Browne and I went downwards, and from appearances had great hopes that at
a particular spot we should succeed by digging, more especially as on
scraping away a little of the surface gravel with our hands, there were
sufficient indications to induce us to set Morgan to work with a spade,
who in less than an hour dug a hole from which we were enabled to supply
both our own wants and those of our animals; and as there was good grass
in the creek, we tethered them out in comfort. This discovery was the
more fortunate, as Flood returned unsuccessful from his search.
The gum-trees on this creek were of considerable size; and many of the
shrubs we had found in the creek, at the glen, were in beautiful flower
in its broad and gravelly bed, along which the Clyanthus was running with
its magnificent blossoms; a situation where I certainly did not expect to
find that splendid creeper growing. It was exceedingly curious to observe
the instinct which brought the smaller birds to our well. Even whilst
Morgan was digging, and Mr. Browne and I sitting close to him, some
Diamond birds (Amandina) were bold enough to perch on his spade; we had,
in the course of the day, whilst passing over the little stony range,
been attracted to a low Banksia, by seeing a number of nests of these
little birds in its branches, and of which there were no less than
fourteen.
Pages:
178
179
180
181
182
183
184
185
186
187
188
189
190
191
192
193
194
195
196
197
198
199
200
201
202