The Explorers (27 page)

Sunday 7 June 1835—Detained this morning some time drawing up triplicates of the deeds of the land I purchased, and delivering over to them more property on the banks of the river which I have named Batman Creek—after my good self. Just before leaving, the two principal chiefs came and brought their two cloaks, or royal mantles, and laid at my feet, wishing to accept the same. On my consenting to take them, they placed them round my neck and over my shoulders, and seemed quite pleased to see me walk about with them on. I asked them to accompany me to the vessels. They very properly pointed to the number of young children, and then at their feet, meaning that they could not walk but said they would come down in a few days.

I had no trouble to find out their sacred marks. One of my natives (Bungett) went to a tree, out of sight of the women, and made the Sydney natives' mark. After this was done, I took with me two or three of my natives to the principal chief and showed the marks on the tree. This he knew immediately, and pointed to the knocking out of the teeth. The mark is always made when the ceremony of knocking out the tooth in the front is done. However, after this I desired, through my natives, for him to make his mark; which, after looking about some time, and hesitating some few minutes, he took the tomahawk and cut out in the bark of the tree his mark, which is attached to the deed, and is the signature of their country and tribe.

Sunday 7 June 1835—About 10 a.m. I took my departure from those interesting people. I think the principal chief stands six feet four inches high, and his brother six feet two inches, and as fine looking men as ever I saw…

Monday 8 June 1835—The wind foul this morning for Indented Head. We tried, but could not get out of the river. The boat went up the large river I have spoken of, which comes from the east, and I am glad to state, about six miles up found the river all good water and very deep. This will be the place for a village—the natives on shore.
^†

Batman drew up two deeds, one for the Geelong area and the other for Melbourne. Here is the latter document.

Know all persons that three brothers, Jagajaga, Jagajaga, Jagajaga, being the principal chiefs, and also Cooloolock, Bungarie, Yanyan, Moowhip, Mommarmalar, being the chiefs of a certain native tribe called Dutigallar, situate at and near Port Phillip, called by us, the above mentioned chiefs Iramoo, being possessed of the tract of land hereinafter mentioned for and in consideration of twenty pair of blankets, thirty tomahawks, one hundred knives, fifty pair scissors, thirty looking glasses, two hundred handkerchiefs, and one hundred pounds of flour, and six shirts, delivered to us by John Batman, residing in Van Diemen's Land, Esquire, but at present sojourning with us and our tribe, do for ourselves our heirs and successors give grant enfeoff and confirm unto the said John Batman, his heirs and assigns, all that tract of country situate and being at Port Phillip, running from the branch of the river at the top of the port, about seven miles from the mouth of the river, forty miles north-east, and from thence—west, forty miles across Iramoo Downs or Plains and from thence south-south-west, across Mount Vilaumarnartar to Geelong Harbour at the head of the same, and containing about 500,000 more or less acres, as the same hath been before the execution of these presents delineated and marked out by us according to the custom of our tribe by certain marks made upon the trees growing along the boundaries of the said tract of land, to hold the said tract of land, with all advantages belonging thereto, unto and to the use of the said John Batman, his heirs and assigns for ever, to the intent that the said John Batman, his heirs, and assigns may occupy and possess the said tract of land and place thereon sheep and cattle. Yielding and delivering to us, and our heirs or successors the yearly rent or tribute of one hundred pair of blankets, one hundred knives, one hundred tomahawks, fifty suits of clothing, fifty looking glasses, fifty pair scissors and five tons flour.

In witness whereof we, Jagajaga, Jagajaga, Jagajaga, the before mentioned principal chiefs, and Cooloolock, Bungarie, Yanyan, Moowhip, and Mommarmalar, the chiefs of the said tribe, have hereunto affixed our seals to those presents and have signed the same. Dated according to the Christian era, this sixth day of June, 1835.

Signed on the banks of Batman Creek 6th June 1835.

† The very large loads the women are carrying suggest a more sedentary lifestyle for these Aborigines.

† The strange beast was probably a seal.

† Batman was on the Yarra River near where Queen Street now terminates.

T
HOMAS
L
IVINGSTONE
M
ITCHELL

Australia Felix, 1836

Sir Thomas Mitchell, surveyor-general, undertook four major expeditions in eastern Australia between 1831 and 1845. He was one of the very few explorers fated to discover rich pastoral land, and he called Victoria's Western District his ‘Australia Felix'. Horses were still expensive in 1836, so Mitchell travelled by bullock dray.

Mitchell was a man of great natural parts. He patented the ‘boomerang propellor for steamers' and later translated Camoens' sixteenth-century Portuguese epic, the
Lusiads
.

On 30 June 1836 Mitchell climbed Pyramid Hill, not far from where the town of Warrnambool now stands, and beheld a ‘scene…different from anything I had ever before witnessed…As I stood, the first European intruder on the sublime solitude of these verdant plains, as yet untouched by flocks or herds, I felt conscious of being the harbinger of mighty changes.' Two months later he had the unusual explorer's experience of discovering a European settlement: the Hentys had arrived from across Bass Strait and established a secret station. The mighty changes were already at hand.

August 9—Once more in a state of forward movement, we crossed green hills and running brooks until, when we had travelled nearly six miles from Muddy Camp, and had crossed six fine streams or burns, we met with a more formidable impediment in the seventh. The sides of the ravine were so uncommonly steep that our new difficulty was how to move the vehicles down to the bank of the stream. In one place, where a narrow point of ground projected across, a passage seemed just possible; and after we had made it better with spades we attempted to take a light cart over. The acclivity was still, however, rather too much and over went the cart, carrying the shaft bullock with it and depositing all my instruments etc. under it in the bed of the stream.

With travellers
on roads
, this might have been thought a serious accident, but in our case we were prepared for joltings, and nothing was in the least degree injured; neither was the animal hurt, and we ascertained by the experiment, dangerous though it was, that still more was necessary to be done for the passage of the heavy carts and boats, which were still some way behind; and I encamped on the bank beyond that the men might set about this work. No time was lost in filling up the hollow with all the dead trees that lay about, and what others we could cut for the purpose; and thus, before sunset, the three carts and one wagon were got across. The rocks in the bed of this stream consisted of grey gneiss, and on the hills beyond it I found nodules of highly ferruginous sandstone.

August 10—By means of a block and tackle attached to a large tree, the remaining carts and the boat-carriage were safely lowered to the bed of the stream. To draw them up the opposite bank was practicable only by uniting the strength of several teams, yet this too was effected successfully, and the whole party were enabled to go forward in the morning.

At a mile and a half from the camp, a scene was displayed to our view which gladdened every heart. An open grassy country, extending as far as we could see—hills round and smooth as carpet, meadows broad, and either green as an emerald or of a rich golden colour from the abundance, as we soon afterwards found, of a little ranunculus-like flower. Down into that delightful vale our vehicles trundled over a gentle slope, the earth being covered with a thick matted turf, apparently superior to anything of the kind previously seen. That extensive valley was enlivened by a winding stream, the waters of which glittered through trees fringing each bank.

As we went on our way rejoicing, I perceived at length two figures at a distance who at first either did not see or did not mind us. They proved to be a gin with a little boy, and as soon as the female saw us she began to run. I presently overtook her, and with the few words I knew prevailed on her to stop until the two gins of our party could come up; for I had long been at a loss for the names of localities. This woman was not so much alarmed as might have been expected; and I was glad to find that she and the gins perfectly understood each other.

The difference in the costume on the banks of the Wándo immediately attracted the notice of the females from the Lachlan. The bag usually carried by gins was neatly wove in basketwork, and composed of a wiry kind of rush. She of Wándo carried this bag fastened to her back, having under it two circular mats of the same material, and beneath all a kangaroo cloak, so that her back at least was sufficiently clothed, although she wore no dress in front.

The boy was supported between the mats and cloak; and his pleased and youthful face, he being a very fine specimen of the native race, presented a striking contrast to the miserable looks of his whining mother. In the large bag she carried some pieces of firewood, and a few roots, apparently of taö, which she had just been digging from the earth.
^†
Such was the only visible inhabitant of this splendid valley, resembling a nobleman's park on a gigantic scale. She stated that the main river was called Temiángandgeen, a name unfortunately too long to be introduced into maps. We also obtained the gratifying intelligence that the whole country to the eastward was similar to these delightful vales; and that, in the same direction, as Piper translated her statement, ‘there was no more sticking in mud'.

A favourable change in the weather accompanied our fortunate transition from the land of watery soil and dark woody ravines to an open country. The day was beautiful; and the balmy air was sweetened with a perfume resembling hay, which arose from the thick and matted herbs and grass. Proceeding along the valley, the stream on our left vanished at an isolated, rocky hill; but, on closer examination, I found the apparent barrier cleft in two, and that the water passed through, roaring over rocks. This was rather a singular feature in an open valley, where the ground on each side of it was almost as low as the rocky bed of the stream itself…

Another rivulet approached this hill, flowing under its eastern side and joining the Wándo just below. According to my plan of following down the main river, it was necessary to cross both these tributaries. In the open part of the valley, the channels of these streams were deep and the banks soft; but at the base of the hill of Kingànyu (for such was its name) we found rock enough and, having effected a passage there of both streams that afternoon, we encamped, after travelling about three miles further, on the banks of the Glenelg once more. Our route lay straight across an open grassy valley at the foot of swelling hills of the same description. Each of these valleys presented peculiar and very romantic features, but I could not decide which looked most beautiful. All contained excellent soil and grass, surpassing in quality any I had seen in the present colony of New South Wales. The chase of the emu and kangaroo, which were both numerous, afforded us excellent sport on these fine downs.

When about to cross the Wándo, I took my leave of the native woman before mentioned, that she might not have the trouble of fording the river, and I presented her with a tomahawk, of which our females explained to her the use—although she seemed still at a loss to conceive the meaning of
a present
.
^†
The use of the little hatchet would be well enough known, however, to her tribe, so, leaving her to return to it and assuring her at the same time of our friendly disposition towards the natives, we proceeded…

August 29—The groaning trees had afforded us shelter, without letting fall even a single branch upon our heads, but the morning was squally and unfavourable for the objects of the excursion, and we had still to ride some way before I could commence operations.

Proceeding along the skirts of the woody ridge on the left in order to avoid swamps, we at length saw through the trees the blue waters of the sea and heard the roar of the waves. My intended way towards the deepest part of the bay and the hills beyond it did not lead directly to the shore, and I continued to pursue a course through the woods, having the shore on our left. We thus met a deep and rapid little river, exactly resembling the Fitzroy, and coming also from the westward. Tracing this a short distance upwards, we came to a place set with a sort of trellis work of bushes by the natives, for the purpose, no doubt, of catching fish. Here we found the stream fordable, though deep, a brownish granular limestone appearing in the bank. We crossed and then continuing through a thick wood we came out at length on the shore of Portland Bay, at about four miles beyond the little river.