Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 1Grey, George
History
Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 1
Grey, George
Natural history -- Australia -- Western Australia; Western Australia -- Discovery and exploration
We halted for breakfast near a stream of this kind, under the shade of a
large group of the pandanus. This was evidently a favourite haunt of the
natives, who had been feeding upon the almonds which this tree contains
in its large complex fruit, and to give a relish to their repast had
mingled with it roasted unios, or fresh-water mussels, which the stream
produced in abundance. The remains of some old spears were also lying
about, but the natives themselves were not visible.
Immediately after breakfast I ascended a hill to see if we could in any
way get clear of the deep stream on the banks of which we had
breakfasted. The Glenelg was distant about three miles to the south, and
I found that, in order to disengage ourselves from the waters which
almost encompassed us, we must turn off to the north-west, and thus
almost double back on our former track, as there was no other resource. I
returned at once to the party, and we spent the rest of the day in
crossing two deep streams, and then proceeded about a mile to the
eastward, where we halted for the night on the bank of a rocky
watercourse, but not containing a drop of water. The timber today was
larger than I had yet seen it, affording many new kinds, and one in
particular, resembling in appearance and quality the English ash.
March 9.
We moved through a low country, densely vegetated, and still abounding in
deep sluggish streams, almost unapproachable, on account of a dwarf
bamboo and other tropical plants which clothed their margins. Some of
these streams were twenty feet deep and upwards, and looked more like
canals than natural watercourses.
CASCADE OF THE RIVER.
The point where we halted for the night was not very distant from the
river, for its roaring, as it forced itself over a rapid, could be
distinctly heard. As it was important to ascertain if it ceased to be
navigable at this point, as well as whether it could be here forded or
not, I ordered a party to proceed at daylight and examine it, and in the
interim we laid down to enjoy such repose as myriads of mosquitoes would
allow us.
March 10.
The party started at dawn and did not return until the afternoon. They
arrived at low-water at a point where the river formed a series of rapids
and was apparently broken into several channels; the one which they
reached was not more than fifty or sixty yards wide, the tide at low
water being full seven or eight feet below the level of the rocks which
formed the rapids, but at high-water it rose, judging from the marks on
the rocks, as many feet above them. This channel would therefore cease to
be navigable for vessels at this point, but large boats could proceed up
it at high-water. There was no apparent possibility of our being able to
pass it hereabouts on account of the great rapidity of the current. The
river continued fresh below the rapids, and their account of the
character of the country they saw was most satisfactory.
INCONVENIENT HALTING PLACE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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