At this period of our journey the weather was exceedingly cold, and the winds high. We were about 45 miles from Laidley’s Ponds; but could not, from the most elevated point, catch a glimpse of the ranges in its neighbourhood. It appeared to me that the river flats were getting smaller on both sides of it, the river still continuing to rise. It was now pouring down a vast body of water into the Murray. There was, however, an abundance of luxuriant pasture along its banks. Late in the afternoon the lubras (wives) of the natives, at our camp, made their appearance on the opposite side of the river, and Nadbuck, who was a perfect gallant1, wanted to invite them over; but I told him that I would cut off the head of the first who came over with my long knife — my sword. The old gentleman went off to Mr. Browne, to whom he made a long complaint, asking him if he really thought I should execute my threat. Mr. Browne assured him that he was quite certain I should not only cut off the lubra’s head, but his too. On this Nadbuck expressed his indignation; but however much he might have ventured to risk the lubra’s necks, he had no idea of risking his own.
One of the natives who visited us at this place was very old, with hair as white as snow. To this man I gave a blanket, feeling assured it would be well bestowed2; although a circumstance occurred that had well night prevented my behaving with my usual liberality to the natives who were here with us. The butcher had been killing3 a sheep, and carelessly left the steel, an implement4 we could ill spare, under the tree in which he had slung5 the animal: and it was instantly taken by the natives. On hearing this, I sent for Nadbuck and Toonda, and told them that I should not stir until the steel was brought back, or make any more presents on the river. On this there was a grand consultation6 between the two. Toonda at length went to the natives, who had retired7 to some little distance, and, after some earnest remonstrances8, he walked to the tree near which the sheep had been killed, and, after looking at the ground for a moment, began to root up the ground with his toes, when he soon discovered the stolen article, and brought it to me. The thief was subsequently brought forward, and we made him thoroughly9 ashamed of himself; although I have no doubt the whole tribe would have applauded his dexterity10 if he had succeeded.
The day was exceedingly cold, as the two or three previous ones had been, but still the temperature was delightful11. We travelled, on this day, across the river flats, which again opened out to a distance of two or three miles; the ground, however, was of a most distressing12 character, and we had to cross several sandy points projecting into them, so that the poor animals were much jaded13. This, however, was only the beginning of their troubles, for we were, in like manner, obliged to travel for several successive days over the same kind of ground — land on which floods have gradually subsided14, and which has been blistered15 and cracked by solar heat. Travelling on this kind of ground was, indeed, more distressing to the cattle than even the hard pull over sand; for it was impossible for the bullock-drivers to steer16 clear of the many fissures17 and holes on these flats, and the shock, when the drays fell into any of them, was so great, that it shook the poor brutes18 almost to pieces.
From this period to the 9th there was a sameness in our progress up the Darling. On the 3rd we crossed a small creek19, into which the waters of the river were flowing fast; and which both Nadbuck and Toonda informed us joined Yertello Lake, and that the Ana-branch was on the other side of the lake. This explanation accounted to us for a statement made by Toonda, shortly after he first joined us, that the Ana-branch hereabouts formed a great lake. On the 4th a little rain fell, but not in such quantity as to interfere20 with our travelling. On the 5th we passed a tribe of natives, in number about thirty-four. We were again led by Nadbuck across the country, to avoid the more circuitous21 route along the river. We passed through a more pleasing country than usual, and one that was better timbered and better grassed than it had been at any distance from the river.
I have mentioned that Toonda was attended by a young lad, his nephew, who, with another young lad, joined us at Lake Victoria. These two young lads used to keep in front with myself or Mr. Poole, or Mr. Browne, and were quite an amusement to us. This day both of them disappeared, not very long after we passed the last tribe. On making inquiries22 I ascertained23, to my surprise, that they had been forcibly taken back by three men from the last tribe, and that both cried most bitterly at leaving the party. The loss of his nephew greatly afflicted24 poor Toonda, who sobbed25 over it for a long time. We could not understand why the natives had thus detained the boys; but, I believe, they were members of that tribe, between which and a tribe higher up the river some ground of quarrel existed. After the departure of these boys we had only three natives with us, who had been with the party from Lake Victoria, i. e. Nadbuck, Toonda, and Munducki, a young man who had attached himself to Kirby, who cooked for the men. The latter turned out to be a son of old Boocolo, a chief of the Williorara tribe, whom I shall, ere long, have occasion to introduce to the reader. Mr. Browne, with the assistance of Nadbuck, gathered a good deal of information from the natives then with us, as to the inhospitable character of the country to the north-west of the Williorara, or Laidley’s Ponds, that agreed very little with the accounts we had previously26 heard. They stated that we should not be able to cross the ranges, as they were covered with sharp pointed27 stones and great rocks, that would fall on and crush us to death; but that if we did get across them to the low country on the other side, the heat would kill us all. That we should find neither water or grass, or wood to light a fire with. That the native wells were very deep, and that the cattle would be unable to drink out of them; and, finally, that the water was salt, and that the natives let down bundles of rushes to soak it up.
Such was the account the natives gave of the region into which we were going. We were of course aware that a great deal was fiction, but I was fully28 prepared to find it bad enough. From the opinion I had formed of the distant interior, and from my knowledge of the country, both to the eastward29 and westward30 of me, I had no hope of finding it good within any reasonable distance.
Prepared, however, as I was for a bad country, I was not prepared for such as the natives described.
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1
gallant
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| adj.英勇的，豪侠的；(向女人)献殷勤的 | |
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2
bestowed
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| 赠给，授予( bestow的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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3
killing
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| n.巨额利润；突然赚大钱，发大财 | |
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4
implement
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| n.(pl.)工具，器具；vt.实行，实施，执行 | |
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5
slung
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| 抛( sling的过去式和过去分词 )； 吊挂； 遣送； 押往 | |
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6
consultation
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| n.咨询；商量；商议；会议 | |
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7
retired
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| adj.隐退的，退休的，退役的 | |
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8
remonstrances
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| n.抱怨，抗议( remonstrance的名词复数 ) | |
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9
thoroughly
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| adv.完全地，彻底地，十足地 | |
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10
dexterity
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| n.(手的)灵巧，灵活 | |
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11
delightful
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| adj.令人高兴的，使人快乐的 | |
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12
distressing
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| a.使人痛苦的 | |
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13
jaded
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| adj.精疲力竭的；厌倦的；（因过饱或过多而）腻烦的；迟钝的 | |
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14
subsided
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| v.（土地）下陷（因在地下采矿）( subside的过去式和过去分词 )；减弱；下降至较低或正常水平；一下子坐在椅子等上 | |
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15
blistered
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| adj.水疮状的，泡状的v.（使）起水泡( blister的过去式和过去分词 )；（使表皮等）涨破，爆裂 | |
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16
steer
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| vt.驾驶，为…操舵；引导；vi.驾驶 | |
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17
fissures
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| n.狭长裂缝或裂隙( fissure的名词复数 )；裂伤；分歧；分裂v.裂开( fissure的第三人称单数 ) | |
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18
brutes
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| 兽( brute的名词复数 )； 畜生； 残酷无情的人； 兽性 | |
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19
creek
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| n.小溪，小河，小湾 | |
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20
interfere
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| v.(in)干涉，干预；(with)妨碍，打扰 | |
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21
circuitous
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| adj.迂回的路的，迂曲的，绕行的 | |
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22
inquiries
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| n.调查( inquiry的名词复数 )；疑问；探究；打听 | |
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23
ascertained
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| v.弄清，确定，查明( ascertain的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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24
afflicted
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| 使受痛苦，折磨( afflict的过去式和过去分词 ) | |
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25
sobbed
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| 哭泣，啜泣( sob的过去式和过去分词 )； 哭诉，呜咽地说 | |
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26
previously
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| adv.以前，先前（地） | |
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27
pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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28
fully
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| adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地 | |
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29
eastward
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| adv.向东；adj.向东的；n.东方，东部 | |
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30
westward
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| n.西方，西部；adj.西方的，向西的；adv.向西 | |
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