a complete account of the settlement-第24节

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ly　found　to　compose　its　banks　in　every　part　without　exception　that　I　ever　saw。　　The　stream　at　this　place　is　about　350　feet　wide；　the　water　pure　and　excellent　to　the　taste。　　The　banks　are　about　twenty　feet　high　and　covered　with　trees；　many　of　which　had　been　evidently　bent　by　the　force　of　the　current　in　the　direction　which　it　runs；　and　some　of　them　contained　rubbish　and　drift　wood　in　their　branches　at　least　forty…five　feet　above　the　level　of　the　stream。　　We　saw　many　ducks；　and　killed　one；　which　Colbee　swam　for。　　No　new　production　among　the　shrubs　growing　here　was　found。　　we　were　acquainted　with　them　all。　　Our　natives　had　evidently　never　seen　this　river　before。　　They　stared　at　it　with　surprise；　and　talked　to　each　other。　　Their　total　ignorance　of　the　country；　and　of　the　direction　in　which　they　had　walked；　appeared　when　they　were　asked　which　way　Rose　Hill　lay；　for　they　pointed　almost　oppositely　to　it。　Of　our　compass　they　had　taken　early　notice；　and　had　talked　much　to　each　other　about　it。　　They　comprehended　its　use；　and　called　it　'naamoro；'　literally；　〃to　see　the　way〃；　a　more　significant　or　expressive　term　cannot　be　found。

Supposing　ourselves　to　be　higher　on　the　stream　than　Richmond　Hill；　we　agreed　to　trace　downward；　or　to　the　right　hand。　　In　tracing；　we　kept　as　close　to　the　bank　of　the　river　as　the　innumerable　impediments　to　walking　which　grow　upon　it　would　allow。　　We　found　the　country　low　and　swampy；　came　to　a　native　fireplace；　at　which　were　some　small　fish…bones；　soon　after　we　saw　a　native；　but　he　ran　away　immediately。　　Having　walked　nearly　three　miles　we　were　stopped　by　a　creek　which　we　could　neither　ford；　or　fall　a　tree　across。　　We　were　therefore　obliged　to　coast　it；　in　hope　to　find　a　passing　place　or　to　reach　its　head。　　At　four　o'clock　we　halted　for　the　night　on　the　bank　of　the　creek。　Our　natives　continued　to　hold　out　stoutly。　　The　hindrances　to　walking　by　the　river　side　which　plagued　and　entangled　us　so　much；　seemed　not　to　be　heeded　by　them；　and　they　wound　through　them　with　case；　but　to　us　they　were　intolerably　tiresome。　　Our　perplexities　afforded　them　an　inexhaustible　fund　of　merriment　and　derision：　　Did　the　sufferer；　stung　at　once　with　nettles　and　ridicule；　and　shaken　nigh　to　death　by　his　fall；　use　any　angry　expression　to　them；　they　retorted　in　a　moment；　by　calling　him　by　every　opprobrious　name*　which　their　language　affords。

Boladeree　destroyed　a　native　hut　today　very　wantonly　before　we　could　prevent　him。　　On　being　asked　why　he　did　so；　he　answered　that　the　inhabitants　inland　were　bad；　though　no　longer　since　than　last　night；　when　Bereewan　had　departed；　they　were　loud　in　their　praise。　　But　now　they　had　reverted　to　their　first　opinion；　so　fickle　and　transient　are　their　motives　of　love　and　hatred。

＇*Their　general　favourite　term　of　reproach　is　'goninpatta'；　which　signifies　'an　eater　of　human　excrement'。　　Our　language　would　admit　a　very　concise　and　familiar　translation。　　They　have；　besides　this；　innumerable　others　which　they　often　salute　their　enemies　with。＇


Wednesday；　April　13th；　1791。　　We　did　not　set　out　this　morning　until　past　seven　o'clock；　when　we　continued　to　trace　the　creek。　　The　country　which　we　passed　through　yesterday　was　good　and　desirable　to　what　was　now　presented　to　us。　　It　was　in　general　high　and　universally　rocky。　　'Toiling　our　uncouth　way'；　we　mounted　a　hill；　and　surveyed　the　contiguous　country。　To　the　northward　and　eastward；　the　ground　was　still　higher　than　that　we　were　upon；　but　in　a　south…west　direction　we　saw　about　four　miles。　The　view　consisted　of　nothing　but　trees　growing　on　precipices；　not　an　acre　of　it　could　be　cultivated。　　Saw　a　tree　on　fire　here；　and　several　other　vestiges　of　the　natives。　　To　comprehend　the　reasons　which　induce　an　Indian　to　perform　many　of　the　offices　of　life　is　difficult；　　to　pronounce　that　which　could　lead　him　to　wander　amidst　these　dreary　wilds　baffles　penetration。　About　two　o'clock　we　reached　the　head　of　the　creek；　passed　it　and　scrambled　with　infinite　toil　and　difficulty　to　the　top　of　a　neighbouring　mountain；　whence　we　saw　the　adjacent　country　in　almost　every　direction；　for　many　miles。　I　record　with　regret　that　this　extended　view　presented　not　a　single　gleam　of　change　which　could　encourage　hope　or　stimulate　industry；　to　attempt　its　culture。　　We　had；　however；　the　satisfaction　to　discover　plainly　the　object　of　our　pursuit；　Richmond　Hill；　distant　about　eight　miles；　in　a　contrary　direction　from　what　we　had　been　proceeding　upon。　　It　was　readily　known　to　those　who　had　been　up　the　Hawkesbury　in　the　boats；　by　a　remarkable　cleft　or　notch　which　distinguishes　it。　　It　was　now　determined　that　we　should　go　back　to　the　head　of　the　creek　and　pass　the　night　there；　and　in　the　morning　cut　across　the　country　to　that　part　of　the　river　which　we　had　first　hit　upon　yesterday；　and　thence　to　trace　upward；　or　to　the　left。　　But　before　I　descend；　I　must　not　forget　to　relate　that　to　this　pile　of　desolation　on　which；　like　the　fallen　angel　on　the　top　of　Niphates；　we　stood　contemplating　our　nether　Eden；　His　Excellency　was　pleased　to　give　the　name　of　Tench's　Prospect　Mount。

Our　fatigue　to…day　had　been　excessive；　but　our　two　sable　companions　seemed　rather　enlivened　than　exhausted　by　it。　　We　had　no　sooner　halted　and　given　them　something　to　eat　than　they　began　to　play　ten　thousand　tricks　and　gambols。　They　imitated　the　leaping　of　the　kangaroo；　sang；　danced；　poised　the　spear　and　met　in　mock　encounter。　　But　their　principal　source　of　merriment　was　again　derived　from　our　misfortunes；　in　tumbling　amidst　nettles；　and　sliding　down　precipices；　which　they　mimicked　with　inimitable　drollery。　　They　had　become；　however；　very　urgent　in　their　inquiries　about　the　time　of　our　return；　nd　we　pacified　them　as　well　as　we　could　by　saying　it　would　be　soon；　but　avoided　naming　how　many　days。

Their　method　of　testifying　dislike　to　any　place　is　singular：　　they　point　to　the　spot　they　are　upon；　and　all　around　it；　crying　'weeree；　weeree'　（bad）　and　immediately　after　mention　the　name　of　any　other　place　to　which　they　are　attached　（Rose　Hill　or　Sydney　for　instance）；　adding　to　it　'budyeree；　budyeree'　（good）。　　Nor　was　their　preference　in　the　present　case　the　result　of　caprice；　for　they　assigned　very　substantial　reasons　for　such　predilection：　　〃At　Rose　Hill；〃　said　they；　〃are　potatoes；　cabbages；　pumpkins；　turnips；　fish　and　wine；　here　are　nothing　but　rocks　and　water。〃　These　comparisons　constantly　ended　with　the　question　of　〃Where's　Rose　Hill？　Where？〃　on　which　they　would　throw　up　their　hands　and　utter　a　sound　to　denote　distance；　which　it　is　impossible　to　convey　an　idea　of　upon　paper。

Thursday；　April　14th；　1791。　　We　started　early　and　reached　the　river　in　about　two　hours　and　a　half。　　The　intermediate　country；　except　for　the　last　half　mile；　was　a　continued　bed　of　stones；　which　were　in　some　places　so　thick　and　close　together　that　they　looked　like　a　pavement　formed　by　art。　　When　we　got　off　the　stones；　we　came　upon　the　coarse　river　sand　beforementioned。

Here　we　began　to　trace　upward。　　We　had　not　proceeded　far　when　we　saw　several　canoes　on　the　river。　　Our　natives　made　us　immediately　lie　down　among　the　reeds；　while　they　gave　their　countrymen　the　signal　of　approach。　After　much　calling；　finding　that　they　did　not　come；　we　continued　our　progress　until　it　was　again　interrupted　by　a　creek；　over　which　we　threw　a　tree　and　passed　upon　it。　　While　this　was　doing；　a　native；　from　his　canoe；　entered　into　conversation　with　us；　and　immediately　after　paddled　to　us　with　a　frankness　and　confidence　which　surprised　every　one。　　He　was　a　man　of　middle　age；　with　an　open　cheerful　countenance；　marked　with　the　small　pox；　and　distinguished　by　a　nose　of　uncommon　magnitude　and　dignity。　　He　seemed　to　be　neither　astonished　or　terrified　at　our　appearance　and　number。　Two　stone　hatchets；　and　two　spears　he　took　from　his　canoe；　and　presented　to　the　governor；　who　in　return　for　his　courteous　generosity；　gave　him　two　of　our　hatchets　and　some　bread；　which　was　new　to　him；　for　he　knew　not　its　use；　but　kept　looking　at　it；　until　Colbee　shewed　him　what　to　do；　when　he　eat　it　without　hesitation。　　We　pursued　our　course；　and　to　accommodate　us；　our　new　acquaintance　pointed　out　a　path　and　walked　at　the　head　of　us。　　A　canoe；　also　with　a　man　and　a　boy　in　it；　kept　gently　paddling　up　abreast　of　us。　We　halted　for　the　night　at　our　usual　hour；　on　the　bank　of　the　river。　Immediately　that　we　had　stopped；　our　friend　（who　had　already　told　us　his　name）　Gombeeree；　introduced　the　man　and　the　boy　from　the　canoe　to　us。　　The　former　was　named　Yellomundee；　the　latter　Deeimba。　　The　ease　with　which　these　people　behaved　among　strangers　was　as　conspicuous；　as　unexpected。　　They　seated　themselves　at　our　fire；　partook　of　our　biscuit　and　pork；　drank　from　our　canteens；　and　heard　our　guns　going　off　around　them　without　betraying　any　symptom　of　fear；　distrust　or　surprise。　　On　the　opposite　bank　of　the　river　they　had　left　their　wives　and　several　children；　with　whom　they　frequently　discoursed；　and　we　observed　that　these　last　manifested　neither　suspicion　or　uneasiness　of　our　designs　towards　their　friends。

Having　refreshed　ourselves；　we　found　leisure　to　enter　into　conversation　with　them。　　It　could　not　be　expected　that　they　should　differ　materially　from　the　tribes　with　whom　we　were　acquainted。　　The　same　manners　and　pursuits；　the　same　amuse