Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound in the Years 1840-1: Sent By the Colonists of South Australia, with the Sanction and Support of the Government: Including an Account of the Manners and Customs of the Aborigines and the State of Their Relations with Europeans — Volume 01Eyre, Edward John
History
Journals of Expeditions of Discovery into Central Australia and Overland from Adelaide to King George's Sound in the Years 1840-1: Sent By the Colonists of South Australia, with the Sanction and Support of the Government: Including an Account of the Manners and Customs of the Aborigines and the State of Their Relations with Europeans — Volume 01
Eyre, Edward John
Australia -- Discovery and exploration; Ethnology -- Australia
From the 12th to the 18th we remained at the sand-drifts, during which
time we were engaged in attending to the horses, in sending back to
recover the stores that had been left by the overseer, and in examining
the country around. The natives had told me that there were two watering
places at the termination of the cliffs to the eastward, and that these
were situated in a somewhat similar manner to those at the head of the
Great Bight. We were encamped at one, and I made several ineffectual
attempts 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 so
suddenly turned away from the sea, receded inland from eight to ten
miles, but still running parallel with the coast; between it and the sea
the country was low and scrubby, with many beds of dried up salt lakes;
but neither timber nor grass, except the little patch we were encamped
at. Above the cliffs the appearance of the country was the same as we had
previously found upon their summits, with, perhaps, rather more scrub;
pigeons were numerous at the sand-hills, and several flocks of
red-crested and red-winged cockatoos were hovering about, watching for an
opportunity to feast upon the red berries I have before spoken of, and
which were here found in very great abundance, and of an excellent
quality. The sand, as usual at our encampments, was a most dreadful
annoyance, and from which we had rarely any respite. The large flies were
also very numerous, troublesome and irritating tormentors. They literally
assailed us by hundreds at a time, biting through our clothes, and
causing us constant employment in endeavouring to keep them off. I have
counted twenty-three of these blood-suckers at one time upon a patch of
my trousers eight inches square.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account