At meal times it was curious to observe the conduct of this interesting couple and the kangaroo dogs: it was evident that no good feeling subsisted betwixt the parties: the dogs regarded the former with an expression of anger, and the opposite party looked both sulkily and anxiously at the canine species;—the dogs appeared instinctively to fear that the human creatures would devour every morsel of the food, and that they should be minus their share; whilst the latter seemed to know, either by instinct or practical experience, that large dogs bite tolerably hard when angry.
Black and white cockatoos had lately become very numerous about this part of the country: the former appeared to have been attracted by some trees that had been felled when clearing a spot of land for cultivation—as these birds visit the dead or fallen trees to procure the larvæ of insects that breed in them. I have seen, more than once, small trees lying prostrate, occasioned by the powerful bills of the large black cockatoos, who, observing on the trunk, externally, indications of a larva being within, have diligently laboured to extract it; and should the object of their search be situated (as often occurs) far in, before they reach it, the trunk is so much cut through, that the slightest puff’ of wind lays it prostrate.[68]
Among some of the few vegetable productions in use among the Australian blacks as food, is the root of a species of bulrush, which they name “Cormiork.” It grows abundantly on the banks of the Yas, Murrumbidgee, Tumat, and other rivers: the roots are eaten only when young: they are prepared by being baked, and the epidermis removed. Europeans who have partaken of it, say it has an agreeable farinaceous taste. The roots are collected in spring, when the young plants have just commenced sprouting.
Among other farms about Yas Plains is “Mount Lavinia,” the property of my late fellow-traveller, Henry O’Brien, Esq., at whose place I passed many agreeable days during my sojourn at Yas. The house has been erected in a picturesque situation, upon a hill of moderate elevation, near the base of which the Yas river winds its course: the effect, on the approach to the house, is extremely pretty; the view from the hill overlooks a good extent of picturesque country, the greatest part is devoted to sheep pasturage; and some portion of arable land is alone wanting to make this spot still more charming. From another hill, on the plains, a short distance from that just mentioned, the view is still more expansive, overlooking the extensive verdant downs, surrounded in the distance by thinly-wooded hills, terminated in the south-west direction by distant blue mountains, near which flows the fine stream of the Murrumbidgee.
The plains were animated by herds of cattle, flocks of sheep, and troops of horses, grazing, reposing, or exercising: the whole combination of this beautiful scenery excited the most pleasing sensations, which were heightened by its English character, and cause the settler to reflect less on the remoteness from home; when surrounded by his family circle, and a few select friends—language, manners, customs, being all in accordance with his own “native land:” his farm once under cultivation, and stocked, he feels but few, if any wants. Above all, he has no anxious moments about the future welfare of his children, as there are few difficulties, in a new country, in providing for them; and although many complain of the “dulness of bush life,” it is seldom the case with those who are practically acquainted with it, for time rapidly passes away in the various enjoyments of a rustic life, and the superintendence of duties which the farm imposes on a settler, each tending to advance his prosperity. The farm produces the necessary daily supplies for the tables; and the sale of the wool gives a cash income for the purchase of other articles, as wearing apparel, tea, sugar, agricultural implements, &c.; Sydney is therefore usually visited once annually to dispose of the wool, or ship it to England, and to purchase any supplies that may be required for the use of the family or farm of the settler.
Early on the morning of the 11th of October, in company with Mr. Manton, I left “Mount Lavinia” to visit a part of the country about the Murrumbidgee river, and fourteen or fifteen miles distant from Yas. We crossed the extensive plains, and entered a bush track leading through a fine open forest country; some of the land was boggy, but the most part consisted of open forest, with rich pasturage, and was well circumstanced for the several sheep and cattle stations we passed. From the general excellent quality of land on and in the vicinity of the Yas plains, as well as being well watered, extensive purchases from the government have been made by the settlers already having grants here, and nearly the whole, with water frontage, has been purchased; I am inclined to think that this part of the colony will prove the richest and most valuable of almost any of the present known portions.
On approaching the Murrumbidgee river, the character of the scenery increases in beauty, assuming even a romantic appearance,—the broken country adding to, rather than diminishing the effect: the day was cloudless, with a brilliant sun, so the prospect extended to a great distance;—green sloping hills, thinly timbered, only wanting the addition of mansions to the natural lawns and parks to perfect the landscape; flowers of great variety and gay colours strewed the ground in the utmost profusion; the indigo shrub (Indigofera australis) was also abundant in flower, with numerous other flowering plants; green natural fields decked the level land; the songs of birds, and their increased numbers, were sufficient to acquaint us that we were approaching a river. The scene was of the most animated description; in the distance long lines of “swamp oaks,” (Casuarina palludosa,) readily distinguished by their dark, peculiar appearance, indicated to us the course of the river. Having enjoyed the prospect from the elevation, we descended a steep hill, proceeded through a luxuriant pasturage, which was bounded by thinly-wooded hills, carpeted with verdure, and soon arrived on the bank of the Murrumbidgee stream, which may be, at this part, forty or fifty yards wide. On the opposite side of the river Mr. Manton possessed a grant, which he had just commenced to stock and cultivate: the locality appeared excellent during the cool months, but liable to be soon parched by the fervent summers.
Having hobbelled our horses, that eagerly fed on the luxuriant grass surrounding them, we crossed the river in a canoe which had been scooped by Mr. Manton’s servants from the solid trunk of a “water gum” tree, (Eucalyptus sp.) and was capable of carrying four or six persons. Arriving on its opposite side we were now beyond the acknowledged limits of the colony, although numerous cattle and sheep stations extend to a great distance further. On the banks of this fine stream, besides numerous flowering shrubs, the elegant “swamp oaks” towered to the elevation of fifty or sixty feet, their dark filiform foliage giving them the character of the larch: besides these, (which were by far the most numerous,) there were some enormous trees of the Eucalyptus genus, called “water gum” by the colonists; they attain from ninety to one hundred feet in height, with a diameter of from six to eight feet; the wood is of a reddish colour, and very hard: on account of the latter quality, it is less frequently used, being difficult to cut. The currijong (Hibiscus) also grew about the limestone rocks in the vicinity, and was readily to be distinguished from other trees by the lighter and more vivid green of its foliage. A number of European genera of plants indigenous to the country, or at all events from their situations giving reason to suppose so, grew in the vicinity of this river; among others, the “sow thistle,” (the young tops of which are eaten by the natives just before the plant commences to blossom,) a small red poppy, the crow-foot, a rumex or dock (R. lancifolia?) geranium, and “shepherd’s purse,” (Thlaspi bursa pastoris,) were abundant, and they are seen very far in the interior beyond this place.
Some caves have been lately found in the limestone rocks about this selection; and since the valuable discovery of fossil bones in those at Wellington Valley, by Major Mitchell and others, limestone caverns have become one of the colonial lions; these, therefore, were pointed out to me as objects of great curiosity; I found them however very small, and they did not repay the trouble of getting into them. They resembled the small caves often seen in the limestone quarries of Plymouth and Oreston, in Devonshire, from which some valuable fossils have been procured: stalactites of course abounded, but neither fossils nor any red calcareous earth, in which those remains have usually been found deposited. Among a quantity of dust were several loose bones, which had been at first described to me as fossils, but which were the breast bones and tibiæ of the emu, and skulls, and other bones of dogs, which no doubt had been placed there by the natives, for the tibiæ of the emu (here called Béréban by the blacks) had a hole at the upper and anterior part; this perforation is made, as many of them afterwards told me, to enable them more readily, by admitting air, to suck out the rich marrow from the lower end, which was broken for that purpose. The extent of the cavern was from fifteen to twenty feet; the entrance so narrow, that the explorer could only enter feet foremost, nor was it sufficiently large in the interior to enable him to stand erect. About sunset we returned to Yas, having a fine moonlight night for our journey.