mooroondooyo Bookola is the old man who owns Mooroonde, etc. 

At other times nicknames are given to natives, and so generally made useof by the others that the proper or original name becomes almost lost. Thus a native named Marloo, from a habit he had of looking about him andsaying, "I see, I see, " is called Nairkinimbe, or the father of seeing. Another named Ngalle-ngalle is called Eukonimbe, the father of eukodko, from his being very fond of the crayfish of that name, and so on. Otherlocal appellations are given referring to some peculiarity of personalappearance, Parn-gang-gapko, the baldheaded, Towang Makkeroo, thebroken-thighed, etc. Others again refer to family bereavements, as Rooptootarap, a father without children, Parntomakker, a childless mother, Parnko, an orphan, Wirrang, one who has lost a brother, Rockootarap, onewhose wife is dead, Thaltarlpipke, an unmarried man, Rartchilock, one whoowns a wife, Rang, a widow, Waukerow, an unmarried woman, etc. These areall distinctions, which though readily discoverable by a person tolerablywell versed in the dialect, or long resident among the same natives, present many difficulties, and lead to many mistakes, amongst casualinquirers, or those whose pursuits do not keep them long at the place oftheir inquiries. There are others which are still more difficult to beunderstood, from the almost utter impossibility of learning (with anyreasonable sacrifice of time) the language with sufficient accuracy toenable the inquirer thoroughly to comprehend the meanings of the propernames, and deduce the roots from which they are derived. 

Even among the Adelaide tribes, where there appears to be a greateruniformity in the system of nomenclature than I have met with any whereelse, and where Mr. Moorhouse has devoted more time and attention to thesubject than perhaps any other person, there are still difficulties anduncertainties. Thus an Adelaide boy about the age of ten, is called bythe name of Koar (the crow), from early infancy, but between ten andtwelve, after undergoing one of their ceremonies, the name was changed toMannara, (which I believe means the crow's nest). According, however, tothe usual system adopted, this boy's name ought to have remained Koar, until, by becoming a married man and a father, it gave way to apaidronymic. 

There is another subject somewhat analogous to that of nomenclature, andabout which still less is known;--that of every native adopting someobject in creation as his crest, or tiende. The same thing is noticed byCaptain Grey in his narrative (vol. Ii. P. 228). 

"But as each family adopts some animal or vegetable, as their crest orsign, or KOBONG as they call it, I imagine it more likely, that thesehave been named after the families, than that the families have beennamed after them. 

"A certain mysterious connection exists between a family and its KOBONG, so that a member of a family will never kill an animal of the species, towhich his KOBONG belongs, should he find it asleep; indeed, he alwayskills it reluctantly, and never without affording it a chance to escape. This arises from the family belief, that some one individual of thespecies is their nearest friend, to kill whom would be a great crime, andto be carefully avoided. Similarly, a native who has a vegetable for hisKOBONG, may not gather it under certain circumstances, and at aparticular period of the year. "

From the foregoing quotation, it is apparent that very little differenceexists in the custom as practised in Western and Southern Australia. Inthe former, however, there appears to be an unwillingness to destroy theobject represented by the kobong or tiende that I have never observed inthe latter. But very little appears to be known on this subject atpresent, as far as regards the reason for assuming the tiende, or itsconnection with the individual or family it may represent. The sametiende seems to descend from a father to his children; but I have beentold occasionally of instances where such has not been the case. Thereare several striking differences between the customs and habits of theAborigines of Western Australia, narrated by Captain Grey, and those inforce among the tribes I have myself been best acquainted with inSouthern or South-eastern Australia. One singular peculiarity isdescribed by Captain Grey. 

"One of the most remarkable facts connected with the natives, is thatthey are divided into certain great families, all the members of whichbear the same names, as a family or second name: the principal branchesof these families, so far as I have been able to ascertain, are the

 Ballaroke Tdondarup Ngotak Nagarnook Nogonyuk Mongalung Narrangur. 

"But in different districts the members of these families give a localname to the one to which they belong, which is understood in thatdistrict, to indicate some particular branch of the principal family. Themost common local names are, Didaroke Gwerrinjoke Maleoke Waddaroke Djekoke Kotejumeno Namyungo Yungaree. 

"These family names are common over a great portion of the continent; forinstance, on the Western coast, in a tract of country extending betweenfour and five hundred miles in latitude, members of all these familiesare found. In South Australia, I met a man who said that he belonged toone of them, and Captain Flinders mentions Yungaree, as the name of anative in the Gulf of Carpentaria. 

"These family names are perpetuated, and spread through the country, bythe operation of two remarkable laws:--

"1st. That children of either sex, always take the family name of theirmother. 

"2nd. That a man cannot marry a woman of his own family name. "

From this it appears that the natives of that part of the country have inaddition to their other ordinary names a family or surname, which isperpetuated through successive generations on the mother's side. This isnot the case as far as my observations and inquiries have enabled me toascertain among the numerous tribes frequenting the Murray river, and Mr. Moorhouse assures me that he has been equally unable to detect anycoincidence of the kind among the tribes frequenting the district ofAdelaide. 

The division, numbers, and names of the various tribes are also subjectsof difficulty and uncertainty. As far as my researches have yet extendedupon this point, it appears to me, first, that groups of natives have adistinctive or a local appellation, derived from the particular placethey belong to, as Barmerara maru, the natives frequenting the lakecalled Barmera: Moolyoolpero maru, the natives frequenting the lagooncalled Moolyoolko, and so on. Secondly, a general or tribal name, asNarwijjerook, a native of the tribe so called, which includes the nativesof Barmera and various others in that neighbourhood. Karn-brickolenbola, a native of the tribe so called, and which includes various groups aroundMooroonde. Thirdly, it appears that wherever a change occurs in the nameof the tribes to which contiguous groups of natives may belong, there isa corresponding change in the dialect or language spoken; thus theNarwij-jerook speak a dialect called Narwijjong, the Karn-brickolenbolatribe the Aiawong dialect, and so on. 

In many of these dialects there appears to be little more difference thanexists among the counties in England. Such is the case up the course ofthe Murray from Lake Alexandrina to the Darling; and such Captain Greyfound to be the case throughout a great part of Western Australia. Inothers the dialects are so totally unlike one another, that natives, meeting upon opposite sides of a river, cannot speak to or understand aword of what each other say, except through the medium of a thirdlanguage, namely that spoken by the natives of the river itself, andwhich is totally unlike either of the other two. 

This is the case at Moorunde, where three different dialects meet, theYakkumban, or dialect spoken by the Paritke tribe, or natives inhabitingthe scrub to the west and north-west of the Murray. TheBoraipar or language of the Arkatko tribe, whoinhabit the scrub to the east of the Murray, and the Aiawong or riverdialect, extending, with slight variations, from the junction of theMurray and Lake Alexandrina to the Darling. 

Chapter V. 

CEREMONIES AND SUPERSTITIONS--FORMS OF BURIAL--MOURNING CUSTOMS--RELIGIOUSIDEAS--EMPIRICS, ETC. 

The ceremonies and superstitions of the natives are both numerous andinvolved in much obscurity; indeed it is very questionable if any of themare understood even by themselves. Almost all the tribes imposeinitiatory rites upon the young, through which they must pass from onestage of life to another, until admitted to the privileges and rights ofmanhood. These observances differ greatly in different parts of thecontinent, independently of local or distinctive variations indicative ofthe tribe to which a native may belong. 

Thus at the Gulf of Carpentaria, the rite of circumcision is performed;at Swan River, King George's Sound, and nearly three hundred miles to theeastward of the latter place, no such rite exists. Round the head of theGreat Australian Bight, and throughout the Port Lincoln Peninsula, notonly is this rite performed, but a still more extraordinary one conjoinedwith it. [Note 78: "Finditur usque ad urethram a parte inferaa penis. "]Descending the east side of Spencer's and St. Vincent's Gulf, andaround the district of Adelaide, the simple rite of circumcision isretained. Proceeding but a little farther to the banks of the Murray, andits neighbourhood, no such ceremony exists, nor have I ever heard of itshaving been observed any where on the southeastern, or eastern parts ofthe continent. 

So also with respect to tattooing; in one part of the continent it isadopted, in another it is rejected; when it is practised, there are manyvarieties in the form, number, or arrangement of the scars, distinguishing the different tribes, so that one stranger meeting withanother any where in the woods, can at once tell, from the manner inwhich he is tattooed, the country and tribe to which he belongs, if notvery remote. In the Adelaide district, Mr. Moorhouse has observed, thatthere are five stages to be passed through, before the native attains therank of a bourka, or full grown man. The first is, that from birth to thetenth year, when he is initiated into the second, or Wilya kundarti, bybeing covered with blood, drawn from the arm of an adult; he is thenallowed to carry a wirri for killing birds, and a small wooden spade(karko) for digging grubs out of the ground. At from twelve to fourteen, the third stage is entered, by having the ceremony of circumcisionperformed, which takes place in the following manner. Early in themorning, the boys to be circumcised are seized from behind, and a bandageis fastened over the eyes of each; they are then led away from thepresence of the women and children to a distance of half a mile, whenthey are laid on the ground, and covered with a cloak, or skin, so as notto see what is passing amongst the adults, who proceed with the ceremony. Three of them now commence limping, and making a peculiar groaning noise, until they arrive opposite one of the boys, upon whom they seize. Theindividual laid hold of, jumps up, and runs off at full speed, as if heintended to escape; the three, before occupied in limping and groaning, run with him to prevent this, and after three or four races, all four runover the place where the boys are covered up, and the boy, who had beentrying to escape, is caught, and laid down near the other boys, andcovered with dust. He is now supposed to be in a state of enchantment, from which he is aroused by being lifted up by the ears, at the same timethat loud noises are made into them. All the men now, except the sick, form themselves into a circle, and keep walking round in single file, thefirst individual having a katto, or long stick held down his back. Aftera few circles this is given to another; a short rest is taken, and thenthe whole party rise, except the sick, the inspired men, or sorcerers, and those upon whom the operation is to be performed, and proceed to ashort distance, the man with the katto down his back leading. Whenassembled, they form into a line, and at word of command commence thepeculiar stamping and groaning, beginning at the far end of the line, andgradually advancing towards the other. During several rounds of thisnoise, they advance at each, a little nearer to the boys, who when theyare very near, have their eyes uncovered that they may see the menapproaching. The first man who held the katto, fastens it in the ground, and all the others coming up, take hold of it, and fall down into a heap. The boys are then thrown upon the heap of men, and the operation isperformed by men who are supposed to be inspired, or sorcerers. Immediately after the operation, the boys are taken away from thepresence of all females, and kept upon a vegetable diet until recoveredfrom its effects. The head is covered with grease, and red ochre, with abandage passed round it, and is ornamented with tufts of feathers. TheYudna, or pubic covering, is worn by the circumcised for some monthsafter the operation. 

The fourth stage (Wilyaru) is entered about the age of twenty, when theback, shoulders, arms and chest, are tattooed. He is called ngulte, atthe time of the operation; yellambambettu, when the incisions have begunto discharge pus; tarkange, when the sores are just healed; mangkauitya, at the time the cuts begin to rise; and bartamu, when the scars are attheir highest elevation. Each tribe has a distinctive mode of makingtheir incisions. Some have scars running completely across the chest, from one axillar to the other, whilst others have merely dotted lines;some have circles and semicircles formed on the apex of the shoulder, others small dots only. 

The fifth stage is bourka or full man, and is only attained when theindividual is getting grey-headed. 

Among the Murray natives and contiguous tribes, instead of the rite ofcircumcision, a ceremony called wharepin, is performed upon youths fromfourteen to sixteen. Early in the morning some of the male friends of theboy about to be operated upon, go behind him to seize him, upon which hesets off running as hard as he can, as if to escape; but being followedby his pursuers is soon captured and thrown down; he is then raised upand surrounded by several natives, who hold him and smear him from headto foot, with red ochre and grease; during this part of the ceremony, aband of elderly women, generally the mother and other near relatives, surround the group, crying or lamenting, and lacerating their thighs andbacks with shells or flints, until the blood streams down. When wellochred all over, the novice is led away by another native, apart from therest of the tribe, or if there are more than one, they stand togetherlinked hand in hand, and when tired sit down upon bunches of green boughsbrought for that purpose, for they are neither allowed to sit on theground, nor to have any clothing on; and when they move about they alwayscarry a bunch of green boughs in each hand. 

They are now ready for the ceremony, which is usually performed byinfluential natives of distant tribes, and which generally takes place atthe meetings of these tribes, as in the case of the meeting of theMoorunde natives, and the Nar-wij-jerook tribe described in ChapterII. P. 220. On that occasion, there were three Moorunde natives to beoperated upon. As soon as the ceremonial of the meeting of the tribes hadbeen gone through, as already described, the Nar-wij-jerook nativesretired about a hundred yards, and sat down on the ground, the Moorundepeople remaining standing. The three spears which had little netsattached to them, and which had been brought down by the Nar-wij-jerooks, were now advanced in front of that tribe, still seated and stuck in a rowin the ground. Three men then got up and seated themselves at the foot ofthe three spears, with their legs crossed. Two other natives then wentover to the Moorunde people, to where the three novices stood shaking andtrembling, like criminals waiting for their punishment, seizing them bythe legs and shoulders, and carefully lifting them from the ground, theycarried each in turn, and laid them on their backs at full length upongreen boughs, spread upon the ground in front of the three men sitting bythe spears, so that the head of each rested on the lap of one of thethree. From the moment of their being seized, they resolutely closedtheir eyes, and pretended to be in a deep trance until the whole wasover. When all three novices had been laid in their proper position, cloaks were thrown over them, but leaving the face exposed, and aNar-wij-jerook coming to the side of each, carefully lifted up a portionof the covering and commenced plucking the hair from the pubes. Atintervals, the operators were relieved by others of both sexes, and ofvarious ages; little children under ten, were sometimes but notfrequently officiating. When all the hair had been pulled out, thatbelonging to each native was carefully rolled up in green boughs, thethree lots being put together, and given to one of the wise or inspiredmen to be put properly away; bunches of green boughs were now placedunder each arm of the boys as also in their hands, after which severalnatives took hold of them, and raised them suddenly and simultaneously totheir feet, whilst a loud gutteral Whaugh was uttered by the othernatives around. They were then disenchanted and the ceremony was over, but for some time afterwards, the initiated are obliged to sleep awayfrom the camp, and are not allowed to see the women; their heads andbodies are kept smeared with red ochre and grease, and tufts of feathersand kangaroo teeth are worn tied to the hair in front. One of the mostsingular circumstances connected with this ceremony, is that the nativeswho have officiated never afterwards mention the name of the young men, nor do the latter ever mention the names of the individuals who haveoperated upon them; should the name of either be accidentally mentionedin the presence of the other, they are greatly annoyed, and at once putthe hand up to the mouth to signify that it must not be spoken. It isthus often very difficult to find out the names of particular natives, and strangers would make many mistakes, imagining that they were puttingdown the name, when in reality they were marking some phrase, signifyingthat his name could not be mentioned by the one applied to. They have noobjection to meet each other after the ceremony, nor do they declinespeaking, but there is this peculiarity in their conduct that if onegives food, or any thing else to the other, it is either laid on theground for him to take, or is given through the intervention of a thirdperson, in the gentlest and mildest manner possible, whereas to anothernative it would be jerked, perhaps much in the same way that a bone isthrown to a dog. There are other instances in which the names of nativesare never allowed to be spoken, as those of a father or mother-in-law, ofa son-in-law and some cases arising from a connection with each other'swives. In speaking, therefore, of one another, or introducing persons todistant natives, a very round about way of describing them has often tobe adopted, yet so intimately are neighbouring tribes acquainted with thepeculiar relations subsisting between the members of each, that there israrely any difficulty in comprehending who the individual is that isalluded to. Among the Adelaide tribes, there is no circumstance but deaththat makes them unwilling to mention the name of any of theiracquaintances, and this cause of unwillingness I believe extends equallyall over the continent. 

The ceremony of tattooing is practised among the tribes of the Murray andits neighbourhood with great circumstantial variety. Some are tattooedall over the back or breast in rows, some only one half of each or ofone, some are only dotted, others have rings or semicircles round theupper part of the arms and some are tattooed on the belly, etc. 

Many tribes I have met with in different parts of Australia, have notattooing at all, others are marked on the breast by singular lookingscars, occupying a space of six or eight inches each way upon the chest, these are called "renditch" in the Murray dialect, and are made by fire;but I have never been able to obtain any satisfactory informationrespecting them. These scars are confined to particular tribes whom Ihave only met with occasionally, and for a period which did not allow methe opportunity of making much inquiry into their origin. 

At Encounter Bay, instead of plucking out the hair of the pubes, theincipient beard is pulled out by the roots, and the youth, as at theMurray, is smeared from head to foot with red ochre and grease. 

Among the females the only ceremony of importance that I am aware of isthat of tattooing the back, a long and very painful operation. [Note 79 atend of para. ] The method of performing the operation is as follows:the person whose back is to be tattooed is taken out early in themorning and squatted on the ground with her back towards the operator(always a male), and her head bent down between the knees of a strongold woman who is sitting on the ground for that purpose; the back isthus presented in the best position to the operator, and the girl, as long as her head is kept firmly in its position, cannot possiblyarise until all is over. The man who performs the ceremony thencommences by taking hold of a fold of the flesh on the girl's right side, just above the breech, with his left hand, whilst with his right heholds a piece of flint or shell, and cuts perpendicular gashes an inchlong, three-sixteenths of an inch deep, and about half an inch apart, in horizontal lines from right to left quite across the back, the rowsbeing half an inch or three-quarters distant from each other. 

[Note 79: Hoc plerumque menstruis jam primum venientibus factum est:saepe autem puellis propter timorem statum suam celantibus, aut aliquaalia ex causa, opus quod tempore menstruali fieri prorsus necessarium est, in proxima differtur. ]

This is carried up the whole way from where he commences to theshoulders, and when freshly done, presents one of the most dreadfulspectacles imaginable, the blood gushes out in torrents, and thoughfrequently wiped away with grass by some of the women present, isscarcely removed before the crimson stream flows as profusely as ever. During the time of the ceremony the mother and other female relationslament and mourn, whilst they lacerate their bodies with shells. When theincisions are all made, grass or boughs are warmed at the fire, to wipeoff the blood. The whole scene is most revolting and disgusting; theground near where the poor creature sits is saturated with blood, and thewhole back is one mass of coagulated gore. In one case, where I saw thisoperation performed upon a girl belonging to the Paritke tribe, sheseemed to suffer much pain. At first, until nearly a row of scars hadbeen made across the lower part of the back, she bore the operation well, but as it proceeded, her cries were piteous and unceasing, and before itwas concluded, they became the most heart-rending screams of agony. Fromthe position in which she was held, however, by the old woman on theground (and who, by the way, was her mother, ) it was impossible for herto stir or escape; indeed, had she attempted it, she would probably havebeen most cruelly beaten in addition. 

The ceremony occupied three-quarters of an hour, but it was two hoursbefore the wounds had ceased to bleed, and even then, the dried blood wasnot washed off. Two kangaroo teeth, and a tuft of emu feathers were tiedto the girl's hair, and she was smeared over with grease and red ochre, but was still forbidden to touch food until the morning. 

Many weeks elapse before the wounds heal, and the inconveniencesattending them are removed. 

In another case that I saw, the girl bore the operation most stoically, until about two-thirds over, when she could stand it no longer, butscreaming out in agony, applied her teeth and nails with such good effectto the thighs of the old lady who held her down, that the latter wascompelled to release her grasp, and the poor girl got up, vowing shewould not have another incision made. Of course all resistance would havebeen futile, or probably have only brought down a fearful chastisementupon her if she had been alone with her tribe in the bush; but she tookadvantage of my presence, and escaped with nearly one-third of theincisions deficient. At this ceremony many other natives of both sexes, and of all ages were standing looking on; but so little did theycommiserate the poor creature's sufferings, that the degree of her painonly seemed to be the measure of their laughter and merriment. 

The girls, however, are always anxious to have this ceremony performed, as a well tattooed back is considered a great addition to their othercharms, and whenever I have offered to protect them from the cruelty oftheir tribe for refusing to submit to it, they have invariably preferredsubmitting to the operation. 

The only other ceremonies undergone by the females, are those of havingthe belly or arms tattooed, and of having the hair plucked from the pubesafter the death of a child, and sometimes from other causes. 

In the mode of disposing of the dead, and the ceremonials attending it, there is a difference in almost every tribe. Among the Adelaide nativesas soon as a person dies, a loud wailing cry is raised by the relationsand friends. The body is immediately wrapped up in the skin or clothingworn during life, and in the course of a day or two, it is placed uponthe wirkatti or bier, which is made of branches crossed so as to form theradii of a circle, an examination is then entered upon as to the cause ofdeath, in the following manner. The bier is carried upon the shoulders offive or six persons, over places where the deceased had been living;whilst this is going on, a person is placed under the bier, professedlyin conversation with the deceased. He asks, what person killed you? Ifthe corpse say no one, the inquest ceases; but if it states that someperson has, the bier moves round, the corpse is said to produce themotion, influenced by kuingo (a fabulous personification of death). Ifthe alleged murderer be present, the bier is carried round by thisinfluence, and one of the branches made to touch him. Upon this a battleis sure to ensue either immediately, or in the course of a day or two. 

At the time of burial the body is removed from the bier, and deposited, with the head to the west, in a grave from four to six feet deep. Children under four years are not buried for some months after death. They are carefully wrapped up, carried upon the back of the mother byday, and used as a pillow by night, until they become quite dry andmummy-like, after which they are buried, but the ceremony is not known toMr. Moorhouse. 

In the Encounter Bay neighbourhood, four modes of disposing of the deadobtain, according to Mr. Meyer:--old persons are buried; middle-agedpersons are placed in a tree, the hands and knees being brought nearly tothe chin, all the openings of the body, as mouth, nose, ears, etc. Beingpreviously sewn up, and the corpse covered with mats, pieces of oldcloth, nets, etc. The corpse being placed in the tree, a fire is madeunderneath, around which the friends and relatives of the deceased sit, and make lamentations. In this situation the body remains, unless removedby some hostile tribe, until the flesh is completely wasted away, afterwhich the skull is taken by the nearest relative for a drinking cup. 

The third mode is to place the corpse in a sitting posture, without anycovering, the face being turned to the eastward, until dried by the sun, after which it is placed in a tree. This mode is adopted with those towhose memory it is intended to shew some respect. The fourth method is toburn the body; but this is only practised in the case of still-bornchildren, or such as die shortly after birth. 

Another method practised upon Lake Alexandrina, is to construct aplatform [Note 80 at end of para. ], or bier upon high poles of pine, put upright in the ground upon which the body is placed, bandages beingfirst put round the forehead, and over the eyes, and tied behind. A boneis stuck through the nose, the fingers are folded in the palm of the hand, and the fist is tied with nets, the ends of which are fastened about ayard from the hands; the legs are put crossing each other. 

[Note 80: "They often deposit their dead on trees and on scaffolds. "--Catlin's AMERICAN INDIANS, vol. Ii. P. 10--vide also vol. I. P. 89]

The lamentations are raised by the natives around, fires are made below, so that the smoke may ascend over the corpse, and the mourners usuallyremain encamped about the place for a great length of time, or until thebody is thoroughly dry, after which they leave it. Mr. Schurman says, "AtPort Lincoln, after the body is put in a grave, and a little earth isthrown on it; the natives place a number of sticks across its mouth, overwhich they spread grass or bushes to prevent the remaining earth fromfalling down, so that an empty space of about three feet in depth is leftbetween the body and the top earth. "

At the Flinders river (Gulf of Carpentaria), Captain Stokes observes, "Atthe upper part of Flinders river, a corpse was found lodged in thebranches of a tree, some twenty feet high from the ground; it had threecoverings, first, one of bark, then a net, and outside of all a layer ofsticks. "

On the Murray river, and among the contiguous tribes, many differencesoccur in the forms of burial adopted by the various tribes. Still-bornchildren are buried immediately. Infants not weaned are carried about bythe mother for some months, well wrapped up, and when thoroughly dry, areput into nets or bags, and deposited in the hollows of trees, or buried. Children and young people are buried as soon as practicable after death, and a spearing match generally ensues. 

Old people are also buried without unnecessary delay. I have even seen aman in the prime of life all ready placed upon the bier before he wasdead, and the mourners and others waiting to convey him to his long home, as soon as the breath departed. 

In the case of a middle-aged, or an old man, the spearing and fightingcontingent upon a death is always greater than for younger natives. Theburial rites in some tribes assimilate to those practised near Adelaide;in others I have witnessed the following ceremony:--The grave being dug, the body was laid out near it, on a triangular bier (birri), stretchedstraight on the back, enveloped in cloths and skins, rolled round andcorded close, and with the head to the eastward; around the bier weremany women, relations of the deceased, wailing and lamenting bitterly, and lacerating their thighs, backs, and breasts, with shells or flint, until the blood flowed copiously from the gashes. The males of the tribewere standing around in a circle, with their weapons in their hands, andthe stranger tribes near them, in a similar position, imparting to thewhole a solemn and military kind of appearance. After this had continuedfor some time, the male relatives closed in around the bier, the mourningwomen renewed their lamentations in a louder tone, and two male relativesstepped up to the bier, and stood across the body, one at the head, andone at the foot, facing each other. 

Having cut above the abdomen the strings binding the cloths which werewound round the body, they proceeded to cut a slit of about ten incheslong, through the swathing cloths above the belly; through this opening, they removed the arms, which appeared to have been crossed there, layingthem down by the sides, inside the wrappings (for no part was unwound);having warmed a handful of green boughs over a fire, they thrust them inthrough the opening in the cloths, upon the naked belly of the corpse;after a little while these were removed, and one of their sorcerers madean incision of about eight inches long in the abdomen. Having pulled outthe entrails and peritoneum, they were turned over, and carefullyexamined, whilst the women kept wailing and cutting [Note 81 at endof para. ] themselves more violently than before, and even the menthemselves lamented aloud. When this had been continued for some time, a portion of the omentum was cut off, wrapped in green leaves, and thenput carefully away in a bag. The entrails were now replaced, a handfulor two of green leaves thrust in above them, the cloths replaced, and thebody again bound up ready for interment. 

[Note 81: Also an American custom. --Catlin, vol. I. P. 90. Lacerating theflesh at death was expressly forbidden in the Jewish dispensation. It ispractised also in New Zealand. --Vide Dieffenbach. ]

A relative of the deceased now jumped up, with his weapons, violentlyexcited, and apparently with the intention of spearing some one; but hewas at once restrained by his friends, who informed me that theinvestigation had satisfied them that the man had not died through theagency of sorcery; if he had, it is imagined that a cicatrice would havebeen found upon the omentum. Two men now got into the grave, spread acloth in the bottom, and over that green boughs. Other natives turned thebier round, and lifting up the body, gave it to the two in the grave tolay in its proper position, which was quite horizontal, and with the headto the west [Note 82 at end of para. ], the grave being dug east and west:green boughs were now thrown thickly into it, and earth was pushed in bythe bystanders with their feet, until a mound had been raised some heightabove the ground. All was now over, and the natives began to disperse, upon which the wild and piercing wail of the mourners became redoubled. 

[Note 82: This appears to be a very general custom, and to be of Easternorigin. Catlin describes it as always being attended to at the disposalof the dead by the American Indians. In South Africa, however, Moffatstates (p. 307), "that the corpse is put exactly facing the north. "]

Upon the mounds, or tumuli, over the graves, huts of bark, or boughs, aregenerally erected to shelter the dead from the rain; they are alsofrequently wound round with netting. Many graves being usually in onevicinity, and an elevated dry place being selected, the cemeteries oftenpresent a picturesque appearance. Graves are frequently visited by thewomen at intervals, for some months, and at such times the wail isrenewed, and their bodies lacerated as at the interment. At Boga Lake, Isaw a grave with a very neat hut of reeds made over it, surmounted bynetting, and having a long curious serpentine double trench, of a fewinches deep, surrounding it; possibly it might have been the burial placeof the native mentioned by Major Mitchell, as having been shot by hisblack, Piper, at that lake. 

Nets, but not implements, are sometimes buried with the natives; nor dothe survivors ever like to use a net that has belonged to a man who isdead. 

There are not any ceremonies attending the burial of young children; andthe male relatives often neglect to attend at all, leaving it altogetherto the women. 

The natives have not much dread of going near to graves, and care littlefor keeping them in order, or preventing the bones of their friends frombeing scattered on the surface of the earth. 

I have frequently seen them handling them, or kicking them with the footwith great indifference. On one occasion when out with an old nativelooking for horses before it was daylight, I came to a grave of no veryold date, and where the boughs and bushes built over in the form of a hutwere still remaining undisturbed; the weather was extremely cold, and theold man did not hesitate to ask me to pull down the boughs to make afire, but would not do it himself. 

On another occasion when a poor old woman had been deserted by thenatives of Moorunde, and died a few days after being brought up to thestation, I had great difficulty in getting the other natives to bury her, they would on no account touch the body; but after digging a hole, theygot a long wiry branch of a tree, and one man taking hold of each endthey bent the middle round the old woman's neck, and thus dragged heralong the ground and threw her into the pit like a dog, all the timeviolently and continually spitting out in every direction to ward off, asthey said, the infection. 

[Note 83: "He tied a thong to her leg, avoiding the touch of that formwhich gave him birth, dragged the corpse to some bushes, and left thethong because it had been in contact with the body of his mother. "--Moffat's South Africa, p. 306. ]

Sometimes it happens that when a death occurs, the nearest grown up malerelative, whose duty it would be to take the principal part in theceremonies, or inflict punishment if evil agency is suspected to havecaused the death, may be absent. In this case he would have to dischargethese duties upon the first occasion of his meeting with the supposedaggressors. The following is an instance which I witnessed. 

A relative of Tenberry, one of the principal natives of the Murray, haddied when he was absent, and the son of the deceased was too young torevenge the sorcery which it was imagined had caused his father's death, it therefore became Tenberry's duty to do this upon the first occasionthat offered. I was with him when the parties first came into theneighbourhood, and I witnessed the proceedings. Notice having been sentby Tenberry the evening before, to warn them to be ready, I accompaniedhim early in the morning towards the encampment of the natives, situatedin a hollow near the water; when within about a hundred yards we saw fromthe rise all the natives seated below us in the valley. Tenberry nowhalted, and having taken a hasty survey of the group hung down his headupon his breast and raised a low mournful lamentation; after a time itceased, and the wail was at once replied to and continued by women'svoices in the camp: he now hastily went down to the camp still utteringhis lamentations, and the whole body rose at his approach, and formed alarge open circle around him. The natives who were supposed to havecaused the death of his friend, formed a part of the circle and werearmed with spears; behind them stood the orphan son of the deceased, probably in the light of an accuser; and behind the son were the widows, wailing and lamenting bitterly. 

After taking the centre of the circle, Tenberry called for a spear, butno one offered one, he therefore took a long one from a native in thering, who had evidently brought it for that purpose and yielded itunresistingly. Pacing with this weapon furiously up and down the circle, he advanced and retreated before the accused, brandishing the spear atthem, and alternately threatening and wailing. No one replied, but themelancholy dirge was still kept up by the widows in the rear. 

After sufficiently exciting himself in this manner for some time, headvanced with uplifted spear, and successively repeating his blowsspeared four or five persons among the accused natives in the left arm, each of them pushing forward his arm unflinchingly for the blow as headvanced upon them. Tenberry now again hung down his head and took up hislamentation for a short time, after which he paced about rapidly, vehemently haranguing, and violently gesticulating, and concluded byordering all the natives present to separate their camps, and each tribeto make their own apart. 

Mourning is performed by the men by cutting their beards [Note 84 at endof para. ] and hair, and daubing the head and breast with a white pigment;among the women, by cutting and burning the hair close off [Note 85 atend of para. ] to the head and plastering themselves with pipe-clay. In some cases, hot ashes are put upon the head to singe the hair toits very roots, and they then literally weep "in dust and ashes. " Amongsome of the Murray tribes, a mourning cap is worn by the women, made twoor three inches thick of carbonate of lime. It is moulded to the headwhen moist around a piece of net work; the weight is eight pounds anda half. (Pl. 1, fig. 17. )

[Note 84: The custom among the Australians of putting dust or ashes on thehead, of shaving the head, of clipping the beard, and of lacerating thebody at death or in sign of mourning, appears very similar tothe practices among the Israelites in the time of Moses. VideLeviticus xix. 27, 28; Leviticus xxi. 5; Jeremiah xiviii. 30, 31, 32;Revelations xviii. 19, etc. ]

[Note 85: The women among the American Indians also cut off the hairclose to the head as a sign of mourning. --Vide Catlin, vol. I. ]

The lamentations for the dead do not terminate with the burial;frequently they are renewed at intervals by the women, during late hoursof the night, or some hours before day-break in the morning. Piercinglyas those cries strike upon the traveller in the lonely woods, if raisedsuddenly, or very near him, yet mellowed by distance they are soothingand pleasing, awakening a train of thoughts and feelings, which, thoughsad and solemn, are yet such as the mind sometimes delights to indulgein. The names of the dead are never repeated by the natives amongthemselves, and it is a very difficult matter for a European to get themto break through this custom, nor will they do it in the presence ofother natives. In cases where the name of a native has been that of somebird or animal of almost daily recurrence, a new name is given to theobject, and adopted in the language of the tribe. Thus at Moorunde, afavourite son of the native Tenberry was called Torpool, or the Teal;upon the child's death the appellation of tilquaitch was given to theteal, and that of torpool altogether dropped among the Moorunde tribe. 

The natives of New Holland, as far as yet can be ascertained, have noreligious belief or ceremonies. A Deity, or great First Cause, can hardlybe said to be acknowledged, and certainly is not worshipped by thispeople, who ascribe the creation to very inefficient causes. They statethat some things called themselves into existence, and had the propertyof creating others. But upon all subjects of this nature their ideas areindistinct and indefinite, as they are not naturally a reasoning people, and by no means given to the investigation of causes or their effects;hence, if you inquire why they use such and such ceremonies, they reply, our fathers did so, and we do it; or why they believe so and so, ourfathers told us it was so. [Note 86 at end of para. ] They are not fond ofentering upon abstruse subjects, and when they are induced to do it, it ismore than possible, from our imperfect acquaintance with their language, and total ignorance of the character and bent of their thoughts upon suchpoints, that we are very likely to misunderstand and misrepresent theirreal opinions. It appears to me that different tribes give a differentaccount of their belief, but all generally so absurd, so vague, unsatisfactory, and contradictory, that it is impossible at presentto say with any certainty what they really believe, or whether theyhave any independent belief at all. Mr. Moorhouse, who has takengreat pains in his inquiries among the natives around Adelaide uponquestions of this nature, states that they believe in a Soul or Spirit(itpitukutya), separate and distinct altogether from the body, whichat death goes to the west, to a large pit, where the souls of all men go. When all are dead, the souls will return to their former place ofresidence, go to the graves of their forsaken bodies, and inquire, are these the bodies that we formerly inhabited? The bodies will reply, "we are not dead, but still living. " The souls and bodies will not bere-united; the former will live in trees during the day, and at nightalight on the ground, and eat grubs, lizards, frogs, and kangaroo rats, but not vegetable food of any description. The souls are never againto die, but will remain about the size of a boy eight years old. 

[Note 86: "For that practice, they are, as far as I could learn, unable togive any other reason than that of its being the custom of theirforefathers which they are therefore bound to follow. "--Burchell'sBichuana tribes, vol. Ii. P. 531. ]

The account given me by some of the natives of the Murray of the originof the creation, is, that there are four individuals living up among theclouds, called Nooreele, a father and his three male children, but thereis no mother. The father is all-powerful, and of benevolent character. Hemade the earth, trees, waters, etc. , gave names to every thing and place, placed the natives in their different districts, telling each tribe thatthey were to inhabit such and such localities, and were to speak such andsuch a language. It is said that he brought the natives originally fromsome place over the waters to the eastward. The Nooreele never die, andthe souls (ludko, literally a shadow) of dead natives will go up and jointhem in the skies, and will never die again. Other tribes of natives givean account of a serpent of immense size, and inhabiting high rockymountains, which, they say, produced creation by a blow of his tail. Buttheir ideas and descriptions are too incongruous and unintelligible todeduce any definite or connected story from them. 

All tribes of natives appear to dread evil spirits, having the appearanceof Blacks (called in the Murray dialect Tou, in that of Adelaide Kuinyo). They fly about at nights through the air, break down branches of trees, pass simultaneously from one place to another, and attack all nativesthat come in their way, dragging such as they can catch after them. Fire[Note 87 at end of para. ] appears to have considerable effect in keepingthese monsters away, and a native will rarely stir a yard by night, except in moonlight, without carrying a fire-stick. Under anycircumstances they do not like moving about in the dark, and it is withthe greatest difficulty that they are ever induced to go singly fromone station to another, a mile or two distant, after night-fall. Notwithstanding this dread of they don't know exactly what, the nativesdo not let their fears prevent them moving about after dark, if anyobject is to be gained, or if several of them are together. By moonlightthey are in the habit of travelling from one place to another, as well asof going out to hunt opossums. 

[Note 87: Fire is produced by the friction of two pieces of wood orstick--generally the dry flower-stem of the Xanthorrea. The natives, however, usually carry a lighted piece of wood about with them, and donot often let it go out. ]

Anything that is extraordinary or unusual, is a subject of great dread tothe natives: of this I had a singular instance at Moorunde. In March, 1843, I had a little boy living with me by his father's permission, whilst the old man went up the river with the other natives to hunt andfish. On the evening of the 2nd of March a large comet was visible to thewestward, and became brighter and more distinct every succeeding night. On the 5th I had a visit from the father of the little boy who was livingwith me, to demand his son; he had come down the river post haste forthat purpose, as soon as he saw the comet, which he assured me was theharbinger of all kinds of calamities, and more especially to the whitepeople. It was to overthrow Adelaide, destroy all Europeans and theirhouses, and then taking a course up the Murray, and past the Rufus, doirreparable damage to whatever or whoever came in its way. It was sent, he said, by the northern natives, who were powerful sorcerers, and torevenge the confinement of one of the principal men of their tribe, whowas then in Adelaide gaol, charged with assaulting a shepherd; and heurged me by all means to hurry off to town as quickly as I could, toprocure the man's release, so that if possible the evil might be averted. No explanation gave him the least satisfaction, he was in such a state ofapprehension and excitement, and he finally marched off with the littleboy, saying, that although by no means safe even with him, yet he wouldbe in less danger than if left with me. 

All natives of Australia believe in sorcery and witchcraft on the part ofcertain of their own tribe, or of others. To enable them to becomesorcerers, certain rites must be undergone, which vary among thedifferent tribes. Around Adelaide they have at one period to eat theflesh of young children, and at another that of an old man, but it doesnot appear that they partake more than once in their life of each kind. When initiated, these men possess extensive powers, they can cure orcause diseases, can produce or dissipate rain [Note 88 at end of para. ], wind, hail, thunder, etc. They have many sacred implements or relics, which are for the most part carefully kept concealed from the eyes of all, but especially from the women, such as, pieces of rock crystal, said tohave been extracted by them from individuals who were suffering underthe withering influence of some hostile sorcerers; the pringurru, a sacredpiece of bone (used sometimes for bleeding), etc. The latter, if burnedto ashes in the fire, possesses mortiferous influence over enemies. If two tribes are at war, and one of either happens to fall sick, it isbelieved that the sickness has been produced by a sorcerer of the oppositetribe, and should the pringurru have been burnt, death must necessarilyfollow. 

[Note 88: Also an American superstition. --Vide Catlin, vol. I. P. 134. "Sorcerers or rain makers, for both offices are generally assumed by oneindividual. "--Moffat's South Africa, p. 305. ]

As all internal pains are attributed to witchcraft, sorcerers possess thepower of relieving or curing them. Sometimes the mouth is applied to thesurface where the pain is seated, the blood is sucked out, and a bunch ofgreen leaves applied to the part; besides the blood, which is derivedfrom the gums of the sorcerer, a bone is sometimes put out of the mouth, and declared to have been procured from the diseased part; on otheroccasions the disease is drawn out in an invisible form, and burnt in thefire, or thrown into the water; at others the patient is stretched uponthe ground, whilst another person presses with his feet or hands upon thediseased part, or cold water is sprinkled over, and green leaves used asbefore. There are few complaints that the natives do not attempt to cure, either by charms or by specific applications: of the latter a verysingular one is the appliance personally of the urine from a female--avery general remedy, and considered a sovereign one for most disorders. Bandages are often applied round the ankles, legs, arms, wrists, etc. Sufficiently tight to impede circulation; suction is applied to the bitesof snakes, and is also made use of by their doctors in drawing out bloodfrom the diseased part, a string being tied to the hair, if it be thehead that ails, or to any other part, and the opposite end is put intothe sorcerer's mouth, who then commences sucking and spitting out blood, which he declares comes from the patient. Blood letting is practisedoccasionally to relieve pains in the head, or oppression of the system. The operation is performed by opening a vein in the arm, with a piece ofrock crystal in the same way as Europeans bleed. 

Fractures of the extremities are treated with splints and bandages, as inEurope. Venereal ulcers are sprinkled with alkaline wood ashes, theastringent liquid of the nettle bark, or a macerated preparation from aparticular kind of broad-leaved grass. Superficial wounds are left tothemselves, and usually heal without much trouble. Malformations of thebody are attributed to the influence of the stars, caused by the mothereating forbidden food during pregnancy, or if occurring after birth it isstill caused by the stars, in consequence of forbidden food being eaten. The teeth of the native are generally regular and very beautiful, indeed, in their natural state, I have never seen a single instance of decayedteeth, among them. Among those, however, who have been living nearEuropeans for some years past, and whose habits and diet have beenchanged from simple to more artificial ones, a great alteration is takingplace in this respect, and symptoms of decaying teeth are beginning tomake their appearance among many. 

Among other superstitions of the natives, they believe in the existenceof an individual called in the Murrumbidgee Biam, or the MurrayBiam-baitch-y, who has the form and figure of a black, but is deformed inthe lower extremities, and is always either sitting cross-legged on theground, or ferrying about in a canoe. 

From him the natives say they derive many of the songs sung at theirdances; he also causes diseases sometimes, and especially one whichindents the face like the effects of small pox. Another evil agency, dreaded by the natives, is a spirit of the waters, called ngook-wonga, itcauses many diseases to those who go into the waters in unauthorisedplaces, or at improper times, hence a native is very loth to go intowater he is not accustomed to for the first time. 

To counteract the evil effects produced by this spirit, there are personsparticularly devoted to this branch of sorcery, the following is a casewhere I saw them exercise their powers. A boy of about fourteen had atthe Murray river been seized with a severe attack of erysipelas in thelower part of one of his legs, from bathing and remaining in the waterwhen heated. As this did not get better, it was ascribed to the evilagency of the Spirit of the Waters; and the Pachwonga or Pachwin werecalled in to cure him. They arrived late at night, three in number, andat once proceeded to the exercise of their duties. As soon as it was seenthat the magicians were coming, the friends of the boy lifted him up, andcarrying him some distance away from the camp, placed him on the groundby himself, and then ranged themselves in two rows upon either side, in asitting posture, but at some distance behind the patient. The three maginow advanced in the form of a triangle, one leading and the other twobehind, equidistantly apart. They were all painted, carried bunches ofgreen reeds in their hands, which they kept shaking, and danced [Note 89at end of para. ] with a measured tread, keeping the right foot always inadvance of the other as in a galopade, and singing a low solemn dirge, which was vehemently beat time to, by the natives behind thumpingon the ground. Upon arriving at the boy, the leading native fell downon his knees close to him, and took hold of the diseased leg, theother two still dancing and singing around the patient. In a littletime, one of the two fell down also on his knees on another sideof the boy, leaving the third still dancing and singing around them. At last he fell down also on his knees in a triangular positionwith the others, the boy being in the centre. All three now commencedblowing, spitting, making curious gurgling kinds of noises, wavingtheir green bunches of reeds, and pressing forcibly upon the diseasedleg to make the patient give audible indications of the evil spiritleaving him. After some time, two of the three doctors got upagain, danced and sung around the boy, and then once more assuming theirkneeling positions, recommenced spitting and blowing, waving theirbunches of reeds, and making the same curious noises, but louder thanever. Their exorcism at last was effectual, the evil spirit, in the shapeof a sharp stone, was extracted from the limb, and driven into theground; but it was too dark they said to see it. As soon as thisagreeable news was announced, the friends of the boy came up and hastilyremoved him back to the camp, whilst the three doctors assuming thetriangular position, sung and danced round the place where the boy hadbeen laid, and then advancing in the same form towards the river, keepingthe right foot always in advance, they at last fairly drove the spiritinto the water and relieved the neighbourhood from so troublesome avisitor. 

[Note 89: "Dancing over him, shaking his frightful rattles, and singingsongs of incantation, in the hopes to cure him by a charm. "--Catlin'sNorth American Indians, vol. I. P. 39. ]

It was a long time before I lost a vivid impression of this ceremony; thestill hour of the night, the naked savages, with their fancifully paintedforms, their wild but solemn dirge, their uncouth gestures, and unnaturalnoises, all tended to keep up an illusion of an unearthly character, andcontributed to produce a thrilling and imposing effect upon the mind. 

At the Murray River, singular looking places are found sometimes, made bythe natives by piling small stones close together, upon their ends in theground, in a shape resembling the accompanying diagram, and projectingfour or five inches above the ground. The whole length of the place thusinclosed, by one which I examined, was eleven yards; at the broad end itwas two yards wide, at the narrow end one. The position of this singularlooking place, was a clear space on the slope of a hill, the narrow endbeing the lowest, on in the direction of the river. Inside the line ofstones, the ground was smoothed, and somewhat hollowed. The nativescalled it Mooyumbuck, and said it was a place for disenchanting anindividual afflicted with boils. In other places, large heaps of smallloose stones are piled up like small haycocks, but for what purpose Icould never understand. This is done by the young men, and has someconnection probably with their ceremonies or amusements. 

In others, singular shaped spaces are inclosed, by serpentine trenches, afew inches deep, but for what purpose I know not, unless graves haveformerly existed there. 

Another practice of the natives, when travelling from one place toanother, is to put stones up in the trees they pass, at different heightsfrom the ground, to indicate the height of the sun when they passed. Other natives following, are thus made aware of the hour of the day whentheir friends passed particular points. Captain Grey found the samecustom in Western Australia; vol. I. P. 113, he says:--

"I this day again remarked a circumstance, which had before this periodelicited my attention, which was, that we occasionally found fixed on theboughs of trees, at a considerable height from the ground, pieces ofsandstone, nearly circular in form, about an inch and a half inthickness, and from four to five in diameter, so that they resembledsmall mill-stones. What was the object of thus fashioning, and placingthese stones, I never could conceive, for they are generally in the leastremarkable spots. They cannot point out burial places, for I have madesuch minute searches, that in such case I must have found some of thebones; neither can they indicate any peculiar route through the country, for two never occur near one another. "

The power of sorcery appears always to belong, in a degree, to the aged, but it is assumed often by the middle aged men. It is no protection tothe possessor, from attack, or injury, on the part of other natives. Onthe contrary, the greater the skill of the sorcerer, and the moreextensive his reputation, the more likely is he to be charged withoffences he is unconscious of, and made to pay their penalty. Sorcerersare not ubiquitous, but have the power of becoming invisible, and cantransport themselves instantaneously to any place they please. Women arenever sorcerers. It is a general belief among almost all the Aborigines, that Europeans, or white people, are resuscitated natives, who havechanged their colour, and who are supposed to return to the samelocalities they had inhabited as black people. The most puzzling point, however, with this theory, appears to be that they cannot make out how itis that the returned natives do not know their former friends orrelatives. I have myself often been asked, with seriousness andearnestness, who, among the Europeans, were their fathers, their mothers, and their other relatives, and how it is that the dead were so ignorant, or so forgetful, as not to know their friends when they again returned tothe earth. 

One old native informed me, that all blacks, when dead, go up to theclouds, where they have plenty to eat and drink; fish, birds, and game ofall kinds, with weapons and implements to take them. He then told me, that occasionally individuals had been up to the clouds, and had comeback, but that such instances were very rare; his own mother, he said, had been one of the favoured few. Some one from above had let down arope, and hauled her up by it; she remained one night, and on her return, gave a description of what she had seen in a chaunt, or song, which hesung for me, but of the meaning of which I could make out nothing. 

Chapter VI

NUMBERS--DISEASES--CAUSE OF LIMITED POPULATION--CRIMES AGAINST EUROPEANS--AMONGST THEMSELVES--TREATMENT OF EACH OTHER IN DISTRIBUTION OF FOOD, ETC. 

There is scarcely any point connected with the subject of the Aboriginesof New Holland, upon which it is more difficult to found an opinion, evenapproximating to the truth, than that of the aggregate population of thecontinent, or the average number of persons to be found in any givenspace. Nor will this appear at all surprising, when the character andhabits of the people are taken into consideration. Destitute of any fixedplace of residence, neither cultivating the soil, nor domesticatinganimals, they have no pursuits to confine them to any particularlocality, or to cause them to congregate permanently in the samedistrict. On the contrary, all their habits have an opposite tendency. 

The necessity of seeking daily their food as they require it, the fact ofthat food not being procurable for any great length of time together inthe same place, and the circumstance that its quality, and abundance, orthe facility of obtaining it, are contingent upon the season of the year, at which they may visit any particular district, have given to their modeof life, an unsettled and wandering character. 

The casual observer, or the passing traveller, has but little, therefore, to guide him in his estimate of the population of the country he may bein. A district that may at one time be thinly inhabited, or evenaltogether untenanted, may at another be teeming with population. Thewanderer may at one time be surrounded by hundreds of savages, and atanother, in the same place he may pass on alone and unheeded. 

At Lake Victoria, on the Murray, I have seen congregated upwards of sixhundred natives at once, again I have passed through that neighbourhoodand have scarcely seen a single individual; nor does this aloneconstitute the difficulty and uncertainty involved in estimating thenumbers of the Aborigines. Such are the silence and stealth with whichall their movements are conducted, so slight a trace is left to indicatetheir line of march, and so small a clue by which to detect theirpresence, that the stranger finds it impossible to tell from any thingthat he sees, whether he is in their vicinity or not. I have myself oftenwhen travelling, as I imagined in the most retired and solitary recessesof the forest, been suddenly surprised by the unexpected appearance oflarge bodies of natives, without being in the least able to conjecturewhence they had come, or how they obtained the necessaries of life, inwhat appeared to me an arid and foodless desert. 

Captain Grey has observed in other parts of Australia, the same ingenuityand stealth manifested by them in either cloaking their movements, orconcealing their presence, until circumstances rendered it in theiropinion no longer necessary to preserve this concealment, vol. I. P. 147, he says: "Immediately numbers of other natives burst upon my sight, eachtree, each rock, seemed to give forth its black denizen as if byenchantment; a moment before the most solemn silence pervaded thesewoods, we deemed that not a human being moved within miles of us, and nowthey rang with savage and ferocious yells, and fierce armed men crowdedaround us on every side, bent on our destruction. "

Nor is it less difficult to arrive at the number of the population inthose districts which are occupied by Europeans. In some, the nativetribes rarely frequent the stations, in others, portions only of thedifferent tribes are to be found; some belong to the district and othersnot. In all there is a difficulty in ascertaining the exact number of anytribe, or the precise limits to which their territory extends in everydirection around. Even could these particulars be accurately obtained ina few localities, they would afford no data for estimating the populationof the whole, as the average number of inhabitants to the square mile, would always vary according to the character of the country and theabundance of food. 

Upon this subject Captain Grey remarks, vol. Ii. P. 246, "I have found thenumber of inhabitants to a square mile to vary so much from district todistrict, from season to season, and to depend upon so great a variety oflocal circumstances, that I am unable to give any computation which Ibelieve would even nearly approach to truth. "

Mr. Moorhouse, who has also paid much attention to this subject, in theneighbourhood of Adelaide, has arrived at the conclusion, that, in 1843, there were about sixteen hundred aborigines, in regular or irregularcontact with the Europeans, in the province of South Australia; these hehas classed as follows, viz. :--

In regular contact with Europeans, Adelaide district 300Encounter Bay 230Moorunde 300Port Lincoln 60Hutt River 30 --- 920

In irregular contact with Europeans, Adelaide -Encounter Bay 100Moorunde 200Port Lincoln 340Hutt River 40 --- 680

or together about 1600. 

Taking in the southern districts of South Australia 120 miles fromAdelaide, the northern ones 160, and the eastern one 200. Mr. Moorhouseestimates that there are altogether only about 3000 natives. Thishowever, appears to me to be a considerably under-rated number, and Ishould rather incline to the opinion, that there are twice as many, ifthe Port Lincoln peninsula be added to the limits already mentioned. Inthe Port Lincoln district, Mr. Schurman conjectures there are about 400. 

On the Murray River, which is, perhaps, the most densely populated partof the country, I imagine there are, from Moorunde, about three to fournatives to every mile of river, which as it winds very considerably inits course, would give a large population to the square mile, if only thevalley of the Murray was taken into account. 

There are other tribes also frequenting the river occasionally, from theback scrubs on either side; but as these range through a great extent ofcountry beyond the valley, and only sometimes come down there on a visit;I do not include them in the estimate. 

At Moorunde itself I have sometimes had from four to five hundredcollected, and among those, only a few, perhaps, from the very remotetribes. 

At the Rufus and Lake Victoria, I have seen above six hundred together, where they had no other motive to collect in so large a party, than fromcustom, and for the enjoyment of festivity. 

Large towns are frequently the centre of meeting for many, and verydistant tribes. The facility of obtaining scraps by begging, smallrewards for trifling jobs of work, donations from the charitable, and avariety of broken victuals, offal, etc. Enable them to collect in largenumbers, and indulge to the uttermost their curiosity in observing thenovelties around them, in meeting strange tribes, and joining them eitherin war or festivity, in procuring tools, clothes, etc. To carry back andbarter in their own districts, and for other similar objects. Thus, Adelaide is nearly always occupied by tribes from one part or other ofthe country: on an average, it will support probably six hundred in theway I have described, though occasionally eight hundred have met there. The following returns of the numbers who have attended the annual musteron the Queen's birthday, when bread and beef have been distributed, willshow how the ratio has gone on increasing during the last five years. 

In 1840 there were present 283 men, women, and children. 1841 there were present 374 men, women, and children. 1842 there were present 400 men, women, and children. 1843 there were present 450 men, women, and children. 1844 there were present 793 men, women, and children. 

In the Murray district, where it has been customary, since the firstestablishment of the post at Moorunde, to issue a certain quantity offlour once in the month (at the full moon) to every native who chose tocome in to receive it, the increase in attendance has been progressivelygoing on, viz. 

 2 issues in 1841 the average attendance were 52 men, women, and children12 issues in 1842 the average attendance were 94 men, women, and children10 issues in 1843 the average attendance were 136 men, women, and children 9 issues in 1844 the average attendance were 171 men, women, and children

Occasionally nearly 500 natives have been present at these monthly issuesof flour, and the reason that the average attendance is not greater, is, that immediately after collecting at Moorunde, at the full of the moon, to receive their flour, from 100 to 300 would usually set off toAdelaide, where there are so many objects of interest and attraction, andre-remain there for several months at a time, and especially during thewinter. As fast, too, as one party returned to their own districts, another would go into town, and thus the average number would beconstantly kept down. A third reason why the musters do not appear solarge as they otherwise would, is that many of the more distant nativescome down at other times than the full moon, and I have then been obligedto deviate from my usual custom, and issue flour to them at the periodswhen they arrived. The number of natives attending such extraordinaryissues do not appear in the periodical returns. 

In endeavouring to estimate the numbers and proportions of the sexes, andchildren, almost as great a difficulty exists as in that of obtainingtheir aggregate numbers. This arises from the fact of the more distanttribes who visit Europeans stations, frequently leaving their youngerwives, or little children at home, with aged relatives, whilst theythemselves go to a distance. In all the periodical, or regular issues offlour at the time of full moon, I have accurately kept lists of all whoattended. The gross totals of thirty-three issues are as follows:--

Men 1266Women 1330Boys 930Girls 551Infants 52 ---- 4129

From this it is apparent, first, that the women attending the monthlymeetings at the Murray have been, on the whole, about five and a half percent in excess of the men, an extraordinary and unusual circumstance, ascompared with the results obtained at other places. I can only accountfor this upon the supposition before given, that when large bodies ofnatives leave Moorunde for Adelaide, more men than women go away, andthat consequently a larger proportion of females is left behind. Mr. Moor-house remarks, upon this point, that he has found the males toaverage seventy per cent more than the females, among the Adelaidetribes. My own observation leads me to the opinion that upon the Murraythe two sexes are as nearly equal in numbers as may be. 

Secondly, it would appear, that of the Moorunde issues, the number ofgirls attending has been little more than one half that of the boys. Thismay, perhaps, arise in some measure from females assuming the duties ofwomen, and being classed as such, at an age when males would still beconsidered as only boys. The principal reason, however, must, as before, be ascribed to a greater number of girls being left behind by the moredistant tribes when they come to visit Moorunde. 

Thirdly, from the list I have given, it seems that to each woman therewould be about 1 1/3 child. Upon this subject Mr. Moorhouse remarks, thathis investigation has led to the conclusion that each woman has, on anaverage, five children born (nine being the greatest number known), butthat each mother only rears, upon an average, two; and this I think, uponthe whole, would be a tolerably correct estimate. 

There is one point connected with the return I have given, peculiarlystriking, as it shews the comparatively small increase that now appearsto be going on among the more numerous tribes of the Aborigines, I alludeto the fact of there only having been fifty-two young infants among 1330women. By infants I mean such as had to be carried in the arms, for thosewho could walk at all have been classed among the boys and girls. 

I have never known a case of twins among the Aborigines, and Mr. Moorhouse informs me that no case has ever come under his observation;but Captain Grey found such to occur sometimes in Western Australia. Onthe number and proportion of the sexes he observes, that 4. 6 seemed to bethe average number of children born to each woman, and that there was onefemale to every 1. 3 males. With respect to the duration of life among theAborigines, Captain Grey says, vol. Ii. P. 246-248--"With regard to theage occasionally attained by the natives, I believe very erroneous ideashave been prevalent, for so far am I from considering them to be shortlived, that I am certain they frequently attain the age of seventy yearsand upwards. " "Yet were these instances of longevity contrasted with thegreat number of deaths which take place during the period of infancy, there can be no doubt whatever that the average duration of life amongstthese savage tribes falls far short of that enjoyed by civilized races. "

These remarks, as far as my observation has extended, apply to thenatives of New Holland generally. I have frequently met with manyvenerable, white-headed men among the Aborigines, who could not, I think, have been less than eighty years of age, and who yet retained the fullvigour of mind, and the bold, upright, though now wasted form, that hadcharacterised them in the pride of manhood; but about sixty-five appearsperhaps to be the average age attained by the old. 

The second inference is more than borne out by the statement alreadyrecorded, that for every five children born on an average to each mother, two only are reared, and these subject to all the casualities and dangerswhich savage life is exposed to. 

[Note 90: This can of course only apply to tribes tolerably well known toEuropeans, and more or less frequently coming in contact with them. Oftribes in their natural state we can have no accurate data, and but fewpassing notes even that are worthy of confidence. Generally I have foundchildren to be numerous among tribes who have never had intercourse withEuropeans' and it is a well known fact that the increase of numbers inaboriginal tribes is checked in proportion to the frequency, or theextent of their communication with Europeans. At Flinders island to which210 Van Diemen's Land natives were removed from Van Diemen's Land in1835, this is singularly exemplified. In 1842 Count Strzelecki says, page353--"And while each family of the interior of New South Wales, uncontaminated by contact with the whites, swarms with children, those ofFlinders island, had during eight years an accession of only fourteen innumber. "]

Upon inquiry into the causes which tend to prevent population going on inan increasing ratio among the natives of Australia, the following appearto be the most prominent. First, polygamy, and the illicit and almostunlimited intercourse between the sexes, habits which are well known tocheck the progress of population, wherever they prevail. 

Secondly. Infanticide, which is very general, and practised to a greatextent, especially among the younger and favourite women. 

Thirdly. Diseases, to which in a savage state young children arepeculiarly liable, such as dysentry, cold, and their consequences, etc. 

[Note 91: Huic accedit, ex quo illis sunt immisti Europaei, lues venerea. Morbum infantibus matres afflant, et ingens multitudo quotannisinde perit. ]

Fourthly. Wars and quarrels, occurring sometimes from the most trivialcircumstances, and often ending in deaths, or wounds that terminate indeath. 

The diseases to which the natives are subject, are with the exception ofthose induced by artificial living, as gout, rheumatism, etc. Very similarto those which afflict Europeans, the principal being the result ofinflammation, acute, or chronic, arising from exposure to the cold, andwhich affects most generally the bronchiae, the lungs, and the pleura. Phthisis occasionally occurs, as does also erysipelas. Scrofula has beenmet with, but very rarely. A disease very similar to the small-pox, andleaving similar marks upon the face, appears formerly to have been veryprevalent, but I have never met with an existing case, nor has Mr. Moorhouse ever fallen in with one. It is said to have come from theeastward originally, and very probably may have been derived in the firstinstance from Europeans, and the infection passed along from one tribe toanother: it has not been experienced now for many years. 

[Note 92: Ex morbis quos patiuntur ab adventu Europaeorum longefrequentissima et maxime fatalis est lues venerea. An hic morbusindigenis, priusquam illis immiscebuntur Europaei erat notus, sciri nuncminime potest. Ipsi jamdiu ex oriente adductum dicunt, ex quo maximeprobabile videtur, eum, origine prima ex Europa, inde de gente in gentemper totam poene continentem esse illatam. Neque dubium eum in gentibus iisquibus non immiscentur Europaei, neque frequentem esse, nec acrem, eorumautem per immistionem terribilem in modum augescere. Quinetiam ii suntindigenarum mores, ut, adveniat modo forma sub pessima morbus, velox etvirulentus qualis nusquam alias illico latissime effluat. Licet benesciant hae gentes, hunc, sicut ejus modi alii morbum per contactumcontractum esse illis tamen pestem cujus indies spectantur tantae tamqueterribiles offensiones, vitare minime curae est. Vidi egomet plurimos nonmodo aegrotorum in tentoriis otiari, verum etiam foedatus ita secureinduere vestes aut iisdem in stragulis cubare, ac si optima ibi adessetsanitas. Mihi stationem publicam ponendi causa ad "Morrandi" in mensaOctobris, 1841, advenienti, occurrebant populi morbis poene liberiformam atque membra bene formati; postea autem ex frequenti cum oppidoet proximis stationibus commercio, circa Octobrem 1844, morbos quammaxime horridos contraxerant. Inde eo tempore moribundi erant plurimi, nonnulli mortui, paucique ex iis, qui frequenter coibant, ex omni aetateet sexu hujusce pestis formis omnino expertes erant. Apud indigenasmorbus hic eodem fere modo quo apud Europaeos sese ostendere videturvariis tamen ex causis etiam magis odiosum, eo praesertim quod pustulaerotundae, magnitudinem fere uncialem habentes, simul in cute exsurgunt. His gradatim, cum pure effluente, pars media expletur, et inde magismagisque crescentibus et dispersis corporis universi superficies tabe acscabie laborat, quae propinquantibus simul horrorem ac nauseam movent. Ulcera haec aliquando infra sex vel octo menses ipsa se cohaerent;plerumque autem incitamentorum et vi causticorum ad locum adhibita infrahebdomadas tres sanantur. Nec minus apud indigenas quam apud Europaeos, remedium hujusoe morbi speciale: medicamenta sunt mercurialia, majoretamen illis cum periculo, tum propter eorum mores, quum quod plerumquesub dio vivunt, omni absente medicina. Post annum primum aut alterummorbus evanescit, interdum mortem affert. Semper autem aegrotis miseriscruciatus maximus et dolores perpetui inde flunt. Moorhousi de morbo hocopiniones in paucis a meis experimentis dissident, quum ille num glandempenis aut inguinis, principio nunquam, glandem autem penis rarissime velsecundo attingere arbitrabatur. Ego autem et hoc et illud in ripisMurray fluminis vidi. ]

Many natives of deformed persons are occasionally to be met with, especially in the extremities. I have seen natives tall, and perfect, andwell built in the body and limbs, from the head down to the knees: butfrom that point downwards, shrivelled and blighted, presenting but skinand bone. Many are blind in one eye, some in both; sometimes this appearsthe effect of inflammation, or of cataract; at others, it may be theresult of accident. Among those natives inhabiting the sandy drifts alongthe western coast, where the sand is always circling about in a perfectshower, I have no doubt but that many become blind from its effects. 

In October, 1839, Mr. Moorhouse found nine inhabitants in two huts to thesouth; out of these, five were quite blind, and one had lost one eye;they were occupied in making nets. 

Deaf and dumb persons are not often found among the Aborigines, but Ihave met with instances of this kind. One of the most intelligent nativesI ever met with, was a deaf and dumb youth at the Wimmera. From this poorboy, I could more readily and intelligibly obtain by signs a descriptionof the country, its character, and localities, than from any native Iever met with, whose language I was at the time quite unacquainted with. 

The blind, or the infirm, are generally well treated, and taken care ofwhen young, but as soon as they advance in years, or become an impedimentto the movements of the tribe, they are abandoned at once by theirpeople, and left to perish. 

The crimes committed by the natives against Europeans do not bear anyproportion, either numerically, or in magnitude, to their number, as apeople, and the circumstances of their position. When we consider the lowstate of morals, or rather, the absence of all moral feeling upon theirpart, the little restraint that is placed upon their community, by eitherindividual authority, or public opinion, the injuries they are smartingunder, and the aggressions they receive, it cannot but be admitted thatthey are neither an ill disposed, nor a very vindictive people. Thefollowing are the returns of the convictions of natives in SouthAustralia for the years 1842 and 1843, viz. :--

SUPREME COURT. --------------

OFFENCE. 1842 1843 1844

Larceny 2 0 2Assault with intent to murder 2 0 0Wilful murder 0 3 1Sheep stealing 1 2 1Cattle stealing 0 1 2

RESIDENT MAGISTRATE'S COURT. ----------------------------

Assault 0 3 3Breaking windows 1 0 0Intoxication 3 0 0Injuring park trees 0 0 2 ---------- 9 9 11

In the colony of New South Wales, the return of all the trials of theAborigines, from 10th February, 1837, to the 24th July, 1843, amounted tothirty-three cases, and implicated sixty-one individuals. The offenceswere chiefly murder and assault, or stealing sheep and cattle. In tencases only, out of thirty-three, convictions took place, and nineteenindividuals were sentenced, viz. , twelve to death, six to transportationfor ten years, and one to a flogging. [Note 93: For particulars videPapers on the Aborigines of Australian Colonies, printed for the House ofCommons, August 9th, 1844. ]

Among the natives, but few crimes are committed against each other; infact, it would be somewhat difficult to define what their idea of crimewould be, for that which is offensive on the part of another isconsidered a virtue in themselves. Accustomed to act upon the impulse ofthe moment, and to take summary vengeance for injury, real or imagined, their worst deeds are but in accordance with their own standard of right, having no moral sense of what is just or equitable in the abstract, theironly test of propriety must in such cases be, whether they arenumerically, or physically strong enough to brave the vengeance of thosewhom they may have provoked, or injured. Custom has, however, from timeimmemorial, usurped the place of laws, and with them, perhaps, is evenmore binding than they would be. Through custom's irresistible sway hasbeen forged the chain that binds in iron fetters a people, who mightotherwise be said to be without government or restraint. By it, the youngand the weak are held in willing subjection to the old and the strong. Superstitious to a degree they are taught from earliest infancy to dreadthey know not what evil or punishment, if they infringe upon obligationsthey have been told to consider as sacred. All the better feelings andimpulses implanted in the human heart by nature, are trampled upon bycustoms, which, as long as they remain unchanged, must for ever preventthem from rising in the scale of civilization and improvement, or to usethe apt and expressive language of Captain Grey upon this point, vol. Ii. P. 217 :--

"He (the native) is in reality subjected to complex laws, which not onlydeprive him of all free agency of thought, but at the same time, byallowing no scope for the development of intellect, benevolence, or anyother great moral qualification, they necessarily bind him down in ahopeless state of barbarism, from which it is impossible for him toemerge, so long as he is enthralled by these customs, which, on the otherhand, are so ingeniously devised as to have a direct tendency toannihilate any effort that is made to overthrow them. "

Those customs regulate all things, the acquisition and disposal of wives, the treatment of women, of the elders, the acquiescence of the youngermembers of a tribe in any measure that may have been decided upon by theold men, the rules which guide the international intercourse betweendifferent tribes, the certain restrictions or embargoes that are put upondifferent kinds of food or at certain ages, the fear of sorcery orwitchcraft if they transgress the orders of the elders, or break throughthe ordinances that have been imposed upon them, and many other similarinfluences. 

In their intercourse with each other I have generally found the nativesto speak the truth and act with honesty, and they will usually do thesame with Europeans if on friendly terms with them. In their treatment ofeach other, and in the division of food, policy and custom have inducedthem to be extremely polite and liberal. Old men are especially well offin this respect, as the younger people always give them the best andlargest share of everything. Males generally are generous and liberal toeach other in sharing what food they have, but it is not often that thefemales participate in the division. When following their usual pursuitsupon the Murray, I have seen the men after an hour or two's fishing withthe nets, sit down and devour all they had caught, without savinganything for their family or wives, and then hurry about noon to thecamps to share in what had been procured by the women, who usually beginto return at that hour, with what they have been able to collect. Favourite kinds of food are also frequently sent as presents from onemale to another, and at other times two parties will meet and exchangethe different kinds they respectively bring. Among the younger people Ihave often seen a poor hungry fellow, who had by his skill orperseverance obtained some small article of food, compelled by the rulesof savage politeness to share out the petty spoil among a group ofexpectant sharks around, whilst he whose skill or labour had procured itdared hardly taste it, and was sure to come in for the smallest share. 

Naturally, I do not think they are bloodthirsty; custom or example maysometimes lead them on to shed blood, but it is usually in accordancewith their prejudices or to gratify the momentary excitement of passion. With many vices and but few virtues, I do not yet think the Australiansavage is more? vicious in his propensities or more virulent in hispassions than are the larger number of the lower classes of what arecalled civilized communities. Well might they retort to our accusations, the motives and animus by which too many of our countrymen have beenactuated towards them. 

I have remarked that as far as my observation has enabled me to judge, the natives are rarely guilty of offences (which they deem such, ) towardsmembers of their own tribes. There are many acts, however, whichaccording to our ideas of right and wrong, are acts of the greatestcruelty and tyranny, which they exercise towards each other, thoughsanctioned by custom, and enforced by daily practice. Such are thecruelties inflicted upon the women, who are looked upon in the light ofslaves, and mercilessly beaten or speared for the most trifling offences. No one under any circumstances ever attempts to take the part of afemale, and consequently they are maltreated and oppressed in a shockingdegree. Does a native meet a woman in the woods and violate her, he isnot the one made to feel the vengeance of the husband, but the poorvictim whom he has abused. Is there hard or disagreeable work of any kindto be done--the woman is compelled to do it. Is there a scarcity of foodat the camp when the husband comes home hungry--the wife is punished forhis indolence and inactivity. 

[Note 94: In February 1842, Mr. Gouger, then Colonial Secretary atAdelaide, caused a dog belonging to a native to be shot for some cause orother I am not acquainted with. The animal had been left by its master inthe charge of his wife, and as soon as he learnt that it was dead, hespeared her for not taking better care of it. ]

The complete subserviency of the younger people of both sexes in thesavage community, to the older or leading men, is another very seriousevil they labour under. The force of habit and of traditional custom hasso completely clouded their otherwise quick perceptions, that theyblindly yield to whatever the elders may require of them; they dare notdisobey, they dare not complain of any wrong or indignity they may besubjected to this has been and will be the greatest bar to theircivilization or improvement until some means are taken to free them fromso degrading a thraldom, and afford that protection from the oppressionof the strong and the old which they so greatly require. 

On the Murray river, or amongst the Adelaide natives I am not aware thatany stated punishments are affixed to specific crimes, except that ofspearing in the arm to expiate deaths. Vengeance appears usually to besummarily executed and on the spot, according to the physical strength ornumber of friends of the individual injured; otherwise it is made a causeof quarrel between tribes, and a battle or disturbance of some kind takesplace. This appears to be one great point of distinction between thepractice of some of the tribes in Southern and Western Australia. CaptainGrey says in reference to the latter place, (vol. Ii. P. 243. )

"Any other crime may be compounded for, by the criminal appearing andsubmitting himself to the ordeal of having spears thrown at him by allsuch persons as conceive themselves to have been aggrieved, or bypermitting spears to be thrust through certain parts of his body; such asthrough the thigh, or the calf of the leg, or under the arm. The partwhich is to be pierced by a spear, is fixed for all common crimes, and anative who has incurred this penalty, sometimes quietly holds out his legfor the injured party to thrust his spear through. "

This custom does not appear to hold among the tribes of South Australia, with whom I have come in contact; but I have often been told by nativesof tribes in New South Wales, that they practised it, although aninstance of the infliction of the punishment never came under my ownobservation. 

Injuries, when once overlooked, are never revenged afterwards. Tribes maycompel members to make restitution, as in the case of stealing a wife;but I have never known an instance of one of their number being given upto another tribe, for either punishment or death. Occasionally they havebeen induced to give up guilty parties to Europeans; but to effect this, great personal influence on the part of the person employed is necessaryto ensure success. Though they are always ready to give up or point outtransgressors, if belonging to other tribes than their own. 

Chapter VII. 

LANGUAGE, DIALECTS, CUSTOMS, etc. --GENERAL SIMILARITY THROUGHOUT THECONTINENT--CAUSES OF DIFFERENCES--ROUTE BY WHICH THE NATIVES HAVEOVERSPREAD THE COUNTRY, etc. 

During the last few years much has been done towards an examination andcomparison of the dialects spoken by the aboriginal tribes of Australiain different portions of the continent. The labours of Mr. Threlkeld, ofCaptain Grey, of Messrs. Teichelman and Schurmann, of Mr. Meyer, of Mr. Schurman, with the occasional notes of visitors and travellers, have donemuch to elucidate this subject, and have presented to the worldvocabularies of the Hunter's River and Lake Macquarie districts in NewSouth Wales; of Swan River and King George's Sound in Western Australia;of Adelaide, of Encounter Bay, and of Port Lincoln, in South Australia;besides occasional phrases or scanty manuals of various other dialectsspoken in different districts. From these varied contributions it wouldappear that a striking coincidence exists in the personal appearance, character, customs, traditions, dialects, etc. Among the many and remotelyseparated tribes scattered over the surface of New Holland. Each ofthese, no doubt, varies in many particulars from the others, and so muchso some times, as to lead to the impression that they are essentiallydifferent and distinct. [Note 95 at end of para. ] Upon close examination, however, a sufficient general resemblance is usually found to indicatethat all the tribes have originally sprung from the same race, thatthey have gradually spread themselves over the whole continent fromsome one given point; which appears, as far as we can infer fromcircumstantial evidence, to have been somewhere upon the northerncoast. There are some points of resemblance which, as far as is yetknown, appear to be common to most of the different dialects withwhich we are acquainted. Such are, there being no generic termsas tree, fish, bird, etc. , but only specific ones as applied toeach particular variety of tree, fish, bird, etc. The cardinalnumbers, being only carried up to three, there being no degreesof comparison except by a repetition to indicate intensity, or by acombination of opposite adjectives, to point out the proportion intended, and no distinction of genders, if we except an attempt to mark one amongthose tribes who give numerical names to their children, according to theorder of their birth, as before mentioned. [Note 96: Chap. IV. Nomenclature. ] All parts of speech appear to be subject to inflections, if we except adverbs, post-fixes, and post-positions. Nouns, adjectives, pronouns and verbs have all three numbers, singular, dual and plural. Thenominative agent always precedes an active verb. When any new objectis presented to the native, a name is given to it, from some fanciedsimilarity to some object they already know, or from some peculiarquality or attribute it may possess; thus, rice is in the Moorundedialect called "yeelilee" or "maggots, " from an imagined resemblancebetween the two objects. 

[Note 95: Catlin remarks the existence of a similar number and variety inthe dialects of the American Indians, but appears to think them radicallydifferent from one another. ]

The most singular and remarkable fact, connected with the coincidence ofcustoms or dialect, amongst the Aborigines, is that it exists frequentlyto a less degree among tribes living close to one another, than betweenthose who are more remotely separated. The reason of this apparentanomaly would seem to be, that those tribes now living near to oneanother, and among whom the greatest dissimilarity of language andcustoms is found to exist, have originally found their way to the sameneighbourhood by different lines of route, and consequently the greatestresemblances in language and custom, might naturally be expected to bemet with, (as is in reality the case), not between tribes at present thenearest to each other, but between those, who although now so farremoved, occupy respectively the opposite extremes of the lines of routeby which one of them had in the first instance crossed over thecontinent. 

Without entering into an elaborate analysis, of either the structure orradical derivation of the various dialects we are acquainted with, Ishall adduce a few instances in each, of words taken from thevocabularies I have mentioned before, for King George's Sound, Adelaide, Encounter Bay, and Port Lincoln, and supply them myself from otherdialects, including those meeting on the Murray or at the Darling, toshew the degree of similarity that exists in language. 

In selecting the examples for comparison, I have taken first the personalpronouns and numerals, as being the words which usually assimilate moreclosely in the different dialects, than any other. Secondly, those wordsrepresenting objects which would be common to all tribes, and which fromtheir continual recurrence, and daily use, might naturally be supposed tovary the least from each other, if the original language of all were thesame, but which, if radically different in any, render the subject stillmore difficult and embarrassing. 

DIALECTS========

[Note: At this point in the book a table appears, which listscommon English words and the equivalent word as taken from thevocabularies of aborigines from various locations. This table has notbeen reproduced in full, however, a few entries are given below. ]

English Western Adelaide Encounter Parnkalla Aiawong Australia Bay (Port Lincoln) (Moorundie)

I Nganya Ngaii Ngaape Ngai, ngatto NgappoThou Nginnee Ninna Nginte Ninna NgurruShe Bal Pa Kitye Panna NinWe (Ye) Nganneel Ngadlu Ngane Ngarrinyalbo NgennoThey Balgoon Parna Kar Yardna Ngau-oWe two Ngal-li Ngadli Ngele Ngadli Ngel-loYou two Newball Niwa Ngurle Nuwalla NgupalThey two Boala Purla Kengk Pudlanbi Dlau-oOne Gyne Kumande Yammalaitye Kuma MeiterTwo Kardura Purlaitye Ning Kaiengg Kuttara Tang kulMany Partanna Towata Ruwar Kulbarri NeilFew Warrang Kutyonde -- -- Baupalata

Upon comparison of the different dialects given in the two foregoingtables, and which comprise an extent of country, embracing fully one halfof the continent of Australia, it will be apparent that a sufficientdegree of resemblance exists to justify the conclusion, that they werederived from one and the same original. It is true, that in manyrespects, there are sometimes even radical differences in some of thewords of various dialects; but as Captain Grey judiciously remarks, ifthe comparison in such cases be extended, and the vocabulary of eachenlarged, there will always be found points of resemblance, either in thedialects compared, or in some intermediate dialect, which will bear outthe conclusion assumed. [Note 97 at end of para. ] This view is stillfurther strengthened, by including in the comparison the weapons, habits, customs, and traditions, of the various tribes. 

[Note 97. I may here refer to a curious mathematical calculation, byDr. Thomas Young, to the effect, that if three words coincide in twodifferent languages, it is ten to one they must be derived in both casesfrom some parent language, or introduced in some other manner. "Six wordswould give more, " he says, "than seventeen hundred to one, and eight near100, 000; so that in these cases, the evidence would be little short ofabsolute certainty. "--Vestiges of the Creation, p. 302. ]

It must be admitted, however, that where the languages spoken by twotribes, appear to differ greatly, there is no key common to both, or bywhich a person understanding one of them thoroughly, could in the leastdegree make out the other, although an intimate acquaintance with onedialect and its construction, would undoubtedly tend to facilitate thelearning of another. A strong illustration of this occurs at Moorunde, where three dialects meet, varying so much from each other, that nonative of any one of the three tribes, can understand a single wordspoken by the other two, except he has learnt their languages as those ofa foreign people. 

The dialects I allude to, are first that of the Murray river, called the"Aiawong" and which is spoken with slight variations from the LakeAlexandrina, up to the Darling. Secondly, the "Boraipar, " or language ofthe natives to the east of the Murray, and which appears in itsvariations to branch into that of the south-eastern tribes; and thirdly, the "Yak-kumban, " or dialect spoken by the natives, inhabiting thecountry to the north-west and north of the Murray, and which extendsalong the range of hills from Mount Bryant to the Darling near Laidley'sPonds, and forms in its variations the language of the Darling itself;these tribes meet upon the Murray at Moorunde, and can only communicateto each other by the intervention of the Aiawong dialect, which thenorth-western or south-eastern tribes are compelled to learn, before theycan either communicate with each other, or with the natives of theMurray, at their common point of rendezvous. 

To the tables already given, it is thought desirable to add two of thedialects, spoken in the country to the eastward of South Australia, andwhich were published for the House of Commons, with other papers on theAborigines, in August 1844. 

[Note: At this point in the book two table appear, with the followingheadings. These tables have not been reproduces in this eBook. ]

A SPECIMEN OF THE DIFFERENCE OF DIALECTS SPOKEN BY THE NATIVE TRIBES OFPORT PHILLIP. 

SPECIMEN OF FIVE DIALECTS SPOKEN BY THE ABORIGINES OF THE NORTH-WESTERNDISTRICT. 

Captain Flinders observed the same difference to exist in various partsof New Holland, which he visited, and yet that judicious navigatorinclined to the opinion that all the various tribes had originally onecommon origin. Vol. Ii. P. 213-14, he says, "I do not know that the language of any two parts of Terra Australis, however near, has been found to be entirely the same; for even at BotanyBay, Port Jackson, and Broken Bay, not only the dialect, but many wordsare radically different; and this confirms one part of an observation, the truth of which seems to be generally admitted, that althoughsimilarity of language in two nations proves their origin to be the same, yet dissimilarity of languages is no proof of the contrary position. 

"The language of Caledon Bay (north-west coast) may therefore be totallydifferent to what is spoken on the east and south coasts, and yet theinhabitants have one common origin; but I do not think that the languageis absolutely and wholly different, though it certainly was no betterunderstood by Bongarrco (a Sydney native) than by ourselves. In threeinstances I found a similarity. The personal pronoun of Port Jackson, 'Ngia' (I), was used here, and apparently in the same sense. When inquirywas made after the axe, the natives replied 'yehangeree-py, ' making signsof beating, and py signifies to beat in the Port Jackson language. Thethird instance was that of the lad Woga calling to Bongarree in the boat, which after he had done several times without being answered, he becameangry, and exclaimed Bongarree-gah in a vehement manner, as Bongarreehimself would have done in a similar case. "

Captain Grey, in speaking of the Aborigines of New Holland, says (vol. Ii. P. 209), "One singularity in the dialects spoken by the Aborigines in differentportions of Australia is, that those of districts widely removed from oneanother, sometimes assimilate very closely, whilst the dialects spoken inthe intermediate ones differ considerably from either of them. The samecircumstances take place with regard to their rights and customs. "

And again, after comparing some of the dialects of South Australia andNew South Wales with those of Western Australia, Captain Grey says (vol. Ii. P. 216), "Having thus traced the entire coast line of the continent of Australia, it appears that a language the same in root is spoken throughout thisvast extent of country, and from the general agreement in this, as wellas in personal appearance, rites and ceremonies, we may fairly infer acommunity of origin for the Aborigines. "

Had we a collected and an authentic account of the dialects, weapons, habits, customs, and traditions of all the tribes of Australia with whomEuropeans have already been in close or friendly contact, and which, withvery few exceptions, would embrace the circuit of the whole continent, weshould have a mass of valuable and interesting information, that wouldenable us, not only to form a probable opinion as to the community oforigin of the various tribes, and the point from which they firstoverspread the continent, but also to guide us in conjecturing the routeswhich the various offsets have taken from the parent tribe, the places ofcontact where they have met from opposite extremities of the continent, and the gradual change which has taken place in the habits, customs, anddialects of each. 

In the absence of many links necessary to form a connection, we can atpresent only surmise conclusions, which otherwise might have been almostcertainly deduced. 

Connecting, however, and comparing all the facts with which we areacquainted, respecting the Aborigines, it appears that there are stillgrounds sufficient to hazard the opinion, that it is not improbable thatAustralia was first peopled on its north-western coast, between theparallels of 12 degrees and 16 degrees S. Latitude. From whence we mightsurmise that three grand divisions had branched out from the parenttribe, and that from the offsets of these the whole continent had beenoverspread. 

The first division appears to have proceeded round the north-western, western, and south-western coast, as far as the commencement of the GreatAustralian Bight. The second, or central one, appears to have crossed thecontinent inland, to the southern coast, striking it about the parallelof 134 degrees E. Longitude. The third division seems to have followedalong the bottom of the Gulf of Carpentaria to its most south-easterlybight, and then to have turned off by the first practicable line in adirection towards Fort Bourke, upon the Darling. From these threedivisions various offsets and ramifications would have been made fromtime to time as they advanced, so as to overspread and people by degreesthe whole country round their respective lines of march. Each offsetappearing to retain fewer or more of the original habits, customs, etc. Ofthe parent tribe in proportion to the distance traversed, or its isolatedposition, with regard to communication with the tribes occupying the mainline of route of its original division; modified also, perhaps, in somedegree, by the local circumstances of the country through which it mayhave spread. 

Commencing with the parent tribe, located as I have supposed, first uponthe north-west coast, we find, from the testimony of Captain Flinders andDampier, that the male natives of that part of the country, have twofront teeth of the upper jaw knocked out at the age of puberty, and thatthey also undergo the rite of circumcision; but it does not appear thatany examination was made with sufficient closeness to ascertain, whether [Note 98: Vide Note 78. ] any other ceremony was conjoined withthat of circumcision. How far these ceremonies extend along thenorth-western or western coasts we have no direct evidence, but atSwan River, King George's Sound, and Cape Arid, both customs arecompletely lost, and for the whole of the distance interveningbetween these places, and extending fully six hundred miles instraight line along the coast, the same language is so far spoken, that a native of King George's Sound, who accompanied me when travellingfrom one point to the other, could easily understand, and speak to anynatives we met with. This is, however, an unusual case, nor indeed am Iaware that there is any other part of Australia where the same dialectcontinues to be spoken by the Aborigines, with so little variation, forso great a distance, as in the colony of Western Australia. 

Following round the southern coast easterly, the head of the Great Bightis the first point at which any great change appears to occur, and evenhere it is less in the character, language, and weapons of the natives, than in their ceremonial observances. For the first time the rite ofcircumcision is observed, and conjoined with it the still moreextraordinary practice to which I have before alluded. The ceremony ofknocking out the two upper front teeth of boys arrived at the age ofpuberty, is not, however, adopted. We have already noticed, that for sixhundred miles to the west and north-west from the Great Bight, circumcision is unknown. The tribes, therefore, who practise it, cannothave come from that direction, neither are they likely to have come fromthe eastward, for after crossing the head of the Port Lincoln peninsula, and descending towards Adelaide, we find the rite of circumcision aloneis practised, without any other ceremony in connection with it. Now, in achange of habits or customs, originating in the wandering, unsettled lifeof savages, it is very likely, that many of their original customs maygradually be dropped or forgotten; but it is scarcely probable, that theyshould be again revived by their descendants, after a long period ofoblivion, and when those tribes from whom they more immediatelyproceeded, no longer remembered or recognised such ceremonials. Byextending the inquiry still further to the east, the position I haveassumed is more forcibly borne out, for the rite of circumcision itselfthen becomes unknown. It is evident, therefore, that the Adelaide or PortLincoln natives could not have come along either the eastern or westerncoasts, and retained customs that are there quite unknown, neither couldthey have come across the country inland, in the direction of theDarling, for the ceremonies alluded to are equally unknown there. Theymust then have crossed almost directly from the north-western coast, towards the south-eastern extremity of the great Australian Bight. Andfrom them the Adelaide natives would appear to be a branch or offset. 

Returning to the north-west coast, and tracing down the route of thethird division of the parent family, from the south-east Bight ofCarpentaria, towards Fort Bourke upon the Darling, we shall find, that byfar the greatest and most fertile portion of New Holland appears to havebeen peopled by it. In its progress, offsets and ramifications would havebranched off in every direction along the various ranges or watercoursescontiguous to the line of route. All the rivers running towards theeastern coast, together with the Nammoy, the Gwyder, the Castlereagh, Macquarie, Bogan, Lochlan, Darling, Hume, Goulburn, etc. With their manybranches and tributaries, would each afford so many routes for thedifferent sub-divisions of the main body, to spread over the varied andfertile regions of Eastern, South-eastern, and part of SouthernAustralia. As tribe separated from tribe, each would retain, in a greateror less degree, some of the language, habits, or customs of the originaldivision; but such points of resemblance would naturally again undergomany changes or modifications, in proportion to the time, distance, orisolated character of the separation. If we look at the progress of anytwo parties of natives, branching off upon different rivers, and tracethem, either upwards or downwards, we shall find, that the further theywent, the more isolated they would become, and the less likely to comeagain in contact with each other, or with the original division fromwhich they separated. We may, therefore, naturally expect a much greatervariety of dialects or customs in a country that is much intersected byrivers, or ranges, or by any features that tend to produce the isolatingeffect that I have described, than in one whose character has no suchtendency; and this in reality we find to be the case. In Western andSouth-western Australia, as far as the commencement of the Great Bight, the features and character of the country appear to be but littlediversified, and here, accordingly, we find the language of the nativesradically the same, and their weapons, customs, and ceremonies verysimilar throughout its whole extent; but if, on the other hand, we turnto Eastern, South-eastern, and part of Southern Australia, we find thedialects, customs, and weapons of the inhabitants, almost as different asthe country itself is varied by the intersection of ranges and rivers. 

The division I have supposed as taking a south-easterly course from theGulf of Carpentaria, would appear early to have lost the rite ofcircumcision; but to have retained among some of its branches, thepractice of knocking out the front teeth of the upper jaw. Thus, thosewho made their way to Port Jackson and to Hunter's River, and to some ofthe southern parts of New South Wales, still retained the practice ofknocking out one of the front teeth at the age of puberty; but atKeppel's, Harvey's, and Glass-House bays, on the north-east coast, atTwofold bay on the south-east, at Port Phillip on the south, and upon therivers Darling and Murray, of the interior, no such rite is practised. Itis clear, therefore, that when the continent was first peopled, thenatives of Sydney or Hunter's River could not have come round thenorth-east coast by Keppel's or Harvey's bays, and retained a ceremonythat is there lost; neither could the Murrumbidgee or southern districtsof New South Wales, have been peopled from Port Phillip, or from SouthAustralia, or by tribes passing up the Murray for the same reason. It isnot demanding too much, therefore, to suppose that the general lines ofroute taken by the Aborigines in spreading over the continent ofAustralia, have been somewhat analogous to those I have imagined, or thatwe can fairly account for any material differences there may be in thedialects, customs, or weapons of the different tribes, by referring themto the effect of local circumstances, the length of time that may haveelapsed since separation, or to the isolated position in which they mayhave been placed, with regard to that division of the parent tribe fromwhich they had seceded. 

At present our information respecting the customs, habits, weapons anddialects of the various tribes is too limited and too scattered to enableus to trace with accuracy the division to which each may have originallybelonged, or the precise route by which it had arrived at its presentlocation; but I feel quite confident that this may be done with tolerablecertainty, when the particulars I have referred to shall be moreabundantly and correctly recorded. 

It is at least a subject of much interest, and one that is well worthythe attention of the traveller or the philanthropist. No one individualcan hope personally to collect the whole material required; but if eachrecorded with fidelity the facts connected with those tribes, with whomhe personally came in contact, a mass of evidence would soon be broughttogether that would more than suffice for the purpose required. 

Chapter VIII. 

EFFECTS OF CONTACT WITH EUROPEANS--ATTEMPTS AT IMPROVEMENT ANDCIVILIZATION--ACCOUNT OF SCHOOLS--DEFECTS OF THE SYSTEM. 

Some attempts have been made in nearly all the British Settlements ofAustralia to improve the condition of the aboriginal population; theresults have, however, in few cases, met the expectations of thepromoters of the various benevolent schemes that have been entered uponfor the object; nor have the efforts hitherto made succeeded in arrestingthat fatal and melancholy effect which contact with civilization seemsever to produce upon a savage people. It has already been stated, that inall the colonies we have hitherto established upon the continent, theAborigines are gradually decreasing in number, or have alreadydisappeared in proportion to the time their country has been occupied byEuropeans, or to the number of settlers who have been located upon it. 

Of the blighting and exterminating effects produced upon simple anduntutored races, by the advance of civilization upon them, we have manyand painful proofs. History records innumerable instances of nations whowere once numerous and powerful, decaying and disappearing before thisfatal and inexplicable influence; history WILL record, I fear, similarresults for the many nations who are now struggling; alas, how vainly, against this desolating cause. Year by year, the melancholy and appallingtruth is only the more apparent, and as each new instance multiplies uponus, it becomes too fatally confirmed, until at last we are almost, inspite of ourselves, forced to the conviction, that the first appearanceof the white men in any new country, sounds the funeral knell of thechildren of the soil. In Africa, in the country of the Bushmen, Mr. Moffat says--

"I have traversed those regions, in which, according to the testimony ofthe farmers, thousands once dwelt, drinking at their own fountains, andkilling their own game; but now, alas, scarcely is a family to be seen!It is impossible to look over those now uninhabited plains and mountainglens without feeling the deepest melancholy, whilst the winds moaning inthe vale seem to echo back the sound, 'Where are they?'"

Another author, with reference to the Cape Colony, remarks--

"The number of natives, estimated at the time of the discovery at about200, 000, are stated to have been reduced, or cut off, to the presentpopulation of about 32, 000, by a continual system of oppression, whichonce begun, never slackened. "

Catlin gives a feeling and melancholy account of the decrease of theNorth American Indians, [Note 99: Vide Catlin's American Indians, vol. I. P. 4 and 5, and vol. Ii. P. 238. ] and similar records might beadduced of the sad fate of almost every uncivilized people, whose countryhas been colonized by Europeans. In Sydney, which is the longestestablished of all our possessions in New Holland, it is believed that nota single native of the original tribes belonging to Port Jackson is nowleft alive. [Note 100 at end of para. ] Advancing from thence towards theinterior a miserable family or two may be met with, then a few detachedgroups of half-starved wretches, dependant upon what they can procureby begging for their daily sustenance. Still further, the scatteredand diseased remnants [Note 101 at end of para. ], of once powerful, but now decayed tribes are seen interspersed throughout the country, until at last upon arriving at the more remote regions, where theblighting and annihilating effects of colonization have not yetovertaken them, tribes are yet found flourishing in their natural state, free from that misery and diminution which its presence always bringsupon them. 

[Note 100: "In the first year of the settlement of New South Wales, 1788, Governor Phillip caused the amount of the population of Port Jackson to beascertained, by every cove in it being visited by different inspectors atthe same time. The number of natives found in this single harbour was130, and they had 67 boats. At the same time it was known that many werein the woods making new canoes. From this and other data, Governor Phillipestimated the population between Botany Bay and Broken Bay inclusive, at 1500. "--Aboriginal Protection Society's Report, May 1839, p. 13. 

In Report of the same Society for July 1839, page 71, Mr. Threlkeldsays--"Of one large tribe in the interior four years ago there were 164persons--there are now only three individuals alive!!"]

[Note 101: "The whole eastern country, once thickly peopled, may now besaid to be entirely abandoned to the whites, with the exception of somescattered families in one part, and of a few straggling individuals inanother; and these once so high spirited, so jealous of their independenceand liberty, now treated with contempt and ridicule even by the lowest ofthe Europeans; degraded, subdued, confused, awkward, and distrustful, illconcealing emotions of anger, scorn, and revenge--emaciated and coveredwith filthy rags;--these native lords of the soil, more like spectres ofthe past than living men, are dragging on a melancholy existence to a yetmore melancholy doom. "--STRZELECHI'S N. S. WALES, p. 350. ]

It is here that the native should be seen to be appreciated, in hisnative wilds, where he alone is lord of all around him. To those who havethus come into communication with the Aborigines, and have witnessed thefearless courage and proud demeanour which a life of independence andfreedom always inspires, it cannot but be a matter of deep regret to seethem gradually dwindling away and disappearing before the presence ofEuropeans. As the ravages of a flood destroy the country through which ittakes its course, and which its deposit ought only to have fertilized, [Note 102 at end of para. ] so the native, who ought to be improved by acontact with Europeans, is overwhelmed and swept away by their approach. In Van Diemen's Land the same result has been produced as at Sydney, butin a more extended and exterminating manner. [Note 103 at end of para. ]There, instead of a few districts, the whole island is depopulatedof its original inhabitants, and only thirty or forty individuals, the banished remnant of a once numerous people, are now existing asexiles at Flinders Island, to tell the tale of their expatriation. [Note104 at end of para. ] In Western Australia the same process is graduallybut certainly going on among the tribes most in contact with theEuropeans. In South Australia it is the same; and short as is the timethat this province has been occupied as a British Colony, the resultsupon the Aborigines are but too apparent in their diminished numbers, inthe great disproportion that has been produced between the sexes, and inthe large preponderance of deaths over births. A miserably diseasedcondition, and the almost total absence of children, are immediateconsequences of this contact with Europeans. The increase or diminutionof the tribes can only be ascertained exactly in the differentdistricts, by their being regularly mustered, and lists kept of thenumbers and proportion of the sexes, births, deaths, etc. 

[Note 102: "Hard indeed is the fate of the children of the soil, and one of the darkest enigmas of life lies in the degradation anddecay wrought by the very civilization which should succour, teach, and improve. "--ATHENAEUM. ]

[Note 103: "That the Aboriginal Tasmanian was naturally mild andinoffensive in disposition, appears to be beyond doubt. A worm, however, will turn, and the atrocities which were perpetrated against theseunoffending creatures may well palliate the indiscriminate, thoughheart-rending slaughter they entailed. Such was the character of theTasmanian native before roused by oppression, and ere a continuedand systematic hostility had arisen between the races--ere 'theirhand was against every man, and every man's hand against them. '"--MARTYN'S COLONIAL MAGAZINE, May, 1840. ]

[Note 104: "At the epoch of their deportation, in 1835, the number of thenatives amounted to 210. Visited by me in 1842, that is, after theinterval of seven years, they mustered only fifty-four individuals. "--STRZELECKI'S NEW SOUTH WALES, p. 352

Respecting the Aborigines of Van Diemen's Land, who were thus forciblyremoved, Mr. Chief Protector Robinson (who removed them) observes(Parliamentary Report, p. 198), "When the natives were all assembledat Flinders Island, in 1835, I took charge of them, and have continuedto do so ever since. I did not find them retaining that ferociouscharacter which they displayed in their own country; they shewedno hostility, nor even hostile recollection towards the whites. Unquestionably these natives assembled on the island were the same whohad been engaged in the outrages I have spoken of; many of them, beforethey were removed, pointed out to me the spots where murders and otheracts of violence had been committed; they made no secret ofacknowledging their participation in such acts, and only considered thema just retaliation for wrongs done to them or their progenitors. Onremoval to the island they appeared to forget all these facts; theycould not of course fail to remember them, but they never recurred tothem. "]

In April, 1843, or only six and a half years after South Australia hadfirst been occupied, the Protector of the Aborigines in Adelaideascertained that the tribes, properly belonging to that neighbourhood, consisted of 150 individuals, in the following proportions, namely, 70men, 39 women, and 41 children. Now, at the Murray, among a large numberof natives who, until 1842, were comparatively isolated from Europeans, and among whom are frequently many different tribes, I found by anaccurate muster every month at Moorunde for a period of three years, thatthe women, on an average, were equally numerous with the men, from whichI infer that such is usually the case in their original and naturalstate. Taking this for granted, and comparing it with the proportions ofthe Adelaide tribe, as given above, we shall find that in six years and ahalf the females had diminished from an equality with the males, to from70 to 80 per cent. Less, and of course the tribe must have sustained alsoa corresponding diminution with respect to children. 

[Note 105: This result seems to be generally borne out by the few accuratereturns that have hitherto been made on the subject. In Mr. ProtectorParker's report for his district, to the north-west of Port Phillip (forJanuary, 1843), that gentleman gives a census of 375 male natives, and 295female, which gives an excess of about 26 per cent. Of males over females. In 1834 Mr. Commissioner Lambie gives a census, for the district ofManero, of 416 males and 321 females, or an excess of the former over thelatter of nearly 45 per cent. It would appear that the disproportion ofthe sexes increases in a ratio corresponding to the length of time adistrict has been occupied by settlers and their stock, and to the densityof the European population residing in it. Official returns for fourdivisions of the Colony of New South Wales, give a decrease of theproportion of females to males of fifteen per cent. In two years. VideAborigines Protection Society Report, July, 1839, p. 69. In the sameReport, p. 70, Mr. Threlkeld states, that the Official Report for onedistrict gives only two women to 28 men, two boys, and no girls. ]

Again, in 1844, the Protector ascertained from the records he had keptthat, in the same tribe, there were, in four years, twenty-seven birthsand FIFTY deaths, which shews, beyond all doubt, the gradual but certaindestruction that was going on among the tribe. If no means can be adoptedto check the evil, it must eventually lead to their total extermination. 

By comparing the twenty-seven births in four years with the number ofwomen, thirty-nine, it appears that there would be annually only onechild born among every six women: a result as unnatural as it isevidently attributable to the increased prostitution that has takenplace, with regard both to Europeans and other native tribes, whomcuriosity has attracted to the town, but whom the Adelaide tribe were notin the habit of meeting at all, or, at least, not in such familiarintercourse prior to the arrival of the white people. This single cause, with the diseases and miseries which it entails upon the Aborigines, isquite sufficient to account for the paucity of births, and the additionalnumber of deaths that now occur among them. 

In the Moorunde statistics, given Chapter VI. , the very small number ofinfants compared with the number of women is still more stronglyillustrated; but in this case only those infants that lived and werebrought up by their mothers to the monthly musters were marked down; manyother births had, doubtless, taken place, where the children had died, orbeen killed, but of which no notice is taken, as it would have beenimpossible under the circumstances of such a mixture of tribes, and theirconstantly changing their localities, to have obtained an accurateaccount of all. 

Under the circumstances of our intercourse with the Aborigines as atpresent constituted, the same causes which produced so exterminating aneffect in Sydney and other places, are still going on in all parts ofAustralia occupied by Europeans, and must eventually lead to the sameresult, if no controlling measures can be adopted to prevent it. 

Many attempts, upon a limited scale, have already been made in all thecolonies, but none have in the least degree tended to check the gradualbut certain extinction that is menacing this ill-fated people; nor is itin my recollection that throughout the whole length and breadth of NewHolland, a single real or permanent convert to Christianity has yet beenmade amongst them, by any of the missionaries engaged in theirinstruction, many of whom have been labouring hopelessly for many years. 

In New South Wales, one of the oldest and longest established missions inAustralia was given up by the Rev. Mr. Threlkeld, after the fruitlessdevotion of many years of toil. [Note 106 at end of para. ] Neither havethe efforts hitherto made to improve the physical circumstances or socialrelations of the Aborigines been attended with any better success. Nonehave yet been induced permanently to adopt our customs, or completely togive up their wandering habits, or to settle down fixedly in one place, and by cultivating the ground, supply themselves with the comforts andluxuries of life. It is not that the New Hollander is not as apt andintelligent as the men of any other race, or that his capacity forreceiving instruction, or appreciating enjoyment is less; on the contrary, we have the fullest and most ample testimony from all who have beenbrought much into contact with this people that the very contrary is thecase: a testimony that is completely borne out by the many instances onrecord, of the quickness with which natives have learned our language, orthe facility with which temporarily they have accommodated themselves toour habits and customs. 

[Note 106: Vide Parliamentary Reports on Australian Aborigines, 9th ofAugust, 1844, pages 160 and 161. --"In submitting to this decision, it isimpossible not to feel considerable disappointment to the expectationsformerly hoped to be realized in the conversion of some at least of theAborigines in this part of the colony, and not to express concern that somany years of constant attention appear to have been fruitlesslyexpended. It is however, perfectly apparent that the termination of themission has arisen solely from the Aborigines becoming extinct in thesedistricts, and the very few that remain elsewhere are so scattered, thatit is impossible to congregate them for instruction; and when seen in thetowns, they are generally unfit to engage in profitable conversation. Thethousands of Aborigines, if ever they did exist in these parts, decreasedto hundreds, the hundreds have lessened to tens, and the tens willdwindle to units before a very few years will have passed away. "

"This mission to the Aborigines has ceased to exist, not from want ofsupport from the British Government, nor from the inclination of theagent, but purely from the Aborigines themselves becoming extinct in theseparts; and in leaving this scene of much solitariness, privation, andtrial, it is earnestly hoped that He who fixes the bounds of ourhabitation, apparently in Sydney for a season, will guide our feet throughlife to his glory, and provide support for a numerous family, so that the'ministry be not blamed. '"]

On the natural intelligence of the native children, Mr. Moorhouseremarks, after several years practical experience:--

"They are as apt as European children so far as they have been tried, butthey have not been put to abstract reasoning. Their perceptive powers arelarge, as they are much exercised in procuring food, etc. Anythingrequiring perception only is readily mastered, the alphabet will be knownin a few lessons; figures are soon recognised, and the quantities theyrepresent, but addition from figures alone always presents difficultiesfor a while, but in a little time, however, it is understood. "

Upon the same subject, Captain Grey remarks, vol. Ii. P. 374. 

"They are as apt and intelligent as any other race of men I am acquaintedwith; they are subject to the same affections, appetites, and passions asother men. "

Innumerable cases might be adduced, where native boys, or young men, andsometimes even females, have been taken into the employment of thesettlers, and have lived with them as active and useful servants for manymonths, and occasionally even years. Unfortunately, however, in all suchcases, they have eventually returned again to their savage life, andgiven up the customs and habits they had assumed. The same result hasoccurred among the many children who have been educated at the variousschools established for their instruction, in the different Colonies. Numerous examples might be given of the great degree of proficiency made;and often, of many of the scholars being in such a state of forwardnessand improvement, as reasonably to sanction the expectation, that theymight one day become useful and intelligent members of the community:this hope has, however, hitherto, in almost every instance, been sooneror later disappointed, and they have again descended from the civilizedto the savage state. What can be the causes then, that have operated toproduce such unfavourable results?

If we admit, and it is admitted by all whose experience best qualifiesthem to give an opinion, that the Australian is fully equal in naturalpowers and intelligence, to the generality of mankind; it is veryevident, that where so little success has hitherto attended any attemptsto improve him, either morally or socially, there must either be someradical defects in the systems adopted, or some strongly counteractingcauses to destroy their efficiency. I believe, that to both thesecircumstances, may be traced the results produced. 

The following remarks, by Captain Grey, upon this subject, point out someof the evils to which the natives are subject, and in a great degree, account for the preference they appear to give to their own wild life andhabits. (Vol. 2. Pp. 367 to 371. ) He says:--

"If we inquire into the causes which tend to detain them in their presentdepressed condition, we shall find that the chief one is--'prejudice' TheAustralians have been most unfairly represented as a very inferior race, in fact as one occupying a scale in the creation which nearly places themon a level with the brutes, and some years must elapse, ere a prejudiceso firmly rooted as this can be altogether eradicated, but certainly amore unfounded one never had possession of the public mind. 

"Amongst the evils which the natives suffer in their present position, one is an uncertain and irregular demand for their labour, that is tosay, they may one day have plenty of means for exerting their industryafforded them by the settlers, and the next their services are notrequired; so that they are necessarily compelled to have recourse totheir former irregular and wandering habits. 

"Another is the very insufficient reward for the services they render. Asan example of this kind, I will state the instance of a man who workedduring the whole season, as hard and as well as any white man, at gettingin the harvest for some setlers, and who only received bread, andsixpence a day, whilst the ordinary labourers would earn at least fifteenshillings. In many instances, they only receive a scanty allowance offood, so much so, that some settlers have told me that the natives leftthem because they had not enough to eat. 

"The evil consequence of this is, that a native finding he can gain asmuch by the combined methods of hunting and begging, as he can byworking, naturally prefers the former and much more attractive mode ofprocuring subsistence, to the latter one. 

"Many of the natives have not only a good idea of the value of money, buteven hoard it up for some particular purpose; several of them have shewnme their little treasure of a few shillings, and have told me it wastheir intention to save more until they had enough to buy a horse, a gun, or some wished-for article, but their improvidence has always got thebetter of their thriftiness, and this sum has eventually been spent intreating their friends to bread and rice. 

"Another evil is the very extraordinary position in which they are placedwith regard to two distinct sets of laws; that is they are allowed toexercise their own laws upon one another, and are again held amenable toBritish law where British subjects are concerned. Thus no protection isafforded them by the British law against the violence or cruelty of oneof their own race, and the law has only been hitherto known to them asthe means of punishment, but never as a code from which they can claimprotection or benefit. 

"The following instances will prove my assertion: In the month of October1838, I saw early one morning some natives in the public street in Perth, in the act of murdering a native woman, close to the store of the Messrs. Habgood: many Europeans were present, amongst others a constable; butthere was no interference on their part until eventually the life of thewoman was saved by the courage of Mr. Brown, a gardener in Perth, whorushed in amongst the natives, and knocked down the man who was holdingher; she then escaped into the house of the Messrs. Habgood, who treatedthe poor creature with the utmost humanity. She was, however, wounded inseveral places in the most severe and ghastly manner. 

"A letter I received from Mr. A. Bussel, (a settler in the southern partof the colony, ) in May, 1839, shews that the same scenes are enacted allover it. In this case, their cow-keeper, (the native whose burial isnarrated at p. 330, ) was speared by the others. He was at the time thehired servant of Europeans, performing daily a stated service for them;yet they slew him in open day-light, without any cause of provocationbeing given by him. 

"Again, in October, 1838, the sister of a settler in the northerndistrict, told me that shortly before this period, she had, as a femaleservant, a most interesting little native girl, not more than ten oreleven years of age. This girl had just learned all the duties belongingto her employment, and was regarded in the family as a most usefulservant, when some native, from a spirit of revenge, murdered thisinoffensive child in the most barbarous manner, close to the house; herscreams were actually heard by the Europeans under whose protection, andin whose service she was living, but they were not in time to save herlife. This same native had been guilty of many other barbarous murders, one of which he had committed in the district of the Upper Swan, in theactual presence of Europeans. In June, 1839, he was still at large, unmolested, even occasionally visiting Perth. 

"Their fondness for the bush and the habits of savage life, is fixed andperpetuated by the immense boundary placed by circumstances betweenthemselves and the whites, which no exertions on their part can overpass, and they consequently relapse into a state of hopeless passiveindifference. 

"I will state a remarkable instance of this:--The officers of the Beagletook away with them a native of the name of Miago, who remained absentwith them for several months. I saw him on the North-west coast, on boardthe Beagle, apparently perfectly civilized; he waited at the gun-roommess, was temperate (never tasting spirits), attentive, cheerful, andremarkably clean in his person. The next time I saw him was at SwanRiver, where he had been left on the return of the Beagle. He was thenagain a savage, almost naked, painted all over, and had been concerned inseveral murders. Several persons here told me, --"you see the taste for asavage life was strong in him, and he took to the bush again directly. "Let us pause for a moment and consider. 

"Miago, when he was landed, had amongst the white people none who wouldbe truly friends of his, --they would give him scraps from their table, but the very outcasts of the whites would not have treated him as anequal, --they had no sympathy with him, --he could not have married a whitewoman, --he had no certain means of subsistence open to him, --he nevercould have been either a husband or a father, if he had lived apart fromhis own people;--where, amongst the whites, was he to find one who wouldhave filled for him the place of his black mother, whom he is muchattached to?--what white man would have been his brother?--what whitewoman his sister? He had two courses left open to him, --he could eitherhave renounced all natural ties, and have led a hopeless, joyless lifeamongst the whites, --ever a servant, --ever an inferior being;--or hecould renounce civilization, and return to the friends of his childhood, and to the habits of his youth. He chose the latter course, and I thinkthat I should have done the same. "

Such are a few of the disadvantages the natives have to contend with, ifthey try to assimilate in their life and habits to Europeans, nor isthere one here enumerated, of which repeated instances have not comeunder my own observation. If to these be added, the natural ties ofconsanguinity, the authority of parents, the influence of the example ofrelatives and friends, and the seducing attraction which their own habitsand customs hold out to the young of both sexes; first, by their offeringa life of idleness and freedom, to a people naturally indolent andimpatient of restraint; and secondly, by their pandering to their naturalpassions: we shall no longer wonder that so little has been effectedtowards ameliorating their condition, or inducing them to adopt habitsand customs that deprive them of those indulgences. 

In New South Wales and Port Phillip, the Government have made manyefforts in behalf of the Aborigines; for a series of years past, and atpresent, the sum of about ten thousand pounds, is annually placed uponthe estimates, towards defraying the salaries of a Chief Protector, andseveral subordinate ones, and for other expenses connected with thenatives. 

[Note: Not included in thei eBook, Table on pages 428-9: ABSTRACTOF EXPENDITURE IN N. S. W ON ACCOUNT OF THE ABORIGINES FROM 1821 TO 1842INCLUSIVE. ]

In Western Australia a sum of money is also devoted annually towardsdefraying the salaries of two Protectors, and other expenses connectedwith the department. 

I am not, however, personally aware, what the particular arrangements maybe that have latterly been adopted in either of these colonies, for thebenefit of the Aborigines, or the degree of success which may haveattended them. I believe, however, that in both places, more has beenattempted, within the last three or four years, than had ever been thecase before. What the eventual result may be it is impossible to tell, but with the past experience before me, I cannot persuade myself, thatany real or permanent good will ever be effected, until the influenceexercised over the young by the adults be destroyed, and they are freedfrom the contagious effects of their example, and until means areafforded them of supporting themselves in a new condition, and of formingthose social ties and connections in an improved state, which they mustotherwise be driven to seek for among the savage hordes, from which it isattempted to reclaim them. 

In South Australia many efforts have been made in behalf of theAborigines, and an anxious desire for their welfare has frequently beenexhibited on the part of the Government, and of many of the colonists. For the year 1845 the sum of 820 pounds is noted in the estimates for theAboriginal Department. This sum is distributed as follows:--

Salary of Protector 300 poundsMaster of Native School at Walkerville 100Matron of School at Native Location 20Provisions 150Donation to Lutheran Mission 100Miscellaneous 150 ---Total 820 pounds

There are three native schools established in the province. The first isthat at the native location in the town of Adelaide, commenced inDecember, 1839, by Mr. Klose, one of the Dresden missionaries. Theaverage attendance of children has been about sixteen, all of whom havelatterly been lodged as well as fed at the school. The progress made bythe children may be stated to have been as follows: on the 16th February, 1844--

14 were able to read polysyllables. 2 were able to read monosyllables. 2 could repeat the cardinal numbers. 14 were in addition. 3 in subtraction. 9 in multiplication. 2 in division. 

Most of the children could repeat the Lord's Prayer and Commandments, andthey were able to narrate the history of the Creation, the fall of ourfirst parents, and other portions of the Old and New Testament. A fewwere able to write these subjects to dictation. In geography many of thescholars knew the ordinary divisions of the earth, its shape, diameter, circumference, and the names of the continents, oceans, seas, gulfs, etc. Etc. Together with the general description of the inhabitants of eachpart, as to colour, etc. Of the girls, fourteen had been taught to sew, and have made upwards of fifty garments for themselves, besides severalshirts for Europeans. 

Mr. Klose receives as salary 33 pounds per annum from the Government, anda remittance from his society at Dresden. The matron of the establishmentalso receives 20 pounds from the Government. The average expense ofprovisions for each child per week, amounts to two shillings and tenpence. The cost of clothing each child per year is 2 pounds. Until veryrecently this school was taught in the native language; but English isnow adopted, except in lecturing from Scripture, when the native languageis still retained. 

At Walkerville, about one mile from North Adelaide, another school hasbeen established under the superintendence of Mr. Smith, since May, 1844. Up to October of the same year the average attendance of children hadbeen sixty-three. In that short time the progress had been verysatisfactory; all the children had passed from the alphabetical to themonosyllabic class, and most had mastered the multiplication table;eighteen could write upon the slate, and six upon paper; twelve girls hadcommenced sewing, and were making satisfactory progress. 

They go four times in the week to the council chamber to be instructed bygratuitous teachers. On Sunday evening service is performed according tothe Church of England by Mr. Fleming, and the children are said to beattentive and well-behaved. The Methodists of the New Connection havethem also under spiritual instruction in the morning and afternoon ofeach Sabbath, assisted by persons of other religious denominations. 

All instruction is given in English; their food is cooked by the elderchildren, (who also provide the firewood, ) and distributed by themselvesunder the master's eye The cook is said to take good care of himself, andcertainly his appearance does not belie the insinuation, for he is by farthe fattest boy in the lot. The school building is a plain, low cottage, containing a school-room, a sleeping-room for the male children, anotherfor the female, and apartments for the master and mistress. There is alsoan old out-building attached, where the children perform their ablutionsin wet weather. Mr. And Mrs. Smith receive 100 pounds. Per annum from theColonial Government for their services. The children of this school havenot yet been generally provided with other clothing than a small blanketeach. The third school was only just commenced at Encounter Bay, where ithas been established through the influence and exertions of Mr. Meyer, one of the missionaries. The Government give 20 pounds per annum, and thesettlers of the neighbourhood 100 bushels of wheat, and some mutton. Sixor eight children are expected to be lodged and boarded at this school, with the means at present existing. 

Besides the establishment of schools, there is a Protector resident inAdelaide to take the management of the aboriginal department, to affordmedical assistance and provisions to such of the aged or diseased aschoose to apply for them, and to remunerate any natives who may renderservices to the Government, or the Protectorate. At Moorunde, upon theMurray, the natives are mustered once a month by the Resident magistrate, and two pounds and a half of flour issued to each native who chooses toattend. This is occasionally done at Port Lincoln, and has had a verybeneficial effect. Once in the year, on the Queen's birthday, a fewblankets are distributed to some of the Aborigines at Adelaide, Moorunde, Encounter Bay, and Port Lincoln, amounting in all to about 300. Fournatives are also provisioned by the Government as attaches to the policeforce at different out-stations, and are in many respects very useful. 

Exclusive of the Government exertions in behalf of the Aborigines, thereare in the province four missionaries from the Lutheran MissionarySociety at Dresden, two of whom landed in October 1838, and two in August1840. Of these one is stationed at the native location, and (as hasalready been stated) acts as schoolmaster. A second is living twelvemiles from Adelaide, upon a section of land, bought by the DresdenSociety, with the object of endeavouring to settle the natives, andinducing them to build houses upon the property, but the plan seemsaltogether a failure. It was commenced in November 1842, but up toNovember 1844 natives had only been four months at the place; and on oneoccasion a period of nine months elapsed, without their ever visiting itat all, although frequently located at other places in the neighbourhood. 

A third missionary is stationed at Encounter Bay, and is now conducting aschool, mainly established through his own exertions and influence. 

The fourth is stationed at Port Lincoln. All the four missionaries havelearned the dialects of the tribes where they are stationed, and threehave published vocabularies and grammars as the proof of their industry. 

Such is the general outline of the efforts that have hitherto been madein South Australia, and the progress made. It may be well to inquire, what are likely to be the results eventually under the existingarrangements. From the first establishment of the schools, until June1843, the children were only instructed at the location, their food wasgiven to them to take to the native encampments to cook, and they wereallowed to sleep there at night. The natural consequence was, that theprovisions intended for the sonolars were shared by the other natives, whilst the evil influence of example, and the jeers of their companions, did away with any good impression produced by their instruction. I havemyself, upon going round the encampments in Adelaide by night, seen theschool-children ridiculed by the elder boys, and induced to join them inmaking a jest of what they had been taught during the day to look upon assacred. 

A still more serious evil, resulting from this system was, that thechildren were more completely brought into the power, and under theinfluence of the parents, and thus their natural taste for an indolentand rambling life, was constantly kept up. The boys naturally becameanxious to participate and excel in the sports, ceremonies, or pursuitsof their equals, and the girls were compelled to yield to the customs oftheir tribe, and break through every lesson of decency or morality, whichhad been inculcated. 

Since June, 1843, the system has so far been altered, that the children, whilst under instruction, are boarded and lodged at the school houses, and as far as practicable, the boys and girls are kept separate. Thereare still, however, many evils attending the present practice, most ofwhich arise from the inadequacy of the funds, applicable to theAborigines, and which must be removed before any permanent good can beexpected from the instruction given. The first of these, and perhaps oneof the greatest, is that the adult natives make their encampmentsimmediately in the neighbourhood of the schools, whilst the children, when out of school, roam in a great measure at will, or are oftenemployed collecting firewood, etc. About the park lands, a place almostconstantly occupied by the grown up natives, there is consequently nearlyas much intercourse between the school children and the other natives, and as great an influence exercised over them by the parents and elders, as if they were still allowed to frequent the camps. 

Another evil is, that no inducement is held out to the parents, to puttheir children to school, or to allow them to remain there. They cannotcomprehend the advantage of having their children clothed, fed, oreducated, whilst they lose their services; on the contrary, they findthat all the instruction, advice, or influence of the European, tends toundermine among the children their own customs and authority, and thatwhen compelled to enforce these upon them, they themselves incur theodium of the white men. Independently, however, of this consideration, and of the natural desire of a parent to have his family about him, he isin reality a loser by their absence, for in many of the methods adoptedfor hunting, fishing, or similar pursuits, the services even of youngchildren are often very important. For the deprivation of these, which hesuffers when his children are at school, he receives no equivalent, andit is no wonder therefore, that by far the great majority of nativeswould prefer keeping their children to travel with them, and assist inhunting or fishing. It is a rare occurrence, for parents to send, or evenwillingly [Note 107 at end of para. ] to permit their children to go toschool, and the masters have consequently to go round the nativeencampments to collect and bring away the children against their wishes. This is tacitly submitted to at the time, but whenever the parentsremove to another locality, the children are informed of it, and atonce run away to join them; so that the good that has been done in school, is much more rapidly undone at the native camp. I have often heard theparents complain indignantly of their children being thus taken; andone old man who had been so treated, but whose children had run awayand joined him again, used vehemently to declare, that if taken any more, he would steal some European children instead, and take them into thebush to teach them; he said he could learn them something useful, to make weapons and nets, to hunt, or to fish, but what good did theEuropeans communicate to his children?

[Note 107: "Mr. Gunter expressed very decidedly his opinion, that theblacks do not like Mr. Watson, and that they especially do not like him, SINCE HE HAS TAKEN CHILDREN FROM THEM BY FORCE: he would himself like tohave some children under his care, IF HE COULD PROCURE THEM BY PROPERMEANS. "--Memorandum respecting Wellington Valley, by Sir G. Gipps, November 1840. ]

A third, and a very great evil, is that, after a native boy or girl hasbeen educated and brought up at the school, no future provision is madefor either, nor have they the means of following any useful occupation, or the opportunity of settling themselves in life, or of forming anydomestic ties or connections whatever, save by falling back again uponthe rude and savage life from which it was hoped education would haveweaned them. It is unnatural, therefore, to suppose that under existingcircumstances they should ever do other than relapse into their formerstate; we cannot expect that individuals should isolate themselvescompletely from their kind, when by so doing they give up for ever allhope of forming any of those domestic ties that can render their liveshappy. 

Such being the very limited, and perhaps somewhat equivocal advantages weoffer the Aborigines, we can hardly expect that much or permanent benefitcan accrue to them; and ought not to be disappointed if such is not thecase. [Note 108 at end of para. ] At present it is difficult to say whatare the advantages held out to the natives by the schools, since they haveno opportunity of turning their instruction to account, and must fromnecessity relapse again to the condition of savages, when they leaveschool. Taken as children from their parents, against the wishes ofthe latter, there are not means sufficient at the schools for keepingthem away from the ill effects of the example and society of the mostabandoned of the natives around. They are not protected from the poweror influence of their parents and relatives, who are always encouragingthem to leave, or to practise what they have been taught not to do. The good that is instilled one day is the next obliterated by evilexample or influence. They have no future openings in life whichmight lead them to become creditable and useful members of society;and however well disposed a child may be, there is but one sad andmelancholy resource for it at last, that of again joining its tribe, and becoming such as they are. Neither is there that disinclinationon the part of the elder children to resume their former mode oflife and customs that might perhaps have been expected; for whilststill at school they see and participate enough in the sports, pleasures, or charms of savage life to prevent their acquiring a distasteto it; and when the time arrives for their departure, they are generallywilling and anxious to enter upon the career before them, and take theirpart in the pursuits or duties of their tribe. Boys usually leave schoolabout fourteen, to join in the chase, or learn the practice of war. Girlsare compelled to leave about twelve, through the joint influence ofparents and husbands, to join the latter; and those only who have beenacquainted with the life of slavery and degradation a native female issubject to, can at all form an opinion of the wretched prospect beforeher. 

[Note 108: The importance of a change in the system and policy adoptedtowards the Aborigines, and the urgent necessity for placing the schoolsupon a different and better footing, appears from the following extractfrom a despatch from Governor Hutt to Lord Stanley, 21st January, 1843, inwhich the difficulties and failure attending the present system arestated. Mr. Hutt says (Parliamentary Reports, p. 416). "It is to theschools, of course, that we must look for any lasting benefit to bewrought amongst the natives, and I regret most deeply the totalfailure of the school instituted at York, and the partial failureof that at Guilford, both of which at FIRST promised so well. Thefickle disposition of these people, in youth as in older years, incapacitate them from any long continued exertions, whether oflearning or labour, whilst from the roving lives of the parents insearch of food, the children, if received into the schools, mustbe entirely supported at the public expense. This limits the sphereof our operations, by restricting the number of the scholars whocan thus be taken charge of. Through the kindly co-operation of theWesleyan Society at Perth, and the zealous pastoral exertions of the Rev. Mr. King at Fremantle, the schools at both these places have beenefficiently maintained; but in the country, and apart from the largetowns, to which the Aborigines have an interest in resorting in largenumbers for food and money, the formation of schools of a lastingcharacter will be for some time a work of doubt and of difficulty. "]

There are two other points connected with the natives to which I willbriefly advert: the one, relative to the language in which the schoolchildren are taught, the other, the policy, or otherwise, of havingestablishments for the natives in the immediate vicinity of a town, or ofa numerous European population. 

With respect to the first, I may premise, that for the first four yearsthe school at the location in Adelaide was conducted entirely in thenative tongue. To this there are many objections. 

First, the length of time and labour required for the instructor tomaster the language he has to teach in. 

Secondly, the very few natives to whom he can impart the advantages ofinstruction, as an additional school, and another teacher would berequired for every tribe speaking a different dialect. 

Thirdly, the sudden stop that would be put to all instruction if thepreceptor became ill, or died, as no one would be found able to supplyhis place in a country where, from the number, and great differences ofthe various dialects, there is no inducement to the public to learn anyof them. 

Fourthly, that by the children being taught in any other tongue than thatgenerally spoken by the colonists, they are debarred from the advantageof any casual instruction or information which they might receive fromothers than their own teachers, and from entering upon duties orrelations of any kind with the Europeans among whom they are living, butwhose language they cannot speak. 

Fifthly, that, by adhering to the native language, the children are moredeeply confirmed in their original feelings and prejudices, and morethoroughly kept under the influence and direction of their own people. 

Among the colonists themselves there have scarcely been two opinions uponthe subject, and almost all have felt, that the system originally adoptedwas essentially wrong. It has recently been changed, and the English isnow adopted instead of the native language. I should not have named thissubject at all, had I not been aware that the missionaries themselvesstill retain their former impressions, and that although they haveyielded to public opinion on this point, they have not done so from aconviction of its utility. 

The second point to which I referred, --the policy, or otherwise, ofhaving native establishments near a populous European settlement, is amuch more comprehensive question, and one which might admit, perhaps, ofsome reasons on both sides, although, upon the whole, those against itgreatly preponderate. 

The following are the reasons I have usually heard argued for proximityto town. 

1st. It is said that the children sooner acquire the English language bymixing among the towns people. This, however, to say the least, is a verynegative advantage, for in such a contact it is far more probable thatthey will learn evil than good; besides, if means were available toenable the masters to keep their scholars under proper restrictions, there would no longer be even the opportunity for enjoying this veryequivocal advantage. 

2nd. It is stated that the natives are sooner compelled to give up theirwandering habits, as there is no game near a town. This might be wellenough if they followed any better employment, but the contrary is thecase; and with respect to the school-children, the restriction would bethe correction of a bad habit, which they ought never to be allowed toindulge in, and one which might soon be done away with entirely ifsufficient inducement were held out to the parents to put their childrento school, and allow them to remain there. 

3rd. It is thought that a greater number of children can be collected inthe vicinity of a town than elsewhere. This may perhaps be the case atpresent, but would not continue so if means were used to congregate thenatives in their own proper districts. 

4th. It is said that provisions and clothing are cheaper in town and moreeasily procured than elsewhere. This is the only apparently valid reasonof the whole, but it is very questionable whether it is sufficient tocounterbalance the many evils which may result from too close acontiguity to town, and especially so as far as the adults are concerned. With respect to the children, if kept within proper bounds, and underproper discipline, it is of little importance where they may be located, and perhaps a town may for such purposes be sometimes the best. With theolder natives however it is far different, and the evils resulting tothem from too close contact with a large European population, are mostplainly apparent; in, --

1st. The immorality, which great as it is among savages in their naturalstate, is increased in a tenfold degree when encouraged and countenancedby Europeans, and but little opening is left for the exercise ofmissionary influence or exertions. 

2nd. The dreadful state of disease which is superinduced, and whichtends, in conjunction with other causes as before stated, to bring aboutthe gradual extinction of the race. 

3rd. The encouragement a town affords to idleness, and the opportunitiesto acquire bad habits, such as begging, pilfering, drinking, etc. Theeffects of which must also have a very bad moral tendency upon thechildren. 

The town of Adelaide appears capable of supporting about six hundrednatives on an average. Many of these obtain their food by going errands, by carrying wood or water, or by performing other light work of a similarkind. Many are supported by the offal of a place where so much animalfood is consumed; but by far the greater number are dependent uponcharity, and some few even extort their subsistence from women orchildren by threats, if they have the opportunity of doing so withoutfear of detection. 

The number of natives usually frequenting the town of Adelaide averagesperhaps 300, but occasionally there are even as many as 800. These do notbelong to the neighbourhood of the town itself, for the Adelaide tribeproperly so called only embraces about 150 individuals. The others comein detached parties from almost all parts of the colony. Some from theneighbourhood of Bonney's Well, or 120 miles south; some from theBroughton, or 120 miles north; some from the upper part of the Murray, ornearly 200 miles east. Thus are assembled at one spot sometimes portionsof tribes the most distant from each other, and whose languages, customsand ceremonies are quite dissimilar. If any proof were wanted to shew thepower of European influence in removing prejudices or effecting a totalrevulsion of their former habits and customs, a stronger one couldscarcely be given than this motley assembly of "all nations andlanguages. " In their primitive state such a meeting could never takeplace; the distant tribes would never have dreamt of attempting to passthrough the country of the intermediate ones, nor would the latter haveallowed a passage if it had been attempted. 

I have remarked that in Adelaide many of the natives support themselvesby light easy work, or going errands; there are also a dozen, or fourteenyoung men employed regularly as porters to storekeepers with whom theyspend two-thirds of their time, and make themselves very useful. Atharvest time many natives assist the settlers. At Encounter Bay during1843, from 70 to 100 acres of wheat or barley, were reaped by them; atAdelaide from 50 to 60 acres, and at Lynedoch Valley they aided incutting and getting in 200 acres. Other natives have occasionallyemployed themselves usefully in a variety of ways, and one party of youngmen collected and delivered to a firm in town five tons of mimosa bark upto December 1843. At the native location during the year 1842, threefamilies of natives assisted by the school-children, had dug with thespade the ground, and had planted and reaped more than one acre of maize, one acre of potatoes, and half an acre of melons, besides preparingground for the ensuing year. On the Murray River native shepherds andstock-keepers have hitherto been employed almost exclusively, and havebeen found to answer well. Most of the settlers in that district have oneor more native youths constantly living at their houses. 

In concluding an account of the present state and prospects of theAborigines and of the efforts hitherto made on their behalf, I may statethat I am fully sensible that to put the schools upon a proper footingand to do away with the serious disadvantages I have pointed out as atpresent attending them, or to adopt effective means for assembling, feeding, or instructing the natives in their own respective districtswould involve a much greater expenditure than South Australia hashitherto been able to afford from her own resources; and I have thereforecalled attention to the subject, not for the purpose of censuring what itis impossible to remedy without means; but in the sincere and earnesthope that an interest in behalf of a people who are generally muchmisrepresented, and who are certainly in justice entitled to expect atour hands much more than they receive, will be excited in the breasts ofthe British public, who are especially their debtors on many accounts. 

I am aware that the subject of the Aborigines is one of a very difficultand embarrassing nature in many respects, and I know that evils andimperfections will occasionally occur, in spite of the utmost efforts toprevent them. No system of policy can be made to suit all circumstancesconnected with a subject so varied and perplexing, and especially so, where every new arrangement and all benevolent intentions are restrainedor limited, by the deficiency of pecuniary means to carry out the objectin a proper manner. Already the subject of apprenticing the natives, orteaching them a trade, has been under the consideration of theGovernment, but has been delayed from being brought into operation by thewant of funds sufficient to carry the object into effect. It is intended, I believe, to make the experiment as soon as means are available for thatpurpose. 

My duties as an officer of the Government having been principallyconnected with the more numerous, but distant tribes of the interior, Ican bear testimony to the anxious desire of the Government to promote thewelfare of the natives. 

I have equal pleasure in recording the great interest that prevails ontheir behalf among their numerous friends in the colonies, and thegeneral kindness and good feeling that have been exhibited towards themon the part of a large proportion of the colonists of Australia. It is inthe hope that this good feeling may be promoted and strengthened that Ihave been led to enter into the details of the preceding pages. Inbringing before the public instances of a contrary conduct or feeling, Iby no means wish to lead to the impression that such are now of veryfrequent or general occurrence, and I trust my motives may not bemisunderstood. My sole, my only wish has been to bring about animprovement in the terms of intercourse, which subsists between thesettlers and the Aborigines. Whilst advocating the cause of the latter, Iam not insensible to the claims of the former, who leaving their nativecountry and their friends, cheerfully encounter the inconveniences, toils, privations, and dangers which are necessarily attendant uponfounding new homes in the remote and trackless wilds of other climes. Strongly impressed with the advantages, and the necessity ofcolonization, I am only anxious to mitigate its concomitant evils, and byeffecting an amelioration in the treatment and circumstances of theAborigines, point out the means of rendering the residence or pursuits ofthe settler among an uncivilized community, less precarious, and lesshazardous than they have been. My object has been to shew the result, Imay almost say, the necessary result of the system at present in force, when taking possession of and occupying a country where there areindigenous races. By shewing the complete failure of all efforts hithertomade, to prevent the oppression and eventual extinction of theseunfortunate people, I would demonstrate the necessity of remodelling thearrangements made on their behalf, and of adopting a more equitable andliberal system than any we have yet attempted. 

I believe that by far the greater majority of the settlers in all theAustralian Colonies would hail with real pleasure, the adoption of anymeasures calculated to remove the difficulties, which at present besetour relations with the Aborigines; but to be effectual, these measures, at the same time that they afford, in some degree, compensation andsupport to the dispossessed and starving native--must equally hold out tothe settler and the stockholder that security and protection, which hedoes not now possess, but which he is fairly entitled to expect, underthe implied guarantee given to him by the Government, when selling to himhis land, or authorizing him to locate in the more remote districts ofthe country. 

From a long experience, and an attentive observation of what has beengoing on around me, I am perfectly satisfied, that unless some greatchange be made in our system, things will go on exactly as they havedone, and in a few years more not a native will be left to tell the taleof the wrongs and sufferings of his unhappy race. I am equally convincedthat all one-sided legislation--all measures having reference solely tothe natives must fail. The complete want of success attending theprotecting system, and all other past measures, clearly shew, that unlessthe interests of the two classes can be so interwoven and combined, thatboth may prosper together; no real good can be hoped for from our bestefforts to ameliorate the condition of the savage. In all future plans itis evident that the native must have the inducements and provocations tocrime destroyed or counteracted, as far as it may be practicable toeffect this, and the settler must be convinced that it is his interest totreat the native with kindness and consideration, and must be able tofeel that he is no longer exposed to risk of life or property forinjuries or aggressions, which, as an individual, he has not induced. 

I have now nearly discharged the duty I have undertaken--a duty which mylong experience among the natives, and an intimate acquaintance withtheir peculiarities, habits, and customs, has in a measure almost forcedupon me. In fulfilling it, I have been obliged to enter at some lengthupon the subject, to give as succinct an account as I could of theunfavourable impressions that have often, but unjustly, been entertainedof the New Hollanders: of the difficulties and disadvantages they havelaboured under, of the various relations that have subsisted, or nowsubsist between them and the colonists, of the different steps that havebeen adopted by the Government or others, to ameliorate their condition, and of the degree of success or otherwise that has attended theseefforts. I have stated, that from the result of my own experience andobservation, for a long series of years past, from a practicalacquaintance with the character and peculiarities of the Aborigines, andafter a deliberate and attentive consideration of the measures that havebeen hitherto pursued, I have unwillingly been forced to the conviction, that some great and radical defect has been common to all; that we havenot hitherto accomplished one single, useful, or permanent result; andthat unless a complete change in our system of policy be adopted for thefuture, there is not the slightest hope of our efforts being moresuccessful in times to come, than they have been in times past. That I amnot alone or singular in the view which I take on this subject, may beshewn from various sources, but most forcibly from the opinions orstatements of those, who from being upon the spot, and personallyacquainted with the real facts of the case, may be supposed to be mostcompetent to form just conclusions, and most worthy of having weightattached to their opinions. The impression on the public mind in thecolonies, with respect to the general effect of the measures that haveheretofore been adopted, may be gathered from the many opinions orquotations to which I have already referred in my remarks; many othersmight be adduced, if necessary, but one or two will suffice. 

The following extract is from a speech by A. Forster, Esq. At a meetingheld to celebrate the anniversary of the South Australian MissionarySociety, on the 6th September, 1843, and at which the Governor of theColony presided:--

"This colony had been established for nearly seven years, and during thewhole of that time the natives had been permitted to go about the streetsin a state of nudity. [Note 109 at end of para. ] This was not only anoutrage on decency and propriety, but it was demoralising to the nativesthemselves. Like Adam, after having come in contact with the tree ofknowledge, they had begun to see their own nakedness, and were ashamedof it. If they could give them a nearer approach to humanity by clothingthem, if they could make them look like men, they would then, perhaps, begin to think like men. What he complained of was, not that they werein a low and miserable condition, but that no effort had been made torescue them from that condition. "

[Note 109: And yet a law is passed, subjecting natives, who appear thus, to punishment!--How are they to clothe themselves?]

"The circumstances, too, of the aborigines called upon them for increasedexertion. They were wasting away with disease--they were dying on thescaffold--they were being shot down in mistake for native dogs, and theirbleeding and ghastly heads had been exhibited on poles, as scare-crows totheir fellows. "

The report of the Missionary Society, read on the same occasion, says, "Though it is undeniable that there is much to discourage in the smallresults which can yet be reckoned from these efforts, and a variety ofsecondary means might be brought to bear with great advantage on thecondition of the natives, still we must exercise faith in the power ofthe Spirit of God, over the most savage soul, in subduing the wickedpassions and inclining the heart unto wisdom by exalted views of a futurestate, and of the divine character and will. "

Captain Grey's opinion of the little good that had ever beenaccomplished, may be gathered from the following quotation, and which isfully as applicable to the state of the natives in 1844, as it was in1841. Vol. Ii. P. 366, he says, "I wish not to assert, that the natives have been often treated withwanton cruelty, but I do not hesitate to say, that no real ameliorationof their condition has been effected, and that much of negative evil, andindirect injury has been inflicted on them. "

Upon the same subject, the Committee of Management of the Native Schoolat Perth, Swan River, Western Australia, state in their 3rd AnnualReport, dated 1844. 

"With regard to the physical condition of the native children, and thosewho are approaching to mature life, it may be observed, that they aresomewhat improving, though slowly, we trust surely. We find that to undois a great work; to disassociate them from their natural ideas, habits, and practices which are characteristic of the bush life, is a greaterdifficulty, for notwithstanding the provisions of sleeping berths in goodrooms, also of tables, etc. For their use, and which are peculiar tocivilised life, and with which they are associated, yet they naturallyverge towards, and cling to aboriginal education, and hence to squat onthe sand to eat, to sleep a night in the bush, to have recourse to aByly-a-duck man for ease in sickness; these to them seem reliefs andenjoyments from these restraints which civilized life entails upon them. "

"With regard to the mental improvement of the native children, we cannotsay much. "

"As to the religious state of the pupils in the institution we havesigns, improvements, and encouragements, which say to us, 'Go on. '"

The following quotation from Count Strzelecki's work only just published(1845), shews the opinion of that talented and intelligent traveller, after visiting various districts of New South Wales, Port Phillip, VanDiemen's Land, and Flinders' Island, and after a personal acquaintancewith, and experience among the Aborigines:--

"Thus, in New South Wales, since the time that the fate of theAustralasian awoke the sympathies of the public, neither the efforts ofthe missionary, nor the enactments of the Government, and still less theProtectorate of the "Protectors, " have effected any good. The attempts tocivilize and christianize the Aborigines, from which the preservation andelevation of their race was expected to result, HAVE UTTERLY FAILED, though it is consolatory, even while painful, to confess, that NEITHERTHE ONE NOR THE OTHER ATTEMPT HAS BEEN CARRIED INTO EXECUTION, WITH THESPIRIT WHICH ACCORDS WITH ITS PRINCIPLES. "

With such slight encouragement in colonies where the best results aresupposed to have been obtained, and with instances of complete failure inothers, it is surely worth while to inquire, why there has been such asignal want of success?--and whether or not any means can be devised thatmay hold out better hopes for the future? I cannot and I would notwillingly believe, that the question is a hopeless one. The failure ofpast measures is no reason that future ones should not be moresuccessful, especially when we consider, that all past efforts on behalfof the Aborigines have entirely overlooked the wrongs and injuries theyare suffering under from our mere presence in their country, whilst nonehave been adapted to meet the exigencies of the peculiar relations theyare placed in with regard to the colonists. The grand error of all ourpast or present systems--the very fons et origo mali appears to me toconsist in the fact, that we have not endeavoured to blend the interestsof the settlers and Aborigines together; and by making it the interest ofboth to live on terms of kindness and good feeling with each, bring aboutand cement that union and harmony which ought ever to subsist betweenpeople inhabiting the same country. So far, however, from our measuresproducing this very desirable tendency, they have hitherto, unfortunately, had only a contrary effect. By our injustice andoppression towards the natives, we have provoked them to retaliation andrevenge; whilst by not affording security and protection to the settlers, we have driven them to protect themselves. Mutual distrusts and mutualmisunderstandings have been the necessary consequence, and these, as mustever be the case, have but too often terminated in collisions oratrocities at which every right-thinking mind must shudder. To preventthese calamities for the future; to check the frightful rapidity withwhich the native tribes are being swept away from the earth, and torender their presence amidst our colonists and settlers, not as it toooften hitherto has been, a source of dread and danger, but harmless, andto a certain extent, even useful and desirable, is an object of thedeepestinterest and importance, both to the politician and to thephilanthropist. I have strong hopes, that means may be devised, to bringabout, in a great measure, these very desirable results; and I wouldsuggest, that such means only should be tried, as from being just inprinciple, and equally calculated to promote the interests of both races, may, in their practical adoption, hold out the fairest prospect ofefficacy and success. 

Chapter IX. 

SUGGESTIONS FOR IMPROVEMENT OF SYSTEM ADOPTED TOWARDS THE NATIVES. 

In the preceding chapters I have given a general outline of thecharacter, manners, and customs of the Aborigines of Australia, and ofthe effects produced upon them by a contact with civilization. 

I have thus endeavoured to lay before the public their present state andfuture prospects, and as far as I am able, have attempted to explain whatappear to me the reasons that so little success has hitherto attendedMissionary, or other efforts, in their behalf. I would sincerely hope, that the accounts which I have given, may not be altogether useless; butthat a certain knowledge of the real position of the natives, of the justclaims they have upon us, and of the little prospect that exists of anyreal or permanent good being effected for them, until a great alterationtakes place in our system, and treatment, may be the means of attractingattention to their condition, and of enlisting the sympathy of myfellow-countrymen in their cause. 

Englishmen have ever been ready to come forward to protect the weak, orthe oppressed; nor could they lend their aid to promote a greater, or anobler work, than that of endeavouring, to arrest the decay, and avertthe destruction which at present threatens the aboriginal races of ourAustralian colonies; and to try at least to bring within the pale ofchristianity and civilization, a people hitherto considered as thelowest, and most irreclaimable of mankind, but whose natural capabilitiesand endowments, are, I feel assured, by no means inferior to those of themost favoured nations. 

I shall now briefly suggest such alterations and additions, in the systemof instruction and policy adopted towards them, as appear to me likely toprove beneficial. 

I am aware, that in carrying out the improvements I propose, a greatlyincreased expenditure on behalf of the natives would be necessary, beyondwhat has hitherto been allowed by any of the Colonial Governments. 

It appears to me, however, that they are justly entitled to expect, atour hands, some compensation for the injuries our presence unavoidablyinflicts, and some alleviation of the consequent miseries they aresuffering under. 

If we are sincere in our desires and efforts to promote the improvement, or prevent the decay of this unfortunate people, we are bound to make ourmeasures sufficiently comprehensive to hold out some reasonable hope ofsuccess, otherwise our labour and money are only thrown away. 

I do not believe that there is any one practically acquainted with thepresent state of our relations with the Aborigines, and the systemadopted towards them, its working, defects, and inaptitude to overcomeopposing difficulties, who would conscientiously assert that there is theleast prospect of any greater benefits resulting in future than have beenrealized up to the present time. 

There is another reason, independently of justice or humanity, one which, with some, may perhaps have more weight, as a motive for extending andamending our policy towards the natives. I mean self-interest. If ourmeasures were calculated to afford them that protection which we claimfor ourselves; and in place of those resources we have deprived them of, to offer to them a certain and regular supply of food in their respectivedistricts, their wandering habits would be partially restrained, and adegree of influence and authority acquired over the whole aboriginalpopulation, in contact with Europeans, which would counteract theirnatural propensities. The flocks and herds of the settlers, and the livesof his family and servants, would be as unmolested and uninjured as amongour own people. There would no longer occur those irritating aggressions, or bloody retaliations, which have too often taken place heretofore, between the black and the white man; and the misfortune of always havingthe border districts in a state of excitement and alarm, would beavoided, whilst the expense and inconvenience of occasionally sendinglarge parties of military and police, to coerce or punish transgressorsthat they can rarely meet with, would be altogether dispensed with. 

Unfortunately, the system I propose has been so little tried inAustralia, that but few instances of its practical results can beadduced. There is one instance, however, which, from its coming nearer toit than any other, may serve to exemplify the success that might beexpected. The case I allude to, is that of the establishment of theGovernment post at Moorunde, upon the Murray, in October 1841, by HisExcellency Governor Grey. The circumstances which led to the formation ofthis post, arose from the disturbed and dangerous state the river routefrom New South Wales was in at the time, from the fearful losses that hadoccurred both of life and property, and the dread entertained by many, that the out-stations, which were formed along the line of hills frontingthe Murray, would be subject to irruptions from the natives. 

Between the 16th of April, and 27th of August, or in about four months, four several affrays had taken place between the Aborigines andEuropeans, in which many of the latter had been killed, and stock, drays, and other property, had been taken to a great value, (in one instancealone amounting to 5, 000 sheep, besides drays and stores); on the otherhand the sacrifice of native life had been very great, and was admittedin one case, to have amounted to thirty individuals, exclusive of manywho were perhaps mortally wounded. Four different parties had been sentup the river during this short period, to punish aggressions. Or protectproperty. In one of these the Europeans were worsted and driven back bythe natives, in another a number amounting to sixty-eight Europeans, wereabsent for upwards of six weeks, at an immense expense, and were thenobliged to return without bringing in a single culprit from the offendingtribes. 

[Note 110: In this latter case, the Commissioner of Police, and thegreater number of his men, accompanied the expedition, leaving of coursethe colony unprotected, and ordinary civil arrangements at a stand stilluntil their return. I have already remarked, the little chance there is, of either the police or military ever succeeding in capturing nativeoffenders, and how very frequently it has occurred, that in their attemptsto do so, either through mistake, or from mismanagement, they have veryoften been guilty of most serious and lamentable acts of injury andaggression upon the innocent and the unoffending. As a mere matter ofpolicy, or financial arrangement, I believe it would in the long run, be prudent and economical, to adopt a liberal and just line of treatmenttowards the Aborigines. I believe by this means, we should gain asufficient degree of influence, to induce them always to GIVE UP OFFENDERSTHEMSELVES; and I believe that this is the ONLY MEANS by which we can everhope to ensure their CAPTURE. ]

The line of route had become unsafe and dangerous for any party comingfrom New South Wales; a feeling of bitter hostility, arising from a senseof injury and aggression, had taken possession both of the natives andthe Europeans, and it was evident for the future, that if the Europeanparty was weak, the natives would rob and murder them, and if otherwise, that they would commit wholesale butchery upon the natives. It was toremedy this melancholy state of affairs, that the Government station atMoorunde was established, and his Excellency the Governor, did me thehonour to confide to my management the carrying out the objects proposed. 

The instructions I received, and the principles upon which I attempted tocarry out those instructions, were exclusively those of conciliation andkindness. I made it my duty to go personally amongst the most distant andhostile tribes, to explain to them that the white man wished to live withthem, upon terms of amity, and that instead of injuring, he was mostanxious to hold out the olive branch of peace. 

By the liberality of the Government, I had it in my power once everymonth, to assemble all the natives who chose to collect, whether fromnear or more distant tribes, and to give to each a sufficiency of flourto last for about two days, and once in the year, at the commencement ofwinter, to bestow upon some few of the most deserving, blankets as aprotection against the cold. 

How far success attended the system that was adopted, or the exertionsthat were made, it is scarcely perhaps becoming in me to say: where theobject, however, is simply and solely to try to benefit the Aborigines, and by contrasting the effects of different systems, that have beenadopted towards them, to endeavour to recommend the best, I must, even atthe risk of being deemed egotistical, point out some of the important andbeneficial results that accrued at Moorunde. 

In the first place, I may state that the dread of settling upon theMurray, has so far given place to confidence, that from Wellington (nearthe Lake), to beyond the Great South Bend, a distance of more than 100miles, the whole line of river is now settled and occupied by stock, where, in 1841, there was not a single European, a herd of cattle, or aflock of sheep; nay, the very natives who were so much feared then, arelooked upon now as an additional inducement to locate, since the servicesof the boys or young men, save in great measure the expense of Europeanservants. There are few residents on the Murray, who do not employ one ormore of these people, and at many stations, I have known the sheep orcattle, partially, and in some instances, wholly attended to by them. 

For three years I was resident at Moorunde, and during the whole of thattime, up to November, 1844, not a single case of serious aggression, either on the persons or property of Europeans had ever occurred, and butvery few offences even of a minor character. The only crime of anyimportance that was committed in my neighbourhood, was at a sheepstation, about 25 miles to the westward, where somefew sheep were stolen, by a tribe of natives during the absence or neglect of the men attendingthem. By a want of proper care and precaution, temptation was thrown inthe way of the natives, but even then, it was only some few of the youngmen who were guilty of the offence; none of the elder or more influentialmembers of the tribe, having had any thing to do with it. Neither did thetribe belong to the Murray river, although they occasionally came downthere upon visits. There was no evidence to prove that the natives hadstolen the sheep at all; the only fact which could be borne witness to, was that so many sheep were missing, and it was supposed the natives hadtaken them. As soon as I was made acquainted with the circumstances, Imade every inquiry among the tribe suspected, and it was at once admittedby the elder men that the youths had been guilty of the offence. At myearnest solicitations, and representations of the policy of so doing, theculprits, five in number, WERE BROUGHT IN AND DELIVERED UP BY THEIRTRIBE. No evidence could be procured against them, and after remandingthem from time to time as a punishment, I was obliged to discharge them. 

I may now remark, that upon inquiry into the case, and in examiningwitnesses against the natives, it came out in evidence, that at the samestation, and not long before, a native HAD BEEN FIRED AT, (with whateffect did not appear, ) simply because he SEEMED to be going towards thesheep-folds, which were a long way from the hut, and were directly in theline of route of any one either passing towards Adelaide, or to any ofthe more northern stations. Another case occurred about the same time, and at the same station, where an intelligent and well-conducted native, belonging to Moorunde, was sent by a gentleman at the Murray to asurgeon, living about sixty miles off, with a letter, and for medicines. The native upon reaching this station, which he had to pass, wasASSAULTED AND OPPOSED BY A MAN, ARMED WITH A MUSKET, and if not fired at, (which he said he was, ) was at least intimidated, and driven back, andPREVENTED FROM GOING FOR THE MEDICINES FOR THE INDIVIDUAL WHO WAS ILL. Imyself knew the native who was sent, to be one of the most orderly andwell-conducted men we had at the Murray; in fact he had frequently, atdifferent times, been living with me as an attache to the police force. 

In the second place, I may state, that during the time I have held officeat Moorunde, I have frequently visited on the most friendly terms, andalmost alone, the most distant and hostile tribes, where so short a timebefore even large and well-armed bodies of Europeans could not passuninterrupted or in safety. Many of those very natives, who had beenconcerned in affrays or aggressions, have since travelled hundreds ofmiles and encountered hunger and thirst and fatigue, to visit a whiteman's station in peace, and on friendly terms. 

Thirdly, I may observe, that ever since I went to the Murray, instead ofshewing signs of enmity or hostility, the natives have acted in the mostkind and considerate manner, and have upon all occasions, when I havebeen travelling in less known and more remote districts, willinglyaccompanied me as guides and interpreters, introducing me from one tribeto another, and explaining the amicable relations I wished to establish. In one case, a native, whom I met by himself, accompanied me at once, without even saying good-bye to his wife and family, who were a mile ortwo away, and whom, as he was going to a distance of one hundred andfifty miles and back, he was not likely to see for a great length oftime. He was quite content to send a message by the first native he met, to say where he was going. In my intercourse with the Aborigines I havealways noticed that they would willingly do any thing for a person whomthey were attached to. I have found that an influence, amounting almostto authority, is produced by a system of kindness; and that in caseswhere their own feelings and wishes were in opposition to the particularobject for which this influence might be exercised, that the latter wouldalmost invariably prevail. Thus, upon one occasion in Adelaide, where avery large body of the Murray natives were collected to fight those fromEncounter Bay, I was directed by the Government to use my influence toprevent the affray. Upon going to their encampment late at night, Iexplained the object of my visit to them, and requested them to leavetown in the morning, and return to their own district, (90 miles away. )In the morning I again went to the native camp, and found them all ready, and an hour afterwards there was not one in Adelaide. Another stronginstance of the power that may be acquired over the natives occurred atMoorunde, in 1844:--Several tribes were assembled in the neighbourhood, and were, as I was told, going to fight. I walked down towards their hutsto see if this was the case, but upon arriving at the native camps Ifound them deserted, and all the natives about a quarter of a mile away, on the opposite side of a broad deep sheet of water caused by the floods. As I reached the edge of the water I saw the opposing parties closing, and heard the cry of battle as the affray commenced; raising my voice tothe utmost, I called out to them, and was heard, even above the din ofcombat. In a moment all was as still as the grave, a canoe was broughtfor me to cross, and I found the assembled tribes fully painted andarmed, and anxiously waiting to know what I was going to do. It was bythis time nearly dark, and although I had no fears of their renewing thefight again for the night, I knew they would do so early in the morning;I accordingly directed them to separate, and remove their encampments. One party I sent up the river, a second down it, a third remained wherethey were, and two others I made recross the water, and go up to encampnear my own residence. All this was accomplished solely by the influenceI had acquired over them, for I was alone and unarmed among 300 natives, whose angry passions were inflamed, and who were bent upon shedding eachothers' blood. 

By the assistance of the natives, I was enabled in December 1843, toascend the Darling river as far as Laidley's Ponds (above 300 miles fromMoorunde) when accompanied only by two other Europeans, and should haveprobably been enabled to reach Mount Lyell (100 miles further) but that asevere attack of illness compelled me to return. My journey up theDarling had, however, this good effect, that it opened a friendlycommunication with natives who had never before come in contact with thewhite man, except in enmity or in contest, and paved the way for apassage upon friendly terms of any expedition that might be sent by thatroute to explore the continent. Little did I anticipate at the time, howsoon such an expedition was to be undertaken, and how strongly and howsuccessfully the good results I so confidently hoped for were to be fullytested. 

In August 1844, Captain Sturt passed up the Murray to explore the countrynorth-west of the Darling, and whilst at Moorunde, on his route, wassupplied with a Moorunde boy to accompany his party to track stock, andalso with a native of the Rufus named And-buck, to go as guide andinterpreter to the Darling. The latter native had accompanied me toLaidley's Ponds in December 1843, and had come down to Moorunde, according to a promise he then made me, to visit me in the winter, and goagain with me up the Darling, if I wished it. At Laidley's Ponds I foundthe natives very friendly and well conducted, and one of them, a youngman named Topar, was of such an open intelligent disposition thatalthough my own acquaintance with him was of very short duration, I didnot hesitate to recommend him strongly to my friend Captain Sturt, aslikely to be a willing and useful assistant. The following report fromCaptain Sturt, dated from Laidley's Ponds, will best shew how far I wasjustified in expecting that a friendly intercourse might be maintainedeven with the Darling natives, and to what distance the influence of theGovernment station at Moorunde had extended, upon the conciliatory systemthat had been adopted, limited though it was by an inadequacy of funds toprovide for such a more extended and liberal treatment of the Aboriginesas I should wish to have adopted. 

"Sir, --Feeling assured that the Governor would be anxious to hear from meas soon as possible after the receipt of my letters from Lake Victoria, Ishould have taken the earliest opportunity of forwarding despatches tohis Excellency after I had ascertained whether the reports I had heard ofthe massacre of a party of overlanders at the lagoons on the Darling wasfounded in fact or not; but having been obliged to cross over from theana-branch of the Darling to that river itself for water, --and itsunlooked-for course having taken me greatly to the eastward, I had noopportunity by which to send to Moorunde, although I was most anxious toallay any apprehensions my former letter might have raised as to thesafety of my party. I tried to induce several natives to be the bearersof my despatches, but they seemed unwilling to undertake so long ajourney; the arrival, therefore, of a messenger from Moorunde was a mostwelcome occurrence, as he proposes returning to that place immediately, and will be the bearer of this communication to you. 

"In continuing, for his Excellency's information, the detail of theproceedings of the expedition under my orders since I last addressed you, I have the honour to state that I had advanced a considerable way up theDarling before I ascertained satisfactorily the true grounds of thereport I had heard at Lake Victoria, and was enabled to dismiss allfurther anxiety on the subject from my mind. 

"It referred to the affray which took place on the Darling, opposite toLaidley's Ponds, between Major Mitchell and the natives; and I concludethat the circumstance of our being about to proceed to the same place, recalled a transaction which had occurred eight years ago to their minds;for we can trace a connection between the story we heard at the Lake, andwhat we have heard upon the spot; but all the circumstances were at firsttold to us with such minuteness, that coupling them with the characterMajor Mitchell has given of the Darling natives, and the generallyreceived opinion of their ferocity and daring, we could hardly refusegiving a certain degree of credit to what we heard; more especially as itwas once or twice confirmed by natives with whom we communicated on ourway up the river. I really feared we should come into collision withthese people, despite my reluctance to proceed to extremities; but itwill be satisfactory to his Excellency, as I trust it will to LordStanley, to know that we have passed up the Darling on the most friendlyterms with the native tribes, insomuch that I may venture to hope thatour intercourse with them will be productive of much good. So far fromthe show of any hostility, they may have invariably approached usunarmed, nor have we seen a weapon in the hands of a native since wetouched upon the river. THEY HAVE CONSTANTLY SLEPT AT OUR FIRES, ANDSHEWN BY THEIR MANNER THAT THEY HAD EVERY CONFIDENCE IN US, BRINGINGTHEIR WIVES AND CHILDREN TO THE CAMP, NOR AT ANY TIME GIVING US THE LEASTANNOYANCE, BUT ALWAYS SHEWING A WILLINGNESS TO SAVE US TROUBLE, AND TO DOWHATEVER WE DESIRED THEM TO DO. NOTHING INDEED COULD HAVE BEEN MORESATISFACTORY TO US THAN OUR INTERCOURSE WITH THESE POOR PEOPLE, OR MOREAMUSING THAN THE SPIRITS AND FEELINGS TO WHICH THEY HAVE GIVEN WAY BEFOREUS, WHEN UNCONTROLLED BY FEAR. MANY INDEED HAVE CONTINUED WITH US FORSOME TIME, AND HAVE EVINCED SINCERE AND MARKED SORROW AT LEAVING US. Ihave made it a rule to give blankets to the old and infirm, and tomahawksand knives to the young men, and they perfectly understand the reason ofthis distinction. Finding too, that they consider kangaroos as their ownproperty, we have almost invariably given them all the animals the dogshave killed, and have endeavoured to convince them that we wish to bejust, and have the kindest feelings toward them. In this humane duty Ihave been most cordially assisted both by Mr. Poole and Mr. Browne, and Imust add, by the conduct of my men towards the natives, which reflectsvery great credit upon them. WE HAVE RECEIVED VERY GREAT ASSISTANCE FROMOUR GUIDES, WHO HAVE ALWAYS SMOOTHED THE WAY TO OUR COMMUNICATION WITHTHE DIFFERENT TRIBES; and I have earnestly to recommend Nadbuck, who hasaccompanied us from Moorunde to this place, to the favour of theGovernor, and to request that he may be rewarded in such manner as hisExcellency thinks fit, from the funds of the expedition. We find that Mr. Eyre's influence has extended to this place, and that he is considered inthe highest light by all the natives along the Darling. In their physicalcondition they are inferior to the natives of the Murray in size andstrength, but we have seen many very handsome men, and, althoughdiminutive in stature, exceedingly well proportioned. The tribe atWilliorara, Laidley's Ponds, numbers about eighty souls; the greaterproportion women and children. One of them, Topar, accompanies us to thehills with another native, Toonda, who has been with us since we leftLake Victoria, and who is a native of this tribe. He is a very singularand remarkable man, and is rather aged, but still sinewy and active;Topar is young, and handsome, active, intelligent, and exceedingly goodnatured;--with them I hope we shall be able to keep up our friendlyrelations with the natives of the interior. 

"I have to request that you will thank his Excellency for the promptassistance he would have afforded us; but I am sure it will be asgratifying to him as it is to us to know that it is not required. 

"As I reported to you in my letter of the 17th of September, I left LakeVictoria on the following day, and crossing the country in asouth-easterly direction, reached the Murray after a journey of aboutfifteen miles, over plains, and encamped on a peninsula formed by theriver and a lagoon, and on which there was abundance of feed. We hadobserved numerous tracks of wild cattle leading from the brush across theplains to the river, and at night our camp was surrounded by them. Ihoped, therefore, that if I sent out a party in the morning. I shouldsecure two or three working bullocks, and I accordingly detached Mr. Poole and Mr. Browne, with Flood, my stockman, and Mack, to run them in;but the brush was too thick, and in galloping after a fine bull, Flood'scarbine went off, and carried away and broke three of the fingers of hisright hand. This unfortunate accident obliged me to remain stationary fora day; but we reached the junction of the ana-branch of the Darling withthe Murray, on the 23rd, and then turned for the first time to thenorthward. 

"We found the ana-branch filled by the back waters of the Murray, and ranup it for two days, when the water in it ceased, and we were obliged tocross over to the Darling, which we struck on an east course, abouteighteen miles above its junction with the Murray. It had scarcely anywater in its bed, and no perceptible current--but its neighbourhood wasgreen and grassy, and its whole aspect pleasing. On the 27th, we thoughtwe perceived a stronger current in the river, and observed small sticksand grass floating on the water, and we were consequently led to believethat there was a fresh in it; and as we had had rain, and saw that theclouds hung on the mountains behind us, we were in hopes the supply theriver was receiving came from Laidley's Ponds. On the following morningthe waters of the Darling were half-bank high, and from an insignificantstream it was at once converted into a broad and noble river, sweepingeverything away on its turbid waters at the rate of these or four milesan hour. The river still continues to rise, and is fast filling thecreeks and lagoons on either side of it. The cattle enjoy the mostluxuriant feed on the banks of the river--there being abundance of grassalso in the flats, which far surpass those of the Murray both in richnessof soil, and in extent. I cannot but consider the river as a mostvaluable feature of the interior: many a rich and valuable farm might beestablished upon it. Its seasons appear to be particularly favourable, for we have had gentle rains ever since we came upon it. Its periodicalflooding is also at a most favourable period of the year, and its watersare so muddy that the deposit must be rich, and would facilitate thegrowth of many of the inter-tropical productions, as cotton, indigo--thenative indigo growing to the height of three feet--maize, or flax;whilst, if an available country is found in the interior, the Darlingmust be the great channel of communication to it. The country behind theflats is sandy and barren, but it would in many places support a certainnumber of stock, and might be found to be of more value than appearanceswould justify me in stating, and I would beg to be understood, inspeaking of the Darling, that I only speak of it as I have seen it. Thesummer sun probably parches up the vegetation and unclothes the soil; butsuch is the effect of summer heat in all similar latitudes, and that spotshould be considered the most valuable where the effect of solar heat canbe best counteracted by natural or artificial means. I had hoped, as Ihave stated, that the Darling was receiving its accession of waters fromthe Williorara (Laidley's Ponds); but on arriving on its banks we weresadly disappointed to find, instead of a mountain stream, a creek onlyconnects the river with Cowandillah Lake; instead of supplying theDarling with water it was robbing it, and there was scarcely a blade ofvegetation on its banks. I was, therefore, obliged to return to theDarling, and to encamp until such time as I should determine on our nextmovement. From some hills above the camp, we had a view of some ranges tothe north-west and north, and I detached Mr. Poole on the 4th toascertain the nature of the country between us and them, before Iventured to remove the party; more especially as the natives told us theinterior beyond the ranges was perfectly impracticable. This morning Mr. Poole returned, and informed me that, from the top of the ranges heascended, he had a view of distant ranges to the north and north-west, asfar as he could see; that from south-west to west to 13 degrees east ofnorth, there was water extending, amidst which there were numerousislands; that there was a very distant high peak, which appeared to besurrounded by water, which shewed as a dark blue line along the horizon. The country between him and the more distant ranges appeared to be level, and was similar in aspect to the plains we had traversed when approachingthe hills, which were covered with spear grass, a grass of which theanimals are fond, and thin green shrubs. 

"I will not venture a conjecture as to the nature of the country whosefeatures have been thus partially developed to us. How far these watersmay stretch, and what the character of the ranges is, it is impossible tosay, but that there is a good country at no great distance, I have everyreason to hope. Mr. Poole states that the small scolloped parroquetspassed over his head from the north-west in thousands; and he observedmany new birds. I am therefore led to hope, that, as these first areevidently strong on the wing on their arrival here, that the lands fromwhich they come are not very remote from us. So soon as I shall haveverified my position in a satisfactory manner, --which a clouded sky hashitherto prevented my doing, --we shall move to the ranges, and leaving mydrays in a safe place, shall proceed with the horse teams to a closerexamination of the country, and, if I should find an open sea tonorth-west, shall embark upon it with an ample supply of provisions andwater, and coast it round. The reports of the fine interior, which wehave heard from the natives, are so contradictory, that it is impossibleto place any reliance in them; but Toonda informs us that the water Mr. Poole has seen is fresh--but as we are not more than two hundred andfifteen feet above the sea, and are so near Lake Torrens, I can hardlybelieve that such can be the case. It is a problem, however, that willnow very soon be solved, and I most sincerely trust this decided changein the barrenness of the land will lead us to a rich and availablecountry. 

"I have great pleasure in reporting to you the continued zeal and anxietyof my officers, and the cheerful assistance they render me. I have foundMr. Piesse of great value, from his regular and cautious issue of thestores and provisions; and Mr. Stewart extremely useful as draftsman. Amongst my men, I have to particularise Robert Flood, my stockman, whoseattention to the horses and cattle has mainly insured their fitness forservice and good condition; and I have every reason to feel satisfiedwith the manner in which the men generally perform their duties. 

"I have to apologize for the hurried manner in which this letter iswritten, and beg to subscribe myself, "Sir, your most obedient servant, "CHARLES STURT. "

With reference to the above report, I may mention in explanation, that, after I had accompanied the exploring party as far as the Rufus, andreturned from thence to Moorunde, a rumour was brought to Captain Sturtby some natives from the Darling, of a massacre said to have taken placeup that river near Laidley's Ponds. From being quite unacquainted withthe language not only of the Darling natives, but also of the Rufusinterpreter or the Moorunde boy, Captain Sturt's party had been only ableto make out the story that was told to them by signs or by the aid ofsuch few words of English as the boy might have learnt at Moorunde. Theyhad naturally fallen into some error, and had imagined the natives to bedescribing the recent murder of a European party coming down the Darlingwith stock, instead of their narrating, as was in reality the case, anold story of the affray with Major Mitchell some years before. As CaptainSturt was still at the Rufus (150 miles from Moorunde) when he receivedthe account, as he imagined, of so sanguinary an affray, he felt anxiousto communicate the occurrence to the Colonial Government as early aspossible, and for this purpose, induced two natives to bring downdespatches to Moorunde. Upon their arrival there, the policeman wasabsent in town, and I had no means of sending in the letters to theGovernment, but by natives. Two undertook the task, and walked fromMoorunde to Adelaide with the letters, and brought answers back again tothe station within five days, having walked 170 miles in that period, Moorunde being 85 miles from Adelaide. 

Again upon the Government wishing to communicate with Captain Sturt, letters were taken by the natives up to the Rufus, delivered over toother natives there, and by them carried onwards to Captain Sturt, reaching that gentleman on the eleventh day after they been sent fromMoorunde, at Laidley's Ponds, a distance of 300 miles. 

By this means a regular intercourse was kept up with the exploring party, entirely through the aid and good feeling of the natives, up to the timeI left the colony, in December, 1844, when messengers who had been sentup with despatches were daily expected back with answers. For their verylaborious and harassing journeys, during which they must suffer both somedegree of risk in passing through so many other tribes on their line ofroute, and of hunger and other privations in prosecuting them, themessengers are but ill requited; the good feeling they displayed, or thefatigues they went through, being recompensed only by the present of aSMALL BLANKET AND A FEW POUNDS OF FLOUR. With these facts before us canwe say that these natives are a ferocious, irreclaimable set of savages, and destitute of all the better attributes of humanity? yet are theyoften so maligned. The very natives, who have now acted in such afriendly manner, and rendered such important services to Europeans, arethe SAME NATIVES who were engaged in the plundering of their property, and taking away their lives when coming over land with stock. Such is thechange which has been effected by kindness and conciliation instead ofaggression and injury; and such, I think, I may in fairness argue, wouldgenerally be the result if SIMILAR MEANS were more frequently resortedto. 

As yet Moorunde is the only place where the experiment has been made ofassembling the natives and giving food to them; but as far as it has beentried, it has been proved to be eminently successful. I am aware that thesystem is highly disapproved of by many of the colonists, and the generalfeeling among them appears to be that nothing should be given wherenothing is received, or in other words, that a native should never haveany thing given to him until he does some work for it. I still maintainthat the native has a right to expect, and that we are IN JUSTICE BOUNDto supply him with food in any of those parts of the country that weoccupy, and to do this, too, WITHOUT demanding or requiring any otherconsideration from him than we have ALREADY received when we TOOK FROMHIM his possessions and his hunting grounds. It may be all very proper toget him to work a little if we can--and, perhaps, that MIGHT follow intime, but we have no right to force him to a labour he is unused to, andWHICH HE NEVER HAD TO PERFORM IN HIS NATURAL STATE, whilst we have aright to supply him with what he has been accustomed to, BUT OF WHICH WEHAD DEPRIVED HIM--FOOD. 

If in our relations with the Aborigines we wish to preserve a friendlyand bloodless intercourse; if we wish to have their children at ourschools to be taught and educated; if we hope to bring the parents into astate that will better adapt them for the reception of christianity andcivilization; or if we care about staying the rapid and lamentableravages which a contact with us is causing among their tribes, we mustendeavour to do so, by removing, as far as possible, all sources ofirritation, discontent, or suffering. We must adopt a system which may atonce administer to their wants, and at the same time, give to us acontrolling influence over them; such as may not only restrain them fromdoing what is wrong, but may eventually lead them to do what is right--aninfluence which I feel assured would be but the stronger and more lastingfrom its being founded upon acts of justice and humanity. It is uponthese principles that I have based the few suggestions I am going tooffer for the improvement of our policy towards the natives. I know thatby many they will be looked upon as chimerical or impracticable, and Ifear that more will begrudge the means necessary to carry them intoeffect; but unless something of the kind be done--unless some great andradical change be effected, and some little compensation made for thewrongs and injuries we inflict--I feel thoroughly satisfied that all weare doing is but time and money lost, that all our efforts on behalf ofthe natives are but idle words--voces et preterea nihil--that things willstill go on as they have been going on, and that ten years hence we shallhave made no more progress either in civilizing or in christianizing themthan we had done ten years ago, whilst every day and every hour istending to bring about their certain and total extinction. 

SUGGESTIONS FOR THE IMPROVEMENT OF THE ABORIGINES. 

1st. It appears that the most important point, in fact almost the onlyessential one, in the first instance, is to gain such an influence orauthority over the Aborigines as may be sufficient to enable us to inducethem to adopt, or submit to any regulations that we make for theirimprovement, and that to effect this, the means must be suited to theircircumtances and habits. 

2ndly. It is desirable that the means employed should have a tendency torestrain their wandering habits, and thus gradually induce them to locatepermanently in one place. 

3rdly. It is important that the plan should be of such a nature as tobecome more binding in its influence in proportion to the length of timeit is in operation. 

4thly. It should hold out strong inducements to the parents, willingly toallow their children to go to, and remain at the schools. 

5thly. It should be such as would operate, in some degree, in weaning thenatives from towns or populous districts. 

6thly. It should offer some provision for the future career of thechildren upon their leaving school, and its tendency should be of such acharacter as to diminish, as far as practicable, the attractions of asavage life. 

7thly. It is highly important that the system adopted should be such aswould add to the security and protection of the settlers, and therebyinduce their assistance and co-operation, instead, as has too often beenthe case hitherto with past measures, of exciting a feeling of irritationand dislike between the two races. 

I believe that all these objects might be accomplished, in a greatdegree, by distributing food regularly to all the natives, in theirrespective districts. 

[Note 111: The whole of my remarks on the Aborigines having been hurriedlycompiled, on board ship, during the voyage from Australia, it was notuntil my arrival in England that I became aware that a plan somewhatsimilar to this in principle, was submitted to Lord John Russell by a Mr. J. H. Wedge, and was sent out to the colony of New South Wales, to bereported upon by the authorities. I quote the following extract from Mr. La Trobe's Remarks on Mr. Wedge's letter, as shewing an opinion differingfrom my own (Parliamentary Papers, p. 130). "With reference to the supplyof food and clothing, it has not been hitherto deemed advisable tofurnish them indiscriminately to all natives visiting the homesteads. Inone case, that of the Western Port District, the assistant protector hasurged that this should be the case; but I have not felt myselfsufficiently convinced of the policy or expediency of such measure tobring it under his Excellency's notice. "]

I have previously shewn, that from the injuries the natives sustain atour hands, in a deprivation of their usual means of subsistence, and abanishment from their homes and possessions, there is at present noalternative for them but to remain the abject and degraded creatures theyare, begging about from house to house, or from station to station, toprocure food, insulted and despised by all, and occasionally tempted ordriven to commit crimes for which a fearful penalty is enacted, ifbrought home to them. I have given instances of the extent to which theevils resulting from the anomalous state of our relations with them areaggravated by the kind of feeling which circumstances engender on thepart of the Colonists towards them. I have pointed out the tendency oftheir own habits and customs, to prevent them from rising in the scale ofimprovement, until we can acquire an influence sufficient to counteractthese practices; and I have shewn that thus situated, oppressed, helpless, and starving, we cannot expect they should make much progressin civilization, or pay great regard to our instructions, when they seethat we do not practice what we recommend, and that we have one law forourselves and another for them. The good results that have been producedwhen an opposite and more liberal system has been adopted (limited asthat system was) has also been stated. It is only fair to assume, therefore, that these beneficial effects may be expected to accrue in anincreasing ratio in proportion to our liberality and humanity. 

My own conviction is, that by adopting the system I recommend, an almostunlimited influence might be acquired over the native population. Ibelieve that the supplying them with food would gradually bring about theabandonment of their wandering habits, in proportion to the frequency ofthe issue, that the longer they were thus dependent upon us for theirresources, the more binding our authority would be; that when they nolonger required their children to assist them in the chase or in war, they would willingly allow them to remain at our schools; that by onlysupplying food to natives in their own districts they would, in somemeasure, be weaned from the towns; that by restraining the wanderinghabits of the parents in this way, there would be fewer charms and lesstemptation to the children to relapse from a comparative state ofcivilization into one of barbarism again; and that, by supplying thewants of the natives, and taking away all inducements to crime, asecurity and protection would be afforded to the settlers which do notnow exist, and which, under the present system, can never be expected, until the former have almost disappeared before their oppressors. 

Many subordinate arrangements would be necessary to bring the plan intocomplete operation, and from its general character it could not, perhaps, be carried out every where at once, but if such arrangements were made, only in a few districts every year, much would be done towards eventuallyaccomplishing the ends desired. 

At Moorunde flour was only regularly issued once in the month, but thatis not often enough to attain the full advantages of the system, stillless to remedy the evils the natives are subject to, or restrain theirwandering propensities. Upon the Murray the natives are peculiarlysituated, and have greater facilities for obtaining their natural foodthan in any other part of the country. They were consequently in aposition more favourable for making an experiment upon, than those of theinland districts, where a native is often obliged to wander over manymiles of ground for his day's subsistence, and where large tribes cannotremain long congregated at the same place. In these it would therefore benecessary to make the issues of food much more frequently, and I wouldproportion this frequency to the state of each district with regard tothe number of Europeans, and stock in it; and the facility there might befor procuring native food. On the borders of the colony, where thenatives are less hemmed in, the issue might take place once everyfortnight, gradually increasing the number of the issues in approachingtowards Adelaide as a centre. At the latter, and in many other of thedistricts where the country is thoroughly occupied by Europeans, it wouldbe necessary, as it would only be just, to supply the natives with fooddaily, and I would extend this arrangement gradually to all thedistricts, as funds could be obtained for that purpose. It is possiblethat if means at the same time were afforded of teaching them industrialpursuits, a proportion of the food required might eventually be raised bythemselves, but it would not be prudent to calculate upon any suchresources at first. 

Having now explained what I consider the first and most importantprinciple, to be observed in all systems devised for the amelioration ofthe Aborigines, viz. That of endeavouring to adapt the means employed tothe acquisition of a strong controlling influence over them, and havingshewn how I think this might best be obtained, I may proceed to mention afew collateral regulations, which would be very essential to theeffective working of the system proposed. 

First. It would be necessary for the sake of perspicuity to suppose thecountry divided into districts, agreeing as nearly as could beascertained with the boundaries of the respectives tribes. In thesedistricts a section or two of land, well supplied with wood and water, should be chosen for the Aborigines; such lands, if possible, to becentrically situated with regard to the tribes intended to assemblethere, but always having reference to their favourite places of resort, or to such as would afford the greatest facilities for procuring theirnatural food. I do not apprehend that these stations need be verynumerous at first: for the whole colony of South Australia nine or tenwould probably be sufficient at present; thus stations such as I havedescribed, at Adelaide, Encounter Bay, The Coorong, Moorunde, the HuttRiver, Mount Bryant, Mount Remarkable, and Port Lincoln would embracemost of the tribes of Aborigines at present in contact with the settlers;others could be added, or these altered, as might be thought desirable orconvenient. 

Secondly. In order to carry due weight when first established, and untilthe natives get well acquainted with Europeans and their customs, itwould be essential that each station should be supported by two or morepolicemen. These might afterwards be reduced in number, or withdrawn, according to the state of the district. 

[Note 112: "It is absolutely necessary, for the cause of humanity and goodorder, that such force should exist; for as long as distant settlersare left unprotected, and are compelled to take care of and avengethemselves, so long must great barbarities necessarily be committed, and the only way to prevent great crimes on the part of the natives, and massacres of these poor creatures, as the punishment of such crimes, is to check and punish their excesses in their infancy; it is only afterbecoming emboldened by frequent petty successes that they have hithertocommitted those crimes, which have drawn down so fearful a vengeance uponthem. "--GREY, vol ii. P. 379. ]

Under any circumstances a police is necessary in all the countrydistricts, nor do I think on the whole, many more policemen would berequired than there are at out-stations at present. They would only haveto be quartered at the native establishments. 

Thirdly. It would be absolutely requisite to have experienced and properpersons in charge of each of the locations; as far as practicable, itwould undoubtedly be the most desirable to have these establishmentsunder missionaries. In other cases they might be confided to theprotectors of the Aborigines, and to the resident or police magistrates. All officers having such charge should be deemed ex-officio to beprotectors, and as many should be in the commission of the peace aspossible. 

Many other necessary and salutary regulations, would naturally occur inso comprehensive a scheme, but as these belong more to the detail of thesystem, it may be desirable to allude only to a few of the mostimportant. 

It would be desirable to keep registers at all the stations, containinglists of the natives frequenting them, their names, and that of the tribethey belong to. 

Natives should not be allowed to leave their own districts, to go toAdelaide, or other large towns, unless under passes from their respectiveprotectors, and if found in Adelaide without them, should be taken up bythe police and slightly punished. 

[Note 113: Natives, from a distance, are in the habit of going at certaintimes of the year into Adelaide, and remaining three or four months at atime. They are said by Europeans to plunder stations on the line of routebackwards and forwards, and to threaten, and intimidate women andchildren living in isolated houses near the town. There is no doubt butthat they have sometimes driven away the natives properly belonging toAdelaide, and have been the means, by their presence, of a great decreasein the attendance of the children of the Adelaide tribes at the school. The protector has more than once been obliged to make officialrepresentations on this subject, and to request that measures might betaken to keep them away. ]

Deaths, Births, and Marriages, should be duly registered, and a gratuitygiven on every such occasion, to ensure the regulation being attended to. 

Rewards should be given, (as an occasional present, of a blanket forinstance), to such parents as allowed their children to go to and remainat school during the year. 

Rewards should be bestowed for delivering up offenders, or for renderingany other service to the Government. 

Light work should be offered to such as could be induced to undertake it, and rewards, as clothing, or the like, should be paid in proportion tothe value of the work done, and BEYOND THE MERE PROVIDING THEM with food. 

Gifts might also be made to those parents, who consented to give up theperformance of any of their savage or barbarous ceremonies upon theirchildren. 

Young men should be encouraged to engage themselves in the service ofsettlers, as shepherds or stockkeepers, and the masters should be inducedto remunerate their services more adequately than they usually do. 

The elder natives should be led as far as could be, to make articles ofnative industry for sale, as baskets, mats, weapons, implements, nets, etc. , these might be sent to Adelaide and sold periodically for theirbenefit. 

Such and many other similar regulations, would appear to be advantageous, and might be adopted or altered from time to time, as it should be deemeddesirable. 

Upon the subject of schools for the native children, it appears that muchbenefit would be derived from having them as far separated as possiblefrom other natives, and that the following, among others, would beimprovements upon the plans in present use. 

1st. That the school buildings should be of such size and arrangement, asto admit of all the scholars being lodged as well as boarded, and of theboys and girls having different sleeping rooms. 

2ndly. That the schools should have a sufficiency of ground properlyenclosed around them, for the play-grounds, and that no other nativesthan the scholars should be admitted within those precincts, except inthe presence of the master, when relatives come to see each other; butthat on no account should any natives be permitted to encamp or sleepwithin the school grounds. 

3rdly. That the children should not be allowed or encouraged to roamabout the towns, begging, or to ramble for any purpose outside theirboundaries, where they are likely to come under the influence of theother natives. This is particularly necessary with respect to girls, indeed the latter should never be allowed to be absent from school atall, by themselves. 

4thly. To compensate in some degree, for what may at first appear to theman irksome or repulsive restraint, playthings should occasionally beprovided for those children who have behaved well, and all innocentamusement be encouraged, and as often as might be convenient, the mastershould accompany his scholars out into the country for recreation, orthrough the town, or such other public places, as might be objects ofinterest or curiosity. 

5thly. That a stimulus to exertion, should be excited by prizes, beinggiven to children distinguishing themselves at certain stages of theirprogress, such as a superior article of dress, a toy, or book, orwhatever might be best adapted to the age or disposition of the child. 

6thly. That parents should never be allowed to withdraw the children, contrary to their wishes, after having once consented to allow them toremain there. 

7thly. That children of both sexes, after having received a proper degreeof instruction, and having attained a certain age, should be bound out asapprentices for a limited term of years, to such as were willing toreceive them, proper provision being made for their being taught someuseful occupation, and being well treated. 

8thly. Encouragement should be offered to those who have been brought upat the schools to marry together when their apprenticeships are out, andportions of land should be preserved for them and assistance given themin establishing themselves in life. At first perhaps it might beadvisable to have these settlements in the form of a village andadjoining the school grounds, so that the young people might stillreceive the advantage of the advice or religious instruction of themissionaries or such ministers as attended to this duty at the schools. 

9thly. The children should be taught exclusively in the English languageand on Sundays should always attend divine service at some place ofpublic worship, accompanied by their masters. 

In carrying into effect the above or any other regulations which might befound necessary for the welfare and improvement of the children. Ibelieve that a sufficient degree of influence would be acquired over theparents by the system of supplying them with food, which I haverecommended to induce a cheerful consent, but it would be only prudent tohave a legislative enactment on the subject, that by placing theschool-children under the guardianship of the protectors, they might beprotected from the influence or power of their relatives; after these hadonce fully consented to their being sent to school to be educated. 

[Note 114: "The best chance of preserving the unfortunate race of NewHolland lies in the means employed for training their children: theeducation given to such children should consist in a very small part ofreading and writing. Oral instruction in the fundamental truths of theChristian religion will be given by the missionaries themselves. Thechildren should be taught early; the boys to dig and plough, and thetrades of shoemakers, tailors, carpenters and masons; the girls to sew andcook and wash linen, and keep clean the rooms and furniture. The morepromising of these children might be placed, by a law to be framed forthis purpose, under the guardianship of the Governor and placed by him ata school, or in apprenticeship, in the more settled parts of the colony. Thus early trained, the capacity of the race for the duties andemployments of civilized life would be fairly developed. "--Letter fromLord John Russell to Sir G. Gipps; Parliamentary Report onAborigines, p. 74. ]

There is yet another point to be considered with respect to theAborigines, and upon the equitable adjustment of which hinges all ourrelations with this people, whilst upon it depends entirely our power ofenforcing any laws or regulations we may make with respect to them, Iallude to the law of evidence as it at present stands with respect topersons incompetent to give testimony upon oath. 

It is true that in South Australia an act has very recently passed thelegislative council to legalize the unsworn testimony of natives in acourt of justice, but in that act there occurs a clause which completelyneutralizes the boon it was intended to grant, and which is as follows, "Provided that no person, whether an Aboriginal or other, SHALL BECONVICTED OF ANY OFFENCE by any justice or jury upon the SOLE TESTIMONYof any such uncivilized persons. " 7 and 8 Victoria, section 5. 

Here then we find that if a native were ill-treated or shot by anEuropean, and the whole tribe able to bear witness to the fact, noconviction and no punishment could ensue: let us suppose that in anattempt to maltreat the native, the European should be wounded or injuredby him, and that the European has the native brought up and tried for amurderous attack upon him, how would it fare with the poor native? theoath of the white man would overpower any exculpatory unsworn testimonythat the native could bring, and his conviction and punishment would be(as they have been before) certain and severe. 

Without attempting to assign a degree of credence to the testimony of anative beyond what it deserves, I will leave it to those who areacquainted with Colonies, and the value of an oath among the generalityof storekeepers and shepherds, to say how far their SWORN evidence is, ina moral point of view, more to be depended upon than the unsworn paroleof the native. I would ask too, how often it occurs that injuries uponthe Aborigines are committed by Europeans in the presence of thosecompetent to give a CONVICTING TESTIMONY, (unless where all, beingequally guilty, are for their own sakes mutually averse to let the truthbe known)? or how often even such aggressions take place undercircumstances which admit of circumstantial evidence being obtained tocorroborate native testimony?

Neither is it in the giving of evidence alone, that the native stands ata disadvantage as compared with a white man. His case, whether asprosecutor or defendant, is tried before a jury of another nation whoseinterests are opposed to his, and whose prejudices are often very strongagainst him. 

I cannot illustrate the position in which he is placed, more forcibly, than by quoting Captain Grey's remarks, vol. Ii. P. 381, where he says:--

"It must also be borne in mind, that the natives are not tried by a juryof their peers, but by a jury having interests directly opposed to theirown, and who can scarcely avoid being in some degree prejudiced againstnative offenders. "

The opinion of Judge Willis upon this point may be gathered from thefollowing extract, from an address to a native of New South Wales, whenpassing sentence of death upon him:--

"The principle upon which this court has acted in the embarrassingcollisions which have too frequently arisen between the Aborigines andthe white Europeans, has been one of reciprocity and mutual protection. On the one hand, the white man when detected (WHICH I FEAR SELDOMHAPPENS), has been justly visited with the rigour of the law, foraggressions on the helpless savages; and, on the other, the latter hasbeen accountable for outrages upon his white brethren. As between theAborigines themselves, the court has never interfered, for obviousreasons. Doubtless, in applying the law of a civilized nation to thecondition of a wild savage, innumerable difficulties must occur. Thedistance in the scale of humanity between the wandering, houseless man ofthe woods, and the civilized European, is immeasurable! FOR PROTECTION, AND FOR RESPONSIBILITY IN HIS RELATION TO THE WHITE MAN THE BLACK ISREGARDED AS A BRITISH SUBJECT. In theory, this sounds just andreasonable; but in practice, how incongruous becomes its application! Asa British subject, he is presumed to know the laws, for the infraction ofwhich he is held accountable, and yet he is shut out from the advantageof its protection when brought to the test of responsibility. As aBritish subject, he is entitled to be tried by his PEERS. Who are thepeers of the black man? Are those, of whose laws, customs, language, andreligion, he is wholly ignorant--nay, whose very complexion is atvariance with his own--HIS peers? He is tried in his native land by arace new to him, and by laws of which he knows nothing. Had you, unhappyman! had the good fortune to be born a Frenchman, or had been a native ofany other country but your own, the law of England would have allowed youto demand a trial by half foreigners and half Englishmen. But, by yourlot being the lowest, as is assumed, in the scale of humanity, you areinevitably placed on a footing of fearful odds, when brought into thesacred temple of British justice. Without a jury of your owncountrymen--without the power of making adequate defence, by speech orwitness--you are to stand the pressure of every thing that can be allegedagainst you, and your only chance of escape is, not the strength of yourown, but the weakness of your adversary's case. Surrounded as your trialwas with difficulties, everything, I believe, was done that could be doneto place your case in a proper light before the jury. They have come to aconclusion satisfactory, no doubt, to their consciences. Whatever mightbe the disadvantages under which you laboured, they were convinced, as Iam, that you destroyed the life of Dillon; and as there was nothingproved to rebut the presumption, of English law, arising from the fact ofhomicide being committed by you, they were constrained to find you guiltyof murder. There may have been circumstances, if they could have beenproved, which would have given a different complexion to the case fromthat of the dying declaration of the deceased, communicated to the Courtthrough the frail memory of two witnesses, who varied in their relationof his account of the transaction. This declaration, so taken, was to beregarded as if taken on oath, face to face with your accuser; and, although you had not the opportunity of being present at it, and ofcross-examining the dying man, yet by law it was receivable against you. "

In vol. Ii. P 380, Captain Grey says:--

"I have been a personal witness to a case in which a native was mostundeservedly punished, from the circumstance of the natives, who were theonly persons who could speak as to certain exculpatory facts, not beingpermitted to give their evidence. "

Under the law lately passed in South Australia, the evidence of nativeswould be receivable in a case of this kind, in palliation of the offence. Although it is more than questionable how far such evidence would weighagainst the white man's oath; but for the purpose of obtaining redressfor a wrong, or of punishing the cruelty, or the atrocity of the European[Note 115 at end of para. ], no amount of native evidence would be of theleast avail. Reverse the case, and the sole unsupported testimony of asingle witness, will be quite sufficient to convict even unto death, ashas lately been the case in two instances connected with Port Lincoln, where the natives have been tried at different times for murder, convicted, and two of them hung, upon the testimony of one old man, whowas the only survivor left among the Europeans, but who, from the naturalstate of alarm and confusion in which he must have been upon beingattacked, and from the severe wounds he received, could not have been inan advantageous position, for observing, or remarking the identity of theactual murderers, among natives, who, even under more favourablecircumstances are not easily recognizable upon a hasty view, and stillless so, if either they, or the observer, are in a state of excitement atthe time. Is it possible for the natives to be blind to the unequalmeasure of justice, which is thus dealt out, and which will still continueto be so as long as the law remains unchanged?

[Note 115: Governor Hutt remarks, in addressing Lord Glenelg on thissubject:--"In furtherance of the truth of these remarks, I would requestyour Lordship particularly to observe, that here is one class of HerMajesty's subjects, who are DEBARRED A TRUE AND FAIR TRIAL BY JURY, whose evidence is inadmissible in a court of justice, and who consequentlymay be the victims of any of the most outrageous cruelty and violence, and yet be UNABLE, FROM THE FORMS AND REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW, to obtainredress, and whose quarrels, ending sometimes in bloodshed and death, it is unjust, as well as inexpedient, to interfere with. 

"A jury ought to be composed of a man's own peers. Europeans, in the caseof a native criminal, cannot either in their habits or sympathies beregarded as such, and his countrymen are incapable of understanding ortaking upon themselves the office of juror. "]

I have no wish to give the native evidence a higher character than itdeserves, but I think that it ought not to be rendered unavailable in aprosecution; the degree of weight or credibility to be attached to it, might be left to the court taking cognizance of the case, but if it isconsistent and probable, I see no reason why it should not be as strong asafeguard to the black man from injury and oppression, as the white man'soath is to him. There are many occasions on which the testimony ofnatives may be implicitly believed, and which are readily distinguishableby those who have had much intercourse with this people--unaccustomed tothe intricacies of untruth, they know not that they must be consistent todeceive, and it is therefore rarely difficult to tell when a native isprevaricating. 

Among the natives themselves, the evil effects resulting from theinability of their evidence to produce a conviction are still moreapparent and injurious. [Note 116 at end of para. ] It has already beenshewn how highly important it is to prevent the elders from exercisingan arbitrary and cruel authority over the young and the weak, and hownecessary that the latter should feel themselves quite secure fromthe vengeance of the former, when endeavouring to throw off thetrammels of custom and prejudice, and by embracing our habits andpursuits, making an effort to rise in the scale of moral and physicalimprovement. Whatever alteration therefore we may make in our systemfor the better, or however anxious we may be for the welfare and theimprovement of the Aborigines, we may rest well assured that ourefforts are but thrown away, as long as the natives are permittedwith impunity to exercise their cruel or degrading customs uponeach other, unchecked and unpunished. We may feel equally certain thatthese oppressions and barbarities can never be checked or punished but bymeans of their own unsupported testimony against each other, and untilthis can be legally received, and made available for that purpose, thereis no hope of any lasting or permanent good being accomplished. 

[Note 116: Upon the inability of natives to give evidence in a court ofjustice, Mr. Chief Protector Robinson remarks, in a letter to His Honour, the Superintendent of Port Phillip, dated May, 1843--"The legaldisabilities of the natives have been a serious obstacle to their civilprotection; and I feel it my duty, whilst on this subject, respectfully tobring under notice the necessity that still exists for some suitablesystem of judicature for the governance and better protection of theaboriginal races. 'As far as personal influence went, the aboriginalnatives have been protected from acts of injustice, cruelty, andoppression; and their wants, wishes, and grievances have been faithfullyrepresented to the Government of the colony, ' and this, under thecircumstances, was all that could possibly be effected. There is, however, reason to fear that the destruction of the aboriginal nativeshas been accelerated from the known fact of their being incapacitatedto give evidence in our courts of law. I have frequently had to deplore, when applied to by the Aborigines for justice in cases of aggressioncommitted on them by white men, or by those of their own race, myinability to do so in consequence of their legal incapacity to giveevidence. It were unreasonable, therefore, under such circumstances, to expect the Aborigines would respect, or repose trust and confidencein the Protectors, or submit to the governance of a department unableefficiently to protect or afford them justice. Nor is it surprising theyshould complain of being made to suffer the higher penalties of our law, when deprived (by legal disability) of its benefits. Little difficultyhas been experienced in discovering the perpetrator where the blackshave been concerned, even in the greater offences, and hence the endsof justice would have been greatly facilitated by aboriginal evidence. It is much to be regretted the Colonial Act of Council on aboriginalevidence was disallowed. "]

The following very forcible and just remarks are from Captain Grey'swork, vol. Ii. Pages 375 to 378:--

"I would submit, therefore, that it is necessary from the moment theAborigines of this country are declared British subjects, they should, asfar as possible, be taught that the British laws are to supersede theirown, so that any native who is suffering under their own customs, mayhave the power of an appeal to those of Great Britain; or to put this inits true light, that all authorized persons should, in all instances, berequired to protect a native from the violence of his fellows, eventhough they be in the execution of their own laws. 

"So long as this is not the case, the older natives have at theirdisposal the means of effectually preventing the civilization of anyindividuals of their own tribe, and those among them who may be inclinedto adapt themselves to the European habits and mode of life, will bedeterred from so doing by their fear of the consequences, that thedispleasure of others may draw down upon them. 

"So much importance am I disposed to attach to this point, that I do nothesitate to assert my full conviction, that whilst those tribes which arein communication with Europeans are allowed to execute their barbarouslaws and customs upon one another, so long will they remain hopelesslyimmersed in their present state of barbarism: and however unjust such aproceeding might at first sight appear, I believe that the course pointedout by true humanity would be, to make them from the very commencementamenable to the British laws, both as regards themselves and Europeans;for I hold it to be imagining a contradiction to suppose, thatindividuals subject to savage and barbarous laws, can rise into a stateof civilization, which those laws have a manifest tendency to destroy andoverturn. 

"I have known many instances of natives who have been almost or quitecivilized, being compelled by other natives to return to the bush; moreparticularly girls, who have been betrothed in their infancy, and who, onapproaching the years of puberty, have been compelled by their husbandsto join them. 

"To punish the Aborigines severely for the violation of laws of whichthey are ignorant, would be manifestly cruel and unjust; but to punishthem in the first instance slightly for the violation of these laws wouldinflict no great injury on them, whilst by always punishing them whenguilty of a crime, without reference to the length of period that hadelapsed between its perpetration and their apprehension, at the same timefully explaining to them the measure of punishment that would await themin the event of a second commission of the same fault, would teach themgradually the laws to which they were henceforth to be amenable, andwould shew them that crime was always eventually, although it might beremotely, followed by punishment. 

"I imagine that this course would be more merciful than that at presentadopted; viz. To punish them for a violation of a law they are ignorantof, when this violation affects a European, and yet to allow them tocommit this crime as often as they like, when it only regards themselves;for this latter course teaches them, not that certain actions, such, forinstance, as murder, etc. Are generally criminal, but only that they arecriminal when exercised towards the white people, and the impression, consequently excited in their minds is, that these acts only excite ourdetestation when exercised towards ourselves, and that their criminalityconsists, not in having committed a certain odious action, but in havingviolated our prejudices. "

Many instances have come under my own personal observation, where nativeshave sought redress both against one another and against Europeans, butwhere from their evidence being unavailable no redress could be affordedthem. Enough has however been now adduced to shew the very serious evilsresulting from this disadvantage, and to point out the justice, thepolicy, the practicability, and the necessity of remedying it. 

In bringing to a close my remarks on the Aborigines, their presentcondition and future prospects, I cannot more appropriately or moreforcibly conclude the subject than by quoting that admirable letter ofLord Stanley's to Governor Sir G. Gipps, written in December, 1842; aletter of which the sentiments expressed are as creditable to thejudgment and discrimination, as they are honourable to the feelings andhumanity of the minister who wrote it, and who, in the absence ofpersonal experience, and amidst all the conflicting testimony ormisrepresentation by which a person at a distance is ever apt to beassailed and misled, has still been able to separate the truth fromfalsehood, and to arrive at a rational, a christian, and a just opinion, on a subject so fraught with difficulties, so involved in uncertainty, and so beset with discrepancies. 

In writing to Sir G. Gipps, Lord Stanley says (Parliamentary Reports, pp. 221, 2, 3):--

"DOWNING-STREET, 20TH DECEMBER, 1842. "SIR, "I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your despatches of thedates and numbers mentioned in the margin, reporting the informationwhich has reached you in respect to the aboriginal tribes of New SouthWales, and the result of the attempts which have been made, under thesanction of Her Majesty's Government, to civilize and protect thesepeople. 

"I have read with great attention, but with deep regret, the accountscontained in these despatches. After making every fair allowance for thepeculiar difficulty of such an undertaking, it seems impossible anylonger to deny that the efforts which have hitherto been made for thecivilization of the Aborigines have been unavailing; that no realprogress has yet been effected, and that there is no reasonable ground toexpect from them greater suceess in future. You will be sensible with howmuch pain and reluctance I have come to this opinion, but I cannot shutmy eyes to the conclusion which inevitably follows from the statementswhich you have submitted to me on the subject. 

"Your despatch of the 11th March last, No. 50, contains an account of theseveral missions up to that date, with reports likewise from the chiefProtector and his assistants, and from the Crown Land Commissioners. Thestatements respecting the missions, furnished not by their opponents, noreven by indifferent parties, but by the missionaries themselves, are, Iam sorry to say, as discouraging as it is possible to be. In respect tothe mission at Wellington Valley, Mr. Gunther writes in a tone ofdespondency, which shews that he has abandoned the hope of success. Theopening of his report is indeed a plain admission of despair; I sincerelywish that his facts did not bear out such a feeling. But when he reports, that after a trial of ten years, only one of all who have been attachedto the mission 'affords some satisfaction and encouragement;' that of theothers only four still remain with them, and that these continuallyabsent themselves, and when at home evince but little desire forinstruction; that 'their thoughtlessness, and spirit of independence, ingratitude, and want of sincere, straightforward dealing, often try usin the extreme;' that drunkenness is increasing, and that the natives are'gradually swept away by debauchery and other evils arising from theirintermixture with Europeans, ' I acknowledge that he has stated enough towarrant his despondency, and to shew that it proceeds from no momentarydisappointment alone, but from a settled and reasonable conviction. 

"Nor do the other missions hold out any greater encouragement. That atMoreton Bay is admitted by Mr. Handt to have made but little progress, asneither children nor adults can be persuaded to stay for any length oftime; while that at Lake Macquarie had, at the date of your despatch, ceased to exist, from the extinction or removal of the natives formerlyin its vicinity. The Wesleyan Missionaries at Port Phillip, notwithstanding an expenditure in 1841 of nearly 1, 300 pounds, acknowledgethat they are 'far from being satisfied with the degree of success whichhas attended our labours, ' and 'that a feeling of despair sometimes takespossession of our minds, and weighs down our spirits, ' arising from thefrightful mortality among the natives. 

"In the face of such representations, which can be attributed neither toprejudice nor misinformation, I have great doubts as to the wisdom orpropriety of continuing the missions any longer. I fear that to do sowould be to delude ourselves with the mere idea of doing something; whichwould be injurious to the natives, as interfering with other and moreadvantageous arrangements, and unjust to the colony, as continuing anunnecessary and profitless expenditure. 

"To this conclusion I had been led by your despatch, No. 50, butanticipating that the protectorate system would promise more beneficialresults, I postponed my instructions in the matter until I should receivesome further information. 

"Your despatches of the 16th and 20th May have furnished that furtherinformation, although they contradict the hopes which I had been led toentertain. After the distinct and unequivocal opinion announced by Mr. LaTrobe, supported as it is by the expression of your concurrence, I cannotconceal from myself that the failure of the system of protectors has beenat least as complete as that of the missions. 

"I have no doubt that a portion of this ill success, perhaps a largeportion, is attributable to the want of sound judgment and zealousactivity on the part of the assistant protectors. Thus the practice ofcollecting large bodies of the natives in one spot, and in the immediatevicinity of the settlers, without any previous provision for theirsubsistence or employment, was a proceeding of singular indiscretion. That these people would commit depredations rather than suffer want, andthat thus ill-blood, and probably collisions, would be caused betweenthem and the settlers, must, I should have thought, have occurred to anyman of common observation; and no one could have better reason than Mr. Sievewright to know his utter inability to control them. When such acourse could be adopted, I am not surprised at your opinion that themeasures of the protectors have tended 'rather to increase than allay theirritation which has long existed between the two races. '

"But after allowing for the effect of such errors, and for thepossibility of preventing their recurrence, there is yet enough in Mr. LaTrobe's reports to shew that the system itself is defective, at least inthe hands of those whose services we are able to command. I am unwilling, at this distance from the scene, and without that minute local knowledgewhich is essential, to give you any precise instructions as to the coursewhich under present circumstances should be pursued: but I have the lesshesitation in leaving the matter in your hands, because your wholecorrespondence shews that no one feels more strongly than yourself theduty as well as the policy of protecting, and, if possible, civilizingthese Aborigines, and of promoting a good understanding between them andthe white settlers. At present, though I am far from attributing to thewhite settlers generally an ill disposition towards the natives, there isan apparent want of feeling among them, where the natives are concerned, which is much to be lamented. Outrages of the most atrocious description, involving sometimes considerable loss of life, are spoken of, as Iobserve in these papers, with an indifference and lightness which tothose at a distance is very shocking. I cannot but fear that the feelingwhich dictates this mode of speaking, may also cause the difficulty indiscovering and bringing to justice the perpetrators of the outrageswhich from time to time occur. With a view to the protection of thenatives, the most essential step is to correct the temper and toneadopted towards them by the settlers. Whatever may depend on your ownpersonal influence, or on the zealous co-operation of Mr. La Trobe, willI am sure be done at once, and I will not doubt that your efforts in thisrespect will be successful. In regard to the missions and the protectors, I give you no definite instructions. If at your receipt of this despatchyou should see no greater prospect of advantage than has hithertoappeared, you will be at liberty to discontinue the grants to either asearly as possible; but if circumstances should promise more success forthe future, the grants may be continued for such time as may be necessaryto bring the matter to a certain result. In the meantime, agreeing as Ido, in the general opinion, that it is indispensable to the protection ofthe natives that their evidence should, to a certain extent at least, bereceived in the courts of law, I shall take into my consideration themeans by which this can be effected in the safest and most satisfactorymanner. 

"I cannot conclude this despatch without expressing my sense of theimportance of the subject of it, and my hope that your experience mayenable you to suggest some general plan by which we may acquit ourselvesof the obligations which we owe towards this helpless race of beings. Ishould not, without the most extreme reluctance, admit that nothing canbe done; that with respect to them alone the doctrines of Christianitymust be inoperative, and the advantages of civilization incommunicable. Icannot acquiesce in the theory that they are incapable of improvement, and that their extinction before the advance of the white settler is anecessity which it is impossible to control. I recommend them to yourprotection and favourable consideration with the greatest earnestness, but at the same time with perfect confidence: and I assure you that Ishall be willing and anxious to co-operate with you in any arrangementfor their civilization which may hold out a fair prospect of success. 

"I have, etc. "(signed)"STANLEY. "

* * * * *

EXPLANATION OF THE PLATES OF NATIVE ORNAMENTS, WEAPONS, IMPLEMENTS, AND WORKS OF INDUSTRY. 

PLATE I. --ORNAMENTS. 

1. Ku-ru-un-ko--tuft of emu feathers used in the play spoken of, page228. 2. Three tufts of feathers tied in a bunch, with two kangaroo teeth, worntied to the hair. 3. Tufts of feathers, used as a flag or signal, elevated on a spear;similar ones are worn by the males, of eagle or emu feathers over thepubes. 4. Let-ter-rer--kangaroo teeth worn tied to the hair of young males andfemales after the ceremonies of initiation. 5 and 6. Coverings for the pubes, worn by females, one is of fur string inthreads, the other of skins cut in strips. 7. Tufts of white feathers worn round the neck. 8. Tufts of feathers stained red, worn round the neck. 9. Tufts of feathers stained red, with two kangaroo teeth to each tuft, also worn round the neck. 10. A piece of bone worn through the septum nasi. 11. Tufts of feathers worn round the neck, one is black, the otherstained red. 12. Tufts of feathers stained red, with four kangaroo teeth in a bunch, worn round the neck. 13. Necklace of reeds cut in short lengths. 14. Band for forehead, feathers and swan's-down. 15. Man-ga--band for forehead, a coil of string made of opossum fur. 16. Mona--net cap to confine the hair of young men of opossum fur. 17. Korno--widow's mourning cap made of carbonate of lime, moulded to thehead, weight 8 1/2lbs. 18. Dog's-tail, worn as an appendage to the beard, which is gatheredtogether and tied in a pigtail. 

PLATE II. --WEAPONS. 

1. Spear barbed on both sides, of hard wood, 10 1/2 feet long, used in waror hunting. 2. Similar to the last but only barbed on one side, used for samepurposes. 3. Kar-ku-ru--smooth spear of hard wood, 10 1/2 feet, used forpunishments, as described page 222, also for general purposes. 4. Short, smooth, hard wood spear, 7 1/2 feet long, used to spear fish indiving. 5. Reed spear with barbed hard wood point, used for war with the throwingstick--the way of holding it, and position of the hand are shewn. 6. Hard wood spear with grass-tree end, 8 feet long, used with thethrowing stick for general purposes. 7. Hard wood spear with single barb spliced on, 8 feet long, used fromPort Lincoln to King George's Sound for chase or war, it is launched withthe throwing stick. 8. Ki-ko--reed spear, hard wood point, 6 to 7 feet long, used with thethrowing-stick to kill birds or other game. 9. Hard wood spear, grass-tree end, barbed with flint, used with thethrowing-stick for war. 10. The head of No. 9 on a arger scale. 11. The head of No. 1 on a larger scale. 12. The head of a Lachlan spear, taken from a man who was wounded there, the spear entered behind the shoulder in the back, and the point reachedto the front of the throat, it had to be extracted by cutting an openingin the throat and forcing the spear-head through from behind--the manrecovered. 13. The head of No. 7 on a larger scale. 

PLATE III. --WEAPONS. 

1. Nga-waonk, or throwing-stick, about 2 feet long, and narrow. 2. Ditto but hollowed and conical. 3. Ditto straight and flat. 4. Ditto narrow and carved. 5. Ditto broad in the centre. 6. Sorcerer's stick, with feathers and fur string round the point7. Ditto plain. 8. The Darling Wangn, (boomerang) carved, 1 foot 10 inches. 9. The Darling war Wangn, 2 feet 1 inch. 10. Battle-axe. 11. Ditto12. Ditto13. Ditto14. The lower end of the throwing-stick, shewing a flint gummed on as achisel. 15. The Tar-ram, or shield made out of solid wood, 2 feet 7 inches long, 1 foot broad, carved and painted. 16. A side view of ditto17. War-club of heavy wood, rounded and tapering. 18. Port Lincoln Wirris, or stick used for throwing at game, 2 feet. 19. Murray River Bwirri, or ditto ditto20. War club, with a heavy knob, and pointed. 21. Port Lincoln Midla, or lever, with quartz knife attached to the end. 22. Murray river war club. 

PLATE IV. --IMPLEMENTS. 

1. Tat-tat-ko, or rod for noosing wild fowl, 16 feet long, vide p. 310. 2. Moo-ar-roo, or paddle and fish spear, 10 to 16 feet, vide p. 263. 3. Chisel pointed hard wood stick, from 3 to 4 feet long, used by thewomen for digging. 4. Ngakko, or chisel pointed stick, 3 feet long, used by the men. 5. Mun--canoe of bark, vide p. 314. 6. 7, 8. Varieties of Mooyumkarr, or sacred oval pieces of wood, used atnight, by being spun round with a long string so as to produce a loudroaring noise for the object of counteracting any evil influences, andfor other purposes. 9. 10, 11, 12. Needles, etc. From the fibulas of kangaroos, wallabies, emus, etc. 13. Kangaroo bone, used as a knife. 14. Stone with hollow in centre for pounding roots. 15. Stone hatchet. 16. Distaff with string of hair upon it. 17. Lenko, or net hung round the neck in diving to put muscles, etc. In. 18. Kenderanko, net used in diving, vide p. 260. 19. Drinking cup made of a shell. 20. Drinking cup, being the scull of a native with the sutures closedwith wax or gum. 

PLATE V. --WORKS OF INDUSTRY. 

1. Lukomb, or skin for carrying water, made from the skins of opossums, wallabie, or young kangaroo; the fur is turned inside, and the legs, tail, and neck, are tied up; they hold from 1 quart to 3 gallons. 2. Pooneed-ke--circular mat, 1 foot 9 inches in diameter, made of a kindof grass, worn on the back by the women, with a band passed round thelower part and tied in front, the child is then slipped in between themat and the back, and so carried. 3. Kal-la-ter--a truncated basket of about a foot wide at the bottom, made also of a broad kind of grass, used for carrying anything in, andespecially for taking about the fragile eggs of the Leipoa. 4. A wallet, or man's travelling bag, made of a kangaroo skin, with thefur outside. 5. A small kal-la-ter. 6. Pool-la-da-noo-ko, or oval basket made of broad-leaved grass, used forcarrying anything; from its flat make, it fits easily to the back. 7. An Adelaide oblong and somewhat flattish basket, made of a kind ofrush. 8. The Rok-ko, or net bag, made of a string manufactured from the rush, it is carried by the women, and contains generally all the worldlyproperty of the family, such as shells and pieces of flint forknives--bones for needles--sinews of animals for thread--fat and redochre for adorning the person--spare ornaments or belts--white pigmentfor painting for the dance--a skin for carrying water--a stone forpounding roots--the sacred implements of the husband carefully folded upand concealed--a stone hatchet--and many other similar articles. The sizeof the rok-ko varies according to the wealth of the family; it issometimes very large and weighty when filled.