"Oh, he is all right," said Loughnan, "I did not tether him, but he
is over there eating the reeds."
"Then he's gone," replied Davy.
Every man became seriously alarmed and ran down to the reeds, for
Jimmy carried their whole supply of meat. They found his tracks at
the edge of the water, and followed them to the foot of a high bluff,
which they ascended, calling as they went repeatedly for Jimmy. They
looked in every direction, scanning especially the tops of the reeds
to see if Jimmy was moving amongst them, but they could see no sign
of the sheep that was lost. The view of land and river, mountain and
sea, was very beautiful, but they were too full of sorrow for Jimmy
to enjoy it. On going away they agreed to call the bluff Jimmy's
point, but other voyagers came afterwards who knew nothing of Jimmy,
and they named it Kalimna, The Beautiful. Near the shore a number of
sandpipers were shot, and stewed for dinner in the large iron pot
which was half full of mutton fat. Then the party pulled down to the
entrance of the lakes at Reeve's River, went ashore, and camped for
the night.
Next day they found an outlet to the ocean, and sounded it as they
went along, finding six feet of water on the bar at low tide. But
the channel proved afterwards to be a shifting one; the strong
current round Cape Howe, and the southerly gales, often filled it
with sand, and it was not until many years had passed, and much money
had been expended, that a permanent entrance was formed.
Pages:
322
323
324
325
326
327
328
329
330
331
332
333
334
335
336
337
338
339
340
341
342
343
344
345
346