On riding through plains, &c. a number of quails are usually started by the dogs, and numerous eagle hawks, (Mollien of the natives,) and others of the same rapacious tribe, hover about for the purpose of darting upon the unfortunate quails when started; these hawks will also destroy and feed upon snakes, lizards, &c.
On the 23d of December I left Yas Plains for Sydney; in the evening I arrived at “Lomebraes,” or “Willowdalong,” the farm of Mr. John Hume, after a journey of twenty-two miles. This farm is situated close to a river, which I was surprised to find was the “Lachlan.” At this season it was merely a chain of shallow ponds, abounding with weeds, and even in the winter season, from the extent of the banks, it cannot attain any magnitude; probably by aid of tributary streams, it may in its course become a river of more importance. About this country the heat of the summer had not been so great as to parch up the land, which still maintained its verdure; but the utter want of variety in several parts of the colony, produces a tedious vacuity in the mind of the traveller when journeying over it.
A pleasing object in domestic life among the settlers was the number of healthy, blooming children seen on the farms in the interior; their little plump forms, with the prevailing flaxen hair, cheerful and lively disposition, and rosy countenances, sufficiently indicated that bush fare did not disagree with them: living in the midst of excellent milk, and other wholesome food, with exercise, they are never cloyed by the trash usually given to children in large towns. Sickness is also rarer among the servants, from an inability to become inebriated; but tobacco is quite a necessary of life among them; few can undergo any labour without it, and many have told me that they would rather give up their rations than be deprived of tobacco; consequently no gift is more acceptable in the bush to a servant, for any assistance he may render to the traveller, than a present of tobacco, for money in the distant parts of the colony, is comparatively useless, and they care little or nothing about it.
On leaving “Lomebraes,” the morning following, I proceeded some distance on my journey, when thinking I could reach “Mut, mut, billy,” sooner by taking a nearer cut across the bush, I followed cattle-paths, until I missed my way; no trifle in the bush of New South Wales, where many, having lost themselves in the mazes of a forest, have perished. However, after chancing the direction, I came to a settler’s hut, about three or four miles distant from Mr. Reddal’s farm, at Mut, mut, billy; I made inquiry of a man and woman, who were at that time busily engaged in opening a cow in the stock-yard, whether I was in the right road; after answering my inquiry in the affirmative, the man asked me if I had ever seen the disease called the “black leg,” which prevailed so much, and was still prevailing to some extent among the cattle in the colony, informing me that the cow had died of the disease, the first instance of it in this part of the country.
I felt gratified at having an opportunity of examining a case of this disease, of which I had only previously heard an account; so alighting, I entered the stock-yard, and examined the dead animal. Every part of the internal viscera was in a perfectly healthy condition, the stomach was distended with food, and there was nothing in the internal appearances exhibited to account for the death of the animal; but upon the thigh of the left hind leg, I perceived a swelling, and on the skin being laid back from it, an extent of dark extravasated blood was seen, and there was a similar state of extravasation upon one side of the neck: cutting through the fascia, the whole of the muscles, which had the appearances just mentioned, were found saturated with black blood, even to the bone. I can make no better comparison of its appearance than by saying it seemed as if those parts of the body had been severely beaten or mashed.
The animal I examined was a young cow; (the disease is said to attack principally the yearlings among cattle;) she had been perfectly well the preceding evening, but was found dead early in the morning; from the stomach being found distended with food, it could not have been long ill previous to its death. On arriving at the farm of Mut, mut, billy, I mentioned the circumstance to the overseer; he was alarmed at the disease having occurred so near, and expressed a fear of his cattle becoming attacked, as the disease was considered contagious; he asserted that none of his cattle had ever yet been affected, although he had heard of numbers dying in other districts from the disease.
It was a few days after this, when staying at Goulburn Plains, that a gentleman arrived, who mentioned his having seen a case of the disease denominated the “black leg,” in the stock-yard of the farm at Mut, mut, billy, that morning, so from this circumstance the fears of the overseer, respecting the extension of the disease, were unfortunately realized. The Irish assigned servants upon the estates where the disease has occurred, mention that it is not uncommon in Ireland, and is there considered contagious.[122] The mode of treatment adopted for its cure in that country is to bleed and rowel the cattle, and change the pasturage: it has been asserted that it was unknown in the colony until within the last twelvemonth; but some declare that it has existed, although not extensively, for a much longer period. Dr. Gibson informed me that the disease prevails principally among calves and yearlings, the first marked symptoms being a paralytic affection, the animal drawing the leg after it; a swelling and tenderness are then experienced about the affected parts, and usually a fatal termination ensues in twelve hours; bleeding relieves, and even has been known to cure cattle thus affected, if resorted to in time; but from the rapid progress of the disease, and among a large number of cattle, it is seldom observed until too late.
On the 24th of December I arrived at Lansdowne Park, (or, in the language of the country, “Bungee.”) Goulburn Plains, the residence of Mr. Bradley; and although the days previous had been sultry and oppressive, this was so cold as to make it agreeable to see a large wood-fire blazing on the parlour hearth, giving the close of day the appearance of a Christmas-eve at home, although in this country it was the height of the summer season; but such atmospherical changes occasionally take place in the colony.
The elegant drooping manna-trees (Eucalyptus mannifera) were numerous, and at this season secreted the peculiar saccharine mucilaginous substance called manna, which, in greater or less quantities, was lying upon the ground beneath them, or upon their leaves, trunks, and branches, in small white flakes, resembling bits of starch. The taste of this secretion is sweet and mucilaginous, having a greater or less aperient effect on different individuals; it is quite a sweetmeat, and seems to consist of mucilage, sugar, and probably some magnesia: although it readily acts as an aperient on some persons, upon others it produces no effect; it does not dissolve in the sun, but, on the contrary, becomes dryer and of harder consistence, by exposure; rain dissolves it, but more secretion of it takes place after wet than during a continuance of dry weather. Many of the colonists supposed the manna was secreted from the leaves of the tree, but from the foliage having a strong camphorated taste and odour, which the manna has not in the slightest degree, it was not probable; others again supposed it to proceed from the nectaries of the flowers, which are white, growing in clusters, and give to the tree a beautiful appearance when in bloom, attracting multitudes of parroquets. This tree, similar to the other Eucalypti, secretes a red gum, both spontaneously and in larger quantities, on incisions being made on the trunk. Birds and several insects feed upon the manna; among others the “Galang, galang,” as they are named in the language of the country, the “locust” of the colonists, of which insects, as I have before said, the aborigines declare it to be the excrement.
The tree is called in the aboriginal language “Bartoman,” and the manna is named “Cú ningaban;” it is collected and eaten by the natives. The growth of the tree, when young, is graceful and elegant; the bark is covered with a whitish powder, which readily rubs off upon the fingers, and the bark underneath is of a greyish colour; the bark of the “white gum” (Eucalyptus species) resembles this tree, but may be distinguished by not having a black butt like the manna-tree. On examining the tree to ascertain positively from what part of it the manna was secreted, I found in several that the manna exuded in a liquid form in minute drops from the bark, and then concreted; on some it had oozed out and had concreted upon the trunk in large thin flakes; it exuded about the consistence of syrup, and in taste was sweet; when secreted from the branches it falls from those above, upon the leaves, &c. of others beneath, and upon the ground, where, during a plentiful season, a large quantity may be collected.