
448 RECORDS OF THE S.A. MUSEUM 
graphy and vegetation. But in settled areas many changes have taken place 
since the time when it was in full occupation by the aborigines a hundred years 
ago. However, it is fortunate for these studies that much of the coastal strip 
between the Woakwine Range and the sea coast has remained unsuitable for 
civilized occupation and usage; and on that account it has retained most of its 
indigenous topography and much of its native vegetation in a condition which 
must be similar to that when the aborigines were in possession, 
The following extracts from Volume I of ‘‘Savage hfe and scenes in Aus- 
tralia and New Zealand'’ by G. F_ Angas deseribe the country between Kingston 
and the Kongorong region as he saw it in 1844 when Governor Grey made an 
overland visit to what is now known as the Lower South-Kast, This account gives 
some vivid pictures, not only of the country! itself, but also of aboviginal life 
eneountered during the trip- 
Accompanying Governor Sir George Grey were Mr. Burr, the Deputy 
Surveyor-General, Mr, Bonney, the overland traveller, Mr. Gishbone, George 
French Angas, and mounted police, servants, bullock drivers and two men belong- 
ing to the detachment of sappers and miners, in all eighteen persons. 
(Near Kingston, I, p. 149). ‘‘ Amongst the she-oak trees, we surprised an encamp- 
ment of native women, who flew off in the greatest terror and consternation, 
making a loud chattering noise, and leaving their digging-sticks and baskets 
behind them in their hurry. A curl of smoke from their little fire betrayed 
the spot they had so lately occupied, and we amused ourselves by examining 
their utensils and domestic arrangements.,,. baskets: these were of beauti- 
ful workmanship and somewhat resembled those of the Tattayarra natives,” 
(Between Kingston and Mt, Benson, p. 149). ‘' Beyond Lacepede Bay, we found 
good cattle country, consisting of grassy flats seattered over with bansksia 
or honeysuckle trees, During the day we passed through @ forest, in which 
were many trees of stringy-bark and blackwood. In some places the under- 
wood was dense, but as the country hegan to vise, it became more open, and 
again descended into banksia flats, On these plains we met with many tracks 
of natives, and their old encampments were numerous. Heaps of thé melli- 
ferous cones of the banksia were lying round these deserted wirlies, The 
natives steep the cones in water, which extracts the homey, and produces a 
sweet beverage.’” 
(p. 150) ‘*..,. Mount Benson—a round-topped eminence, about seven 
hundred feet above the sea, and the highest of a range of limestone hills. 
.., We ascended the ridges, which were thickly clothed with banksia and 
she-oak....The white and rugged limestone of the range was intersected 
in every direction with wombat holes that perforated the rock like a honey- 
comb,’ 
(N.W, end of Woakwine. Mount Benson, p, 150). ‘We collected together a 
quantity of dry wood and made a signal fire that must have been visible for 
many miles. It was soon responded to by the natives towards the south and 
east, many columns of smoke rising in that direction; and before we descended 
the hill, the natives were signslizing all around, giving indications of a larger 
population amongst these banksia woods than we anticipated.’’ 
(Traversing Hast side of Woakwine, p, 150). ‘‘ Upon the plains beyond Mt, Benson, 
and those around Lake Hawden, until we reached the neighbourhood of Rivoli 
Bay, our attention “was arrested by the flats being covered in many places 
with a limestone tufa, in shape and appearance exactly resembling biscuits.”* 
