Discoveries in Australia, Volume 2 | Page 8

on the eastern part, Mr. Fitzmaurice traced ten miles in a south-easterly direction, being the greatest distance it was navigable for a boat. The remaining branch in the large opening, in the south-eastern corner of the harbour, Mr. Forsyth and myself explored South-South-East three miles, and South-South-West five more, the extent to which it was possible to advance. Beyond, it was strewed with large blocks of granite; a fact, for which we were in some degree prepared, as in the vicinity of the Adelaide River we had proof of the primary formation of this part of the continent. As the boat lay scarcely afloat between two of these lumps of rock, numbers of white ibises, with black necks, kept flying over us from the southward, indicating that a swamp lay in that direction. We also disturbed several alligators, who slid off quietly into the water at our approach. There was no variety in the shores of this inlet, composed like all the others, of an impenetrable network of mangroves. A ridge of the same conical-shaped low hills before alluded to, as existing in this neighbourhood, rose upon our right as we came up, and bore from our furthest North by West two miles; from the highest part up the inlet in the south-west corner, east two miles.
The latter we found very tortuous, extending in a general direction south nine miles. No events occurred worthy of any remark during our examination, except one of a trifling character: the mosquitoes taking advantage of the calm, between the high mangroves on the banks, attacked us most cruelly, a circumstance we mention as trifling, as far as the reader is concerned, but of great moment to us.
After completing the survey of the southern and western portion of this harbour, we returned to the ship, where soon afterwards Captain Wickham also arrived, having found Patterson Bay to be a good port. It trended in south ten miles, and East-South-East the same distance, forming quite an inner haven, which was named after Mr. Bynoe.
NATIVES ON A RAFT.
At the turning leading from the outer to the inner harbour they came suddenly in view of a raft making across, a distance of three miles, on which were two women with several children, whilst four or five men were swimming alongside, towing it and supporting themselves by means of a log of wood across their chests. On perceiving the boat they instantly struck out for the land leaving the women on the raft. For some time the latter kept their position, waiting until the boat got quite near, when they gave utterance to a dreadful yell, and assuming at the same time a most demoniacal aspect, plunged into the water as if about to abandon the children to their fate.
MATERNAL AFFECTION AND FEAR.
Not so, however; despite the dreadful fear they appeared to entertain of the white man, maternal affection was strong within them, and risking all to save their offspring, they began to tow the raft with all their strength towards the shore. This devotion on the part of the women to their little ones, was in strong contrast with the utter want of feeling shown by the men towards both mothers and children.
Captain Wickham now, no doubt to their extreme consternation, pulled after the men, and drove them back to the raft. Some dived and tried thus to escape the boat, while others grinned ferociously, and appeared to hope, by dint of hideous grimaces--such as are only suggested even to a savage by the last stage of fear--to terrify the white men from approaching. At length, however, they were all driven back to the raft, which was then towed across the harbour for them; a measure which they only were able to approve of when they had landed, and fear had quite subsided.
Doubtless, the forbearance of our party surprised them, for from their terrified looks and manner, when swimming with all their strength from the raft, they must have apprehended a fate at least as terrible as that of being eaten.
The raft itself was quite a rude affair, being formed of small bundles of wood lashed together, without any shape or form, quite different from any we had seen before.
Bynoe Harbour was found to terminate in three deep creeks branching off between North-East and South-East, the largest of which led into fresh water, but in small detached pools, which are separated from the salt, by a shelf of red porous sandstone, and which two miles further became entirely lost in the rocks. The green appearance of the gumtrees and an occasional clump of palms, which had pleasingly succeeded the mangroves, as they advanced, assured Captain Wickham that there was fresh water near. Probably, if they had carried their researches further, they would have found these signs reappear again,