Vernon Smith's Diary Part 1

Thursday 29th [underlined] (Continued) an ideal place, & the swim was a great treat, as the day was a hot one. When the creek is running it evidently forms a fine waterfall at this spot, as, above the pool, the bed takes a sharp turn, & descends over a rocky bed, in a winding course, which slopes into the pool at about 1 in 3. A large circular rock in the middle of the water with a few water-hyacinths growing near it made it all the more picturesque, & we each remarked that if the whole thing could have been transported into someone's garden, it would have made an ideal fish pond. There were numbers of small fish, up to 9" in length, some of which we tried to catch, but they were too smart for us. Returned to the boat about 5p.m. & were all pleased with the day's work. After turning in, about 11p.m. Mr Basedow saw a strange illumination in the E, which lit up the underside of the awning over the hatch-way & every thing about the deck, & which probably accounted for the report earlier in the p.m. that the black boys had seen a firestick on the beach. He put it down to "marsh gas", which often forms in damp places (hundreds of feet, sometimes) below the surface & forms a big bubble, which ignites on contact with the air; but I rather think it must have been a brilliant meteor. We were all ready for our blankets & needed no rocking to sleep. My feet were a bit sore, having left my boots off an a/c of muddy landing "N.Y. Times" Extract [note in margin]

Friday 30th [underlined] The skipper & his crew were away for water again before sunrise, & got 2 trips in before breakfast. At about 7a.m. Mr Basedow & I went ashore, - he wishing to see the outcrop on some hills a couple of miles away. He had his Winchester rifle, & I took "Edward VII's" gun. The sun had not got too hot, & the outing (though covering some very rough hillsides) proved a very enjoyable one. In addition to a number of varieties of small birds - which we left alone - we saw a jabberoo (flying towards us, but turned before getting within range) 2 native companions (which flew up from some tall grass in a billabong, after we had passed) a turkey (which we would like to have bagged, but was out of range) white cockatoos, bronzewing pigeons, a small black pigeon & a wallaby. All we secured was a bronzewing pigeon; though kangaroo tracks were fresh & plentiful we saw none, & the wallaby was only seen in the distance. We returned on board at 10a.m. having had a rough scramble down the hill sides. The dinghy was sent back for a load of firewood - the tanks having been filled in the meantime - & we set sail & proceeded down stream, having enjoyed our stay in Blunder Bay so much that we were almost sorry to leave. Unfortunately a number of ants were brought aboard in the firewood, & we were constantly having to knock them off us.

Friday 30th [underlined] (Continued) This was one of the discomforts we had to put up with, the worst being the lack of a proper place to sit, eat, sleep or write in. Anchor was let go on our arrival off Indian Hill, about 1p.m. & after lunch we went ashore with the object of reaching the summit of it, & hoping to find Stoke's bottle, which he mentions having left at the top of of this hill when taking his final farewell of the Victoria River, on the completion of his survey work in H.M.S. "Beagle" . The 1/2 mile or so of plain was crossed & the ascent begun; & we found it rougher & steeper than the hills Mr Basedow & I had scaled in the morning. However, we all 4 reached the top & after a spell, made search for the bottle, but without success. The spot was found, however, where it evidently had been placed (in 1839) & the cairn, originally built over it was pulled down & scattered around, whether by the natives or not we could not say. Commander Stokes made the height of this hill 450ft, but our people made it 350'. Some beautiful flowering shrubs & trees were met with, but very few birds. The principle flowers include a kind of honeysuckle on a small tree, with a narrow leaf like a wattle; a beautiful yellow flower, which grows on a slender-limbed tree - the leaves of which do not appear until

Friday 30th [underlined] (Continued) after the flowers; a small red flower, not unlike a Chinese lantern in shape, only with a flesh-like appearance, which grows at uncertain intervals, & close up to, the branch, & with no leaves; a yellow floury bloom not unlike wattle but long fingers instead of yellow balls, & the leaf is narrow & prickly at the point; the "woolybutt", an orange colored bloom like gum blossom, & grows on a similar kind of tree which has a white stem; & several other varieties. After 1/2 an hour up there, we descended - all having some slight adventure by falling. In Mr Brown's case he sat on a big projecting rock, intending to slip down it, when it came away with him, & had he not very quickly jumped aside, a serious accident might have happened. As it was, it caught his stick, which it broke in half. The boat was reached without anything further of note - except that we saw dingo's tracks & got some black cockatoo feathers & the lugger was reached about 5p.m. All were ready for a pannican of tea-water, as we had taken nothing of that kind with us. Turned in early, & got a good sleep. Saturday, 1st July. [underlined] (Anniversary of Battle of the Boyne) We waited at anchor for the turn of the tide (about 10) when we set sail for the mouth of the River. The fire which we lit at the top of Indian Hill & had presented

Saturday 1st July [underlined] a fine spectacle last night was still burning, & had spread half way down the Hill on all sides, forming a circle of fire which gradually crept to the bottom. Had not proceeded more than 5 miles when we stuck on a sand bank & there we remained for the day. After the tide had left us high & dry (which it did very quickly) we walked out of the ark & had a look around. There were myriads of small spider crabs, walking about in companies & regiments just like armies. Caught a few other kinds (3) & then took the gun out. Had a shot at a stork, but only knocked a few feathers out. Stalked some snipe, but couldn't get any. Sat down in the mud once, which was up to the calves of my legs. Four goodsized catfish were caught in a creek close by & we had fish for tea once again. Very close evening. Could still see the circle of fire around base of Indian Hill. Sunday 2nd [underlined] Got away after breakfast, but the wind if any was very light; the tide however brought us down to Quoin Island. While sitting around the hatchway at dinner, Mr Basedow sighted a steamer a long way off, & in half an hour's time she had come up & proved to be the "Wai hoi" with ketch "Florence" in tow - bound up the River. When she came abreast