Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — CompleteSturt, Charles
History
Two Expeditions into the Interior of Southern Australia — Complete
Sturt, Charles
New South Wales -- Discovery and exploration; Sturt, Charles, 1795-1869
On the 5th, the river led us to the southward and westward. Early in the
day, we passed a group of seventy huts, capable of holding from twelve to
fifteen men each. They appeared to be permanent habitations, and all of
them fronted the same point of the compass. In searching amongst them we
observed two beautifully made nets, of about ninety yards in length. The
one had much larger meshes than the other, and was, most probably,
intended to take kangaroos; but the other was evidently a fishing net.
In one hut, the floor of which was swept with particular care, a number of
white balls, as of pulverised shells or lime, had been deposited--the
use of which we could not divine. A trench was formed round the hut to
prevent the rain from running under it, and the whole was arranged with
more than ordinary attention.
TERROR OF THE NATIVES.
We had not proceeded very far when we came suddenly upon the tribe to
which this village, as it might be called, belonged.
In breaking through some brush to an open space that was bounded on one
side by the river, we observed three or four natives, seated on a bank at
a considerable distance from us; and directly in the line on which we were
moving. The nature of the ground so completely favoured our approach, that
they did not become aware of it until we were within a few yards of them,
and had ascended a little ridge, which, as we afterwards discovered, ended
in an abrupt precipice upon the river, not more than thirty yards to our
right. The crack of the drayman's whip was the first thing that aroused
their attention. They gazed upon us for a moment, and then started up and
assumed an attitude of horror and amazement; their terror apparently
increasing upon them. We stood perfectly immovable, until at length they
gave a fearful yell, and darted out of sight.
THEY FIRE THE BUSH.
Their cry brought about a dozen more natives from the river, whom we had
not before observed, but who now ran after their comrades with surprising
activity, and without once venturing to look behind them. As our position
was a good one, we determined to remain upon it, until we should ascertain
the number and disposition of the natives. We had not been long
stationary, when we heard a crackling noise in the distance, and it soon
became evident that the bush had been fired. It was, however, impossible
that we could receive any injury on the narrow ridge upon which we stood,
so that we waited very patiently to see the end of this affair.
REMARKS ON THE NATIVES; DISEASE AMONG THEM.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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