Journal of an Overland Expedition in Australia : from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, a distance of upwards of 3000 miles, during the years 1844-1845 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 488 pages of information about Journal of an Overland Expedition in Australia .

Journal of an Overland Expedition in Australia : from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, a distance of upwards of 3000 miles, during the years 1844-1845 eBook

This eBook from the Gutenberg Project consists of approximately 488 pages of information about Journal of an Overland Expedition in Australia .
but to improve with age.  The only inconvenience we had experienced in this process, was a longer detention; and we had to remain four days, (to the 21st February) before the provision was fit for packing.  On the 19th, immediately after breakfast, whilst we were busily employed in greasing our saddles and straps—­a very necessary operation on a journey like ours, where every thing is exposed to the dust, and a scorching sun—­Charley left the camp, and did not return before the afternoon.  He had frequently acted thus of late; and it was one of the standing complaints against him, that he was opossum and honey hunting, whilst we were kept waiting for our horses and cattle.  As I was determined not to suffer this, after his late misbehaviour, I reprimanded him, and told him that I would not allow him any food, should he again be guilty of such conduct.  Upon this, he burst out into the most violent and abusive language, and threatened “to stop my jaw,” as he expressed himself.  Finding it, therefore, necessary to exercise my authority, I approached him to show him out of the camp, when the fellow gave me a violent blow on the face, which severely injured me, displacing two of my lower teeth; upon which my companions interfered, and manifested a determination to support me, in case he should refuse to quit us; which I compelled him to do.  When he was going away, Brown told him, in a very consoling manner, that he would come by and bye and sleep with him.  I was, however, determined that no one within the camp should have any communication with him; and therefore told Brown, that he had either to stop with me entirely, or with Charley.  He answered that he could not quarrel with him; that he would sleep with him, but return every morning; and, when I replied that, in such a case, he should never return, he said that he would stop altogether with Charley, and walked off.  If I had punished these fellows for their late misconduct, I should have had no occasion for doing so now:  but full of their own importance, they interpreted my forbearance, by fancying that I could not proceed without them.

Previous to this occurrence, Charley had, during my absence from the camp, had an interview with the natives, who made him several presents, among which were two fine calabashes which they had cleaned and used for carrying water; the larger one was pear-shaped, about a foot in length, and nine inches in diameter in the broadest part, and held about three pints.  The natives patted his head, and hair, and clothing; but they retired immediately, when he afterwards returned to them, accompanied by Mr. Calvert on horseback.

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Journal of an Overland Expedition in Australia : from Moreton Bay to Port Essington, a distance of upwards of 3000 miles, during the years 1844-1845 from Project Gutenberg. Public domain.