Part 19

Start Hodgkinson and Maitland on to Middleton and Poole's camp with four horses, bedding, and provisions on such a course, 25 1/2 degrees west of north, as will cut their camp. No tidings of the camels. I went out and hunted about for them till noon, and just as I got to camp Bell and Davis returned, having camped out all night after them, but saw nothing of them--the ground is so hard they leave so little impression on the ground that it is a difficult thing to trace them; however they have got bells and hobbles on and will at once be again sent after, with, I hope, more success. I am exceedingly annoyed at the detention here, more so as the animals don't do so well here as they have done. Hunted still during the afternoon for them, but without success. All spare hands will start out in search in the morning; it will be the sound of the bells or the sight of them only that will recover them, as track them we cannot in this dry country. Promised the party a treat on arriving within the influence of the sea on the north coast, so had baked some flour kept in reserve and each had a liberal allowance served out to him--that with fresh and excellent mutton and some salt I brought back from the flats gave all quite a treat. Sent Poole and Middleton theirs on by Hodgkinson and Maitland, which in their present half-starved condition would be a still greater treat. We would all have been in better spirits had the camels not been absent, but will hunt well for them tomorrow and trust we may recover them.

Friday, May 16.

I with Bell and Davis started out first thing after the camels, leaving Palmer, Wylde and Kirby in camp. Searched back towards the old camp again although they had assured me they had thoroughly searched all the leading creeks, but I had little faith in their search, which the result proved. At about six miles south-south-west in one of the creeks that they particularly assured me had been well-searched I, with Davis, found their traces (Bell having been sent in another direction) and after losing their track for about six or seven hours succeeded in finding them about twelve or thirteen miles south and west of this, I fancy more by accident than anything else, at about an hour and a half to sunset, and immediately started to camp where they arrived all right and are now tied up for the night ready for a morning start, and very glad am I that they are found.

Saturday, May 17.

Camp 58. Sultry, wind east. All the animals ready for a start and happy am I to turn my back on this camp which I call Rowdy Creek Falls Camp after the poor little bullock we killed here, which gave us about 70 pounds of such stuff as one could hardly imagine without seeing it--nothing like a particle of fat visible anywhere and excessively tasteless. It is fortunate our two remaining bullocks are in better condition or we would not be in the most enviable plight on our arrival at the settled districts, Queensland. Started on bearing of 335 1/2 degrees over good open country. At two and three-quarter miles came to and crossed a creek coming up from south-south-west; in that direction there are falls and sheets of rock quite across it and forming above and below them splendid reaches of deep water with numberless ducks, etc., and black macaws and gillates in thousands. Plenty of water in our course beyond the creek for half to three-quarters of a mile; then over plains intersected with thin belts of small trees, the river not far off on our right. At seven and a quarter miles changed course to 334 degrees, keeping a little farther from the river. At fifteen and three-quarter miles got to camp, found all right. Natives burning grass close upon our right on the way here to windward at a furious rate. What their particular object can be in burning so much of the country I cannot understand. No natives as yet have voluntarily shown themselves. I met the same lubra and child again near the same place that I before met her, but she did not this time attempt to fire the grass round me. A short way on further I met, or rather overtook, another lubra with two children; she tried at first to conceal herself but when she saw that she was observed she immediately set to work to burn the grass round us in all directions. However I got off the horse and walked towards her, holding out a fish-hook to her; she did not hesitate much but came forward and took it and I went on my way. Saw no natives since but look where you may, except north, and you will see fires raging. About two miles from this and on our left as we came along is a fine lagoon in the midst of timber. The tide it appears rises here now from six to ten feet. Not many fish caught.

Sunday, May 18.

Camp 59. Wind easterly; heavy bank of dark clouds to the west and the sun rose not so bright as usual. Over open plains, bad travelling; on bearing of 340 degrees at four and a quarter miles struck an immense lagoon (semicircular) and kept it on our right for nearly three-quarters of a mile, then still bore 340 degrees for one-seventh of a mile further; then changed course to 17 degrees; at half a mile struck and went through a swampy lagoon going east; at three and a quarter miles river close by on the right; at four and three-quarter miles came to large lagoons in our course; went a little to the left and passed between two, appears to be a very heavy one to the left close by. Still on bearing of 17 degrees; at one and a quarter miles further large lagoon close on right; a couple of hundred yards further on on the right is a fine creek with abundance of water and game; at eight miles crossed it still on bearing of 17 degrees; at two miles further on struck a fine large mangrove creek, a very pretty spot like an orange grove. Bearing of 321 1/2 degrees for two miles; then bearing of 35 degrees, crossed the sea running in through mangrove creeks into the flats like a sluice, and camped at a lagoon and couple of fresh water-holes close by the river at one mile. We are now perfectly surrounded by salt water, the river on one side and the mangrove creeks and salt flats on the other; I question much whether we shall be able to get to the beach with the horses. Since noon the wind changed to north-north-west; country very much burnt by the natives--it was dry enough as it was without the additional use of fire. Lots of the waterlily in bloom on all the deep waterholes and lagoons, and a very handsome tree with dark green foliage and a beautiful yellow blossom, and completely loaded with a round fruit of the size of a crab-apple, now green, and containing a number of large-sized seeds, some of which have been gathered, but I fancy they are too green to save the seed.

Monday, May 19.

Camp 60. In camp near the river where are caught occasionally by the party a few fish, amongst others a young shark which however was not eaten; started out this morning with the intention of going to the beach, taking with me Middleton, Poole, Wylde and Kirby, but was quite unsuccessful, being hindered by deep and broad mangrove creeks and boggy flats over which our horses could not travel. I consider we are now about four or five miles from the coast; there is a rise here in the river of six and two-thirds feet today but yesterday it was a foot higher; killed our three remaining sheep and will retrace our steps on 21st.

Tuesday, May 20.

Camp 60. Wind yesterday from north and north and east, at daylight this morning from north, and during the day pretty nearly from all quarters; afternoon kept more steady from east; sent Hodgkinson and Poole to the salt flats to collect what will be sufficient for our homeward rambles, or rather the Queensland settled districts, where we hope to arrive in due time, the state of the clothing of the party and want of various things--the principal thing, food, has prevented my directing the steps of the party to the settled districts of South Australia. A few natives came to the opposite side of the river this morning during flood-tide and got up in the trees, and I was a long time in getting any of them persuaded to cross; at length two of them and then another middle-aged man ventured on my displaying a tomahawk to them; they were of the ordinary stamp, and strange to say were neither circumcised nor had they any of their front teeth out, but were marked down the upper part of the arm and on the breast and back; after making them a few presents they recrossed; no information from them, but perhaps we may see something more of them on a future day. Hodgkinson and Poole returned with from forty to fifty pounds of good salt, sufficient for our purpose, and we start in the morning to proceed as far as the Falls, and cross the river there in the event of not finding a crossing earlier, which I don't expect. The camels I am sorry to say are getting lame by the burnt stumps of reeds and strong coarse grass entering the soles of their feet, I hope they will soon recover. If the bar at the mouth of the river will admit vessels to enter there is a sufficiency of water at all tides to ship horses or stock from alongside the banks without any wharf or anything else, and good country to depasture upon, but the grasses too strong generally for sheep.

Wednesday, May 21.

Camp 60. Commenced our journey for Port Denison, wind east-south-east. I forgot to mention before that, running parallel with the river between this camp and our last, are small ironstone and conglomerate ridges, with abundance of feed and good sound ground wooded with the silver leaf, dwarf gum-looking tree, and various others of no great growth but sightly, and in the ridges, which are of no height to speak of, there are splendid freshwater lagoons and creeks; came to a lagoon about two and a half miles south-south-west of our 59 camp on nearly our old tracks; splendid feed and water. Just as we had started in the morning the natives made their appearance on the trees on the opposite side of the river but did not attempt to cross. I suppose we will see enough of them on our eastern route; this part of the country is well watered and no end of feed; plenty of it higher than I am, and a considerable variety; the remainder of our sheep, even with their long journey, fell off but little.

Thursday, May 22.

Return Camp 1. Beautiful morning; this lagoon is about twelve feet deep, surrounded by a marsh with abundance of green feed. Not a breath of wind at sunrise. West of this camp about two and a half miles off is a considerable-sized creek, by the overflow of which this lagoon is formed and fed; plenty of water in the creek and in side creeks from it, and most excellent timber on its banks and flats for building purposes; it comes up from south-west and after passing this bears off considerably to west of north. I have called it the Fisher after C.B. Fisher, Esquire, of Adelaide. Returned today by my north-going track, the approaches to the river were so abrupt that I could not get a crossing-place; some of the banks nearly precipitous and from one hundred to one hundred and fifty feet high, although I saw rocks right across the river and could have gone over, but could not ascend the banks so came to camp at a lagoon close to the creek, three and a half miles north 25 1/2 degrees west of Falls camp. This creek, which comes up from the south-west and flows past this for some miles yet before it joins the river about north-north-east of this, I have called Boord's Creek after Samuel Boord, Esquire, of Adelaide.

Friday, May 23.

Camp 2. Started on bearing of 135 degrees; at starting crossed the creek, and at three and a half miles made the river where it is joined by another of quite equal size apparently but no crossing-place; so had to go about one mile south-south-west to the Falls and crossed there with some difficulty, getting one of the camels and several of the horses down on the clefts of the rocks and barking their knees a little: just after crossing and proceeding on bearing of 95 1/2 degrees a marked tree was observed, the first we had seen, and then close by two others, evidently by Mr. Landsborough. They were respectively marked on the large tree next the Falls, a large broad-leafed tree, arrow at 1 o'clock LFE. 15, 1862. C.5. On the northernmost of the other two trees, about twenty paces to eastward of the large tree, are a large arrow at 1 o'clock and L facing the west, and on the other gumtree, a few feet north-east, is the letter E of large dimensions; facing the opposite way or east we dug round the tree but could find nothing deposited; saw the remains of broken bottles and fancied from the broad arrow being pointed upwards that a document in a small bottle might have been suspended high up in the tree and got at by the natives, but on after consideration I took the meaning of the arrow being up that up the river was his course; we saw the traces of his horses at the marked trees, but the tracks must be quite obliterated up the river or we must have seen something of them; indeed the heavy rain that inundated the whole country south commenced where we were on the 27th February, and perhaps he had it a little earlier, which may account for our not seeing any traces of him ere this. Which way he may have gone under the circumstances is hard to say, as no doubt he experienced very rough wet weather indeed, and probably was put to many shifts in consequence of the heavy overflow of the immense creeks. At scarcely one mile on bearing of 95 1/2 degrees we came to the falls of the other branch of the river, and crossed it much more easily than the other; it is about 400 to 500 yards broad and all conglomerate stone, and quite treeless or nearly so on its banks as far as the stones went, it then bore off to the south-east or perhaps east of that; at three miles further, seeing ridges ahead on our course, we camped at a swamp; lots of geese and ibis. Marked a small tree near Landsborough's with MK (conjoined), May 22, 1862, with a knife, as we had no chisel or gouge, they being lost.

Saturday, May 24.

Camp 3. Heavy dew of late; last afternoon wind fresh from west-south-west; same this morning but light; geese and all game very difficult to be got at in this part of the country. Natives burning in all directions but do not approach us; I almost fancy they have been reproved for some of their misdeeds to some one or other of the parties here lately, from their shyness. Bearing of 95 1/2 degrees, half a mile stony flat; one mile, stony ridge and ironstone flat; two and three-quarter miles small creek; lagoon with plenty of water. North-north-east open undulations rather swampy; at three and three-quarter miles struck and crossed a small creek with a little water, stony ridges (ironstone) rusty gum, spinifex, etc.; at eleven and three-quarter miles crossed creek with water from north-east. Left creek at 11.45; stony ridges, ironstone and slate, with a little spinifex; rather thickly wooded with rusty gum, silver-leafed gum, etc.; anthills, turreted shapes. At twenty-one and three-quarter miles came to and crossed a creek on a plain between ranges; it flows north and east and takes its rise in the ranges close by to the south-west; plenty of water and feed. Camped at 3.30 p.m.; take three and a quarter miles off journey = eighteen and a half.

Sunday, May 25.

Camp 4. No dew; started at 8.35 a.m.; wind south a.m.; afternoon south-east. Over half a mile open plain; then ridges, and on top of first range at 9.53; very rocky; spinifex, rusty gum, etc. At twenty minutes past ten stony flat; at twenty-five minutes past ten crossed creek; at 12 o'clock along creek on the left; at 12.15 rocky hill on right and lagoon with water close under; top of next hill at 12.50; at 1.5 on the open plains and undulations and pretty well clear of the stones. Tier of ranges immediately on the left for a mile or so; at 2.18 crossed dry creek from west-south-west; at 2.28 came to another creek from the south-west. They are both dry where struck; followed the last one down, bearing of 60 degrees for one-third of a mile; water in creek and in a lagoon on the east side; travelling about six hours besides the one-third of a mile. Creek flows to north-east; distance about eighteen miles.

Monday, May 26.

Camp 5. I find that my watch, the only one in going order or rather disorder, gains eleven minutes in the hour with the regulator hard back to slow--now and then, without any apparent cause, stops; until by sundry shakings and bumps it is prevailed upon to go again--which is most unsatisfactory, situated as I am here, in calculating distances. Wind all night strong from south-east to south-south-east and very cold; no dew. The waters are drying up very fast; during the afternoon of yesterday the country looked well; nice open ranges on all sides with a large space of open country, well grassed in the centre. Started at 8.15 a.m. on bearing of 95 1/2 degrees; at 9.17 passed till this time rather thickly wooded (low) small ironstone, pebbly country, well grassed--ridgy on both sides; at 9.17 entered open plains; large creek ahead; first part of plain much subject to inundation; at 11.24 lagoon apparently about one mile south. Hills cease south about four miles; passed a couple of belts of timber, mistaken in the distance for large creek. At 1 p.m. swampy (dry); at 1.15 small creek with plenty of water and feed, from west-south-west to north-east or east-north-east; at 1.30 made a swamp with good feed and water. Camped; distance about seventeen miles. The horizon appears to be one dense cloud of fire and smoke on our way and on all sides of us; saw no natives.

Tuesday, May 27.

Camp 6. Cold keen wind from south-south-east. The camels I am sorry to say are very lame, caused by the burnt reeds running through the soles of their feet whilst near the coast; boots of leather have been made for the worst of them but they seem to suffer much, and it pulls the flesh off them more than their work. Started at 8.40 a.m. on bearing of 95 1/2 degrees; at 9.15 lagoon close by on the left; country all burnt. At 9.45 struck large creek with abundance of water, boggy where struck; spelled, looking for a crossing till 10.5. Went down the creek north-east or east-north-east till 10.16; then on bearing of 95 1/2 degrees, till at 10.23 struck what I take to be Morning Inlet, about 150 yards broad with reeds and grass, no water at crossing; 10.42 left Morning Inlet where we watered horses. At 2.53 p.m. changed course to 32 1/2 degrees for a belt of timber, thinking to camp; no water. At 3.12 p.m. changed course to 95 1/2 degrees till three minutes to five, when changed course to 135 degrees until 5.39, then on bearing of 75 degrees till 6.21; no water, but a very little drop about half a mile back, to which place I returned and found there was even less than I expected. This is a most deceitful part of the country; every five minutes you are in expectation of coming to water but it was our fate to meet none but this muddy little drop, barely sufficient for our own use, and none for the animals. From about 3 p.m. till we camped heavy belts of swampy box and large gums; many patches of reeds and coarse grass; water recently dried up; and belts of plain. Numerous birds seen--cockatoos, hawks, crows, galahs, etc. etc. etc.

Wednesday, May 28.

Camp 7. The bullocks (two) with Palmer and Kirby on horseback and Maitland on foot did not come up to camp last night, but immediately after sunrise the two horsemen and bullocks arrived, but not Maitland, he being on foot from having injured his horse so much as to render him unfit to ride, as is his usual way with every horse he gets, taking no care of him whatever. I told him when he injured the last that if he did the same to this one he should walk; and good to my word I made him walk yesterday. Rode a short distance at sunrise, having heard some native companions calling out after daylight, and found within a quarter of a mile of us, almost within view, two splendid lagoons. Immediately returned to camp and moved it at once to the nearest one; it bears from last night's camp nearly due south, a quarter of a mile or little over; the other lagoon is distant about 300 yards south-east of this. Great abundance of feed. As the camels are lame and in need of a spell and we want to kill a bullock and Maitland not come up yet I have made up my mind to stop here till all are put in travelling order. In the morning the wind bitterly cold from south-east to south-south-east. Middleton has been laid up for the last three days and lost the use of his legs yesterday afternoon but hope he will soon be all right again. He is much better today; I should get on indifferently without him. Although we met with no water coming along last afternoon I have no doubt but that there was plenty of it, as the natives were burning everywhere as we came along, particularly close on our right. It is still a splendid country for grass and timber. As soon as we moved to camp we had one of the bullocks (Boxer) up and killed; he is very fair beef. The other is not so good, but stands being kept in hobbles; whereas this one would not or he would have been kept till last on account of his better condition. Providentially Maitland made his way to camp late this afternoon. Had we been obliged to go on again a stage without luckily hitting upon this place I think he would have gone frantic as he appeared in a sad state of mind on his arrival; I hope it will be a caution to him in future to see to his horse better.

Thursday, May 29.