Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia Volume II Part 21

NATIVE WEIRS FOR FISH.

Mr. Stapylton observed in the channel he traced a net or fence of boughs which the natives had that morning set up; and which showed not only that they expected a flood, but also, from the manner in which it was placed, that the water would flow first up the channel. This circ.u.mstance, as already observed, is not unusual in ana-branches where the lower end is naturally on a lower level, having been worn by the currents into a deeper channel there than at the upper end, where the water not unfrequently leaves the river by overflowing its banks in various channels of small depth.

THEIR NETS FOR CATCHING DUCKS.

The natives had left in one place a net suspended across the river between two lofty trees, evidently for the purpose of catching ducks and other waterfowl. The meshes were about two inches wide, and the net hung down to within five feet of the surface of the stream. In order to obtain waterfowl with this net some of the natives proceed up, and others down, the river to scare the birds from other places and, when any flight comes into the net, it is suddenly lowered into the water, thus entangling the birds beneath until the natives go into the water and secure them. Among the first specimens of art manufactured by the primitive inhabitants of these wilds none come so near our own as the net which, even in quality, as well as the mode of knotting, can scarcely be distinguished from those made in Europe. As these natives possess but little besides what was essentially necessary to their existence, we may conclude that they have used spears for killing the kangaroo, stone-axes for cutting out the opossum, and nets for catching birds, or kangaroos, or fish, since their earliest occupation of Australia.* Almost every specimen of art they possess is the result of urgent necessity. Perhaps the iron tomahawk is the only important addition made to their implements during many centuries.

(*Footnote. Isaiah 24:17 Fear, and the pit, and the snare are upon thee.]

"These images are taken from the different methods of hunting and taking wild beasts which were anciently in use. The snare or toils were a series of nets enclosing, at first, a great s.p.a.ce of ground in which the wild beasts were known to be, and drawn in by degrees into a narrower compa.s.s till they were at last closely shut up and entangled in them." Harmer.

This is precisely the method adopted by the Australian natives at present for the same or similar purposes.)

REMARKABLE CHARACTER OF THE LAKES.

On laying down my survey of the country which we had lately pa.s.sed over I found that the lakes were nearly all circular or oval, and that a very regularly curved ridge, as before stated, bounded the eastern sh.o.r.e of all of them. The number of lakes or hollows of this character already seen by us to the south-west of the Murray amounted to eleven. In three of them the water was salt, and the greater number had no communication with the river; but between it and the others there was a narrow creek or gully, but accessible only to the highest floods. The northern margin of one of the salt lakes consisted of a bank of white sand on which grew thickly a kind of pine, different from the trees around. The channels between the river and the lakes seemed neither to belong to the original arrangement of watercourses, nor to ana-branches of the rivers; for they frequently extended upwards in directions opposed to that of the river's course. The fact being established that some of these lakes have no obvious connection with the river, it becomes probable that they are the remains of what the surface was before the fluviatile process began to carry off its waters. I had no difficulty in referring to an early system of this kind other lakes which we had seen elsewhere, the anomalous peculiarities of which were equally remarkable. Among these were Cudjallagong and others adjacent; Waljeers; the two smaller on the Murrumbidgee named Weromba; also Lake Benanee and Prooa its neighbour; in all which the peculiarities accorded with what I had observed in those on the left bank of the Murray.

MR. STAPYLTON'S EXCURSION IN SEARCH OF THE MAIN STREAM.

June 27.

The morning was clear and Mr. Stapylton set out with a party of six men to trace, if possible, the branch on which we were encamped into the main stream. At ten the weather became hazy; at noon the sky was overcast; and at two P.M. a steady rain set in which continued until six P.M. when the barometer began to rise and, the moon soon after s.h.i.+ning out, the sky became once more serene. A hill apparently covered with good gra.s.s was within sight of our present camp but inaccessible from it because a reach of deep and still water intervened. This day I sent Burnett with Piper to the hill, and they brought me some of the soil which I found consisted of loose red sand.

MY RIDE TO MOUNT HOPE.

June 28.

The morning being fine I at length proceeded towards the hill which we had already twice seen from great distances. It bore 206 degrees 45 minutes (from North) and was exactly ten miles from our camp. After riding six miles through box-forest we crossed a dry creek, and immediately entered upon an extensive plain beyond which I had the satisfaction of seeing the hopeful hill straight before me.

This hill consisted of immense blocks of common granite composed of white felspar and quartz and black mica; and it appeared to form the western extremity of a low range. It was indeed a welcome sight to us all after traversing for several months so much flat country; and to me it was particularly interesting for, from its summit, I expected to obtain an extensive view over the unknown region between us and the southern coast.

I accordingly named the hill Mount Hope.

WHITE ANGUILLARIA.

On the verdant plain near its foot we found a beautiful white anguillaria, a flower we had not seen elsewhere and which, notwithstanding the season, was in full bloom and had a pleasing perfume.

It might indeed be called the Australian snowdrop for its hardy little blossom seemed quite insensible to the frost.

VIEW FROM MOUNT HOPE.

On reaching the summit of Mount Hope I saw various higher hills extending from south-south-west to west-south-west at a distance of about 35 miles.

They were not all quite connected, and I supposed them to be only the northern extremities of some higher ranges still more remote. I perceived along their base a line of lofty trees, but it was most apparent on the horizon to the westward of the heights. The intervening country consisted, as far as the gla.s.s enabled me to examine it, of open gra.s.sy plains, beautifully variegated with serpentine lines of wood. In all other directions the horizon was unbroken and, as the trees of the Murray vanished at a point bearing 143 1/2 degrees from North on the border of a very extensive plain, I concluded that an important change took place there in the course of that river or the Goulburn (of Hovell and Hume); for it was uncertain then which river we were near. The granitic range of Mount Hope terminates in the plains, one or two bare rocks only projecting above ground on the flats westward of the hill. On its summit we found some plants quite new to us and, among the rocks on its sides, a species of anguillaria different from that on the plains, being larger in the stem and having a dark brown ring within the chalice, the edge of the leaves being tinged with the same colour.* We found here again the Baeckea micrantha seen on the 24th instant, also a remarkable new species of Eriostemon forming a scrubby spiny bush, with much the appearance of a Leptospermum,** and a new and very beautiful species of Pleurandra, with the aspect of the yellow Cistus of the Algarves.*** A remarkable hill of granite appeared 5 1/3 miles from Mount Hope, bearing 30 degrees 10 minutes West of South. It is a triangular pyramid and, being quite isolated, it closely resembles the monuments of Egypt.

(*Footnote. Anguillaria dioica.)

(**Footnote. E. pungens, Lindley ma.n.u.scripts; ramulis teretibus pilosulis, foliis acerosis pungentibus glandulosis, pedicellis solitariis axillaribus brevibus unifloris, staminibus glabriusculis, antheria inappendiculatis.)

(***Footnote. P. incana, Lindley ma.n.u.scripts; foliis linearibus obtusis tomentosis marginibus revolutis costam tangentibus, floribus sessilibus terminalibus, staminibus 6 ima basi monadelphis.)

Soon after my return to the camp Mr. Stapylton came in with his party, having succeeded in finding the river by tracing the branch upwards of thirteen miles. This branch was connected with others on both sides, so that Mr. Stapylton was obliged at last to cross it, and make direct for the river which, at the point where he fell in with it, was running at the rate of 2940 yards per hour, and was 99 yards wide, being therefore probably still the Murray itself.

RETURN OF MR. STAPYLTON.

The country which I had seen this day beyond Mount Hope was too inviting to be left behind us unexplored; and I therefore determined to turn into it without further delay, and to pursue the bearing of 215 degrees from North as the general direction of our route, until we should fall in with the line of river trees before mentioned.

CHAPTER 3.8.

The Party quits the Murray.

Pyramid Hill.

Beautiful country seen from it.

Discovery of the river Yarrayne.

A bridge made across it.

Covered by a sudden rise of the river.

Then cross it in boats.

Useful a.s.sistance of Piper.

Our female guide departs.

Enter a hilly country.

Ascend Barrabungalo.

Rainy weather.

Excursion southward.

The widow returns to the party.

Natives of Tarray.

Their description of the country.

Discover the Loddon.

The woods.

Cross a range.

Kangaroos numerous.

The earth becomes soft and impa.s.sable, even on the sides of hills.

Discover a n.o.ble range of mountains.

Cross another stream.

Another.

General character of the country.

Proposed excursion to the mountains.

Richardson's creek.

Cross a fine stream flowing in three separate channels.

A ridge of poor sandy soil.

Cross another stream.

Trap-hills and good soil.

Ascend the mountain.

Clouds cover it.

A night on the summit.

No fuel.

View from it at sunrise.

Descend with difficulty.

Men taken ill.

New plants found there.

Repose in the valley.

Night's rest.

Natives at the camp during my absence.

THE PARTY QUITS THE MURRAY.