United States or Algeria ? Vote for the TOP Country of the Week !
They gave an almost incredible account of the enormous numbers of flying-foxes, all clustering round the branches of low trees, which drooped by the weight so near to the ground that the animals could easily be killed with endgels. The Seaforthia palm raised its elegant crown far above the patches of vine brush which we passed at the river side of the ridges.
A great variety of palms were seen in the scrubs, which were covered with fruit and berries, but only the "Seaforthia," the most graceful of the family, the 'Caryota Urens', remarkable for its star-shaped fronds and the more common 'Corypha', of which the colonial straw-hats are made, were known to the travellers. Latitude 11 degrees 37 minutes 46 seconds. 'January' 22.
We had to water our horses and the bullock with the stew pot; and had to hobble the latter, to prevent his straying, and attacking the natives. The natives were remarkably kind and attentive, and offered us the rind of the rose-coloured Eugenia apple, the cabbage of the Seaforthia palm, a fruit which I did not know, and the nut-like swelling of the rhizoma of either a grass or a sedge.
The large mats used as sails, also for sleeping under in wet weather, are made by the women from the fallen leaves of the pandanus the common basket from the rush-like leaves of Xerotes banksii ? and the water basket from the sheath of the leaf of the Seaforthia palm. The food of these blacks varies with the season of the year, and the supply is irregular and often precarious.
The Seaforthia palm because very abundant, and at last the forest was formed entirely of it, with trees of every size. Our guide showed us how we could easily obtain the young shoots, by splitting the leaves and leafstalks; and we enjoyed a fine meal of the cabbage.
The country traversed to-day was similar to that of yesterday, save that the ridges were higher and more stony. Creeks were crossed at two and ten miles, running strongly westward, which appeared to be permanent. Five miles further on, the party camped on a smaller one of the same character, having vine scrub and seaforthia palms on its banks, which was named Skardon's Creek.
The flying-fox lived here on a small, blue, oval stone-fruit, of an acid taste, with a bitter kernel; it grew on a tree of moderate size. Very small specimens of the Seaforthia palm were here observed for the first time; and the large scarlet fruit of Eugenia was found. During the night, we heard the first grumbling of thunder since many months. Nov. 14.
Some fine varieties of palm are found on the moister lands near the creeks, two especially elegant, a 'Seaforthia' and a 'Caryota'. A wild banana, with small but good fruit, is also found in such localities. On the open grounds the bloodwood, Moreton Bay ash, and a strong growing acacia are the principal trees. Timber for building is scarce, and of very indifferent quality.
In the forest, we met with some few small Seaforthia palms, the young shoots of which we obtained with great difficulty, not then knowing how easily the natives strip them of the surrounding leaves and leafstalks. The sun had long set, and our cattle, as well as ourselves, were miserably tired.
Word Of The Day