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
It had been very carefully wrapped in a great number of oppossum skins,
the head bound round with the net usually worn by the natives, and also
the girdle: it appeared after being enclosed in those skins to have been
placed in a larger net, and then deposited in the manner before
mentioned. The bones and head showed that they were the remains of a
powerful tall man. The hair on the head was perfect, being long and
black; the under part of the body was not totally decayed, giving us
reason to think that he could not have been interred above six or eight
months. Judging from his hair and teeth, he might have been between
thirty and forty years of age: to the west and north of the grave were
two cypress-trees distant between fifty and sixty feet; the sides
towards the tomb were barked, and curious characters deeply cut upon
them, in a manner which, considering the tools they possess, must have
been a work of great labour and time. Having satisfied our curiosity,
the whole was carefully re-interred, and restored as near as possible to
the station in which it was found. The river fell in the course of the
day near two feet.
July 31.--Again employed in the construction of our raft, which I hope
will be completed sufficiently early to-morrow to allow us time to get
every thing over, and encamp on the other side. The river fell about two
feet in the course of the day, and still continues to fall rapidly. The
dogs were very successful, killing three emus and a small kangaroo.
August 1.--Still employed on the raft, which will be ready for use about
one o'clock. The river fell a foot during the night, but the trees that
would have been useful to us are still under water. The mean of the
different observations made here gave the following results.
Mean lat. 33 deg. 04 min. 02 sec. S.
Comp. long. 146 31 50 E.
Variation 7 23 00 E.
The series of triangles by which the longitude from our situation on the
17th of May has been computed, corresponds precisely with the bearings
taken from this station to the principal objects forming their bases,
and whose relative situation on the chart had been fixed on the 17th of
May; it was extremely satisfactory to find in so extensive a survey that
the angles should thus so completely verify our situation.
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