On crossing the extremity of a sandhill, about two miles from the spot where we afterwards encamped, I perceived that reeds covered a vast region before us. They grew everywhere, even under the trees, and extended back from the channel of the river as far as I could see and, no alternative presenting itself, we endeavoured to face them. The lofty ash-hills of the natives, used chiefly for roasting the balyan (or bulrush) a root found only in such places, again appeared in great numbers. We soon came upon a lagoon about a mile in circumference and surrounded on all sides by high reeds. One or two smooth grassy hills arose among them, but the ground, even where they grew, was as firm and good for travelling upon as any that we had recently crossed. They were no impediment to a man or bullock in motion, but grew to the height of about seven or eight feet.
THE WATER INACCESSIBLE FROM SOFT AND MUDDY BANKS.
Grass was also to be found among them and I was willing to encamp there; but the difficulty was in finding a spot where the cattle could approach the water. The flood ran high in the deep and rapid river; yet the margin was covered with high reeds and, although I ultimately encamped near a small lagoon within the reeds, the cattle would not venture to drink at it, instinctively shrinking back from the muddy margin. In the course of the evening one animal fell into the river and was extricated with great difficulty and after much digging in the bank. One remarkable difference between this river and the Murrumbidgee was that, in the latter, even where reeds most prevailed, a certain space near the bank remained tolerably clear: whereas on this river the reeds grew most thickly and closely on its immediate banks, thus presenting a much less imposing appearance than the Murrumbidgee, with its firmer banks crowned with lofty forests of yarra. Each Australian river seems to have some peculiar character, sustained with remarkable uniformity throughout the whole course.
HABITS OF OUR NATIVE GUIDES.
June 19.
Piper, although so far from his country, could still point directly to it, but he had grown so homesick that he begged Burnett not to mention Bathurst. To return except with us was quite out of the question, and as we still receded he dragged, as the phrase is, a lengthening chain. He studied my visage however and could read my thoughts too well to doubt that I too hoped to return. The whole management of the chase now devolved on him and the two boys, his humble servants; and this native party usually explored the woods with our dogs for several miles in front of the column. The females kept nearer the party, and often gave us notice of obstacles in time to enable me to avoid them. My question on such occasions was Dago nyollong yannagary? (Which way shall we go? ) to which one would reply, pointing in the proper direction, Yalyai nyollong-yannar! (Go that way.) Depending chiefly on the survey for my longitude, my attention was for the most part confined to the preservation of certain bearings in our course by frequent observations of the pocket compass; but in conducting carts where no roads existed, propitiating savage natives, taking bearings and angles, observing rocks, soil and productions, so much care and anxious attention was necessary that I believe I was indebted to the sympathy even of my aboriginal friends for the zealous aid they at all times afforded.
Notwithstanding the obvious necessity for closely watching the cattle, they had been suffered to ramble nine miles up the river during the night; and were not brought back to the camp until noon. This unusual and untoward circumstance was the more surprising as the whole country along the riverbank was covered with good grass. Whether they had instinctively set off towards the upper country, where most of them were bred; or that want of water after a hard day's work had occasioned such restlessness, it was difficult to say; but they wandered even beyond the camp that we reached this day in a journey commenced however only at half-past 12.
NATIVES VERY SHY.
The natives peeped over the reeds at us from a considerable distance; and some of those whom Piper saw when in search of the men with the cattle, immediately jumped into the river, carrying their spears and boomerangs with them. We had not proceeded above a mile and a half when I perceived among the reeds close to the berg on which we were travelling a small, deep and still branch of the river, apparently connected with numerous others, in all of which the water was quite still, although it had the same muddy colour as that flowing in the river, and they seemed to be equally deep. These still channels wound in all directions among the reeds. Further on the water was not even confined to such canals, large spaces between them being inundated, and lofty gum (or yarra) trees stood even in the water. Light appeared at length through the wood before us, which soon terminated on a sea of reeds bounded only by the horizon. On ascending some sandhills confining this basin of reeds on our side, I observed a low grassy ridge with pines upon it, and forming a limit to the reedy basin, except in a part of the horizon which bore 14 degrees South of East. A broad sheet of water (probably only an inundation occasioned by the late rain) filled the centre of the reedy space. About six miles from our last camp we came upon the river flowing with a strong current; and at its full width the water not more than a foot below the level of the right bank. Thus the Murray seemed to flow through that reedy expanse, unmarked in its course by trees or bushes, although one or two distant clumps of yarra probably grew on the banks of the permanent stream. At two miles further on these trees again grew plentifully, close under the berg along which we travelled, and where I hoped again to see the river. We found however that the yarras only enclosed shallow lagoons; and on a small oasis of dry ground near one of them we encamped for the night. A species of solanum forming a very large bush was found this day in the scrub, also several interesting shrubs, and among them some fine specimens of that rare one, the Eucarya murrayana. But in all these scrubs on the Murray the Fusanus acuminatus is common and produces the quandang nut (or kernel) in such abundance that it and gum acacia may in time become articles of commerce in Australia.*
(*Footnote. Having brought home specimens of most of the woods of the interior, I find that several of the acacias would be valuable for ornamental work, having a pleasing perfume resembling that of a rose. Some are of a dark colour of various shades and very compact; others light-coloured and resembling in texture box or lancewood. The new caper tree also resembles the latter so much as not to be distinguished from it. Specimens of these woods may be seen at Hallet's, Number 83 High Holborn.)