Narrative of the Overland Expedition of the Messrs. Jardine Part 6

'March' 11.--The line marked by Mr. Jardine was followed to-day. A scrub occurred on a creek called Wommerah Creek, through which it took two hours to drive the cattle. Only 10 miles were made, and the camp was pitched at about 4 miles from the mouth of the creek where the corroboree was held. Three horses were knocked up during the day, which prevented their gotting as far as intended.

'March' 12.--On counting the cattle it was found that 30 head had been dropped in coming through the scrub at Wommerah Creek. Two of the black-boys were sent after them, and the Brothers went out to find a crossing-place over Ranura Creek, (their last camp in Somerset.) Here they met the same tribe, (known as Wognie's,) and bartered "bacca" and "bissika," against "moro wappi," or fish, with which the camp was plentifully supplied in the evening. The cattle were recovered all but five. The country is described as being composed of ridges of white and red sand, intersected by swamps of tea-tree, panda.n.u.s, and banksia, the crest of the ridges being generally surmounted by a patch of scrub. The timber, bloodwood, mahogany, stringy-bark, and nonda.

'March' 13.--A late start was made to-day, for some of the horses were away. The camp was formed on the banks of the lake before-mentioned, 8 miles from Somerset, Chappagynyah, which is described as teeming with crocodiles. tThe next day the party reached their final resting place, probably not without some exhiliration in feeling that their journey was over. They were met at Baronto, by Mr. Jardine, who had ridden out from Somerset for the purpose. The camp was established at Vallack Point, where the wearied horses and cattle at length found rest, whilst their drivers were able to indulge in the unwonted luxuries of regular feeding and uninterrupted sleep: luxuries which few but those who have experienced hunger and broken rest can fully appreciate. They had been on the road for 5 months, travelled over 1600 miles, the last 250 of which were, as we have seen, performed on foot, and by most of the party barefooted, whilst for the last four weeks their food had consisted chiefly of jerked veal, fish without salt, and the wild fruits and herbs they might find in the bush. In addition to the distance travelled over by the whole party, and over which the cattle were driven, the Brothers traversed more than 1200 miles in their exploratory trips ahead, looking for the lost horses, etc. Alexander Jardine's journey down the Einasleih alone amounted to little less than 300. It may be imagined, therefore, that the return to the habits and fare of civilized life must have been an agreeable change.

After an interval employed by the Brothers in forming a station at Vallack Point, they returned with their father to Brisbane, in H.M.S.

Salamander, leaving their younger brother, John, in charge of the newly-formed station, where the cattle were doing well. Mr.

Richardson left in the same vessel, and on arriving in Brisbane immediately set to work to chart the route. Having every facility at hand in the office of the Surveyor-General, the error of the river Lynd was rectified, and a map compiled, shewing the route, from which that now presented to the reader has been reduced. A glance at it will shew that a large tract of unexplored country exists between the track of the Jardines and that of Kennedy, which affords ample scope for, and may possibly repay future explorations. Already stock is on the road to occupy country on the lower Einasleih, and it is not improbable that before long the rich valley of the Archer will add its share to the pastoral wealth of Queensland.

FINIS.

[Plate: SOMERSET CAPE YORK. Lithograph.]

APPENDIX

THE MELALEUCA ('Tea-tree Gum M. Leucodendron.')

This tree, of which there are several varieties, is very common to Northern Australia; the drooping kind ('Melaleuca Leucodendron'), occupying the beds and margins of the rivers, where its long pendant branches weeps the stream, as does the graceful willow of Europe.

Its bark is in thin paper-like layers, whilst its leaves are like that of the gum, but thinner and straighter. It is remarkable for containing an extraordinary quant.i.ty of brackish water, which pours out in a torrent, when the bark is cut through, to the extent of from a quart to a gallon. Another variety is found chiefly in flat sandy country and shallow swamps. It is much smaller than that of the rivers, and the leaves broader, stiff, and upright, its blossoms nearly the same. It is indifferently called weeping gum, tea-tree gum, and tea-tree, although it is in no way allied to the latter. It is with the upright kind that the arid levels of the Staaten are chiefly timbered.

GARRAWAN.

This scrub, one of the numerous family of accacia, which together with the panda.n.u.s, gave the travellers so much annoyance on their journey, occupies a large extent of country about the Richardson range, from the Batavia to Cape York. It much resembles, and is probably identical with that which grows in the neighbourhood of Sydney, to the appearance of which, indeed, that part of the Peninsula closely resembles.

FLOCK PIGEON OF THE GULF ('Phaps Histrionica.')

These beautiful pigeons which are alluded to by Leichhardt, are at certain seasons found in immense flocks in the plain country about the Gulf of Carpentaria. Their range is wide, as in 1846 they appeared in flocks of countless mult.i.tudes on the Murrimbidgee River, N.S.W., probably driven from their usual regions by drought. They are described and figured in Mr. Gould's great work on the Australian birds.

THE EINASLEIH.

This river was erroneously supposed by its first settlers to be the Lynd of Leichhardt. That such was not the case, was proved by Alexander Jardine, who traced it down for 180 miles from Carpentaria Downs, when he turned back, within about a day's stage of its junction with the Gilbert, fully satisfied that it could not be the Lynd. Since then it has, I believe, been traced into the Gilbert, and thence to the Gulf. Its importance would lead to the supposition that it was the princ.i.p.al branch of the Gilbert. There is an excellent cattle country on the lower part, as described in the text which has probably ere this been occupied by our pioneers.

THE NONDA ('Parinarium Nonda. F. Mueller.')

This tree so named by Leichhardt's black-boys (described in Bentham's 'Flora Australiensis'), is very abundant north of the Einasleih, which is possibly the extreme lat.i.tude of its zone south. It formed an important accession to the food of the party, and it is highly probable that their good health may be attributable to the quant.i.ty of fruit, of which this was the princ.i.p.al, which they were able to procure, there being no case of scurvy during the journey, a distemper frequently engendering in settled districts, when there is no possibility of varying the diet with vegetables. The foliage of the tree is described as of a bright green, the fruit very abundant, and much eaten by the natives. It is of about the size and appearance of a yellow egg plum, and in taste like a mealy potatoe, with, however, a trace of that astringency so common to Australian wild fruits. The wood is well adapted for building purposes.

BURDEKIN DUCK ('Tadorna Raja').

This beautiful species of sh.e.l.ldrake, though not numerous, has a wide range, extending from the richmond river to Cape York. It frequents the more open flats at the mouths of rivers and creeks.

THE NATIVE BEE.

This little insect (called Wirotheree in the Wellington dialect), the invasion of whose h.o.a.rds so frequently added to the store of the travellers, and no doubt a.s.sisted largely in maintaining their health, is very different from the European bee, being in size and appearance like the common house-fly. It deposits its honey in trees and logs, without any regular comb, as in the case of the former.

These deposits are familiarly known in the colony as "sugar bags,"

(sugar bag meaning, aboriginice, anything sweet), and require some experience and proficiency to detect and secure the aperture by which the bees enter the trees, being undistinguishable to an unpractised eye. The quant.i.ty of honey is sometimes very large, amounting to several quarts. Enough was found on one occasion to more than satisfy the whole party. Its flavor differs from that of European honey almost as much as the bee does in appearance, being more aromatic than the latter: it is also less crystalline. As the celebrated "Narbonne honey" derives its excellence from the bees feeding on the wild thyme of the south of France, so does the Australian honey derive its superior flavour from the aromatic flowers and shrubs on which the Wirotheree feeds, and which makes it preferred by many to the European.

THE APPLE-GUM ('Angophora?')

I have been at some pains to discover to what species this tree belongs, but further than that it is one of the almost universal family of the Eucalypti, have not been able to identify it. As mentioned in the text, it was found very valuable for forging purposes by the Brothers, who were able to bring their horse-shoes almost to a white heat by using it. It is like box in appearance, and very hard.

TERRY'S BREECH-LOADERS.

This formidable weapon can hardly receive too high a commendation, and to its telling efficiency is probably attributable the absence of any casualty to the party in their many encounters with the savages.

Not only for its long range is it valuable, but for its superior certainty in damp or wet weather, its charge remaining uninjured after days and weeks of interval, and even after immersion in water, making it available when an ordinary piece would be useless. The effect of the conical bullet too is much more sure and complete, which, when arms 'must' be resorted to, is of great importance.

THE MARAMIE.

This sh.e.l.l-fish is to be found in almost all the Australian rivers and lagoons. It is in size and appearance very much like the little cray-fish or "Ecrevisses" which usually garnish the "Vol-au-vent" of Parisian cookery, and of very delicate flavor.

SPINIGEX, Spear Gra.s.s, Needle Gra.s.s, or "Saucy Jack" ('Triodia Irritans.')

This gra.s.s, so well known to all Australian travellers, is a certain indication of a sandy sterile country. The spinifex found in the Mally scrubs of the south attains a great size, generally a.s.suming the appearance of a large tuft or bush from one to two feet in diameter, and twelve to eighteen inches high. When old, its sharp points, like those of so many immense darning needles set on end at different angles, are especially annoying to horses, who never touch it as food, except when forced by starvation. In Northern Queensland the present species is found abundantly from Peak Downs to Cape York.

FIVE CORNERS ('Stypelia?')

This fruit is well known and very common in the neighbourhood of Sydney, and was found in the scrubby region about the Richardson Range, which, as before mentioned, is of similar character to that description of country. It does not, so far as I am aware, exist in any other part of Queensland.

THE NATIVE PLUM ('Owenia.')

This tree, of which there are several species, ('Owenia Cerasifera'

and 'Owenia Vanessa' being most common in Queensland), is found along the whole of the east coast, as far south as the Burnett, and is one of the handsomest of Australian forest trees. Its purple fruit has a pleasant acid flavor, and is probably a good anti-s...o...b..tic. It is best eaten after having been buried in the ground for a few days, as is the custom of the natives. The stone is peculiar, having much the shape of a fluted pudding basin. The timber is handsomely grained and is of durable quality.

On the subjects of the fruits, edible plants, and roots of Queensland, Mr. Anthelme Thozet, of Rockhampton, whose name is well and deservedly known to Botanists, has been at great pains to prepare for the approaching Exhibition at Paris, a cla.s.sified table of all that are known as consumed by the natives raw and prepared, and to his enthusiastic attention to the subject, we are indebted for the possession of a large and important list, a knowledge of which would enable travellers in the wilds of the colony to support themselves from their natural productions alone, in cases where their provision was exhausted.

THE CALAMUS ('Calamus Australis.)

This plant belongs to a genuis of palms, the different species of which yield the rattan canes of commerce. Its form in the scrubs of the Cape York Peninsula is long and creeping, forming a net work of vines very formidable to progress.

THE PITCHER PLANT ('Nepenthes Kennedyana.')