Journals of Australian ExplorationsGregory, Augustus Charles
History
Journals of Australian Explorations
Gregory, Augustus Charles
Australia -- Discovery and exploration
Latitude 20 degrees 36 minutes 30 seconds.
20th September.
There was little or no change in the appearance of the country for the
eighteen or twenty miles that the river was traced down during to-day. We
encamped on the bank of a wide and deep reach of water more than a mile
long, surrounded by tall reeds. Fish were caught here in great abundance.
Camp 86.
Latitude 20 degrees 31 minutes 48 seconds.
NATIVE CAMP.
21st September.
Shortly after starting we crossed the bed of a tributary coming in from
the southward, with a shallow sandy channel 200 yards wide, which must
drain the high ranges between the DeGrey and Shaw Rivers, which we passed
over on our outward track. In many places we began to observe patches of
triodia in the midst of the alluvial plains through which the river
continued to run, and distant ranges were observed both to the north and
south. Towards sundown we surprised a large party of natives encamped in
a dry channel of the river, and approached so near before we were
discovered that we had separated a young child from the rest of the
party, which was observed by the mother, who remained while the rest of
the natives made a hasty retreat; it was not long, however, before an
aged warrior returned to her aid, with his spear shipped, and came
forward in a very menacing attitude to recover the child, who stood by us
with a look of the most perfect unconcern. Finding we took no notice of
his threats, he threw down his weapon, and, walking up to the boy, caught
him up in his arms and bore him off, with a look of triumph, to his
companions. No attempt was made to carry away their supper, which was
ready prepared in a number of wooden scoops, and consisted of fish, rats,
beans, grass-seed cakes, and a beverage made with some oily seed pounded.
Leaving everything undisturbed, we pushed on for another mile, so as to
prevent their being afraid of returning to their evening repast. Camp 87.
Latitude 20 degrees 25 minutes 15 seconds.
ATTEMPT TO SPEAR HORSES.
22nd September.
Being Sunday, we only moved a mile lower down the river to a fine reach
of water, on the banks of which was a rich sward of green grass for our
horses. Shortly after we had made ourselves comfortable for the day we
were startled by six of the horses coming into camp at a gallop in their
hobbles, followed by eighteen armed natives. Everyone sprang to their
arms in a moment, which caused the intruders to fall back. I tried to
make them comprehend that we did not approve of the horses being hunted;
but as they would not go away, and they had a strong party concealed in
the brushwood, I fired at a tree to show them the use of our arms. The
moment they heard the report of the rifle and saw the splinters fly, they
took to their heels and did not again trouble us. We afterwards found a
spear sticking in the ground in the track of the horses, having evidently
be thrown while in pursuit. Camp 88.
Latitude 20 degrees 25 minutes; longitude 119 degrees 21 minutes.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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