Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia Volume I Part 16

All this took place in a few seconds of time, and no shot had been fired but by me. I now recognized in the light-coloured man an old enemy who had led on the former attack against me on the 22nd of December. By his cries and gestures he now appeared to be urging the others to surround and press on us, which they were rapidly doing.

FALL OF THE NATIVE CHIEF.

I saw now that but one thing could be done to save our lives, so I gave Coles my gun to complete the reloading, and took the rifle which he had not yet disengaged from the cover. I tore it off and, stepping out from behind our parapet, advanced to the rock which covered my light-coloured opponent. I had not made two steps in advance when three spears struck me nearly at the same moment, one of which was thrown by him. I felt severely wounded in the hip, but knew not exactly where the others had struck me. The force of all knocked me down, and made me very giddy and faint, but as I fell I heard the savage yells of the natives' delight and triumph; these recalled me to myself, and, roused by momentary rage and indignation, I made a strong effort, rallied, and in a moment was on my legs; the spear was wrenched from my wound, and my haversack drawn closely over it, that neither my own party nor the natives might see it, and I advanced again steadily to the rock. The man became alarmed and threatened me with his club, yelling most furiously; but as I neared the rock behind which all but his head and arm was covered he fled towards an adjoining one, dodging dexterously, according to the native manner of confusing an a.s.sailant and avoiding the cast of his spear; but he was scarcely uncovered in his flight when my rifle ball pierced him through the back between the shoulders, and he fell heavily on his face with a deep groan.

DISPERSION OF HIS FOLLOWERS.

The effect was electrical. The tumult of the combat had ceased: not another spear was thrown, not another yell was uttered. Native after native dropped away and noiselessly disappeared. I stood alone with the wretched savage dying before me, and my two men close to me behind the rocks, in the att.i.tude of deep attention; and as I looked round upon the dark rocks and forests, now suddenly silent and lifeless but for the sight of the unhappy being who lay on the ground before me, I could have thought that the whole affair had been a horrid dream.

For a second or two I gazed on the scene and then returned to my former position. I took my gun from Coles, which he had not yet finished loading, and gave him the rifle. I then went up to the other man, and gave him two b.a.l.l.s to hold, but when I placed them in his hands they rolled upon the earth--he could not hold them, for he was completely paralysed with terror, and they fell through his fingers; the perspiration streamed from every pore; he was ghastly pale and trembled from head to foot; his limbs refused their functions; his eyes were so fixed in the direction in which the natives had disappeared that I could draw his attention to nothing else; and he still continued repeating, "Good G.o.d, sir! look at them, look at them."

The natives had all now concealed themselves, but they were not far off.

Presently the wounded man made an effort to raise himself slowly from the ground: some of them instantly came from behind the rocks and trees, without their spears, crowding round him with the greatest tenderness and solicitude; two pa.s.sed their arms round him, his head drooped senselessly upon his chest, and with hurried steps the whole party wound their way through the forest, their black forms being scarcely distinguishable from the charred trunks of the trees as they receded in the distance.

To have fired upon the other natives when they returned for the wounded man would, in my belief, have been an unnecessary piece of barbarity. I already felt deeply the death of him I had been compelled to shoot: and I believe that when a fellow-creature falls by one's hand, even in a single combat rendered unavoidable in self-defence, it is impossible not sincerely to regret the force of so cruel a necessity.

RETURN WOUNDED.

I had now time to attend to my own state and that of my men, and found that they were uninjured. I had been severely wounded in the hip; another spear had just cut my right arm, and a third had deeply indented my powder-flask, whilst lying in a haversack, immediately over my stomach.

The men were not, up to this moment, aware of my being wounded, as I had thought it better to conceal this circ.u.mstance from them as long as I could. The natives had gone off in the direction of the tents; and as I felt doubtful whether they might seize upon a favourable opportunity to surprise the party there, and thus revenge their defeat, I was anxious to reach the encampment as soon as possible. We therefore bound up my wound as well as we could, picked up the spear which I had drawn out from my hip, and started homewards.

We did not take with us any of the other spears or native weapons which were lying about in abundance; for I still wished to show this people that I was actuated by no ill will towards them. They did not however deal so generously with us; for Coles unfortunately forgot a notebook which he was carrying for me, containing many observations of great value; and I sent back a party to look for it, but the natives had returned to the place and carried off all their own spears, and other weapons, and my notebook likewise.

The first part of our march homewards was managed tolerably well. We saw the tracks of the natives, as if they were still retiring in the direction of the tents; and at one place, close to a group of detached rocks, were several tame native dogs, near which I have no doubt a party of men or women were concealed, as these animals seldom wander far from their masters. We did not however see any natives, and continued our route unmolested.

My wound began by degrees to get very stiff and painful, and I was moreover excessively weak and faint from loss of blood; indeed I grew so dizzy that I could scarcely see, and neither of the others were capable of leading the party back to the tents; yet I was afraid to halt and rest for I imagined that if I allowed my wound to grow cold and benumbed I should then be unable to move; leaning therefore on Coles's arm, I walked on as rapidly as I could, directing the men which way to go.

MISTAKE OF THE ROUTE.

Unfortunately however we lost our track and, after walking for nearly two hours, I found that we were far from the encampment, whilst my sight and strength were momentarily failing. Under these circ.u.mstances I told Coles to walk in a direction which I gave him, and which led directly across the beaten track of the party; having reached which he could easily make out the encampment, and, leaning on his arm more heavily than before, we again moved on.

INABILITY TO PROCEED.

Having reached the track of the party and turned southward to follow it I still pushed on until we were within two miles of the tent, when, as I tried to cross a stream, I strained my wounded hip severely, just reached the opposite sh.o.r.e, and fell utterly unable to rise again. Coles, with his usual courage and devotion to me, volunteered to go on alone to the party and send a.s.sistance; the other man was to remain with me and keep a lookout for the natives, and, had they again attacked us, I should still have had strength enough to have shot two of them, and thus have sold my life dearly. I desired Coles to say that a tent, stores, the surgeon, and two men were to be sent to me, for that I was not well enough to be moved.

REFLECTIONS.

The water of the stream revived me considerably. My wound however was very painful, and the interim between Corporal Coles leaving me, and a.s.sistance arriving from the tent was spent in meditations, arising naturally from my present circ.u.mstances. I sat upon the rocky edge of a cool clear brook, supported by a small tree. The sun shone out brightly, the dark forest was alive with birds and insects. On such scenery I had loved to meditate when a boy, but now how changed I was; wounded, fatigued, and wandering in an unknown land. In momentary expectation of being attacked my finger was on the trigger, my gun ready to be raised, my eyes and ears busily engaged in detecting the slightest sounds, that I might defend a life which I at that moment believed was ebbing with my blood away; the loveliness of nature was around me, the sun rejoicing in his cloudless career, the birds were filling the woods with their songs, and my friends far away and unapprehensive of my condition, whilst I felt that I was dying there.

And in this way very many explorers yearly die. One poor youth (Mr.

Frederick Smith) my own friend and companion, has thus fallen since the circ.u.mstances above described took place; others have, to my knowledge, lately perished in a similar way. A strange sun s.h.i.+nes upon their lonely graves; the foot of the wild man yet roams over them: but let us hope when civilization has spread so far that their graves will be sacred spots that the future settlers will sometimes shed a tear over the remains of the first explorer, and tell their children how much they are indebted to the enthusiasm, perseverance, and courage of him who lies buried there.

Mr. Walker was by my side within an hour after the time that Coles had left me; he had come on alone ahead of the others, not knowing but that I might be in immediate danger, and therefore running a risk on my account that I can never forget.

He dressed my wound and told me that a.s.sistance was at hand to convey me to the tents. Mr. Lus.h.i.+ngton soon arrived with a pony. It was now growing very late in the day. I therefore did not like to remonstrate against being moved on horseback although, from the position of my wound, I feared that it was an injudicious mode of conveyance in my state. I was placed upon the pony and, supported by my comrades, moved onwards to the tent.

REACH THE CAMP. CONSEQUENCES OF THE WOUND.

I cared but little for the want of comforts I must now be subject to.

Therein I only shared the lot of many a worthy soldier; but one thing made the night very wretched, for then through the woods came the piercing shrieks of wailing women and the mournful cries of native men, sorrowing over him who had that day fallen by my hand. These cries rang on my ears all night, startling me at every moment from my feverish and fitful slumbers.

Early next morning the natives moved off in a westerly direction without having again attempted in any way whatever to molest us. My wound was not today so painful as I had antic.i.p.ated. Mr. Walker, at my request, attempted to heal it by union by the first intention, as I hoped to be thus only compelled to delay the party for a few days.

My pain and suffering were, after the first day, so great, owing to an abscess having formed in my hip, that I was unable to keep a regular journal, and will therefore give a short narrative of the events which occurred, recommencing my journal on the 27th of February, the day on which I was sufficiently recovered to enable me to proceed with the party.

CAPE MAN SENT BACK TO THE VESSEL.

Two or three days after I had been wounded the man from the Cape, who had been with me at the time, came to request that he might be allowed to leave the party and return to the vessel. He stated very fairly that his horror and dread of the natives were so great he should never be able to face them; that he had never been before placed in circ.u.mstances of danger; and felt himself quite unable to cope with them; that if his own father had been with him when they attacked us he could not have helped him; and that he was sure he should die of fright if ever he saw them again.

I thought it would be cruel to compel him to remain with the party, and it was moreover impossible to tell what evil effect his cowardice might produce upon the others; when already he had, by running away from the natives, induced them to attack us. The only account he gave of this transaction was that he saw a native sitting on a rock with a spear and, feeling alarmed, immediately ran away. No one after this could feel in the least surprised at the consequences. The peculiar characteristic of this savage race appears to be that they in all cases act upon first impulses and impressions. I have repeatedly remarked this trait in their character; and undoubtedly when they found an unknown being in their native wilds, who fled from them in evident fear, it was to be expected that they would, in the first instance, feel very much inclined to run after, and throw a spear at him.

On the 21st of February I sent a party under Mr. Walker back to the schooner for the purpose of escorting this man, as well as to direct the Captain to delay her departure from the bay until the 2nd day of May; which delay would allow time for us to complete the exploration of this part of the country, and I could then decide upon what course I had better adopt.

EVENTS DURING PERIOD OF HALT.

Mr. Walker returned on the 22nd, having executed both these commissions; and his party brought back for me a little sugar, arrowroot, and wine.

All of these were articles of which, in my present state, I stood much in need.

My recovery was a good deal delayed by the circ.u.mstances in which I was placed. The heat in the store-tent, a portion of which I occupied, was sometimes as high as 136 degrees of Fahrenheit, and until the return of Mr. Walker I had been able to obtain nothing to eat or drink but damper and tea without sugar; I also reclined upon the ground, until sores broke out from lying on so hard a surface in one position. Corporal Auger latterly however made a sort of low stretcher, which gave me a little more ease. Added to these bodily ills were many mental ones--but I will not dwell longer on times so replete with painful recollections.

ANECDOTE OF RUSTON.

During the time I was lying in my tent, in great pain and very low spirits, I was attended with every care and kindness by Ruston, the sailor I had brought from the Cape, who occasionally suggested such odd topics of comfort as his philosophy could supply; and one day, either from some expressions I had dropped, or other circ.u.mstance, he conceived that the death of the native I had shot was preying most upon my mind; under this impression he came into the tent, seated himself on a flour-bag near me, and made his usual inquiries as to my wants and desires; then, glancing at recent events, proceeded to say: "Well, Sir, I'm sure if I were you, I shouldn't think nothing at all of having shot that there black fellow; why, Sir, they're very thick and plentiful up the country." I did not exactly see the consolation to be derived from this argument of Ruston's, but I could not forbear smiling at its quaintness, and feeling grateful for the kindness with which it was intended.

TRACK FOUND.

During my illness Mr. Lus.h.i.+ngton explored a track to the westward of the one I had formerly taken, and of which he reported so favourably that I determined to pursue it. According to his account, by following it for seven or eight miles, we should get altogether clear of the sandstone ranges, and enter a tract of country of great fertility. On the 26th Mr.

Walker reported me to be so much better that he thought I might with safety move on the next day on horseback, and preparations were accordingly made for a start.

A very serious change had taken place in our resources in one respect, for only fourteen ponies now remained alive out of twenty-six, and many of these were so weak and in such bad condition as to be almost useless.

On opening one of those which had died about a hat-full of sand was found in its inside, and it therefore appeared very probable that the ponies, having been landed in the first instance on loose sandy soil producing only a short and scanty vegetation, had taken up so much sand with their food as to interfere with the functions of the stomach, and hence had arisen their gradual wasting away and ultimate death. I indeed entertain no doubt that the great loss of ponies we sustained arose from this cause.

CHANGE OF PLANS.

This reduction in the number of our beasts of burden prevented me from entertaining further hope of being able to proceed for any great distance parallel to the coast in a southerly direction. I therefore formed a depot at our present encampment, burying all such stores as the remaining ponies were unable to carry on. My intentions being merely to proceed as far as the supply of provisions we could carry with us would last, then to return to our position, and from thence to the schooner.

DESCRIPTION OF A NEW VOLCANIC COUNTRY.

On the morning of the 27th of February I was, in pursuance of this plan of operations, lifted on my horse, and we moved on in a south-west direction, across sandy plains covered with scrub and a species of stringy-bark; but on travelling for about a mile and a half the character of the country became more rocky and difficult. After moving down a slight descent, we came to a rapid stream, the same one on the banks of which I had heard the natives' calls on the day I was wounded; the banks afforded good food for the horses and trees which offered some shelter to the men from the burning heat of the sun. I determined therefore to halt here for breakfast; indeed the horses were so completely knocked up that they were incapable of travelling any further. We had already been compelled to abandon one of them in a dying state since we had started in the morning.

We halted for about an hour and a half and then recommenced our journey, but were unfortunate enough to miss the marked trees, and therefore wandered a good deal in our attempts to find the right track. Whilst thus roaming in the wood we pa.s.sed two spots about one hundred yards distant from each other, which I imagined to be native burying-places: they consisted of piles of small loose stones so heaped together as to form a large mound; these mounds were placed on flat bare rocks, one of them, the smaller, had been recently made, the other was larger and much older, for it was partly overgrown with plants.

VIEW FROM THE SANDSTONE RANGE.

About 2 P.M. we reached the extremity of the sandstone ridges and a magnificent view burst upon us. From the summit of the hills on which we stood an almost precipitous descent led into a fertile plain below; and from this part, away to the southward, for thirty to forty miles, stretched a low luxuriant country, broken by conical peaks and rounded hills which were richly gra.s.sed to their very summits. The plains and hills were both thinly wooded, and curving lines of shady trees marked out the courses of numerous streams. Since I have visited this spot I have traversed large portions of Australia but have seen no land, no scenery to equal it. We were upon the confines of a great volcanic district, clothed with tropical vegetation, to which the Isle of France bears a greater resemblance than any other portion of the world which I am acquainted with. The rocks in both places are identical; many of the trees are also the same; and there are several other close and striking points of similarity.

DESCENT FROM THE SANDSTONE RANGE INTO THE LOW COUNTRY.

The descent into the lowlands, being very difficult, occupied us nearly two hours; we then gained the bed of a ravine, in which ran a clear stream: the ravine gradually widening out as we reached the plains. I proceeded directly down it in the direction of a lofty peaked hill which bore to the westward of south; and, having gained a shoulder of this hill, we halted for the night.