Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of New South WalesOxley, John
History
Journals of Two Expeditions into the Interior of New South Wales
Oxley, John
New South Wales -- Discovery and exploration; Oxley, John, 1783-1828
the expedition as a volunteer; that to the north-north-west, Mount
Forster, after Lieutenant Forster, of the Navy; and the lofty range
before mentioned to the eastward was distinguished by the name of
Arbuthnot's Range, after the Right Hon. C. Arbuthnot, of His Majesty's
Treasury. The two first mentioned hills are entirely of granite, from
one and a half to two miles long, by half a mile to one mile wide: their
formation must be considered a most singular geological phenomenon,
detached as they are by an immense space from all mountainous ranges,
and rising from the midst of a soft alluvial soil. Small pieces of
granite were in several places thrown into heaps, as if by human means;
and their whole surfaces were covered with similar pieces, detached from
the solid mass to which they had once belonged. If I might hazard a
conjecture, I should attribute to them a volcanic origin: I think, on
examination, their constituent parts will be found to have undergone the
action of fire, by which they have been fused together. To those
conversant in the structure of the earth, and with the means used by
nature to accomplish her purposes, these singular hills may offer a
subject for curious inquiry. The natives appear numerous in these
regions of apparent desolation: we fell in with several parties in the
course of the day, in the whole probably not less than forty, and many
fires were seen to the north. Being a mile or two ahead of our party in
a thick brush, I came suddenly upon three men; two ran off with the
greatest speed; the third, who was older and a little lame, first threw
his firestick at me, and next (seeing me still advance) a waddie, but
with such agitation, that though not more than a dozen paces distant, he
missed both me and my horse. I returned to my party, and in company with
them surprised the native camp; we found there eight women and twelve
children, just on the point of departing with their infants in their
cloaks on their backs: on seeing us, they seized each other by the hand,
formed a circle, and threw themselves on the ground, with their heads
and faces covered. Unwilling to add to their evident terror, we only
remained a few minutes, during which time the children frequently peeped
at us from beneath their clothes; indeed, they seemed more surprised
than alarmed: the mothers kept uttering a low and mournful cry, as if
entreating mercy. In the camp were several spears, or rather lances, as
they were much too ponderous to be thrown by the arm; these were jagged:
there were also some elamongs (shields), clubs, chisels, and several
workbags filled with every thing necessary for the toilet of a native
belle; namely, paint and feathers, necklaces of teeth, and nets for the
head, with thread formed of the sinews of the opossum's tail for making
their cloaks. The men belonging to the camp were heard shouting at no
great distance: their affection for their families was not, however,
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