I availed myself of the opportunity of our halt at this place to wash my only suit, piece by piece, and afterwards made a sketch of the north-eastern part of Wickham Heights from the dry flat in the reach. The woodcut annexed will convey at once to the reader, those singular features in the hills--the low line of cliffs resembling fortifications near their summit, and, still more remarkable, the horizontal black streaks near their base.
NEW TORTOISE.
We here found the back-shell of one of the largest of the water-tortoises, from which the reach was named. It measured ten inches, was very narrow at the fore part, where the continuous line of the margin was broken by an arch where the head protrudes, and was much expanded posteriorly. It resembled greatly the Chelidona oblonga, inhabiting Western Australia, with the exception of the arch and its more oval shape; and as in that kind, the last vertebral plate was divided by a suture. A shell of a Victoria River tortoise has been deposited in the British Museum. We here noticed many varieties of turbinated shells, and among them a small buccinum; beside mussels. At a native fireplace I saw heaps of the latter, as well as the bones of young alligators; portions of the jaws with teeth were picked up.
The temperature during the day ranged from 90 to 105 degrees in the shade. A light breeze from north-west in the evening succeeded a long calm. Before sunset I got a peep at the eastern side of a valley, before noticed, in the direction of our route back, and felt convinced that by crossing it we should avoid Thirsty Flat, and shorten the route to the boats.
LUCKY VALLEY.
November 13.
Our walk this morning fully realized all my expectations of the preceding evening, for by 8 o'clock A.M. we reached the dining place of the second day. To record the satisfaction we felt in escaping a second journey over Thirsty Flat, by following the valley we had seen yesterday evening, we named it Lucky Valley. After a brief halt, we pushed on, and by eleven, were at our old quarters in Mussel Bend. We heard the voices of natives in all directions, far and near, and as I found the party still astonishingly fresh, and eager to proceed, I thought it best to keep going. We therefore continued our journey, and just before dark reached the spot where we had dined the first day. Here, however, the cheerful excitement of our pleasant and shady walk through Lucky Valley having gone off, the men felt the effects of their long day's march, and were all more or less knocked up.
RACE WITH A NATIVE.
Near the river, as we were approaching our intended bivouac, we came upon a native walking leisurely across the plain, and so intently occupied in poising and straightening his spear, and fixing it in the throwing stick, that he allowed me, being in advance of the rest, to get within sixty yards of him: I then loudly hailed him. He cast one look of utter and indescribable astonishment at the strange being who thus interrupted his pathway over his native soil, and was off at the top of his speed. Little anticipating that I should soon have to test in earnest the fleetness of these people, I tried rates with him for a short distance, and remarked, with surprise, that he had not that superiority of speed which might have been expected. Perhaps fright deprived him of his full powers, for what must have been his sensations on finding himself almost cut off by a party of beings whose very existence was till then unknown to him? I have since half regretted that I did not see how much nearer I could have approached without discovery, but at the time I did not wish to frighten him too far. To have got so near as I did will seem almost incredible to those who recollect the wary character, and the peculiarly restless and vigilant eye of the savage: some strong emotion of love or hate had for the time perhaps rendered him quite unconscious of all surrounding objects!
We came on the river over a steep bank covered with high reeds, and as a party of natives were distinctly audible below, myself, Mr. Forsyth, and Mr. Bynoe led the way. The natives crossed immediately, and were visible for a few moments through the foliage on the other side: however, they appeared but to wait in order to verify the astonishing report just brought in by their breathless countryman; for as the foremost of our party emerged from the tall reeds, our opposite neighbours slowly drew off, and were soon hid in the dense obscurity their position afforded. They had evidently examined our old fireplace very minutely, but the precaution taken to preserve the meat canister had luckily been successful.