THE GULF COUNTRY.

New Zealand Times, Volume XXXIII, Issue 5360, 1 June 1878, Page 1 (Supplement)

THE GULF COUNTRY.

' KiMUF.ni.Ey. (From the Queenslander.)

This township—save the mark ! —consists of —the solitary telegraph station, which, frowning over and guarding the mouth of the Norman like a diminutive fortification—or, nearer the mark, like a huge sentry-box—is all that remains—in faot all that has appeared—of the town which was laid out on a largo saltpan, s in anticipation of the successful accomplishment of a cable via Java. This route, however, though so far unsuccessfully advocated, is likely to be adopted before, long-.if we -may judge from the suggestions thrown .out by the Agents-General for Victoria and New Zealand; and, if .so, Kimberley, may yet occupy a prominent ,position as.one.of the Coast towns of the Gulf.

■ Situated a few yards above high-water mark on a low sandy ridge coveredwith scrub, which, abounding with, wallabies, extends iu a straight line , along the coast to the eastward, the station has a very pleasing and- handsome appearance, constructed as it is of similar material to the other houses'on the line, but with much greater . accommodation, this being the land terminus.' At present, however, the business being confined to the reporting of the few. ships which arrive at the mouth of the. Norman and the state of the weather, one line repairer (who also operates) and one laborer are found sufficient to conduct it and keep the line in good order. There being no permanent good, water within an easy distance, rain water (used solely for drinking) is collected in six large iron tanks with which the station is supplied; but going down to the beach we perceive,, a few feet above high-water, a well rising and ; falling with the tides,, from which abundance of fresh water, fit for washing and other domestic purposes, is procured, , Coming : c ut upon: the verandah at high ctide;we are delighted with' the splendid i uninterrupted, view (the scrub having been cleared away some distance round the house) of tho; placid Gulf waters, which stretching away north and west as far as the eye can reach, glint and glisten with the most; varied colors, under the fierce sun which floats over them ; while under our. feet, sloping, gently to the water’s edge, and extending a long distance north-east, the white sandy beach, on which .large beautiful shells are often found, its smoothness broken in places by rugged hunches of ■ conglomerate, the natural embankment covered with a rich green verdure running ’parallel . with it,. conveys-, to, us , a. most pleasurable sensation after the weary-journey-ing over,parched up and dusty flats. .Unfortunately this fine view is not lasting, inasmuch as at low tide, instead.of .the water rippling on the sandy beach,., great blue-black ~ mud flats, extending a considerable distance sea-

ward,- on which, near Hie mouth of the fiyeiybuge alligatorsmay ocvaAoualVy be seen,' present : anything but 'pleasant features of the Gulf : sea. Across.’the river south of west a widely different scene meets the eye—the country, if it. can be so- called,, for miles back being buried under a level unbroken dense mass of mangrove, which, springing from innumerable muddy inlets and swamps, alive with alligators and sharks, and into which, three quarters of a mile from the Norman, the Bynoe, one of the outlets of the Flinders, empties itself, forms unfortunately the prevailing feature bf the Gulf shores. Scattered over the ridges ia the vicinity of the station, we observe numerous large heaps of what at first sight appears to be sand, but on close inspection we find to consist almost entirely of tons of shells, thrown together by the force of the wind. Those we think might be utilised with advantage, and it ia strange that it has not been attempted before now. Ships carrying goods to Normautou generally returning south in ballast, it ought to be much more advantageous to load up with shells for lime-making purposes than to carry tons of useless stone, or, as we have heard in one instance, blue clay, which, becoming saturated with water on the passage down, caused great expense and trouble getting rid of upon arrival in port. The country extending along the north-west coast, being still almost unknown, is in the possession solely of the aborigines, who, having little or no fear of consequences, are at times very threatening and mischievous, but up to the present time, although the station has been surrounded, and a few sheep, goats, and pigs have been killed, no more serious outrage has been committed. Game, —comprising wallabies, paddy melon, turkey, native companion, spoonbills, Burdekiu and black duck, geese, teal, pigeon—is plentiful over all the country. At the Fairway buoy, seven miles seaward, although at high tide no laud is visible; the’ river channel winding very much between two sandbanks (the western dry at low water), is entered, and carefully kept until reaching the mouth, where, about half-a-mile wide, it is confined between steep sandy banks resting on stiff blue clay. In the Fairway the depth is alternately 5,3, 5, and 3 fathoms, and in the channel under the station about 30ft. Here, after the wet season, when the water again becomes salt, great quantities of mullet and kiugfish (the latter with protuberances of extremely hard bone-like enamel at the joints along the backbone) may be caught—the ouo with the not, the other with the line. Sailing iup the river nothing of much interest is observed for over 40 miles, the back country being so flat, and the banks being only 3 ft. or 4ft. above water level ; and the scenery becomes very monotonous after a few miles. From thence to Normautou the view is more varied, several low. small islands (?) —Double, Halfmoon, , and Allington apparently of mud formation, , thickly covered with mangroves and favorite . haunts of alligators, are passed, and 12 miles from town the most, serious obstacle in the navigation of the river is come to at Baffle Group. . Through this cluster (consisting of five) ships have generally great difficulty in working their way, the channels being so tortuous and ever changing, and it has happeued more than once that, being stranded on a bank, they have careened over so much at the ebb as to seriously injure the cargo. This obstacle, however, will speedily be removed when the trade of Normautou requires a clear channel, and by present appearances that time is not far distant. Ten miles higher and the top landing is reached, and in another two miles we again enter Normanton.