[Errors in the original have been preservedand noted at the end of this etext. ]

[Plate: F. & A. JARDINE. Black and white photograph. ]

NARRATIVE

OF THE

OVERLAND EXPEDITION

OF

THE MESSRS. JARDINE, FROM

ROCKHAMPTON TO CAPE YORK, NORTHERN QUEENSLAND. 

COMPILED FROM THE JOURNALS OF THE BROTHERS, AND EDITED

BY FREDERICK J. BYERLEY, (ENGINEER OF ROADS, NORTHERN DIVISION OF QUEENSLAND). 

BRISBANE

PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY J. W. BUXTON, BOOKSELLER AND STATIONER. 

1867. 

TO

SIR CHARLES NICHOLSON, BART. , CHANCELLOR OF THE UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, etc. , etc. , etc. , AS ONE OFOUR OLDEST AND MOST DISTINGUISHEDCOLONISTS. 

THE NARRATIVE IS INSCRIBEDWITH GREAT RESPECT, BY

THE EDITOR. 

PREFACE. 

THE Settlement of Northern Australia has of late years been of suchrapid growth as to furnish matter for a collection of narratives, which in the aggregate would make a large and interesting volume. Prominent amongst these stands that of the Settlement of Cape York, under the superintendence of Mr. Jardine, with which the gallant tripof his two sons overland must ever be associated. It was a journeywhich, but for the character and qualities of the Leader, might haveterminated as disastrously as that of his unfortunate, but no lessgallant predecessor, Kennedy. A brilliant achievement inexploration, in a colony where exploring has become common and almostdevoid of interest, from the number of those yearly engaged in it, its very success has prevented its attracting that share of publicattention to which its results very fully entitled it. Had it beenattended with any signal disaster, involving loss of life, it wouldhave been otherwise. Geographically, it has solved the questionhitherto undecided of the course of the northern rivers emptying intothe Gulf of Carpentaria, of which nothing was previously known buttheir outlets, taken from the charts of the Dutch Navigators. It hasalso made known, with tolerable definiteness, how much, or rather, how little, of the "York Peninsula" is adapted for pastoraloccupation, whilst its success in taking the first stock overland, and forming a cattle station at Newcastle Bay, has insured to theSettlement at Somerset a necessary and welcome supply of fresh meat, and done away with its dependence for supplies on importations by seaof less nourishing salt provision. 

Starting from the then farthest out-station of Northern Queenslandwith a small herd of cattle, these hardy young bushmen met with andsuccessfully combated, almost every "accident by flood and field"that could well occur in an expedition. First, an arid waterlesscountry forced them to follow down two streams at right angles withtheir course for upwards of 200 miles, causing a delay which betrayedthem into the depths of the rainy season; then the loss of half theirfood and equipment by a fire, occasioned by the carelessness of someof the party; next the scarcity of grass and water, causing a furtherdelay by losses of half their horses, which were only recovered to beagain lost altogether--killed by eating a deadly poison plant; andfinally, the setting in of the wet season, making the ground next toimpassable, and so swelling the rivers, that when actually in sight, and within a week's journey of their destination, they were turnedoff their course, and were more than six weeks in reaching it. Addedto this, and running through the whole journey, was the incessant anddetermined, although unprovoked, hostility of the natives, which, butfor the unceasing vigilence and prompt and daring action of theBrothers, might have eventually compassed the annihilation of thewhole party. Had Leichhardt used the same vigilance and decision thelife of poor Gilbert would not have been sacrificed, and in allprobability we should not now deplore his own loss. But the blacktribes which dogged the steps of each expedition, and amongst whom, probably, were the slayers of Kennedy and Gilbert, met at the handsof the Brothers the treatment they deserved. If the lessons weresevere, they were in every case of the native's own seeking, and wereadministered in fair and open combat, in which few of the white partywere without having narrow escapes to record; but a providential goodfortune seemed to attend them, for every member got through thejourney without accident. An account has been furnished to thenewspapers in the form of a journal by Mr. Richardson, the Surveyorappointed to accompany the expedition, but it is much too brief andepitomized to do justice to the subject, and omits altogether thedetached and independant trips of the Brothers whilst exploring aheadto find the best country through which to take the herd; and, as theBrothers Jardine themselves would probably much rather repeat theirjourney than write a full account of it, it has devolved on theEditor to attempt to put before the public a compilation of theirjournals in such form as will give the narrative sufficient interestto carry with it the attention of the reader to the end. Althoughthe matter is ample, this is no easy task for an unpracticed pen, forto the general reader, the usual monotonous details and entries of anexplorer's notes, which alone give them value to the geographer, cannot be hoped to excite interest or command attention. But thejourney was full of incident, and the Brothers, although notscientific naturalists, were keen sportsmen, excelling in allexercises requiring strength and activity, who had acquired fromtheir training in the bush that sharpening of the senses and facultyof observing, the peculiar result of a life in the wilds, which notonly so well fitted them for the conduct of such an expedition, butalso enabled them to note and describe with accuracy the variousinteresting objects in botany and zoology met with in the course oftheir journey. It is therefore hoped that there will be sufficientto interest each class of reader. Aided by Mr. Jardine, senior, agentleman of large experience in both Botany and Natural History, theEditor has been enabled to supply the generic names of the birds andplants met with; which, in many cases, if not altogether new, areinteresting as determining the range and habitat of the birds, andthe zones of vegetation and trees; but it is to be regretted thatthere was no one in the party having sufficient knowledge of drawingto figure such objects, or to delineate some of the more strikingscenes and incidents of the journey. As these can now only besupplied from the graphic descriptions given by the actors in them, the Editor, without drawing too much on his imagination, has, in thecompilation of the journals, attempted in some cases to supplementwhat was wanted in the text, so as to give the narrative such coloras would make it more readable than a mere journal, but in every caserendering the descriptions of the prominent incidents of the journeyalmost in the original words of the writers, merely adding as much aswould save the text from abruptness. He has adhered to the diurnalform of narrative, for the sake of recording, for the benefit offuture travellers, the numbers, marks, latitude, etc. , of each camp, and endeavoured to compass by this composite method the value of awork of record with the interest of a narrative. 

It is also to be regretted that so long a time should have beenallowed to elapse between the end of the journey and the publicationof these pages. The causes of the delay are--first, theindisposition on the part of the Brothers to "go into print, " theirmodesty leading them to imagine they had done nothing worth "writingabout, " nor was it until the writer pressed them to allow him tocompile and edit their journals that they consented to make thempublic; next, the want of leisure on the part of the compiler, whoseofficial duties have prevented application to his task, save indetached and interrupted periods; and last, by the difficulty ofmaking arrangements for publication at a distance. 

If his labor secures to the young explorers the credit and praisewhich is the just and due reward of a gallant achievement, and adds apage of interest to the records of Australian Exploration, his aimwill have been attained, and he will be fully rewarded. 

The Hermitage, 'Rockhampton, December', 1866. 

INTRODUCTION. 

IN presenting the following pages to the Reader, it may not be out ofplace to take a retrospect of the progress of Australian Settlementgenerally, and particularly in the young northern colony ofQueensland. 

During the last six years the great question of the character ofCentral Australia, in the solution of which the lives of theunfortunate Leichhardt and his party have been sacrificed, has beenset at rest by the memorable trip of Burke and Wills, and no lessmemorable, but more fortunate one of McDouall Stewart. The SearchExpeditions of McKinlay, Howitt, Landsborough, and Walker, have madeit still more familiar, their routes connecting the out-settlementsof South Australia with those of the Gulf Shores and East Coast, andadding their quota of detail to the skeleton lines of Leichhardt, Gregory, and Burke and Wills; whilst private enterprise has, duringthat time, been busy in further filling in the spaces, and utilizingthe knowledge gained by occupying the waste lands thus opened up. 

It is questionable whether the amount of available country thus madeknown has not been dearly purchased, by the very large sums that havebeen expended, and the valuable lives that have been lost in itsexploration; the arid and waterless wastes of the interior, whichhave now been proved equally subject to terrific droughts anddevastating floods, make it improbable that the Settlements of theNorth Coast and the Southern Colonies can be connected by acontinuous line of occupation for many years to come; the richpastoral tracts of Arnheim's Land, the Victoria River, the GulfCoast, and Albert and Flinders Rivers, are thus the only localitieslikely to be made use of for the present; these, however, have beenknown since the first explorations of Leichhardt and Gregory; we areforced, therefore, to the conclusion that the results of thesubsequent expeditions are not commensurate with their cost andsacrifices, and to consider whether further exploration may not besafely left to private enterprise. 

Let us now glance at what has been done since 1860 in the way ofoccupation. South Australia has founded on theNorth Coast aSettlement at Adam Bay, on the Adelaide River, but its progress seemsto have been marked from the onset by misfortune. The officercharged with its formation, in a short time managed to raise sostrong a feeling of dissatisfaction and dislike amongst the settlersas to call for a Commission of Enquiry on his administration, whichresulted in his removal. His successor seems, by latest accounts tohave raised up no less dislike, the difference of his rule beinglikened by the papers to that of the fabled kings, Log and Stork. The site of the Settlement, Escape Cliffs, has been universallycondemned; one charge against the first Resident being, that it wasselected in opposition to the almost unanimous opinion of thecolonists. The subject was referred for final report to JohnMcKinley, the well-known Explorer, who, bearing out the generalopinion, at once condemned it, and set out to explore the country insearch for a better. In this he has not discovered any new locality, but has recommended Anson Bay, at the mouth of the Daly, a sitepreviously visited, but rejected by the first Resident. Previous tohis visit to Anson Bay, Mr. McKinlay started with a well-equipedparty for an exploring trip, which was to last twelve months. At theend of five he returned, after one of the most miraculous escapes ofhimself and party from destruction on record, having only penetratedto the East Alligator River, about 80 miles from Adam Bay; here hebecame surrounded by floods, and only saved his own and the lives ofhis party (loosing all else) by the desperate expedient of making aboat of the hides of their horses, in which they floated down theswollen river, and eventually reached the Settlement. It is notimprobable that in some such a flood poor Leichhardt and his littleband lost their lives, and all trace of their fate has beendestroyed. These experiences have caused some doubt and despondencyas to the future of the new Settlement, and the question is now beingagitated in the South Australian Parliament as to the desirability ornot of abandoning it. 

Western Australia has formed the Settlements of Camden Harbor, andNickol Bay. The latter (the country around which was explored by Mr. Francis Gregory, brother to the Surveyor-General of Queensland, in1861), appears to have progressed favorably, the Grey, Gascoigne, Oakover and Lyons Rivers affording inducements to stockholders tooccupy them, but the Settlement of Camden Harbor at the time of thevisit of Mr. Stow in his boat-voyage from Adam Bay to Champion Bay, was being abandoned by the colonists, the country being unsuitablefor stock, and it would appear from that gentleman's account that thewhole of the north-west coast of the continent, from its generalcharacter, offers but little inducement for settlement. 

[footnote] *Since this was written the settlement has been abandoned. [NOTE--the footnote in the INTRODUCTION does not have a referent inthe text--there is no asterisk in the text. It is not clearwhether the 'settlement' it refers to as having been abandoned is atAdam Bay or in Western Australia. ]

The explorations of Francis Gregory to the eastward from Nickol Bay, and of the Surveyor-General to the south from the Victoria River, were both arrested by wastes of drift-sand, whilst those from thewestern seaboard have not been extended further inland than to morethan an average of 3 degrees of longitude. It may reasonably bedoubted, therefore, whether settlement will be much extended in thatdirection. 

Queensland, more fortunate in the character of the country, has, onher part, successfully established six new settlements, to wit, Mackay, at the Pioneer River; Bowen, Port Denison; Townsville, Cleveland Bay; Cardwell, Rockingham Bay; Somerset, Cape York; andBurke Town, at the Albert River; and there can be little doubt butthat the country of the Gulf shores and the northern territory ofSouth Australia must be 'stocked', if not settled, from the samesource. Already have our hardy pioneers driven their stock out asfar as the Flinders, Albert, Leichhardt, and Nicholson Rivers, theFlinders and Cloncurry having been stocked along their length forsome time past. On the South and West, the heads of the Warrego, theNive, Barcoo, and Thompson have also been occupied, some of thestations being between four and five hundred miles from the seaboard, whilst the surveyors of the Roads Department have extended theirsurveys as far as the two last-named rivers, for the purpose ofdetermining the best and shortest lines of communication. TheGovernment, with wise liberality, has facilitated the access from theseaboard to the interior, by the expenditure of large sums inconstructing and improving passes through the Coast Range on fourdifferent points, and by the construction of works on the worstportions of the roads, have largely reduced the difficulties oftransport for the out-settlers. Bowen, a town which had no existencesix years ago, has been connected with Brisbane by the telegraphwire, and ere another twelve months have elapsed the electric flashwill have placed Melbourne, in Victoria, and Burke Town, on the Gulfof Carpentaria, "on speaking terms, " the country between the latterplace and Cleveland Bay having been examined and determined on for atelegraph line by the experienced explorer Walker for that purpose. 

Of the six new settlements that have been called into existence, two, Bowen and Townsville, have been incorporated, and are now, togetherwith Mackay, straining in the race to secure the trade of the westerninterior. Cardwell has experienced a check, in consequence of anundue haste in the adoption of a line of road over its Coast Range, which is too difficult to be generally adopted, and will probably beabandoned for a better since discovered; but its noble harbour is toogood, and the extent of back country it commands too extensive inarea, for it not ultimately to take its place as an important port. Burke Town is but starting into existence, but already supplies thesettlers of the Flinders and other Gulf rivers with which it hasopened communication. Mr. William Landsborough, the well-knownexplorer, has been charged with the administration of its affairs, and a survey staff has been despatched to lay out the lands. Vesselsnow trade direct from Brisbane with some regularity, which serviceswill, no doubt, soon be re-placed by steamers. 

But it is with Somerset, Cape York, that we have more especialconcern. In the August of 1862, Sir George Bowen, Governor ofQueensland, being on a voyage of inspection to the Northern Ports, inHer Majesty's Steamer "Pioneer, " visited Port Albany, Cape York, andon his return, in a despatch to the Imperial Government, recommendedit for the site of a Settlement, on account of its geographicalimportance, as harbor of refuge, coaling station, and entrepot forthe trade of Torres Straits and the Islands of the North Pacific. The following year the formation of a Settlement was decided upon, the Home Government sending out a detachment of Marines to bestationed there, and assist in its establishment. The task ofestablishing the new Settlement was confided to Mr. Jardine, thenPolice Magistrate of Rockhampton, than whom, perhaps, no man could befound more fitted for its peculiar duties. An experienced official, a military man, keen sportsman, and old bushman, he possessed, inaddition to an active and energetic temperament, every quality andexperience necessary for meeting the varied and exceptional dutiesincident to such a position. It was whilst making the arrangementsfor the expedition by sea, which was to transport the staff, materiel, and stores of the Settlement, that Mr. Jardine, foreseeingthe want of fresh provision, proposed to the Government to send hisown sons, Frank and Alexander, overland with a herd of cattle to forma station from which it might be supplied. This was readily accededto, the Government agreeing to supply the party with the services ofa qualified surveyor, fully equipped, to act as Geographer, by notingand recording their course and the appearance of the countrytraversed, and also horses, arms, and accoutrements for four nativeblacks, or as they are commonly called in the colonies, Black-boys. Although the account of poor Kennedy's journey from Rockingham Bay toCape York, in which his own and half his party's lives weresacrificed, was not very encouraging for the intended expedition, Mr. Jardine never for a moment doubted of its success, and looked forwardto meeting his sons at Somerset as a matter of course. In the primeof youth and health (their ages were but 22 and 20), strong, active, and hardy, inured to the life and habits of the bush, with aninstinct of locality, which has been alluded to as having "laBoussole dans la tete, " they were eminently fitted for the task, andeagerly undertook it when proposed. How well they carried it out, although, unfortunately, with so little benefit to themselves, ishere recorded. Had poor Wills been associated with such companionsthere would have been a different tale to tell to that which lends somelancholy an interest to his name, and we should now have himamongst us to honor, instead of a monument to his memory, a monument, which in honoring the dead, rebukes the living. 

The loss of three-fourths of their horses, and a fifth of theircattle, together with a large equipment, has made the enterprise ofthe Messrs. Jardine, speaking financially, little short of a failure, but at their age the mind is resilient, and not easily damped bymisfortune. On their return to Brisbane the Government, with kindconsideration, proposed to place such a sum on the Estimates ofParliament as would indemnify them, and at the same time mark itssense of the high merit and importance of their journey, but this, through their father, they respectfully declined, Frank Jardinegiving as his reason, that as the expedition was a private enterpriseand not a public undertaking, he did not consider himself entitled toany indemnity from the public. Opinions may be divided on such aconclusion, but in it we cannot but recognise a delicacy and nobilityof sentiment as rare, unfortunately, as it is admirable. Yet, ifthey have thus voluntarily cut themselves off from the substantialrewards which have hitherto recompensed other explorers, they arestill entitled to the high praise and commendation of all who admirespirit and determination of purpose, and cannot be insensible totheir applause. And it is in recognition that such is their due, that the writer has undertaken to bring this narrative before thepublic. 

CHAPTER I. 

Start from Rockhampton--Alexander Jardine explores the Einasleih--Newcastle Range--Pluto Creek--Canal Creek--Basaltic Plateau--Warroul Creek--Parallel Creek--Galas Creek--Porphyry Islands--Alligators' tracks--Bauhinia Plains--Discovers error as to RiverLynd--Return--The Nonda--Burdekin duck--Simon's Gap--Arrival of the cattle--Preparation for final start. 

On the 14th of May, 1864, the overland party which was to take cattleto the new settlement at Cape York, was started by Mr. Frank Jardine, from Rockhampton, under the charge of his brother Alexander. Itcomprised ten persons, with thirty-one horses. The instructions wereto travel by easy stages to Port Denison, and there wait the arrivalof the Leader. In the following month, Mr. Jardine, senior, takingwith him his third son John, sailed for Brisbane, and shortly afterfrom thence to Somerset, Cape York, in the Eagle, barque, charteredby the Government, for transport of material, etc. , arriving there atthe end of June. 

Mr. Frank Jardine, taking with him the surveyor attached to theexpedition, Mr. A. J. Richardson, arrived at Bowen by sea, about themiddle of July, when the party was again moved forward, he himselfstarting off to make the purchase of the cattle. Five more horseswere purchased on account of the Government in Bowen, for Mr. Richardson, making a total of forty-two. The prevalence ofpleuro-pneumonia made it a matter of some difficulty for Mr. F. Jardine to get suitable stock for his purpose, and causedconsiderable delay. Arrangements having at length been made with Mr. William Stenhouse, of the River Clarke, the party was divided at theReedy Lake Station, on the Burdekin, Mr. A. Jardine moving forwardwith the pack horses and equipment, leaving the Leader with Messrs. Scrutton and Cowderoy, and three black boys to muster and fetch onthe cattle. The advance party started on the 17th August, andarrived at Carpentaria Downs, the station of J. G. Macdonald, Esq. , on the 30th. This was at that time the furthest station to the NorthWest, and was intended to be made the final starting point of theexpedition, by the permission of Mr. Macdonald, from whom the partyreceived much kindness. On their way they were joined by Mr. HenryBode, a gentleman who was in search of country to occupy with stock. After remaining in camp at Carpentaria Downs for a few days, Mr. A. Jardine decided on utilizing the interval, which must elapse beforehis brother could re-join him with the cattle, by exploring thecountry ahead, so as to faciliate the march of the stock on the finalstart. Accordingly, leaving the camp in charge of Mr. Richardson, with Mr. Binney, and two black boys, he started on the 3rd ofSeptember, taking with him the most trusty of his black boys, "oldEulah, " and one pack-horse, and accompanied by Mr. Bode, who tookadvantage of the opportunity to have a look at the country. As Mr. Bode had his own black boy with him, the party comprised four, withtwo pack-horses, carrying provision for three weeks. About the sametime Mr. Macdonald started with a party of three to find a road forhis stock to the Gulf, where he was about to form a station; theaccount of which trip has been published bythat gentleman. 

The stream on which Carpentaria Downs station is situated wassupposed to be the "Lynd" of Leichhardt and was so called and known;but as this was found to be an error, and that it was a tributary ofthe Gilbert, it will be distinguished by the name it subsequentlyreceived, the Einasleih. Keeping the right bank of the river whichwas running strongly two hundred yards wide, the party travelled sixmiles to a small rocky bald hill, under which they passed on thenorth side; and thence to a gap in a low range, through which theriver forces its way. Travelling down its bed for aquarter-of-a-mile, they crossed to its left bank, on to a large levelbasaltic plain; but here the extent of the rocky ground made thetravelling so bad for the horses, although shod, that it wasimpossible to proceed, and the river was therefore re-crossed. Fivemiles more of rough travelling over broken stony ironbark ridges, brought them to a second gorge, formed by two spurs of a range, running down to the river banks on either side, where they camped, having made about 15 miles on a general course of N. W. By N. To thesouth of this gorge, and running parallel with the river, is a highrange of hills, which received the name of the Newcastle Range. (Camp I. )

'September' 4. --Resuming their journey, the party passed through agap in the northern spur, described yesterday, about aquarter-of-a-mile from the camp. From this gap a point of the rangeon the south side was sighted, running into the river, and for thisthey steered. At 4 miles a small lagoon was passed, 300 yards outfrom the river, and a quarter-of-a-mile further on, a broad, shallow, sandy creek(then dry), which was named "Pluto Creek. " At 8 miles asmall rugged hill was passed on the left hand, and the point of therange steered for reached at 9. At 12 a large well-watered creek wascrossed, and the party camped at the end of 18 miles on a similarone. The general course N. N. W. , and lay chiefly over very stonyridges, close to the river banks. The timber was chiefly box, iron-bark, and melaleuca, the latter growing in the shallow bed, inwhich also large granite boulders frequently occurred. Thoughshallow, it contained fine pools and reaches of water, in some ofwhich very fine fish were observed. Eighteen miles (Camp II. )

'September' 5. --After crossing the creek, on which they had camped, at its junction, the party followed down a narrow river flat for fourmiles, to where a large sandy creek joins it from the north. Thesteepness of its banks and freedom from fallen timber, suggested thename of "Canal Creek"--it is about 80 yards wide. Two milesfurther down a small creek joins, and at 12 miles a high rocky hillwas reached. From this hill a bar of granite rock extends across theriver to a similar one on the south side. A fine view was obtainedfrom its summit showing them the course of the river. Up to thispoint the course had been N. W. After passing through a gap, immediately under and on the north of the rocky hill they were forcedby the river into a northerly course for two miles, at which theycrossed a spur of the range running into it, so rugged that they wereobliged to lead their horses. Beyond this they emerged on to abasaltic plain, timbered with box and bloodwood, and so stony as torender the walking very severe for the horses. The basalt continuedfor the rest of the day. At about 18 miles a large creek wascrossed, running into an ana-branch. The banks of the river whichborder the basaltic plain are very high and steep on both sides. Running the ana-branch down for four miles, the camp was pitched, after a tedious and fatiguing day's march. (Camp III. )

'September' 6. --The ana-branch camped on last night being found torun parallel to the course of the river, received the name ofParallel Creek. Its average width is about 150 yards, well watered, and full of melaleucas and fallen timber. The country on its northbank down to its junction with the river 20 miles from the junctionof Warroul Creek, is broken into ridges of quartz and sand-stone, stony, and poorly grassed. That contained between its south bank andthe river, the greatest width of which is not more than three miles, is a basaltic plateau, terminating in precipitous banks on the river, averaging 50 feet in perpendicular height. To avoid the stones oneither side, there being no choice between the two, the partytravelled down the bed of Parallel Creek the whole day. At about 9miles stringy bark appeared on the ridges of the north bank. Largeflocks of cockatoo parrots ('Nymphicus Nov. Holl. ') were seen duringthe day, and a "plant" of native spears was found. They were neatlymade, jagged at the head with wallaby bones, and intended forthrowing in the Wommerah or throwing stick. At the end of 20 milesthe party reached the junction of Parallel Creek with the river andencamped. The general course was about N. W. (Camp IV. )

'September' 7. --The party was now happily clear of the basalticcountry, but the travelling was still none of the best, the firstnine miles of to-day's stage being over stony ridges of quartz andiron-stone, interspersed with small, sandy, river flats. At thisdistance a large creek of running water was crossed, and the camppitched at about two miles from its junction with the Einasleih. Thecreek received the name of Galaa Creek, in allusion to the galaa orrose cockatoo ('Cacatua Rosea'), large flocks of which werefrequently seen. The junction of Galaa Creek is remarkable for twoporphyritic rock islands, situated in the bed of the river, which ishere sandy, well watered, and about 300 yards wide. The grass wasvery scarce, having been recently burned. The timber chieflyiron-bark and box. Course N. W. 1/2 W. , distance 10 miles (Camp V. )

'September' 8. --To-day the river was followed down over low brokenstony ranges, having their crests covered with "garrawan" scrub for 5miles, when the party was gratified by an agreable change in thefeatures of the country. Instead of the alternative of brokencountry, stony ridges, or basaltic plains they had toiled over fornearly 80 miles, they now emerged on to fine open well-grassed riverflats, lightly timbered, and separated by small spurs of ridgesrunning into them. A chain of small lagoons was passed at 12 miles, teeming with black duck, teal, wood duck, and pigmy geese, whilstpigeons and other birds were frequent in the open timber, a sureindication of good country. At 13 miles a small creek was crossed, and another at 18, and after having made a good stage of 25 miles theparty again camped on the Einasleih. At this point it had increasedto a width of nearly a mile, the banks were low and sloping, and thebed shallow and dry. It was still nevertheless, well watered, thestream, as is not unusual in many of our northern rivers, continuingto run under the surface of the sand, and requiring very slightdigging or even scratching, to be got at. The general coursethroughout the day was about N. W. 1/2W. (Camp VI. )

'September' 9. --The course down the river was resumed over similarcountry to that of yesterday. Keeping at the back of some lowtable-topped hills, at 5 miles the party struck a fine clear deeplagoon, about two miles in from the river, of which it is theoverflow. A chain of small waterholes occurs at 12 miles, which werecovered with ducks and other water-fowl, whilst immense flocks of aslate-colored pigeon were seen at intervals. They are about the samesize as the Bronzewing, and excessively wild. * The river, when againstruck, had resumed running. It was still sandy and full of thegraceful weeping melaleuca in the bed, where traces of alligatorswere observed. The country traversed throughout the day was good, but the small plains and flats were thought likely to be swampy inwet weather. Another good stage of 26 miles was made, and the partyagain camped on the river. The general course was due west. (CampVII. )

[footnote] * 'The Phaps Histrionica, or Harlequin Bronzewing. '

'September' 10. --Taking his course from the map he carried, shewingthe river running north-west, and depending on its correctness, Mr. Jardine bore to the north-west for 15 miles, travelling over sandyhoney-combed rises, and low swampy plains, when he reached awatershed to the north, which he then supposed must be the head ofMitchell waters, finding himself misled by his map and that he hadleft the river altogether, he turned south by west and did not reachit before the end of 8 miles on that bearing, when the party campedon a small ana-branch. The true course of the river would thus beabout W. By N. Total distance 23 miles. (Camp VIII. )

'September' 11. --This day's journey was over fine country. Thefirst course was N. W. For about 5 miles, to a large round shallowlagoon, covered with quantities of wild fowl, and thence, followingthe direction of the river into camp about 13 miles, over asuccession of large black soil plains covered with good grasses, mixed herbs, and salt bush. The principal timber being bauhinia, suggested the name of "Bauhinia Plains. " Their width back from theriver extended to an average of six miles, when they were bounded bylow well-grassed iron-bark ridges. The river was broad and sandy, running in two or three channels, and occasionally spreading intolong reaches. Large ana-branches, plentifully watered, left the mainchannel running back from it from 1 to 3 miles. A great many fishingweirs were observed in the channels of the river, from which it wouldappear that the blacks live much, if not principally, on fish. Theywere well and neatly constructed. (Camp IX. )

'September' 12. --Alexander Jardine, having now travelled 180 milesfrom Carpentaria Downs, was convinced that the river he had tracedthis distance could not be the Lynd of Leichhardt. The reasons whichforced this conclusion on him were three:--Firstly, the discriptionof the country in no wise tallied. Secondly, the course of the riverdiffered. And thirdly, although he had travelled further to the westthan Leichhardt's junction of the Lynd and Mitchell, he had not evenbeen on Mitchell waters, the northern watershed he had been on, onthe 10th, being that of a small creek, doubling on itself, andrunning into this river. Having thus set the matter at rest in hisown mind, he determined to re-trace his steps, and accordinglystarted back this morning and camped at night at the shallow lagoon, passed the day previous. On the way they shot several ducks and abustard. These are very numerous on the plains, but wild andunapproachable, as they most frequently are in the north. At eachcamp on his journey Mr. Jardine regularly marked a tree A. J. And thenumber of the Camp. 

'September' 13. --The party travelled back over Bauhinia Plains, andcamped on the river, near camp 8 of the outward journey. At nightthey went fishing, and got a number of fine perch, and a smallspotted fish. Distance 24 miles. 

'September' 14. --To-day the party saw blacks for the first timesince leaving Carpentaria Downs. They "rounded them up, " and had aparley, without hostility on either side, each being on thedefensive, and observing the other. They bore no distinctivecharacter, or apparent difference to the Rockhampton tribes, and werearmed with reed speers and wommerahs. For the first time also theymet with the ripe fruit of the Palinaria, the "Nonda" of Leichhardt. The distance travelled was 27 miles, which brought them to the 7thcamp on the outward journey. 

'September' 15. --Following up the course of the river, the 6th campwas reached in 26 miles, where the feed was so good that Mr. Jardinedetermined to halt for a day and recruit the horses. On the way theyagain passed some natives who were fishing in a large lagoon, butshewed no hostility. They had an opportunity of seeing their mode ofspearing the fish, in which they used a long heavy four-prongedspear, barbed with kangaroo bones. 

'September' 16. --Was spent in fishing and hunting, whilst thehorses luxuriated in the abundant feed. They caught some perch, anda fine cod, not unlike the Murray cod in shape, but darker andwithout scales. At night, there being a fine moonlight, they wentout to try and shoot opossums as an addition to the larder, but wereunsuccessful. They appeared to be very scarce. 

'September' 17. --Resuming their journey, the party travelled 21miles, to a spot about 4 miles below No. 5 camp, on Gaala Creek, andturned out. Here they met with wild lucerne in great abundance, anda great deal of mica and talc was observed in the river. During theday Mr. Jardine shot a bustard, and some fish being again caught inthe evening, there was high feeding in camp at night. The bagging ofa bustard, or plain turkey as it is more commonly called, alwaysmakes a red day for the kitchen. Its meat is tender and juicy, andeither roasted whole, dressed into steaks, or stewed into soup, makesa grateful meal for a hungry traveller. 

'September' 18. --Keeping out some distance from its banks to avoidthe stones and deep gullies, the party followed up the river to thejunction of Parallel Creek: this was traced, keeping along its bedfor the same reason, by which course only they were enabled to avoidthem. These, as before described, were very thickly strewn makingthe journey tedious and severe on the horses, so that only 14 mileswere accomplished, when they camped on a large waterhole five milesabove the junction. The beautiful Burdekin duck ('Tadorna Radjah')was met with, of which Mr. Jardine shot a couple. 

'September' 19. --Still keeping along the bed of Parallel Creek, theparty travelled up its course. This they were constrained to do, inconsequence of the broken and stony banks and country on the eastside, whilst an abrupt wall of basalt prevented them leaving the bedon the west. At 13 miles they camped for a couple of hours in themiddle of the day, on a large creek which received the name ofWarroul Creek, suggested by their finding two large "sugar bags" orbees' nests on it, "Warroul" being the name for bee in the Wirothereeor Wellington dialect. Warroul Creek runs into Parallel Creek fromthe south-east, joining it about half-a-mile below where it leavesthe river, it being as before mentioned an ana-branch of theEinasleih. Leaving Parallel and travelling up Warroul Creek, in 8miles they reached the gap in the range 12 miles below camp No. 2. This afterwards received the name of Simon's Gap, and the range itoccurs in, Jorgensen's Range, after Simon Jorgensen, Esq. , ofGracemere. Two miles, from the gap they struck a large round swampwhich had not been observed on the down journey, the party havingkept close to the river, from which it is distant two miles. Thiswas named "Cawana Swamp" There being good grass there, they camped. Native companions ('Crus Australalasinus') and the more rare jabiru('Myeteria Australis') were very numerous on it. Total distance 23miles. 

'September' 20. --To-day the party made the lagoon mentioned on the4th inst. , a distance of 27 miles, traversing nearly the same groundalready described and camped. They again saw a mob of blacks fishingin the river, who, on seeing them, immediately decamped into theranges on the opposite side and disappeared. The next day, Mr. Macdonald's station, Carpentaria Downs was reached in 17 miles, thelittle party having travelled over nearly 360 miles of ground in 18days. Mr. Jardine found all well at the main camp, but no sign ofhis brother with the cattle; fifteen days passed before his arrival, during which time Alexander Jardine plotted up the courses of hisjourney down the Einasleih, and submitted the plan to Mr. Richardson, without, however, shaking the gentleman's faith as to his position, or that they were on Leichhardt's Lynd, preferring to dispute theaccuracy of the reckoning. It will be seen, however, that theexplorer was right, and the surveyor wrong. It being expedient thatthe party should husband their rations for the journey until thefinal start, Mr. Macdonald kindly supplied them with what wasnecessary for their present wants, thus allowing them to keep their ownstores intact. 

On the 6th of October, Frank Jardine made his appearance with thecattle, a mob of about 250 head of bullocks and cows in goodcondition. The ensuing three days were spent by the brothers inshoeing the horses, a job of no little tedium and difficulty, theybeing the only farriers of the party. There were 42 head to shoe, many of which had never been shod before, and as the thermometerstood at 100 degrees in the shade most of the day, their office wasno sinecure; they had at first some difficulty in getting asufficient heat, but after a little experimenting found a wood ofgreat value in that particular. This was the apple-gum, by usingwhich, they could if necessary get a white heat in the iron. At theend of the third day the last horse was shod, and it only remained toget the stores and gear together, and dispose them on the differentpacks. This was done on the 10th, on the evening of which they wereready for the final start. The party was thus composed: FrankLacelles Jardine, Leader; Alexander Jardine, Archibald J. Richardson, Government Surveyor; C. Scrutton, R. N. Binney, A. Cowderoy, Eulah, Peter, Sambo and Barney, black boys from the districts of Rockhamptonand Wide Bay; 41 picked horses and 1 mule, all in good order andcondition. 

Their provision was calculated to last them 4 months, and wasdistributed together with the tools, amunition, and camp necessarieson 18 packs, averaging at the start about 150 lbs. Each. Itconsisted of 1200 lbs. Flour, 3 cwt. Sugar, 35 lbs. Of tea, 40 lbs. Currants and raisins, 20 lbs. Peas, 20 lbs. Jams, salt, etc. Theblack troopers were armed with the ordinary double-barrelled policecarbine, the whites carrying Terry's breech-loaders, and Tranter'srevolvers. They had very ample occasion to test the value andefficiency of both these arms, which, in the hands of cool men, areinvaluable in conflict. 

The personalities of the party were reduced to a minimum, and whatwas supposed to be absolutely necessary, one pack (the mule's) beingdevoted to odds and ends, or what are termed in bush parlance, 'manavlins'. Three light tents only were carried, more forprotecting the stores than for shelter for the party. 

All were in excellent health, and good spirits, and eager to make a start. 

CHAPTER II. 

Start from Carpentaria Downs--Order of Travel--Canal Creek--Cawana Swamp--Simons' Gap--Cowderoy's Bluff--Barney's Nob--Casualties in Parallel Creek--Basaltic Wall--Singular Fish--Black Carbonado--Improvement in Country--Search for the Lynd--Doubts--First rain--Error of Starting point--Large ant-hills--Ship's iron found--Native nets--Second start in search of Lynd--Return--Byerley Creek--The whole party moves forward--BelleCreek--Maroon Creek--Cockburn Creek--Short Commons--CampBurned--The Powder saved--Maramie Creek--The Staaten--Firsthostility of Natives--Poison--"Marion" abandoned--Conclusion asto River--Heavy rain--First attack of Natives--Horses lost--Barren Country--Detention--Leader attacked by Natives--Black-boy attacked--A "growl"--Mosquitoes and flies--Kites--Cattle missing--Horses found--Leader again attacked--Main partyattacked--Return to the River--Character of Staaten--LagoonCreek--Tea-tree levels--Junction of Maramie Creek--Reach headof tide--Confirmation of opinion. 

'October' 11. --At sunrise the cattle was started with Cowderoy andtwo black-boys, Eulah and Barney, the former acting as pilot. Theirinstructions were to camp at the swamp at the junction of PlutoCreek, seventeen miles from McDonald's station, mentioned on 3rd. September. The pack-horses were not got away until half-past 12, two, "Rasper, " and the mule (as often provokingly happens when mostwanted) being astray, and having to be hunted for. There was alsothe usual amount of "bucking" incident to a start, the unpractisedpack-horses rebelling against the unwonted load and amount of gear, and with a few vigorous plunges sending pack-bags, pots, hobbles, andchains in scattered confusion all round them. Few starts of a largeparty occur without similar mischances, but a day or two, sufficesfor the horses to settle to their work, after which all goessmoothly. The country travelled has been described in the precedingchapter. A hill at five miles on Pluto Creek, received the name ofMount Eulah. On reaching the swamp, the brothers found the cattleparty had not arrived. This was the first of many similar annoyancesduring the journey. It being between 8 and 9 p. M. , it was useless tothink of looking for them at that time of night. They thereforeencamped on the river, intending to return and run the tracks of thecattle in the morning. The distance travelled was about 20 miles. 

'October' 12. --Leaving Binney in charge of the horses, with ordersto feed them about the Lagoon, where there was better grass than atthe river, the brothers started at sunrise in quest of the cattleparty. They met them at about five miles up Pluto Creek, which theywere running down. It appeared that Master Eulah, the pilot, had gotcompletely puzzled, and led the party into the ranges to theeastward, where, after travelling all day, they had been obliged tocamp about half-way from the station, and without water. He was verychop-fallen about his mistake, which involved his character as abushman. The Australian aborigines have not in all cases thatunerring instinct of locality which has been attributed to them, andare, out of their own country, no better, and generally scarcely sogood as an experienced white. The brothers soon found water for themin the creek under Mount Eulah; after which, returning to the camp, itwas too late to continue the journey, particularly as it had beennecessary to send one of "the boys" back for a bag of amunition thathad been lost on the way. This is the work they are most useful in, as few, even of the best bushmen are equal to them in running atrack. The day's stage of the cattle was about 11 miles. 

'October' 13. --The cattle started at a quarter-to-six, in charge ofAlexander Jardine and two black-boys, while Frank and the rest of theparty remained behind to pack and start the horses. This at thecommencement was the usual mode of travelling, the horses generallyovertaking the cattle before mid-day, when all travelled togethertill they camped at night, or preceded them to find and form thecamp. Two incidents occurred on the way: "Postman, " a pack-horse oncrossing a deep narrow creek, fell and turned heels uppermost, wherehe lay kicking helplessly, unable to rise, until the pack was cutclear of him; and "Cerberus, " another horse, not liking thecompanionship of the mule, took occasion in crossing another creek tokick his long-eared mate from the top to the bottom of it, to theintense amusement of the black-boys, who screamed "dere go poorfellow donkit" with great delight. The whole course was about 11miles. The camp on a small dry creek. They procured water in themain channel of the river, on the south side. During the journey atevery camp where there was timber, Mr. Jardine cut (or caused to becut) its number with a chisel into the wood of a tree, in Romannumerals, and his initials generally in a shield. 

'October' 14. --The distance travelled to-day was only 11 miles, butdescribed by Mr. Jardine, as equal to 20 of fair travelling ground. The course lay over very stony quartz and granite ridges, which couldnot be avoided, as they ran into the river, whilst the bed of thestream would have been as difficult, being constantly crossed byrocky bars, and filled by immense boulders. The grass was veryscarce, the blacks having burnt it all along the river. There werepatches where it never grows at all, presenting the appearance of anearthern floor. They encamped at the junction of Canal Creek, underthe shade of some magnificent Leichhardt trees ('NaucleaLeichhardtii') that grow there, without other water than what theydug for in the sandy bed, and reached at a depth of two feet. On theopposite side and about a mile from the junction there is a swamp, splendidly grassed, which looked like a green barley field, but thewater was too salt for the horses to drink, an unusual thing ingranite country. The timber of the ridges was cheifly stunted hollowiron-bark, that of the river, bloodwood, and the apple-gum, describedas so good for forging purposes; there was a total absence of thosetall well-grown gums, by which the course of a stream may usually betraced from a distance. So little was the river defined by thetimber that it could not be distinguished at a half-a-mile away. 

'October' 15. --The party moved to-day as far as the swamp mentionedon the 19th September. It received the name of "Cawana Swamp, " andis described as the best and prettiest camping place they had yetseen. It is surrounded by the high stoney range called Jorgensen'sRange on two sides, north and east, whilst on the south and east itis hemmed in by a stretch of cellular basalt, which makes it almostunapproachable. The only easy approach is by the river from thewestward. It is six miles round, and so shallow that the cattle fednearly a mile towards the middle. The party travelled out of thedirect course to avoid the stones, keeping the narrow flats occuringbetween the river and ridges, which averaged about 200 yards inwidth; when intercepted by the ridges running into the river, theyfollowed down its bed which is more clearly defined by oak('Casuarinae') and Leichhardt trees than up the stream. The improvedtravelling allowed them to make the stage of 9 miles in less thanfour hours, and turn out early. Several large flocks of galaas('Cacatua Rosea, ') were seen, and Alexander Jardine shot a wallaby. Before starting, Barney, one of the black-boys had to be corrected bythe Leader for misconduct, which had the effect of restoringdiscipline. On reaching Cawana Swamp, the fires of the natives werefound quite fresh, from which it would seem that they had decamped onthe approach of the party, leaving plenty of birrum-burrongs, orbee-eaters ('Merops Ornatus, Gould') behind them. An observationtaken at night gave the latitude 18 degrees 1 minute 59 seconds, which gave about 41 miles of Northing. 

'October' 16. --The cattle were started away at a quarter-to-fouro'clock, this morning, and found an excellent passage throughJorgensen's Range, by "Simon's Gap. " The track from this point tothe junction of Warroul and Parallel Creeks with the river (where thecamp was pitched) was very winding, from having to avoid the basalt, which was laming some of the cattle, besides wrenching off the headsof the horse-shoe nails: it could not be altogether avoided, andmade it past noon before the cattle reached the camp. A nativecompanion, a rock wallaby, and a young red kangaroo were the resultof the hunting in the afternoon, which saved the necessity of havingto kill a beast: this would have been specially inconvenient, if notimpossible here, for the natives had burnt all the grass, and therewas not a bite of feed for either horses or cattle, had they halted. About 50 blacks, all men, followed the tracks of the party fromCawana Swamp: they were painted, and fully armed, which indicated adisposition for a "brush" with the white intruders; on being turnedupon, however, they thought better of it, and ran away. The camp wasformed under a red stony bluff, which received the name of"Cowderoy's Bluff, " after one of the party; whilst a large round hillbearing E. N. E. From the camp was called "Barney's Nob. " In theafternoon Mr. Binney and Eulah were sent to the river to fish, but asthey ate all the caught, there was no gain to the party. For thistheir lines were taken from them by Mr. Jardine, and they got a"talking to, " the necessity for which was little creditable to thewhite man. The thermometer at 5 a. M. Stood at 80 degrees. The day'sstage about 10 miles N. N. W. Some banksias, currijong, andstringy-bark were noticed to-day, the latter is not a common timberin the northern districts. 

'October' 17. --All the horses were away this morning: as mighthave been expected, the poor hungry creatures had strayed backtowards the good feed on Cawana Swamp, and were found 5 miles fromthe camp. The day's stage was the worst they had yet had. Thecountry down Parallel Creek has already been described, and it tooksix of the party five hours to get the cattle over three-and-a-halfmiles of ground: the bed of the creek, by which alone they couldtravel was intersected every 300 or 400 yards by bars formed ofgranite boulders, some of which were from 25 to 30 feet high, andtheir interstices more like a quarry than anything else; over thesethe cattle had to be driven in two and sometimes three lots, and wereonly travelled 8 miles with great difficulty. There were severalcasualties; "Lucifer, " one of the best of the horses cut his foot sobadly, as to make it uncertain whether he could be fetched on; andtwo unfortunate cows fell off the rocks, and were smashed to pieces. The cows were beginning to calve very fast, and when the calves wereunable to travel, they had to be destroyed, which made the mothersstray from the camp to where they had missed them; one went back inthis manner the previous night, but it was out of the question toride thirty miles after her over the stones they had traversed. Thecamp was made in the bed of Parallel Creek, at a spot where there wasa little grass, the whole stage having been almost without any. Herethe basaltic wall was over 80 feet in height, hemming them in fromthe west; on some parts during the day it closed in on both sides. An observation at night made the latitude 17 degrees 51 minutes. Acurious fishwas caught to-day--it had the appearance of a cod, whose head and tail had been drawn out, leaving the body round. (Camp VIII. )

'October', 18. --Another severe stage, still down the bed ofParallel Creek, from which indeed there was no issue. Frank Jardinedescribes it as a "pass or gorge, through the range which abuts oneach side through perpendicular cliffs, filling it up with greatblocks of stone, " and adding that "a few more days of similar countrywould bring their horses to a standstill. " Their backs and the feetof the cattle were in a woeful plight from its effects: one horsewas lost, and a bull and several head of cattle completely knockedup. Bad as yesterday's journey was, this day's beat it; they managedto travel ten miles over the most villanous country imaginable, withscarcely a vestage of grass, when the camp was again pitched in thebed of the creek. A large number of natives were seen to-day--onemob was disturbed at a waterhole, where they were cooking fish, whichthey left in their alarm, together with their arms. The spears werethe first that had been observed made of reed, and a stone tomahawkwas seen, as large as the largest-sized American axe. These blackswere puny wretched-looking creatures, and very thin. They had agreat number of wild dogs with them--over thirty being counted bythe party. 10 miles, N. W. By W. 1/2 W. (Camp IX. )

'October' 19. --The confluence of Parallel Creek with the Einasleihwas reached in four miles, after which the country on the riverslightly improved; the camp was pitched four miles further on, on ariver flat, within sight of a large scrub, on the east side. Four ofthe cattle that had been knocked up yesterday were sent for beforestarting, and fetched--the cattle counted and found correct. Theriver at the camp was about 700 yards wide, with fine waterholes init, containing plenty of fish. A strange discovery was made to-day. At a native fire the fresh remains of a negro were found 'roasted', the head and thigh bones were alone complete, all the rest of thebody and limbs had been broken up, the skull was full of blood. Whether this was the body of an enemy cooked for food, or of a frienddisposed of after the manner of their last rites, must remain amystery, until the country and its denizens become better known. Some spears were found pointed with sharp pieces of flint, fastenedon with kangaroo sinews, and the gum of the Xanthorea, or grass-tree. (Camp X. )

'October' 20. --The last of the stony ground was travelled overto-day, and the foot-sore cattle were able to luxuriate in the softsandy ground of the river flats. At about 6 miles Galaa Creek wascrossed at Alexander Jardine's marked tree (V in a square), and theRocky Island at its junction, before mentioned, were seen. At thispoint the ranges come into the river on each side. The camp waspitched at about five miles further on, at a fine waterhole, wherethere was good grass--a welcome change for cattle and horses. Itwas not reached, however, till about 9 o'clock. The river affordedthe party some fine fish--cod, perch, and peel, and a lobsterweighing more than half-a-pound. Its channels were very numerous, making altogether nearly a mile in width. Scrub was in sight duringthe whole of the stage, the crests of the broken ridges being coveredwith garrawon. (Camp XI. )

'October' 21. --Mr. Jardine describes to-day's stage as the best thecattle had experienced since taking delivery of them 230 miles back;the river banks along which they travelled were flat and soft, lightly timbered with box, poplar-gum and bloodwood. From a lowtable-topped range, which they occasionally sighted on the right, spurs of sandstone ran into the river at intervals, but were noobstruction. A cow had to be abandoned knocked up. A couple ofblacks were surprised in the river spearing fish; they set up a howl, and took to the river. In the evening the whole of the party wentfishing for the pot, there being no meat left. (Camp XII. ) Distance11 miles. The weather to-day was cloudy for the first time, shewingappearance of rain. 

'October' 22. --The river was travelled down for 10 miles, throughsimilar and better country than that of yesterday's stage, and thecamp established on a deep narrow well-watered creek, three-quarters-of-a-mile from its junction with the river. Here theLeader determined to halt for a few days to recruit the strength ofthe horses and cattle, the feed being good; many of the cattle werelame, two of the hacks were knocked up, and several of thepack-horses had very sore backs, so that a "spell" was a necessity. They were now 120 miles from Macdonald's station, having averaged tenmiles a-day since the start

'October' 23. --The camp was established at this point (Camp XIII. )pending a reconnaissance by the Leader and his brother to find theLynd of Leichhardt, and determine the best line of road for thestock. A couple of calves were killed, cut up, and jerked, whilstsome of the party employed themselves in the repairs to the saddlery, bags, etc. , and Alexander Jardine took a look at the country backfrom the river. Mr. Richardson plotted up his course, when it wasfound that it differed from that of the brothers by only one mile inlatitude, and two in longitude; he also furnished the Leader with hisposition on the chart, telling him that the Lynd must be about tenmiles N. E. Of them, their latitude being 17 degrees 34 minutes 32seconds S. *

[footnote] *In Mr. Richardson's journal he mentions the distances as18 to 20. He also explains that he had two maps, in which adifference of 30 miles in longitude existed in the position of theirstarting point. Not having a Chronometer to ascertain his longitudefor himself, he adopted that assigned by the tracing furnished fromthe Surveyor-General's Office. 

'October' 24. --The brothers started this morning, taking with themEulah, as the most reliable of the black-boys; they were provisionedfor five days. The cattle were left in charge of Mr. Scrutton: thefeed being good and water plentiful, the halt served the doublepurpose of recruiting their strength, and allowing the Leader tochoose the best road for them. Steering N. E. By E. At a mile, theypassed through a gap in the low range of table-topped hills of redand white sandstone which had been skirted on the way down: throughthis gap a small creek runs into the river, which they ran up, N. N. E. , 3 miles further, on to a small shallow creek, with a littlewater in it. Travelling over lightly-timbered sandy ridges, barrenand scrubby, but without stone, at 9 or 10 miles they crossed thehead of a sandy creek, rising in a spring, about 60 yards wide, having about 5 or 6 inches of water in it. The creek runs throughmimosa and garrawon scrub for 5 miles, and the spring occurs on theside of a scrubby ridge, running into the creek from the west. At 18miles they struck an ana-branch having some fine lagoons in it, andhalf-a-mile further on a river 100 yards wide, waterless, and thechannels filled up with melaleuca and grevillea; this, though notanswering to Leichhardt's description, they supposed to be anana-branch of the Lynd; its course was north-west. They followed itsleft bank down for three miles, then crossing it, they bore N. N. E. For four miles, through level and sometimes flooded country, whentheir course was arrested by a line of high ridges, dispelling theidea that they were on the Lynd waters. Turning west they nowtravelled back to the river, and crossing it, camped on one of thesame chain of lagoons which they first struck in the morning, and inwhich they were able to catch some fish for supper. The distancetravelled was 28 miles. 

'October' 25. --It was impossible to believe that the stream theywere now camped on was the Lynd. Leichhardt's description at thepoint where they had supposed that they should strike it, made itstony and timbered with iron-bark and box. Now, since leaving theEinasleih they had not seen a single box or iron-bark tree, or astone. Frank Jardine therefore determined to push out to thenorth-east, and again seek this seemingly apocryphal stream. After travellingfor eight miles through sandy ridges, scrubby and timbered withblood-wood, messmate, and melaleuca (upright-leaved) they struck asandy creek, bearing north; this they followed for five miles, whenit turned due west, as if a tributary of the stream they had left inthe morning. Having seen no water since then, it was out of thequestion to attempt bringing the cattle across at this point. It wasdetermined therefore that they should return and mark a line from theEinasleih to the lagoons they had camped on last night, along whichcattle could travel slowly, whilst the brothers again went forward tolook for a better road from that point, and ascertain definitelywhether they were on the Lynd or not. Turning west they travelled 28miles to the creek they had left in the morning, striking it morethan 40 miles below their camp, when, to their surprise it was foundrunning nearly due south and still dry. Here they camped and caughtsome fish and maramies (cray-fish) by puddling a hole in the creek, which, with three pigeons they shot, made a good supper. At night aheavy thunder-storm broke over them, which lasted from 9 till 12. Frank Jardine here states himself to have been exceedingly puzzledbetween Leichhardt and Mr. Richardson; one or the other of these hefelt must be wrong. Leichhardt describes the stream in that latitude(page 283 Journal) as stony, and with conical hills of porphyry nearthe river banks, "Bergues" running into it on each side. They hadnot seen a rise even, in any direction for miles, whilst the creekpresented only occasional rocks of flat water-worn sandstone, and thescrew-palm 'Pandanus Spiralis' occurred in all the water-courses, atree that from its peculiarity would scarcely have been unnoticed orundescribed. As it was quite unlikely that he should havemisrepresented the country, the natural presumption was, that Mr. Richardson must have been in error as to their true position; thiswas in reality the case, the error in his assumed longitude atstarting causing his reckoning to overlap the Lynd altogether. Thisis easily seen and explained now, but was at that time a source ofgreat uncertainty and anxiety to the explorers. 

'October' 26. --Crossing over to the west bank of the river, thebrothers followed it up the whole day along its windings, the generalcourse being from South-east to East for above 36 miles. They sawnone of the porphyry cliffs described by Leichhardt, or stone of anykind. The country traversed, consisted of scrubby flats, and lowsandy ridges, timbered with bloodwood, messmate, mimosa, melaleuca, grevillea, and two or three species of the sterculia or curriijong, then in full blossom. Thick patches of a kind of tree, muchresembling brigalow in its appearance and grain, were seen on theriver banks; but the box, apple-gum, and iron-bark, mentioned byLeichhardt as growing in this latitude were altogether wanting. Large ant-hills, as much as 15 feet in height, which were frequent, gave a remarkable appearance to the country. During their stage theparty came on to a black's camp, where they found some matters ofinterest. The natives, who were puddling a waterhole for fish, had, as was most frequent, decamped at their appearance, leaving themleisure to examine some very neatly made reed spears, tippedvariously with jagged hardwood, flint, fish-bones, and iron; piecesof ship's iron were also found, and a piece of saddle girth, whichcaused some speculation as to how or where it had been obtained, andproving that they must at some time have been on the tracks of whitemen. Their nets excited some admiration, being differently worked toany yet seen, and very handsome; a sort of chain without knots. Thecamp was made on an ana-branch of the river, were the travellerscaught a couple of cod-fish. Their expertness as fishermen was agreat stand-by, for they had started without any ration of meat. They experienced some heavy wind and a thunderstorm at night. 

'October' 27. --Still travelling up the river, the party in about 9miles reached the lagoons where they were first struck, and turnedout for a couple of hours. There was good feed round them, in whichthe horses solaced themselves, whilst their riders caught some fishand shot some pigeons for dinner, after which they commenced blazingthe line for the cattle. They reached the main camp at 9 o'clock atnight, having in eight hours marked a line through the best of thesandy tea-tree ridges, between 18 and 20 miles in length; nodespicable work for three tomahawks. Mr. Jardine communicated theresult of his trip to Mr. Richardson, but that gentleman could orwould not acquiesce in the opinion arrived at by the brothers, despite the very conclusive arguments with which it was supported. This opposition occasioned a feeling of want of confidence, whichcaused them to cease consulting Mr. Richardson on their course, leaving him merely to carry out the duty of his appointment. 

'October' 28. --The following day was spent in camp, preparatory toa fresh start ahead of the cattle, which, it was decided should leavethis camp on the 31st. Some of them could scarcely move, but theirnumber were found correct on counting. 

'October' 29. --Again taking old Eulah with them, the brothersstarted on another quest for the Lynd, which, like the mirage of thedesert, seemed to recede from them as they approached; setting outlate in the day, they camped at night once more on the lagoon, at theend of their marked-tree line, a distance of about 18 miles. Theytook with them four days' rations of flour, tea, and sugar, trustingto their guns and fishing lines for their supply of meat. 

'October' 30. --Starting at half-past 6 in the morning the littleparty steered N. By W. About 36 miles. At about three-quartersof-a-mile from the river they passed a fine lagoon, and at four milesfurther on a rocky creek running west with some water in it. Theirway lay over soft, barren, sandy ridges, timbered with tea-tree. Eight miles more brought them to a creek where water could beobtained by digging, and at 24 miles further they camped on a largewell-watered creek, running N. W. ; the whole of the distance was overthe same soft, barren, monotonous country. On their way they killedan iguana ('Monitor Gouldii'), which made them a good supper, andbreakfast next morning. The cattle party at No. 13 Camp were leftwith instructions to follow slowly along the marked-tree line, tocamp at the lagoon, and there await the return of the advance party. 

'October' 31. --An early start was made this morning at a quarterafter 6, and 20 or 22 miles were accomplished on the same bearing asthat of yesterday, N. By W. , over the same heavy barren stringy-barkcountry. Three small creeks were crossed, but not a hill or rise wasto be seen, or any indication of a river to the northward. At thispoint the heavy travelling beginning to tell on their jaded horses, the Leader determined on abandoning the idea of bringing the cattleby the line they had traversed, and turning south and by west madefor the river they had left in the morning, intending to ascertain ifit would be the better route for the cattle, and if not, to let themtravel down the supposed Lynd (which now received the name ofByerley Creek), on which they were to rendezvous. After travelling16 miles further on the new bearing, they camped without water, beingunable to reach the large creek they had camped on the previousnight. The country along the last course was of the samedescription, low, sandy, string-bark, and tea-tree ridges, without avestige of water; total distance 38 miles. 

'November' 1. --Making another early start, and steering S. W. By S. , the party reached the creek in four miles, and getting a copiousdrink for themselves and their thirsty horses, breakfasted off some"opossums and rubbish" they got out of a black's camp. The streamwas 100 yards wide, and well-watered, a great relief after their aridjourney of yesterday: large rocks of sandstone occurred inits bed indifferent places. Crossing it, they followed down its left bank for8 miles, its trend being N. W. , then turning their back on it, theysteered due south to strike Byerley Creek. Sixteen miles of wearytravelling over wretched barren country brought them to a small sandycreek, on which they camped, procuring water for their horses bydigging in its bed. Here they made a supper of the lightest, theirrations being exhausted, and "turned in" somewhat disgusted with thegloomy prospect for the progress of the cattle. They again met withthe nonda of Leichhardt, and ate of its ripe fruit, which is bestwhen found dry under the trees. Its taste is described as like thatof a boiled mealy potatoe. 

'November' 2. --Continuing on the same course, due south for 18miles, over the same useless country, the party reached ByerleyCreek, striking it at a point 32 miles below the Rendezvous Camp, then turning up its course they followed it for 16 miles, to theirhunting camp of the 26th October. Here they camped and made whatthey deemed a splendid supper off an oppossum, an iguana, and fourcod-fish, the result of their day's sport. Total distance travelled28 miles. 

'November' 3. --Following up the creek for 16 miles, the partyreached the main camp on the lagoons early in the day. Here theyfound all right, with the exception that most of the party weresuffering from different stages of sandy-blight, or ophthalmia. Acalf was killed, and the hungry vanguard were solaced with a goodfeed of veal. Byerley Creek having been found utterly destitute ofgrass, badly watered, and moreover trending ultimately to the S. OfW. , the Leader determined to take the cattle on to the next, whichwas well watered, having some feed on it, and being on the rightcourse. There were, however, two long stages without water; but itwas, on the whole, the best and almost only course open to him. Thecattle had made this camp in two stages from the Einasleih. It was, consequently, No. LI. The latitude was found to be 17 degrees 23minutes 24 seconds: a tree was marked with these numbers, inaddition to the usual initial and numbers. The Thermometer atdaylight marked 90 degrees, and at noon 103 degrees, in the 'shade!'

'November' 4. --A late start was made to-day, a number of the horseshaving strayed, and not having been got in. The Brothers went ahead, and marked a line for five miles out to the creek mentioned on the30th October: it contained sufficient water for the horses andcattle, and was the best watercourse they would get until theyreached the next river, a distance of 30 miles. It received the nameof "Belle Creek, " in remembrance of "Belle, " one of their besthorses, who died at this camp, apparantly from a snake bite, thesymptoms being the same as in the case of "Dora, " but the timeshorter. Belle Creek is rocky and tolerably well watered, andremarkable for the number of nonda trees on it. Whilst waiting forthe cattle the Brothers caught some fish and a fine lot of maramies. 

'November' 5. --This day appears to have been one of disasters. Itopened with the intelligence that sixteen of the horses were missing. Leaving one party to seek and bring on the stray horses, the Brothersstarted the cattle forward: they left instructions at the camp forthe horses to start, if recovered before 3 o'clock; if not, to bewatched all night, and brought on the next day. They then started, and preceding the cattle, marked a line for 15 miles to "MaroonCreek. " Here they camped without water, waiting with some anxietyfor the arrival of the pack-horses. Hour after hour passed but noneappeared, and as night closed in, the Brothers were forced to theconclusion that something must have gone wrong at the camp. Theycould not however turn back, as they had to mark the next day's stagefor the cattle to water, there being none for them to-night, and onlya little for the party, obtained by digging, however, they wererelieved by the appearance of a blackboy with rations, who reportedthat some of the horses had not been found when he left the camp. The night was spent in watching the thirsty cattle. 

'November' 6. --The cattle were started at dawn and driven on to thewatered creek, where they got feed and water at some fine waterholes, it received the name of "Cockburn Creek;" the Brothers as usualpreceded them and marked a line further ahead. Arrived there, theyspent the rest of the day in fishing whilst uneasily waiting thearrival of the pack-horses. They luckily caught some fish forsupper, for night fell without the appearance of the remainder of theparty, and they had nothing to eat since the preceding night. Thecountry has already been described. 

'November' 7. --To-day was spent in camp by the party whilstanxiously awaiting the arrival of the pack-horses, but night fellwithout their making their appearance. They had nothing to eat, andas there was no game to be got, they decided on killing a calf, butin this they were disappointed, as the little animal eluded them, andbolted into the scrub. They therefore had to go "opossuming, " andsucceeding in catching three, which, with a few small fish, formedtheir supper. 

'November' 8. --At daylight this morning, Alexander Jardinesucceeded in "potting" the calf that had eluded them yesterday, whichgave the party a satisfactory meal. Another anxious day was passedwithout the arrival of the pack-horses, and the Leader had theannoyance of finding on counting the cattle, that between twenty orthirty were missing. Being now seriously anxious about thepack-horses, he determined if they did not arrive that night, todespatch his brother to look after them. 

'November' 9. --The horses not having arrived, Alexander Jardinestarted to see what had happened: he met the party with them halfway, and learned some heavy news. In the afternoon of the 5th (theday on which the Brothers started with the cattle), the grass aroundthe camp had, by some culpable carelessness, been allowed to catchfire, by which half their food and nearly all their equipment wereburnt. The negligence was the more inexcusable, as before starting, Alexander Jardine had pulled up the long grass around the tents atthe camp, which should have put them on their guard against such acontingency, one for which even less experienced bushmen are supposedto be watchful during the dry season. The consequences were mostdisastrous: resulting in the destruction of 6 bags of flour, or 70lbs. Each, or 420 lbs. , all the tea save 10 lbs. , the mule's pack, carrying about 100 lbs. Of rice and jam, apples, and currants, 5 lbs. Gun-powder, 12 lbs. Of shot, the amunition box, containing cartridgesand caps, two tents, one packsaddle, twenty-two pack-bags, 14surcingles, 12 leather girths, 6 breechings, about 30 ringpack-straps, 2 bridles, 2 pairs blankets, 2 pairs of boots, nearlyall the black boys' clothes, many of the brothers', and 2 bagscontaining nicknacks, awls, needles, twine, etc. , for repairs. Itwas providential the whole was not burnt, and but for the exertionsof Mr. Scrutton, all the powder would have gone. He is described ashaving snatched some of the canisters from the fire with the soldermelting on the outside. They had succeeded in rescuing the littlethat was saved by carrying it to a large ant-hill to, windward. Their exertions were no doubt great and praise-worthy, but a littlecommon prudence would have saved their necessity, and a heavy andirreparable loss to the whole party, one which might have jeopardizedthe safety of the expedition. Besides this, they had a lessimportant but still serious loss; "Maroon, " a valuable grey sirehorse, that Mr. Jardine hoped to take to the new settlement, diedfrom the effects of poison, or of a snake bite, but more probably theformer. The pack-horses joined the cattle in the evening. Stock wastaken of the articles destroyed, and the best disposition made ofwhat remained. The latitude of this camp (XVIII. ) was 16 degrees 55minutes 6 seconds. 

'November' 10. --Leaving instructions with the cattle party tofollow down Cockburn Creek, and halt at the spots marked for them, the Brothers, accompanied by Eulah, started ahead, to mark the campsand examine the country. By this means no time was lost. The firstthree camps were marked at about seven-mile intervals; and at about25 miles, opposite two small lagoons on the west bank, the Leadermarked trees STOP (in heart), on either side the creek, leavingdirections for the party to halt till he returned, and a mile furtherdown camped for the night. The banks of the creek were scrubby andpoorly grassed, the country sandy, and thickly timbered withtea-tree, stringy-bark, and bloodwood, and a few patches ofsilver-leaved iron-bark, the nondas being very plentiful along itscourse. Large flocks of cockatoo parrots ('Nymphicus Nov. Holl. ')and galaas were seen during the day. 

'November' 11. --Still continuing down the creek the party made ashort stage of 13 miles, one of their horses having become too sickto travel. The early halt gave them an opportunity to go hunting, the more necessary as they were again out of meat. The result was aniguana, a bandicoot, three opossums, and some "sugar bags" or wildhoney nests. 

'November' 12. --Crossing Cockburn Creek the Brothers bore awayN. N. W. For 9 or 10 miles, over sandy bloodwood ridges, intersectedwith broad tea-tree gullies, to two sandy water courses half-a-mileapart, the first 100 and the second 50 yards in width, running west. These they supposed to be heads of the Mitchell. Crossing them andcontinuing N. By W. , they traversed over barren tea-tree levels(showing flood marks from three to four feet high), without a bladeof grass, for about 16 miles, when they reached the extreme head of asmall rocky creek, where they camped at a waterhole, and caught agreat number of maramies, which suggested the name of "MaramieCreek. " It was quite evident that the cattle could not follow bythis route, as there was nothing for them to eat for nearly the wholedistance. The stage travelled was 26 1/2 miles. 

'November' 13. --Maramie Creek was followed down for 25 miles: itsgeneral course is west. At three miles from the start a small creekruns in from the north-east. The Brothers had hoped that thecharacter of the country would improve as they went down, but weredisappointed. Nothing but the same waste of tea-tree and spinifexcould be seen on either side, the bank of the main creek aloneproducing bloodwood, stringy-bark, acacia, and nonda. Though shallowit was well watered, and increased rapidly in size as they proceeded. The natives had poisoned all the fish in the different waterholeswith the bark of a small green acacia that grew along the banks, butthe party succeeded in getting a few muscles and maramies. 

'November' 14. --Being satisfied that the cattle could not bebrought on by the course they had traversed, Frank Jardine determinedto leave Maramie Creek, and make for the large stream crossed on the12th, so as to strike it below the junction of Cockburn Creek. Turning due south the party passed a swamp at eight miles, and atseventeen miles a lagoon, on which were blue lilies ('Nymphoeagigantea. ') A mile farther on they reached what they supposed to bethe Mitchell, which was afterwards ascertained to be the Staaten, ofthe Dutch navigators, or one of its heads. At the point where theystruck it (about 18 miles below the junction of Cockburn Creek, it isnearly a quarter-of-a-mile in width, sandy, with long waterholes. Adense black tea-tree scrub occupies its south bank. It was here thatthe party experienced the first decided show of hostility from thenatives. They had seen and passed a number at the lily lagoonunmolested, but when arrived at the river whilst the leader wasdismounted in its bed, fixing the girths of his saddle, he wassurprised to find himself within 30 yards of a party carrying largebundles of reed spears, who had come upon him unperceived. Theytalked and gesticulated a great deal but made no overt hostility, contenting themselves with following the party for about three milesthroughscrub, as they proceeded along the river. Getting tired ofthis noisy pursuit, which might at any moment end in a shower ofspears, the Brothers turned on reaching a patch of open ground, determined that some of their pursuers should not pass it. Thismovement caused them to pause and seeming to think better of theiroriginal intention they ceased to annoy or follow the little party, which pursued its way for five miles further, when they camped in thebed of the stream. Its character for the 8 miles they had followedit up was scrubby and sandy: its course nearly west--long gulliesjoined it from each side walled with sandstone. They caught twoturtles for supper. Total distance travelled 26 miles. 

'November 15. --Making an early start, the party followed up theStaaten for eight miles, the general course being about N. E. Here itwas jointed by Cockburn creek, which they ran up until they reachedthe cattle party encamped at the lagoons, where the Leader had markedtrees STOP. They had reached this place on the 13th inst. , withoutfurther accident or disaster, and seeing the trees, camped asinstructed. It was nearly 30 miles from the junction of the Staaten, the country scrubby, thickly timbered, and very broken. Totaldistance 38 miles. 

'November' 16. --The whole party was moved down Cockburn Creek, thatbeing the only practicable route. It was the alternative of poorgrass or no grass. The trend of the creek was about N. W. By W. Attwelve miles they encamped on its bed. A red steer and a cow wereleft behind poisoned; and another horse, "Marion" was sufferingseverely from the same cause. They were unable to detect the plantwhich was doing so much mischief, which must be somewhat plentiful inthis part of the country. Leichhardt mentions (page 293) the loss ofMurphy's pony on the Lynd, which was found on the sands, "with itsbody blown up, and bleeding from the nostrils. " Similar symptomsshowed themselves in the case of the horses of this expedition, proving pretty clearly that the deaths were caused by some noxiousplant. (Camp XXIII. )

'November' 17. --The course was continued down Cockburn Creek. Atsix miles a large stream runs in from the S. E. Which was supposed tobe Byerley Creek. This however is only an assumption, and not veryprobable, as it will be remembered that when the brothers struck iton the 1st November, 40 miles below camp 15, they were surprised tofind it trending toward the south. It is not improbable that it mayrun into the sea between the Staaten and Gilbert. This problem canonly be solved when the country gets more occupied, or some explorertraces the Staaten in its whole length. Below this junction CockburnCreek is from 200 to 300 yards wide, running in many channels, butunder the surface. The country is flat and poorly grassed, a lowsandy ridge occasionally running into the creek. The timber isbloodwood, string-bark, tea-tree, nonda, and acacia. The partycamped 5 miles further down; poor "Marion" being now past all hope ofrecovery had to be abandoned. Three cows that calved at camp 22 weresent for and brought up. They were kept safely all night, but duringthe morning watch, were allowed to escape by Barney. At this camp(XXIV. ) Scrutton was bitten in two or three places by a scorpion, without however any very severe effects. 

'November' 18. --Cockburn Creek, now an important stream wasfollowed down for four miles, when it formed a junction with theStaaten. The width of the main stream is about 400 yards, in manychannels sandy and dry. It now runs generally west and very winding. The country and timber were much as before described, with theexception that a mile back from the river, (a chain of lagoons)generally occurs, some of them being large and deep and covered withlilies. Beyond, a waste of sandy tea-tree levels, thickly coveredwith triodia or spinifex, and other desert grasses. The green treeant was very numerous, particularly in the nonda trees, where theyform their nests. The birds were also very numerous, large flocks ofblack cockatoos, cockatoo parrots, galaas, budgerygars or grassparrots ('Melopsittacus Undulatus, Gould'), and some grey quail werefrequently seen, and on one of the lagoons a solitary snipe wasfound. Another cow was abandoned to-day. The total day's stage was8 miles. The party camped in the sandy bed of the river. A littlerain was experienced at night. (Camp XXV. ) Latitude 16 degrees 32minutes 14 seconds. 

'November' 19. --The party followed down parallel with the Staaten, so as to avoid the scrub and broken sandstone gullies on the banks. They travelled for 11 miles, and camped on one of the lagoons abovementioned. Their course was somewhat to the south of west, so thatthey were no nearer to their destination--an annoying reflection. In the afternoon some of the party went over to the river to fish. At this spot it had narrowed to a width of 100 yards, was clear offallen trees and snags, the water occupying the whole width, but only5 feet deep. Up to this time, Frank Jardine had supposed the streamthey were on to be the Mitchell, but finding its course so littleagreeing with Leichhardt's description of it, below the junction ofthe Lynd, which is there said to run N. W. , he was inclined to theconclusion that they had not yet reached that river. Mr. Richardson, on the contrary, remained firm in his opinion that Byerley Creek wasthe river Lynd, and consequently, that this stream was the Mitchell, nor was it till they reached the head of the tide that he was fullyconvinced of his error. (See his journal November 18, and December2. )

'November' 20. --To-day the Leader went forward and chose a goodcamp, 12 miles on, at some fine lagoons. The cattle followed, keeping, as usual, back from the river, the interval to which was allscrubby flooded ground, thickly covered with brush and underwood. They were however unable to reach the camp that night, for whenwithin three miles of it a heavy deluge of rain compelled them tohalt, and pitch the tents to protect the rations, all the oilskincoverings that had been provided for the packs having been destroyedin the bonfire, on Guy-Faux Day, at camp No. 16. They could hardlyhave been caught in a worse place, being on the side of a scrubbyridge, close to one of the ana-branches of the river. It would seemthat the natives calculated on taking them at a disadvantage, forthey chose this spot for an attack, being the first instance in whichthey attempted open hostility. Whilst the Brothers were busilyengaged in cutting out a "sugar bag, " a little before sundown, theyheard an alarm in the camp, and a cry of "here come the niggers. "Leaving their 'sweet' occupation, they re-joined the party, in frontof which about 20 blacks were corroboreeing, probably to screw uptheir courage. They had craft enough to keep the sun, which was nowlow, at their backs, and taking advantage of this position sent in ashower of spears, without any of the party--not even the black-boys--being aware of it, until they saw them sticking in the groundabout them. No one was hit, but several had very narrow shaves. Thecompliment was returned, and as Alexander Jardine describes "'exeunt'warriors, " who did not again molest them, although they were heardall around the camp throughout the night. (Camp XXVII. ) Course W. Distance 9 miles. A heavy thunderstorm in the evening. 

'November' 21. --The cattle were started as usual, but as ill-luckwould have it, 13 of the horses were not to be found. After waitingfor them till four o'clock, all the packs and riding-saddles werepacked on the remaining horses, and the party drove them on footbefore them to the camp, at the lagoons, three miles on. It was darkbefore they got there, and well into the second watch before thetents were pitched, and everything put straight. The countrycontinued the same as before described, a barren waste of tea-treelevels to the north, obliging them to keep along the river, althoughat right angles to their proper course. (Camp XXVIII. ) Distance 3miles W. 

'November 22. --The troubles and adventures of the party seemed tothicken at this point, where the cattle were detained, whilst themissing horses were being sought for. Old Eulah had come in late thepreceding night empty-handed, he had seen their tracks, but nightcoming on he was unable to follow them. He was started away thismorning in company with Peter to pick up and run the trail. At twoo'clock he returned with two, and reported that Peter was on thetrail of the others. They had evidently been disturbed by theirfriends the natives, for their tracks were split up, and thosebrought on had their hobbles broken. At dusk Peter brought homethree more, without being able to say where the others had got to. During this time, Frank Jardine had a little adventure to himself;wishing to find a better run for the cattle, he started about noon, and rode down the river for about six miles. There was no choice, the country was all of the same description, so he turned back indisgust, when, in crossing the head of a sandstone gully, he heard ayell, and looked round just in time to see a half a dozen spears comeat him, and about a dozen natives around and painted, jumping aboutin great excitement. Going forward a little, he got time to clearthe lock of his rifle, from the oil rag which usually protected it. He turned on his assailants, and sent a bullet amongst them; it hit atree instead of a blackfellow, but as they still menaced him, hisnext shot was more successful, when seeing one of their number fall, the rest decamped. It was now their turn to run, but before theycould cross the bed of the river, which was dry, clear, and about 300yards wide, he was able to get two good shots at short range. Theydid not trouble him again that afternoon. They dropped all theirspears in the "stampede, " some of which, reed and jagged, were takenhome as trophies. They used no "wommerahs. " Peter came in to campat dark, with 3 horses, having no idea where the others had got to;there were 8 still away. 

'November' 23. --Sambo, the best tracker among the black-boys, wasdespatched at sunrise, with Peter, to look for the missing horses. He returned at sundown with the mule, which he had found on theopposite side of the river, but he had seen no traces of the rest. Peter came in after dark, without any, he had seen the tracks of thenatives on the horse tracks, and related in his own jargon, that"blackfella bin run'em horses all about" and "that bin brok'emhobble. " He had also seen two or three of the blacks themselves, atthe lagoon where the brothers met them on the 14th, and had someparley with them--he described them a "cawbawn saucy" "that tell'imcome on, me trong fella, you little fella, " and after chaffing him intheir own way, sent as many spears at him as he would stand for. Thedetention caused by the loss of the horses, was a serious matter, whilst the hostility of the natives was very annoying, keeping theparty constantly on the alert. The interval was occupied in patchingup the ration tent, with portions of the other two, so that they hadnow one water-proof to protect their stores. Some good snipe andduck shooting might have been got round these lagoons, but as nearlyall their caps had been destroyed by the fire, it was not to bethought of. The scarcity of these and of horse-flesh alone preventedthe Brothers from turning out and giving their troublesome enemies agood drilling, which, indeed, they richly deserved, for they had inevery case been the agressors, and hung about the party, treacherously waiting for an opportunity to take them by surprise. The detention also was due to them, which was a matter of someanxiety to the Leader, when it is considered that the party was in alevel flooded country, without a rise that they knew of within fiftymiles, and that the rains of the last ten days portended the breakingup the dry season. 

'November' 24. --This morning Frank Jardine went out with Eulah, andsucceded in finding 5 more of the horses, scattered all over thecountry, their hobbles broken, and as wild as hawks. He sent Eulahalong the tracks of the last two, who were evidently not far ahead, and brought the others in himself. These two "Cerebus" and "Creamy, "were the best and fattest of the pack-horses. Their loss would havemade a serious addition to the loads of the remainder, who hadalready to share 400lbs. Extra in consequence of the poisoning of thethree already lost. Whilst waiting for and expecting their arrivalevery hour, the different members of the party amused themselves asbest they might by fishing, opossum, sugar-bag hunting, and nondagathering. The monotony of the camp was also broken by a littlegrumbling, consequent on an order from the Leader against the openingof the next week's ration bag. The party had, during the haltconsumed a week's rations a day and a-half too soon, hence the order, which was a wise precaution. The rations were calculated with careto last through the journey, but, unless a restriction had beenplaced on the consumption, this could not be hoped for. But it isdifficult to reason with hungry men. 

'November' 25. --Another day passed without finding the two missinghorses. Sambo and Eulah were sent out in quest of them, but returnedunsuccessful, giving it, as their opinion that "blackfella bin 'perim'longa 'crub. " Peter and Barney were then despatched with orders tocamp out that night and look for them all next day. A steer havingbeen killed last night, the day was passed in jerking him. The daywas very unpropitious as there had been a shower of rain in themorning, and there was no sun, so it had to be smoked with manure inone of the tents. What with the mosquitoes and sand-flies, men, horses, and cattle were kept in a continual fever. The horses wouldnot leave the smoke of the fires, the cattle would not remain on thecamp, and the men could get no rest at night for the mosquitoes, whilst during the day the flies were in myriads, and a small speciesof gad-fly, particularly savage and troublesome. Another source ofannoyance was from the flocks of crows and kites, the latter ('MilvusAffinis') are described by Leichhardt as being extraordinarilyaudacious, during his journey through this part of the country, andthey certainly manifested their reputation now. Not content with theoffal about the camp, they would actually, unless sharply watched, take the meat that was cooking on the fire. The black-boys killed agreat many with "paddimelon" sticks, and reed spears, (the spoils ofwar) but with little effect. "When one was killed, twenty came tothe funeral. " Old Eulah was a great proficient in this exercise, andwhen in action with his countrymen, was always anxious to throw theirown spears back at them. 

'November' 26. --One of the party went to sleep during his watch lastnight, by which fifteen head of cattle were allowed to stray awayfrom the camp. It was not the first time that this very grave faulthad occurred, the mischief caused by which, can sometimes, hardly beestimated. In this case, however, it verified the proverb, it is anill wind, etc. , for whilst looking for the stragglers Frank Jardineluckily "happened" on the missing horses "Cerebus" and "Creamy" about7 miles down the river. They had evidently been frightened by theblacks. Seven of the cattle only were found, leaving eight missingwhich was very provoking as it was necessary to shift the camp (onwhich they had now been detained six days) for all the stock wherelooking miserable. Neither horses nor cattle would eat the grass, which had ceased to have a trace of green in it, but rambled aboutlooking for burnt stubble. The day was close and sultry with loudthunder and bright lightning, which very much frighened the horses. The natives were heard cooeying all round the camp during the night, but made no attack, remembering probably the result of the Sunday andTuesday previous. 

'November' 27--Everything was ready to pack on the horses beforedaylight this morning, but most provokingly "Cerebus" was againmissing. Leaving orders for the partyto start if he was notrecovered before noon, the Leader pushed on to mark a camp for them. At about three miles he came on to a chain of fine lagoons, runningparallel to and about four miles from the river. The interveningcountry was one tea-tree level all flooded, but a narrow strip ofsoft sandy flat occurred on the banks of each, timbered withblood-wood, stringy-bark, and box. Following these down he marked acamp at about nine miles, then crossed over to the river to look forthe cattle. He had not followed it far when he saw a mob of blacks. They did not molest him, so he passed them quietly, as he thought, but about two miles further on, in some scrubby sandstone gullies, ashe was riding along looking for tracks, a spear whistled past, withinsix inches of his face. Pulling up, he saw seven natives, allstanding quietly looking on at the effect of the missile: the fellowwho threw it never threw another. Pursuing his way, pondering on thefatality that had brought about collisions on two Sundays running, hemet the cattle, and found the party in some excitement; they too hadhad a shindy. The natives had attacked them in force, but no one washurt, whilst some of their assailants were left on the ground, andothers carried away wounded. It was found that they would not standafter the first charge--and a few were hit. (Camp XXIX. ) Distance9 miles. Course W. By N. 

'November' 28. --All hopes of finding the eight missing head ofcattle, lost from camp 28, had to be abandoned, for the reason thatthe horse-flesh could not hold out in looking for them. The cattlewere moved down along the lagoons, which in about two miles narrowedinto a defined creek, sandy, with occasional lagoons. This wasexplored ten miles by the Leader, and the question as to whether heshould choose that route, or follow the river was decided for him. The banks were either utterly barren or clothed with spinifex, andthe country on either side the same worthless tea-tree levels. Hewas therefore determined to take the cattle back on to the river, which was not much better, and led them away from their course. Theprospects of the Brothers were rather dispiriting. To attemptstriking north was out of the question, whilst every mile down theriver took them further away from their destination, and their horseswere falling away daily, so much so, that if the feed did not soonimprove, there would not be one capable of carrying an empty saddle. The rainy season too was at hand, and the level and flooded nature ofthe country they were in, would, were they caught there by thefloods, endanger the safety of the party. It was therefore with nolittle anxiety that they watched the weather, and searched for apracticable line which would allow of their steering north. (CampXXX. ) Latitude 16 degrees 26 minutes 53 seconds. Distance 10 miles, W. By N. 

'November' 29. --Keeping a south-west course, so as to strike itlower down, the cattle were again taken on to the river, which theyreached in about nine miles; then travelling about another mile downits banks, encamped. These were now decidedly more open, and thecountry generally improved. The same strip of soft sandy flat abouthalf-a-mile wide continued, but better grassed, although the speargrass was far too common. Bloodwood, stringy-bark, applegum andacacia timbered the north bank; whilst on the south, tea-tree flats, covered with spinifex, ran close down to the bed, the bank itselfbeing of red clay. Two channels, together making a width of about300 yards, formed the bed, which was sandy, and held very littlewater on the surface. No large trees occurred, save now and then avagrant nonda. Another cow was lost to-day, and "Lottie, " a favoriteterrier, was missing. The latitude of Camp 31 was supposed to be 16degrees 31 minutes 53 seconds, but doubtful. 

'November' 30. --The river was followed down to-day for 11 miles. Itwas very winding and irregular in its width. At the camp it was only60 yards wide and running in one channel, whilst a mile above, itmeasured nearly 400. Its general course was nearly west. The creekwhich is formed by the lagoons, on which the party were so longdetained was crossed at about nine-and-a-half miles. The country atits junction is flooded for a long distance back, and the river bedsandy and thickly timbered. Although the country generally haddecidedly improved, inasmuch as that it was more open, devoid ofscrub, and the box flats on the river extending further back on eachside, it was by no means good. The flats were very scantily grassed, chiefly with sour water grasses and spinifex, and shewed by the floodmarks that they must be quite impassable during floods or wetweather. The dreary tea-tree levels might be seen in glimpsesthrough the white box of the flats extending far beyond. Severalsmall swamps were passed during the day, on which ducks and otherwater-fowl were very numerous, the stately native companion stalkingnear the margins. The large funnel ant-hills occurred from 2 to 15feet high. The Fitzroy wallaby was plentiful, and the Leader shot anemeu. Some large flights of white ibis, and slate-colored pigeonspassed high overhead, flying north, which might be a good indication. Peter was sent back to seek for Lottie, but returned in the eveningunsuccessful. 

'December' 1. --Maramie Creek was crossed this morning at itsjunction with the river, into which it flows in two channels, about60 or 70 miles from the point where the brothers first struck it onthe 12th of November, while searching for a road to the northward. Its total width is about 120 yards. The general course of the riverwas slightly to the north of west, but very winding, some of itsreaches extended for nearly four miles. Numerous ana-branchesoccurred, the flats separating them, being three miles in breadth, timbered with flooded box and tea-tree, their banks well grassed. Itwould be a dangerous country to be caught in by the floods. Twoparties of blacks were passed fishing on the river, but they took nonotice of the party, and were of course not interfered with. Theyused reed spears pointed with four jagged prongs, and also hooks andlines. Their hooks are made with wood barbed with bone, and thelines of twisted currejong bark. Distance travelled to-day 10 miles. The Camp XXXIII. In latitude 16 degrees 27 minutes 30 seconds. 

'December' 2. --The river was travelled down through similar countryfor eleven miles, when the party reached the head of the tide, andcamped on a rocky water hole in an ana-branch, the river water notbeing drinkable. The course was to the southward of west. It wasnow beyond a doubt, even to Mr. Richardson, that this river was notthe Mitchell, for neither its latitude, direction, or descriptioncorresponded with Leichhardt's account. It was also perceived thatthe longitude of the starting point must have been incorrect, andvery considerably to the westward, as their reckoning, carefullychecked, brought them much too near the coast. The Brotherstherefore became satisfied of what they had long believed, that theyhad never been on the Lynd at all, or even on its watershed, and thatwhat they were on was an independent stream. They therefore named itthe "Ferguson, ' in honor of Sir George Ferguson Bowen, Governor ofQueensland, but there is little doubt that it is the Staaten of theDutch navigators, or at least its southern branch. Should a northernbranch eventually be discovered, which the delta and numerousana-branches make a probable hypothesis, the stream explored by thebrothers might with propriety retain the name they gave it. At eightmiles from the start the character of the country changed from theprevailing flats, to a kind of barren sandstone and spenifex ridges. On pitching the camp the fishing-lines were put into requisition, butwithout success. It is remarkable, that on reaching the salt water, not far from this spot, Leichhardt was similarly disappointed, afterhaving counted on catching and curing a good quantity of fish, thewhole day's work of Brown and Murphy being "a small siluus, onemullet, and some guard-fish, " 'qu. ' gar-fish. 

'December' 3. --To-day's stage was a short one, and was hoped to havebeen the last on this miserable river, which was now looked upon asundoubtedly the Staaten. It had in some measure improved. Thetimber was much larger and finer, and the lagoons extensive and deep. But a heavy storm which came down, and compelled them to camp early, soon proved what the country would be in the wet season. With thisone heavy fall of rain it became so boggy that the horses sank in upto their girths. Hitherto the grass had been so scanty that theparty could not halt for a day to kill. They had consequently beenfour days without meat. It was determined, therefore, to stop andkill a beast, preparatory to a start north, the feed having slightlyimproved in common with the timber. In addition to the steer thatwas slaughtered, a shovel-nosed shark was caught and jerked in likemanner with the beef. In the afternoon Alexander Jardine exploreddown the river for seven miles, seeking for a good spot for turningoff. The country still improved: the river was completely salt, andin one continuous sheet of running water, in two channels 300 or 400yards in width, and together about half-a-mile at the spot where heturned back. Here it was flat and shallow, and fordable at lowwater. Mangroves and salt-water creeks commenced as described byLeichhardt, * and alligator tracks were seen. (Camp XXXV. ) Latitude16 degrees 26 minutes 39 seconds. 

[footnote] *See Journal, page 320. It was at this point that hethrew away his horse-shoes and other heavy articles. 

'December' 4. --The beef, shark, and a few cat-fish were jerked, andall the stores and loading spread out and re-distributed on thepacks, and as this put the camp into some confusion, the Leaderthought it well to shift it for a few miles, to let the packs shakeinto place before the final start. They therefore moved down threemiles to the commencement of the mangroves, into a patch of the bestfeed they had seen since they left the Einasleih. At this point thebanks were very soft and sandy, growing spinifex; the stream innumerous channels, altogether half-a-mile across, and the tide roseand fell about twenty-two inches. Here they camped, intending tomake an early start on the following morning. Time was now an objectof the utmost importance to the progress, if not to the safety of theparty: Frank Jardine was aware that the Mitchell, which he had hopedlong ere this to have left behind him, was still ahead, at least 40miles away, without certainty of water until it was reached, whilstif caught by the floods he would probably be stopped by thisimportant stream. It was with some anxiety therefore that hehastened preparations for the start. How his hopes were deferred andhow fortune seemed to laugh at his endeavours to push forward on hiscourse will now be narrated, and it will be seen how good bushmenwith high hearts can overcome obstacles, and meet difficulties thatwould appal and baffle ordinary travellers. 

CHAPTER III. 

Leave the Staaten--Half the horses away--Fresh troubles--MuleLost--Sambo knocked up--Search for mule--Perplexity--"Lucifer" goes mad--Final attempt to recover him--Marine Plains--Search for Deceiver--Found dead--Salt Lagoon--Arbor Creek--Country improves--Good Camp--Eulah Creek--The Brothers attacked--Reach the Mitchell--Cow poisoned--Battle of the Mitchell--Anambush--Extent of flooded Country--Reach head of tide--Heavyrain--A "Blank run"--Leave the Mitchell--Good Coast Country--Balourgah Creek--Blue grass--Banksia--The Eugenia--Green Ant--Hearsey Creek--Holroyd--Creek Dunsmuir Creek--Thalia Creek--Black boy chased by natives--Another encounter--Cattlescattered by thunder-storm--Rainy Season--Macleod Creek--Kendall Creek. 

'December' 5. --Turning their backs on the Ferguson or Staaten theparty steered north, and at starting crossed the head of thesand-flats, described by Leichhardt. The rest of the day's stage wasover sandy ridges covered with tea-tree and pandanus, tolerablygrassed, no creek or water-course of any description occurred alongthe line, and the party had to camp without water at about 13 miles:but as the Leader had not expected to find any at all for at least40, this was not thought much of. The camp though waterless was wellgrassed, and by dint of searching a small pool of slimy green waterwas found before dark, about two-and-a-half miles to the N. N. W. In asmall watercourse, and by starting off the black boys, enough wasprocured in the "billies" for the use of the party for supper. Thisis marked a red day in Frank Jardine's diary, who closes his noteswith this entry. "Distance 13 miles. Course North at last. " (CampXXXVII. )

'December' 6. --The satisfaction of the party in getting away fromthe Staaten and travelling on the right course was destined toreceive a check, and the Brothers to find they had not yet quite donewith that river. This morning about half the horses were away, and aworse place for finding them, saving scrub, could hardly be imagined. It was fortunate that the pool of water mentioned yesterday had beenfound, as the cattle would have had to turn back to the river, butthis they were saved from. They were started away for the water atday-break, in charge of two of the black boys, with instructions tostay and feed them there until the horses came up or they wererelieved by Binney. No horses coming in, Binney was sent after them. The Brothers searching for the horses, followed an hour-and-a-halfafter, but on arriving at the pool found the cattle and boys but noBinney. Returning to the camp they instructed the party to shift thepacks to the pool on the twelve horses that had been found. Binneyhere came into the camp along the yesterday's tracks. He had missedthe cattle and did not know where he had been to. He was startedagain on the cattle track by the Brothers, who then went in search ofmore water, sending two more black boys to look for the horses. Atabout four miles away they themselves came on to their tracks, whichthey ran for about eight miles towards the coast, when they foundsix. Continuing to follow the trail they were led to their 35th campon the Staaten, when they found three more. Here, as the sun wentdown they were obliged to camp, and after short hobbling the horseslaid down by their fire, supperless, and without blankets. They sawno water through the whole of the day, which was the cause of therestlessness of the horses the previous night, and of their straying, in spite of short hobbles. The myriads of mosquitoes too, which nowannoyed them may possibly have contributed to that end. 

'December' 7. --Leaving the nine horses hobbled to feed near thewater the Brothers separated, one taking up and the other down theriver to look for the others, in hopes that they might also haveturned back, but met again in the afternoon, each without success. Starting back (with the nine recovered yesterday) at about twoo'clock, they returned to the camp, where fresh troubles awaitedthem. Only two of the others had been found, and the party with thepack-horses had succeeded in losing the mule, together with his pack. Whilst preparing to start they had allowed him to poke awayunperceived in the scrubby timber, and did not miss him till ready tostart. Sambo had been at once despatched on his tracks but had notyet returned. Binney had lost himself a second time and onlyrejoined the camp at dark last night, after having ridden the wholeday, probably in a circle, without finding either horses or water. The two black boys had been equally unsuccessful. Eulah and Barneywere now despatched with orders to camp out until they found themissing horses, five of which, besides the mule, still were away. Inthe evening Sambo returned quite exhausted for want of water, nothaving seen or tasted any, or any food during the too days of hisabsence. For an hour after coming into camp he was quite dilirious. When sufficiently recovered and collected to speak he stated that hehad followed the tracks of the mule (who had evidently beengalloping) through the tea-tree levels, at the back of camp 35, whenhe was obliged to turn back for want of water. This accident, theresult of gross carelessness, together with frequent cases of lessimportance, induced in the Leader a want of confidence which causedhim great anxiety when away from the party, to which indeed he neverreturned without a feeling of disquietude, which was not allayeduntil he learned that all was well--a harassing feeling, which fewbut those who have experienced the responsibility of the conduct andsuccess of a similar expedition can fully appreciate. The water atthis camp was very bad, but still under the circumstances, a greatGod-send. There were two holes equi-distant half-a-mile from the onethey were on, up and down the creek. The upper one was the deepest, having many ducks, terns, and cranes on it. All three weresurrounded with a fringe of green rushes. By digging wells andallowing the water to drain in, it was drinkable, although verybrackish. (Camp XXXVIII. ) Latitude 16 degrees 13 minutes 45seconds. 

'December' 8. --At 4 o'clock this morning Alexander Jardine startedwith Sambo after the mule. The Leader remained with the partyemploying the day in exploring ahead for about 18 miles, in the hopeof finding water for a stage. This was a paramount necessity, forthe weather was so hot and the country so dry that twenty-four hourswithout drinking drove the cattle nearly mad, their drivers sufferingalmost equally. Finding no water during this search Mr. Jardine wasagain in perplexity. Supposing the Mitchell to be 40 or 45 milesahead, the cattle could not reach it without water. On the otherhand if the coast were followed, it was probable that on reaching theMitchell they would have to trace it up 40 or 50 miles before itcould be crossed. The latter however seemed to be the best course, if not the only one. The intention of Alexander Jardine was to havegot on to the mule's tracks, and run them over again until he"pulled" him, but the ground being baked hard, stony, and grasslessSambo was unable again to pick them up. However, whilst looking forthe mule's tracks they found three more of the horses, on a smallcreek, fourteen miles from the camp, which ran into the river belowthe last camp on it. He now determined to look for the other two, and abandon the search after the mule for the present. One of them"Lucifer" was found at camp 35. He was out of hobbles, andimmediately on being seen, started off at a gallop up the river. Histracks were followed up to the next camp, six miles, where nightclosing in Mr. Jardine was constrained to halt. The wretched animalhad apparently gone mad, probably with drinking salt water. 

'December' 9. --On resuming the search this morning Mr. A. Jardinemet Eulah and Barney. They also, had seen "Lucifer" on the coast, but could do nothing with him. Detaching Sambo and Barney tocontinue the search after the mule, and giving them all theprovision, he took Eulah with him to try once again to recover"Lucifer. " Picking up his trail at last night's camp, where theyleft the three recovered horses, they ran it four miles up the riverand came upon him in a patch of scrub; they headed him after a hardgallop and endeavoured to drive him down to the other horses, but allto no purpose, they knocked up their horses and were obliged toabandon the pursuit. He had evidently gone mad. Returning to thecamp they got fresh horses, and returned with the three to the partyof the main camp. 

'December' 10. --The two lost horses ("Lucifer" and "Deceiver") beingMr. Jardine's best hacks and favourites, he determined to make onemore effort to recover them. Starting with Eulah this morning, hetravelled down the creek on which the cattle were camped for sixmiles west, when he reached some large marine plains and downs, solarge, that though they ascended a high tree they could see nothingbetween them and the horizon; they were grassed only with spinifex"and other rubbish. " They came on to Lucifer's tracks about 25 milesfrom the camp, and found the place where he had been drinking thesalt water and lying down. From thence they followed his tracks for15 miles through the tea-tree levels, and camped without water, afterhaving travelled, walking and riding, over between 40 or 50 miles ofthe most miserable and desolate country imaginable, without findingany fit to drink. Meanwhile Alexander Jardine took another cast tofind water and have a look at the coast. He also saw the MarinePlains, and found them utterly waterless. This decided the questionof the coast-line route. 

'December' 11. --At daylight Mr. Jardine and Eulah again got on toLucifer's tracks, but the ground was so hard that they had to runthem on foot and lead their horses. At sun-down they hit camp 33 onthe river, having made only about 20 miles in a straight line. Herethey had a good drink. The water was rather brackish, but after twodays travelling over a parched and arid country, almost anythingwould have been acceptable. They turned out and whilst trying tocatch something for their suppers, they saw Lucifer standing withinthirty yards of where their horses were feeding, but the moment hecaught sight of them he again galloped away. Mr. Jardine immediatelyjumped on his horse and brought him back to Eulah's, but to nopurpose, for he galloped past without taking the least notice of him, and as it was now dark they had to let him go. Alexander Jardinespent the day in searching for water, and was fortunate enough to hiton a permanent water hole, in a small creek, eight miles N. N. W. Fromthe camp. This discovery was like a ray of sunshine promising tohelp them on their way. At night Sambo and Barney returned, butwithout the mule. 

'December' 12. --Lucifer was again followed till mid-day. From thetime that he had left their camp last night he had galloped for 13miles without stopping, and when found he was quite white with sweat. It was quite evident that he was perfectly mad from the effects ofthe salt water, so that Mr. Jardine decided to abandon him withoutwasting more horse-flesh. He turned therefore to look for the otherhorse "Deceiver, " expecting to find him in the same state. Histracks being found shortly afterwards, they followed them for somedistance, when they came on to his dead carcase. The poor brute hadevidently died from want of water; the Leader therefore turnedhomewards, hoping, but little expecting to find that the mule hadbeen found. These losses were a heavy blow, and sadly crippled theparty. Lucifer and Deceiver were the two best riding horses, and themule the best pack animal. His own loss was aggravated by hiscarrying his pack with him. This carried most of the odd articlesthat were hitherto deemed indispensible, but which henceforth theyhad per force to dispense with. One pack contained all that remainedof the tea, currants, and raisins, which were saved from the fire, and two pairs of boots, the only ones the Brothers had; and the otherwas filled with oddments, such as files, gimlets, ragstone, steel, weighing machine, awls, tomahawks, American axes, shoeing tools, anda number of things "that they could not do without, " but perhaps themost important loss was that of the spade, to which they had manytimes been indebted for water. Up to this time, that is to the 37thcamp, the number of the camp had always been cut in the wood of atree at each, with a mallet and chissel, these having gone with themule's pack the numbers were from this point cut with a tomahawk, butas Mr. Jardine was expert and careful in its use it is probable thathis marks are but little less legible. The recovery of the mulebeing now past all hope the Brothers determined to push on, thankfulthat they were certain of water for one stage. It was the morenecessary, as two of the party, Scrutton and Cowderoy, were gettingill from the effects of the bad water. At this camp Mr. Richardsonfixed the variation at 40 east. He had hitherto used a variation of6 degrees in his plotting. 

'December' 13. --The Leader intended to have camped to-day on thecreek, found by his brother on the 11th, but whilst ahead looking fora good camp for the morrow, he came at five miles further on, to whathe took to be the "Rocky Creek" of Leichhardt. He turned backtherefore and fetched the cattle on to it, making 13 instead of 8miles. But on turning out it was found that the water was notdrinkable, although the lagoon was covered with nympheas, generallysupposed to grow only in fresh water. These were white instead ofblue, which might be from the effect of the salt. However at a mileup the creek, a fine reach of good water was found, two miles longand sixty yards wide. The bed of the creek contained sandstone rock, was well grassed, and where crossed, ran about east and north. Afine barramundi was caught in it, and Alexander Jardine shot sixwhistling ducks in the first creek. The country traversed to-dayalternated between extensive marine plains, covered with "pigs face, "('Misembrianthemum Iriangularis'), and crusted with salt, and lowundulating tea-tree, and banksia ridges. Birds were very plentiful, large flocks of native companions ('Gurus Antigen, ') stalked over themarine plains, and when seen at the distance had the appearance of aflock of sheep, gigantic cranes, pelicans, and ibis were numerous, whilst in the lagoons of the creek, nearly every kind of water-fowlcommon to Queensland, was found, except the coot and pigmy goose, plover and snipe were abundant, also the elegant Burdekin duck, and asmall crane was noticed having a dark blue head and body, with whitethroat and neck. (Camp XXXIX. ) Lat. 16 degrees 3 minutes 38seconds. A tree was marked F. J. In heart on one side, and 39 insquare on the other. 

'December' 14. --To-day the party started north-east, the Leaderwishing, if possible, to hit the Mitchell at the head of the tide. Water was carried in case these should not find any, but theprecaution was fortunately unnecessary. At five miles they crossed asmall creek from the eastward, having one small hole of water in it. The country to that point was similar to that of yesterday, thenceoutward for about 9 miles they traversed box flats, intersected withlow sandy rises, well grassed, and timbered with stringy-bark andacacia. Another watered creek was crossed at about 9 miles from thestart, and the camp pitched at a round waterhole, in a well-wateredcreek at 14 miles. Many gullies were crossed filled with thescrew-palm ('Pandanus Spirilas. ') The soil of the box flats was astiff yellow clay. Hot winds had been prevalent for the last weekfrom the south-east, which parched and baked everything and made themosquitoes very numerous and annoying. (Camp XL. ) Latitude 15degrees 56 minutes 31 seconds. 

'December' 15. --The grass was so coarse and dry at this camp, thatthe precaution was taken of watching the horses all last night, andthe party started this morning by moonlight. For 5 miles theytravelled over box and tea-tree flats, full of funnel ant-hills, melon and rat-holes, when they reached a narrow deep sandy creek, thecourse of which was defined by a line of dark green timber, presenting a strong and pleasing contrast with any previously crossedalong the "Levels, " where they could never be distinguished from adistance, being fringed with the same kind of timber. It came fromthe eastward, was tolerably watered, and presented some bad brokensandstone country on its north bank. Its shady appearance suggestedthe appropriate name of "Arbor Creek. " For three miles the route layover gullies, spurs, and walls of broken sandstone. The countrybeyond opened agreably into flats, which might almost be calledplains, but for the lightly-dotted timber. The grasses though dry, were finer and better than any seen, since leaving the Einnasleih. The timber generally was white box, applegum, bloodwood, andgrevillea, and at 11 miles (from camp) the bauhinia, and Bidwill'sacacia commenced, and continued to the 42nd Camp. The flats towardsthe end of the stage sloped to the north-east. At 19 miles the partyhaving accomplished a long stage, Mr. Jardine camped without water, sending old Eulah to try and find some. He soon returned with thewelcome news that there was a well-watered creek on a-head, sosaddling up again, they drove on and reached it in about three miles. It was well worth the extra fatigue to the stock. They were rewardedby an excellent camp, plenty of green grass, open country and water, which, after a drive of 23 long and dusty miles, was alike acceptableto men and beasts. The creek received the name of Eulah Creek, inhonor of the discoverer. (Camp XLI. )

'December' 16. --Between two and three miles of travelling overflooded box country, having large melon holes in it, brought theparty to a well-watered creek, with vine scrub banks running N. W. At three more, another and similar one was reached, where the scrubson the banks were so thick that the Brothers who were a-head had tocamp, to cut a road through them. This creek appeared to be anana-branch. Whilst they were engaged in marking a line for acrossing place for the cattle, they saw some blacks, and tried toavoid them, these however ran in the direction of the cattle, andbrandishing their spears laughingly, defied the horsemen, beckoningthem to come on. With this they complied, and turned them back overthe creek, and then sat down awaiting the arrival of the cattle. They were not allowed to remain long in peace, for the natives, having left their gins on the other side, swam over the creek andtried to surround them. Being thus forced into a "row, " the Brothersdetermined to let them have it, only regretting that some of theparty were not with them, so as to make the lesson a more severe one. The assailants spread out in a circle to try and surround them, butseeing eight or nine of their companions drop, made them think betterof it, and they were finally hunted back again across the river, leaving their friends behind them. The firing was heard by thecattle party, but before they could come up, the fray was over. Inthis case, as in all others, the collision was forced on theexplorers, who, as a rule, always avoided making use of theirsuperior arms. Leaving the cattle in camp, the Brothers spend theafternoon in exploring the country a-head for 7 miles. Aftercrossing the river, the course lay through flooded country (the markson the trees being in some cases five feet high, covered with box, and vine scrub, and the water, grasses, and rushes being mattedtogether with mud and rubbish, ) to a large stream with broad sandybed, divided into three channels, altogether about 600 yards wide, but with little water in them. The banks and islands were coveredwith vine scrub, and lined with plum ('Owenia, ') chestnut('Castanopermum, ') nonda, bauhinia, acacia, white cedar, the coryphaor (fan-leaved palm, ) flooded gum, melaleuca (drooping tea-tree, ) andmany creepers and shrubs. On the box flats travelled through, somegunyahs, dams, and weirs were noticed, all constructed of mattedvines and palm leaves, which last grow almost everywhere. One of thelargest of the palms measured 13 1/2 feet at the butt, which is thesmallest end, as they here assume the shape of the bottle tree. Thisstream was correctly surmised to be the long desired Mitchell, thetwo last creeks being only its ana-branches. Although 10 mileshigher up in latitude 15 degrees 51 minutes 56 seconds it isdescribed by Leichhardt as being 1 1/2 miles wide. It here measuredas before described only about 600 yards. A number of fish werecaught at the camp. (Camp XLII. ) Distance 6 miles. 

'December' 17. --After some little trouble the cattle were crossedover this branch, a road having to be cut for them through the scrub. At 5 miles they crossed another main branch about 450 yards wide, andcamped two miles on the other side of it, on a waterhole in aLeichhardt-tree flat ('Nauclea Leichhardtii. ') The country was thesame as described yesterday. One of the fattest of the cows diedfrom the effects of some poisonous herb, not detected. Some turkey'seggs were found, and a wallaby, with which the vine scrubs wereswarming, was shot. The Torres Straits pigeon ('CarpophagaLuctuosa, ') was here met with for the first time on the trip, andattracted the interest and admiration of the travellers. It is ahandsome bird, about the size of a wonga, the head and body purewhite, the primaries of the wings and edge of the tail feathersblack, and the vent feathers and under tail coverts tinged with adelicate salmon color. Distance 7 or 8 miles. Course N. N. E. (CampXLIII. )

'December' 18. --The river was followed down to-day for 9 milesthrough a complete net-work of ana-branches, gullies, and vine scrubsto another branch, which may be called the true stream. It was 30yards wide, deep, and running strongly. Here the party had to campfor about 3 hours, whilst the Brothers searched for a good crossing. The cattle and pack-horses were crossed in safety, but some of thepack-bags got wetted in the passage. They were travelled anothermile over to a sandstone bar, crossing another deep sheet of water, that had been previously found. This stream had been explored insearch of a ford for four miles further up but without success. Itcontinued of the same width and appeared to do so much further. Thisday, Sunday, was marked by the severest conflict the travellers hadyet had with the natives, one which may well be degnified by the nameof the "battle of the Mitchell. " On arriving at the running streambefore mentioned, whilst the cattle halted, the Brothers and Eulah, taking axes with them, to clear the scrub, went down to find a safecrossing. At about a-mile-and-a-half they came on to a number ofblacks fishing, these immediately crossed to the other side, but ontheir return, swam across again in numbers, armed with large bundlesof spears and some nullahs and met them. The horsemen seeing theywere in for another row, now cantered forward towards the camp, determined this time to give their assailants a severe lesson. Thiswas interpreted into a flight by the savages, who set up a yell, andre-doubled their pursuit, sending in their spears thick and fast. These now coming much too close to be pleasant (for some of them werethrown a hundred yards), the three turned suddenly on their pursuers, and galloping up to them, poured in a volley, the report of whichbrought down their companions from the camp, when the skirmish becamegeneral. The natives at first stood up courageously, but either byaccident or through fear, despair or stupidity, they got huddled in aheap, in, and at the margin of the water, when ten carbines pouredvolley after volley into them from all directions, killing andwounding with every shot with very little return, nearly all of theirspears having been expended in the pursuit of the horsemen. Aboutthirty being killed, the Leader thought it prudent to hold his hand, and let the rest escape. Many more must have been wounded andprobably drowned, for fifty nine rounds were counted as discharged. On the return of the party to the cattle an incident occurred whichnearly cost one of them his life. One of the routed natives, probably burning with revengeful and impotent hate, got into thewater under the river bank, and waited for the returning party, andas they passed threw a spear at Scrutton, before any one was aware ofhis proximity. The audacious savage had much better have left italone, for he paid for his temerity with his life. Although thetravellers came off providentially without hurt, there were manynarrow escapes, for which some of them might thank their goodfortune. At the commencement of the fight as Alexander Jardine waslevelling his carbine, a spear struck the ground between his feet, causing him to drop his muzzle, and lodge the bullet in the ground afew yards in front of him. His next shot told more successfully. There were other equally close shaves, but providentially not ascratch. This is one of the few instances in which the savages ofQueensland have been known to stand up in fight with white men, andon this occasion they shewed no sign of surprise or fear at thereport and effect of fire-arms. But it is probable that they willlong remember the "Battle of the Mitchell. " (Camp LXIV. ) CourseN. N. W. Distance 7 miles. 

'December' 19. --The horses had to be watched last night, for thegrass was so dry and course that the stock would not look at it, butkept rambling about. The river was followed down about 13 miles. The whole country travelled to-day and yesterday shewed flood marksfrom 5 to 15 feet high. The rushes, nardoo, thatch, and water-grass, dried and parched by the hot winds, were matted together with mud andrubbish. At the camp the stream was 150 yards wide, the runningwater being 30 yards across. The banks were of clay and sandstone, from 20 to 30 feet high, the water was discolored to a kind ofyellowish white. During the floods the stream must be eight or tenmiles wide, for, two miles back from it, a fish weir was seen in asmall gully. 

Altogether it would have been a frightful place for the party to havebeen detained at. (Camp XLV. ) Latitude 15 degrees 26 minutes 5seconds. 

'December' 20. --The river was still followed down to-day, the partykeeping about four miles from it, to avoid its scrubs andana-branches. At between 7 or 8 miles, a stream about 100 yardswide, coming from the eastward, caused them to halt until a road wascut through the thick vine scrub that fringed its banks. Four milesfurther on they camped at a small lagoon close to the bank of theriver, at which point it is about 100 yards wide, deep, and too saltfor drinking, being affected by the tide. The country travelled overwas box, and tea-tree, melon-hole flats, shewing very high floodmarks. The ground had become very boggy from a heavy rain that fellduring the day. The night was very stormy, rain and wind falling andblowing pretty equally. Two more head of cattle were dropped. Thetotal distance was 11 miles. Course W. N. W. (Camp XLVI. )

'December' 21. --The rain of last night continuing through themorning, the party had to start in the down-pour. They crossedanother large shallow sandy creek at four miles, coming from theeastward running south-east. The camp was formed on a lagoon about amile from the river bank. The country traversed was sandy, growingonly coarse wirey grasses and spinifex, sandstone rock cropping outoccasionally above the surface. The river was here aquarter-of-a-mile wide, salt, and running strongly. Before thepack-horses came up, a mob of blacks approached the camp, and gettingup in the trees, took a good survey of the white intruders, but onone of the party going towards them they scampered off over the openground towards the river. The recollection of the affair at thecrossing place probably quickening their movements. Just atsun-down, however, the sharp eyes of the black-boys detected some ofthem actually trying to stalk the whites, using green boughs forscreens. So the Brothers taking with them Scrutton and the fourblack-boys, started in chase. They were in camp costume, that is tosay, shirt and belt, and all in excellent condition and wind, and nowa hunt commenced, which perhaps stands alone in the annals of naturewarfare. On being detected the natives again decamped, but this timeclosely pursued. The party could at any time overtake or outstep thefugitives, but they contented themselves with pressing steadilly onthem, in open order, without firing a shot, occasionally making aspurt, which had the effect of causing the blacks to drop nearly alltheir spears. They fairly hunted them for two miles into the scrub, when, as darkness was coming on, they left their dingy assailants torecover their wind, and returned to camp laughing heartily at their"blank run, " and taking with them as many of the abondoned spears asthey could carry. (Camp XLVII. ) Distance 9 1/2 miles. Course W. N. W. 

'December' 22. --The Mitchell was left finally to-day, Mr. Jardinedetermining on beginning the "straight running" for Cape York. Thefirst 8 miles was to a broad rocky creek, over tea-tree and boxflats, and small plains, fairly grassed, the best coast country thathad been seen. The creek appeared to be permanent, although therewas no water where it was crossed. From thence to camp, 7 miles, wasover saline plains, intersected by belts of bloodwood, tea-tree, mangrove, nuptle, grevillea, dogwood, applegum, silky oak, andpandanus. A second creek was crossed at 11 miles, similar to thefirst. The camp was pitched at a puddle, without a blade of grass, although its appearance was beautifully green, caused by a small sortof tea-tree growing in great abundance, about 10 inches high, withseven or eight large leaves on it. A steer was killed in theevening, giving the party a very acceptable meal of meat, the firstthey had tasted for three days, the weather being too hot to kill, and there being no game to shoot. Course N. By W. Distance 15miles. (Camp XLVIII. ) Latitude 15 degrees 2 minutes 10 seconds. 

'December' 23. --All hands were up almost the whole of last night, some engaged in watching the cattle and horses, and others in cuttingup and jerking the beast. The rain came down heavily, and a coldbitter wind was blowing; all the tents, save the ration tent, beinglike seives, the outside was rather preferable to their shelter; soeach passed the night as best they could. The cattle were startedaway in the morning, leaving Scrutton and Binney to finish jerkingthe meat, there being some sunshine, which was beginning to be ararity, for the wet season had now fairly set in. Twelve miles ofwretched country were traversed, white sandy undulating ground, clothed with shrubs and underwood, in the place of grass, and thecamp pitched on a low stringy-bark ridge, without water, for in thisflat sandy country the ground absorbs the rain as soon as it falls. The horses had to be watched again to-night, for there was not ablade of grass to be got. A small quantity of water was found in acreek about a mile-and-a-half ahead. Late in the evening the horsesand water-bags were taken to it, and sufficient water brought backfor the use of the camp. Two small unimportant creeks were crossedto-day, sandy and dry, trending west. Distance 12 miles N. W. By N. (Camp XLIX. )

'December' 24. --The cattle were watched at a small lagoon beyond thecreek before mentioned, which was deep and rocky. The countrycontinued of the same miserable character as yesterday, till at 7miles, the party came to a belt of bloodwood and stringy-bark, where, by good luck, there was a little coarse grass, but as the stock hadhad none for two days, they were not particular. (Camp L. ) Distance7 miles. Course N. N. W. 

'December' 25. --The rain came down all last night, and continuingthroughout the day (for the first time continually), did not suggesta merry Christmas. However the Leader wished his companions thecompliments of the season, and pushed on. The country decidedlyimproved if the weather did not. The tail end of some scrubs werepassed in the first five miles, cheifly tea-tree and oak, andhalf-a-mile further on, a fine creek of sandstone rock, permenantlywatered; at 7 miles another similar, but larger, was named ChristmasCreek. Here whilst Mr. Jardine was halting in wait for the cattle, he marked a tree XMAS, 1864, in square. In it the swamp mahogany wasseen for the first time since leaving Bowen. Its native name isBelourgah. The creek was therefore christened by that name. At 15miles the party reached and camped on a fine, well-watered, rockycreek, where the blue grass was plentiful, the first that had beenseen for many weeks. The country travelled over was very soft, andthough driven loose, three of the horses could scarcely travel overit. The packs also were getting into a very dirty state, consequenton the amount of mud and water they had been dragged through. Thetimber noticed to-day was very varied, comprising all the kinds thathave already been mentioned, with the addition of the banksia, whichwas observed for the first time, and a kind of pomegranate, which wasquite new to the Brothers. The trees grow large with soft whitebark, and large round leaves. The fruit as large as an hen's egg, inshape like the common pomegranate. Unripe it is of a transparentwhite, but when mature, has a dark pink color and slightly acidtaste. It is probably the euginia mentioned by Leichhardt. Theywere much annoyed by the green-tree ant, all the trees and shrubsbeing covered with them, in riding along they got about theirpersons, and down their backs, where they stuck like ticks. They areof a transparent green, nearly half-an-inch long, soft, and sticky. On coming to the green feed and good water at the camp, it was feltthat this Christmas Day, if not the most cheerful, might have beenmuch worse. (Camp LI. ) Distance 13 miles N. N. W. 

'December' 26, --The party travelled to-day on a course N. N. W. Forabout 14 miles over very similar country to that of yesterday, savethat they crossed no creek, and saw no water during the whole of thestage. Some of the ground was very scrubby and boggy, and better, though not well grassed, too much spear grass occuring. The camp waspitched on a splendid sheet of water, in a rocky creek, 80 yardswide, and very long, in which some of the party caught some finefish. Waterfowl of all kinds were also numerous. It received thename of Hearsey Creek, after a particular friend, Mr. W. HearseySalmon. The blacks were hanging about, but did not make theirappearance. (Camp LII. )

'December' 27. --The course to-day lay over similar country, a littleto the west of north, for 16 miles to a small creek, which containedin a puddle, just sufficient water for the use of the party and thehorses. The cattle had to go without. (Camp LIII. )

'December' 18. --At five miles from starting this morning, thethirsty cattle were able to get abundance of water in a long sandycreek, running in several channels, and having a rocky sandstone bed. It was named Holroyd Creek. Two miles further on another stream wascrossed of similar size and character, which received the name ofDunsmuir Creek. Here the country suddenly changed into lightlytimbered box flats, poorly grassed, and flooded. Four miles morebrought them to a salt-water creek, which had to be run upa-mile-and-a-half before drinkable water was found. The camp waspitched on a lotus lagoon, the water of which was slightly brackish. It received the name of Thalia Creek. About two hours after camping, whilst the party were engaged in digging trenches round them, andotherwise preparing for an impending thunder-storm, the black-boythat was tailing the cattle, came running into the camp in greatexcitement, with the news that the natives that had been seen in themorning, had hunted him and were now running the horses, so half theparty immediately turned out in pursuit. To protect the carbinesfrom the coming storm, Alexander Jardine and Scrutton arrayedthemselves the one in a black and the other a white mackintosh, whichreached to their heels, whilst the Leader having a short coat on, arevolver in each pocket, jumped on to the bare-back of one of thehorses. This time it was not a "blank run. " The horses werescuttling about in all directions, and the natives waited for thewhites, close to a mangrove scrub, till they got within sixty yardsof them, when they began throwing spears. They were answered withTerry's breech-loaders, but whether fascinated by the strange attireof the three whites, or frightended by the report of the fire-arms, or charge of the horse, they stood for some time unable to fight orrun. At last they slowly retired in the scrub, having paid for theirgratuitious attack by the loss of some of their companions. Some ofthem were of very large stature. The storm broke with great violenceaccompanied with thunder and lightning and scattered the cattle offthe camp in spite of the efforts of the party to keep them. Thethunder caused them to rush about, whilst darkness caused thewatchers to run against them, and add to their fright. So they werelet go. (Camp LIV. ) Distance 11 or 12 miles north. 

'December' 29. --The cattle were all gathered this morning, save 10, for which Frank Jardine left two of the black-boys to seek and thenfollow the party. To his great annoyance they came on at nightwithout them. The course to-day was N. N. E. Over boggy tea-treeflats, and low stringy-bark ridges. At three miles a large runningcreek, one hundred yards wide, was struck, and had to be followed upfor four miles before a crossing was found. Four miles furtherbrought them to a small creek, well supplied with water from therecent rains, and what was even more acceptable, plenty of greenfeed, of which the cattle and horses stood in great need. The Leaderdetermined to halt here one day, to try and recover the lost cattle, but felt anything but easy in doing so, for the flood-marks were sixfeet high on the camp, which was high ground compared to the levelwaste around them, and the rains seemed fairly to have set in. Another heavy storm poured down on them at night. (Camp LV. )

'December' 30. --The cattle remained here to-day, whilst Scrutton andEulah were sent back for the lost cattle. The Brothers went forwarda day's stage to try and find some high ground. In this they did notsucceed. The country was all alike, and they were satisfied beyonddoubt that it must be one sea during the rains; not a very comfortingdiscovery. They found a creek four miles on, which received the nameof Macleod Creek. It was large and deep, with a strong currentrunning, and chose a place at which they would have to cross, betweentwo high banks of red sandstone. They then returned to camp, andspent the rest of the day in "sugar bag" hunting, in which they werevery successful, bringing in as much as made a feed for the wholecamp, which was no small quantity. Scrutton and Eulah returned atdark, without having seen any traces of the missing cattle, so it wasdetermined to go on without them, as it would have been madness tohave remained longer in such dangerous country. At night theyexperienced a heavy storm, which is thus described in Frank Jardine'sjournal:--"We had one of most severe wind and thunder storms thisevening that I ever saw. The largest trees bent like whip-sticks, and the din caused by the wind, rain, thunder, and trees falling, beyond description. People looking at it from under a snug roofwould have called it 'grand, ' but we rhymed it with a very differentword. " This may be called a "joke under difficulties. "

'December' 31. --Macleod Creek was reached by half-past eight o'clockthis morning, and cattle, horses, and packs were all safely crossedby 9. 15. The journey was then continued over, or rather, throughvery boggy tea-tree flats, and undulating stringy-bark, nonda, andbloodwood country, to a large flooded creek, coming from theeastward, which received the name of "Kendall Creek, " after a friendof Mr. Richardson's. There was a little rising ground on its banks, on which the party camped. Frank Jardine went up it for a few miles, and found a spot at which to cross the next day, in the same manneras at the last. At this camp some capital barramundi and perch werecaught, one of the former weighing no less than 14 pounds. They werea great treat, as the party had been without meat for some days, theheavy rains allowing them no chance of killing. The distancetravelled to-day was 12 miles, and course generally N. N. W. , but thetrack was winding in consequence of having to lead the horses, andthread the way through the soundest looking places. (Camp LVI. )

CHAPTER IV

New Year's Day--Sinclair Creek--New Year's Creek--Kinloch Creek -Micketeeboomulgeiai--The River Archer--The Coen--Slough of Despond- River Batavia--Two Horses Drowned--Five Horses Poisoned -Symptoms--Abandon Baggage--Cache--Party commence Walking -Difficult Travelling--Two more Horses Die--Last Encounter withNatives--Pandanus Thorns--Another Horse Sickens--Urgency ofGetting Forward--Dalhunty Creek--Another Horse Dies--"Creamy" and"Rocket" Die--Skardon's Creek--Pitcher Plant--Two SaddlesAbandoned--Nell Gwynne's Foal Killed--Richardson's Range. 

'January' 1. --Kendall Creek was crossed early on the morning ofthis, New Year's Day, and subsequently at distances of 10 and 14miles, two small creeks of running water, coming from the eastward, named respectively Sinclair and New Year's Creeks, in which lilieswere abundant ('Blue Nympheas'), and on the last of which the partycamped. The progress was rendered very tedious and difficult, by thelarge trunks and branches of trees, which had been blown down by thestorm of the 30th December, over and amongst which the weak horseskept constantly falling. The country changed into red sandy ridges, shewing an outcrop of sandstone, timbered with tall straight saplingsof stringy-bark and bloodwood, the larger timber having in all casesbeen blown down. Some grass-tree country was also passed, coveredwith quartz pebbles, white, or colored with oxide of iron. Thedistance accomplished was 14 miles on a course of N. E. By N. (CampLVII. Nonda. ) A heavy thunder-storm broke at night, followed bysteady rain. 

'January' 2. --The heavy rain, boggy soil, and recent long stagesmade it necessary to turn out the cattle during the last night, asthe poor animals had so little chance of feeding during the day. They were, however, gathered by the time the horses were ready in themorning, having, probably, but little temptation to stray on theboggy ground. The country traversed was similar to that ofyesterday, and very much encumbered with fallen timber. The grasses, though thin, are of the best quality. Altogether the intervalbetween Kendall Creek and to-night's camp, a distance of 30 miles, would make a fine cattle run, being watered at every six or sevenmiles by running creeks, besides a large swamp. It was found to bean extensive plateau, sloping away to the eastward, terminatingabruptly in a perpendicular wall, overlooking the valley, on the headof which the party camped. The camp was one of the best of the wholejourney, being pitched on a grassy rise, sloping gently to theeastward, and was a grateful relief after the barren and waterlesscamps of the journey. The latitude was 13 degrees 47 seconds. Distance 16 miles. (Camp LVIII. )

'January' 3. --This morning the creek was followed down to near itsjunction with a large sandy stream, coming from the north-east, whichwas named Kinloch Creek, in honor of John Kinloch, Esq. , MathematicalMaster of Sydney College. It was plentifully watered, and remarkablefor presenting the only iron-bark trees that were seen since leavingthe Einasleih. At 8 and 12 miles, two small very boggy creeks werecrossed, the first of which had to be bridged. Their banks were veryunsound and swampy, covered with tea-tree, pandanus, ferns, and allkinds of valueless underwood. They were full of lilies, and appearedto be constantly running, from which it was conjectured that theymust take their rise from springs. On passing the last, the partyemerged on to poorly grassed, desolate-looking sandstone ridges, covered with grass-tree and zamia. A pine-tree ridge was thenpassed, and a camp formed on a small water-course beyond, the totaldistance being 16y miles on a bearing of N. N. E. 1/2 N. The latitudewas ascertained to be 13 degrees 35 minutes 54 seconds S. During theday red kangaroos were seen, also the Torres Straits pigeon, and twoblack cockatoos, with very large stiff crest, crimson cheeks, andlarge black bill, the rest of the body black. This was the('Microglossus Aterrimus'), a species peculiar to Northern Australia. It is nearly one-third larger in size than the common black cockatoo, from which it is mainly distinguished by the color of the bill, whichis black. (Camp LIX. Bloodwood. )

'January' 4. --A heavy storm of rain and thunder having beenexperienced last night, the party made a short day's stage, andcamped early to enable them to dry their meat, saddlery, bags, etc. , which had been thoroughly soaked. The horses backs too, were gettingsore from the use of wet saddles, and themselves tired. The coursewas north, over stringy-bark and bloodwood ridges for 5 miles, to alarge running creek named Micketeeboomulgeiai, * from the north-east, on which a crossing had to be cut; a mile-and-a-half further on, anana-branch was crossed, and the party camped. (Camp LX. Bloodwood. )

[footnote]*In the Wellington Dialect "place where the lightning struck. "

'January' 5. --Still raining and wet to-day. A table-land of opensandy ridges was traversed to a high point, the edge of which wasreached in five miles on a course N. By E. On reaching this point arange was seen in front, extending east and west about 10 miles off, between which and the party, a fine valley extended, traversed by alarge sandy river, which was named the Archer, in honor of Messrs. Archer, of Gracemere. The river Archer flows from the north-east, through a valley of great richness and beauty, and considered by theexplorers to be the best country for cattle seen north of Broadsound. The banks of the river are fringed by a thick belt of vine-scrub, containing very many Leichhardt and other handsome trees and shrubsof great luxuriance and growth. The valley is also described asbeing the first locality where any varities of flowers were seen, some were of great beauty, particularly a bulb which bears a largeflower, shaped like a larkspur, of every tinge of red, from adelicate pink to a rich purple. After crossing the Archer twoana-branches were passed, the route laying over loamy black andchocolate flats, and fine long sloping ridges, very thickly grassed, quite free from stones, well-watered, and despite the heavy rainsthat had fallen, perfectly sound. The range seen from the table-landwas low, and of much the same description. Distance travelled 15miles N. By E. (Camp LXI. Applegum. )

'January' 6. --The march to-day was very trying to the poor horses, being chiefly over rotten melon-hole country, of a yellow clayeysoil, timbered with stunted bloodwood and pandanus, the rain pouringdown all day. At two miles from camp a large creek was crossedcontaining a little rain water, and subsequently nine or ten smalldeep waterless creeks, their beds too sandy to be retentive. On oneof these the wearied party camped at the end of 16 or 17 miles. Arange 8 or 9 miles to the East, was sighted during the day. Notwithstanding the rain, barely sufficient water was found at thecamp. Distance 17 miles. Course North. (Camp LXII. Poplar gum. )

'January' 7. --At rather more than a mile from camp, two branches ofa large deep creek, were crossed just above its junction. It runsfrom W. By N. , had a little water in it, and the usual fringe of darkgreen vine scrub, interspersed with Leichhardt trees. A hill on thenorth bank covered with large sandstone boulders, marks thecrossing-place of the party. Numerous small water-courses similar tothose of yesterday, were crossed to-day. The country slightlyimproved but was of the same character, waterless but for the showersof rain. I was strange to see the horses bogging leg deep during athunder-storm, and in five minutes after unable to get a drink ofwater. Large red funnel-shaped ant-hills were seen, in someinstances as high as 18 to 20 feet. The timber in addition to theusual varities comprised zamias, iron bark, acacia, pandanus, mimosa, sterculia [(Currijong'), grevillia, coral, ('Erythrina'), and Nonda('Walrothia') trees. Scrub turkeys ('Talegalla Lathami'), wongawongas, and Torres Straits pigeon were seen. The party camped at theend of 15 miles in a shallow tea-tree gulley, with a little waterfrom last night's rain in its sandy bed, supplying themselves withdrinking water from the rain, caught by the tents. Course North. (Camp LXIII. Acacia. )

'January' 8. --The first 15 miles travelled over to-day were goodundulating forest country, timbered chiefly with box and applegum, and a few iron-barks, and intersected with numerous canal-likecreeks, running north-west, but without water; the last three mileswas wretchedly bad, being similar to the tea-tree country of theStaaten. The whole country between the Archer and Staaten is withoutwater, save immediately after rain, sufficiently heavy to set thecreeks running. The party camped on a small tea-tree "Gilgai, " orshallow water pan, and experienced another night of heavy rain withhigh wind. Two more horses, Rasper and N'gress were found knockedup. Distance 18 miles. Course N. The latitude of the camp wasascertained to be 12 degrees 38 minutes 2 seconds. (Camp LXIV. Bloodwood. )

'January' 9. --The fact of high land being observed to the west ofthe course, and that the creeks all flowed eastward, induced theparty to think that they were near on the eastern slope of thepeninsula. This idea, however, was dispelled on their reaching atthe end of ten miles, a large river which was supposed to be theCoen. It was running strongly W. N. W. , and seemed distinctly todivide the good and bad country, that on the south side being richlygrassed, open and lightly timbered, lucerne and other fine herbsoccurring frequently, whilst on the north side it relapsed into theold barren tea-tree country of which so much had been traversed. Considerable time was lost by the party in cutting a road for thecattle through the thick scrub that fringes its banks, a kind of workwhich was now becoming familiar. The Coen is about sixty yards wide, sandy, and contains crocodiles. The country on it is described asbeing of excellent quality for a cattle run. The party camped on atea-tree swamp with a few inches of water in it, 6 miles beyond thecrossing place. During the day wongas and Torres Strait pigeons wereobserved, and scrub turkeys frequented the river scrubs. Distance 16miles. Course North. (Camp LXV. Bloodwood. )

'January' 10. --The journey to-day was one of unusual fatigue andhardship. The country for the first two miles was comparativelysound, but at this point the course was intercepted by a narrow boggycreek, running strongly through a tea-tree flat. Although care andtime were taken in the selection of a proper spot, when the herdbegan to cross, the leading cattle, breaking through the crust, sankto their hips in the boggy spew below, and in a short time between 30and 40 were stuck fast, the remainder ploughing through with greatdifficulty. Four beasts refused to face it altogether, and it wasfound necessary, after wasting considerable time and a deal ofhorse-flesh, to let them go. The greater part of the day wasconsumed in dragging out the bogged cattle with ropes. Even withthis method and with all the exertions that could be used by theparty, five had to be abandoned, nothing appearing above the groundbut their backs and heads. The horses were more easily crossed, buttheir saddles, packs, and loads had to be carried over by the party. They then camped on the creek, and spent the remainder of the day indrying their arms, saddles, etc. , and in jerking the beef of one ofthe beasts which they had been unable to pull out of the slough. Heavy rain again fell at night, which caused an apprehension thattheir progress would be altogether stopped if it continued. Distance2 1/2 miles. Course North. (Camp LXVI. Pomegranite. )

'January' 11. --It is at this point that the heaviest troubles andhardships of the party appear to have commenced, ,troubles that mightwell appal hearts less stout than those of the Leader and hisbrother, and hardships bearing heavily on each member of the party, but doubly so on them who had to explore, mark, and clear the way forthe cattle, in addition to the ordinary labor of the journey. Afterhaving travelled with the greatest difficulty for two miles overexecrable country, so boggy as to be barely possible to traverse, their progress was stopped by a creek 25 yards wide, flooded "bankand bank, " and running like a mill sluice. This was the riverBatavia. The usual formidable fringe of vine scrub covered themargin and approaches and had to be cut through before the cattlecould cross. This was done by the Brothers by the time they came up, and in addition a large melaleuca which leant over the stream, wasfelled across it, by means of which (by tying a rope above it, as aleading line), they were enabled to carry over the packs, saddles, stores, etc. , on their heads. The cattle accustomed to swimming, took the water in splendid style, one however getting entangled anddrowned. With the horses they were not so fortunate, for though ahead stall was put on each with a rope attached to the bit, to haulthem across, the rapidity of the current swept away two of them intoa tangle of vines in the middle of the stream, under which they werecarried and drowned, despite the exertions of four or five of theparty to pull them across by the rope. Their efforts to save themnearly cost their own lives, and A. Jardine chronicles receiving a"nasty crack" in the head from a log in attempting to disentangle hisown horse "Jack" from the vines, one which might have closed hiscareer, had it been a degree harder, the other, "Blokus, " was aGovernment horse, belonging to Mr Richardson; both were usefulhorses, and a great loss to the party, but only the forerunner ofmuch greater ones. The creek at last crossed, the party attempted topush forward on the other side, but after travelling a mile leadingthe horses, slushing through bog and swamp under a heavy rain, theywere obliged to turn back and encamp on some high ground on the banksof the creek, about half-a-mile above the crossing, where there was alittle good grass. Several of their horses were left behind bogged, one mare in particular, "Nell Gwynne, " being too weak to travel. Distance 3 miles. Course N. (Camp LXVII. )

'January' 12. --It was determined to camp here to-day, both to spellthe weak horses and dry many things that had got wet. The horsesleft bogged the previous night were got out, when on returning to thecamp, it was found that a number of the others were poisoned, and onemissing. The black-boys were immediately sent out in search of him, but were unsuccessful. Meanwhile the party being unable to shiftcamp that day, a yard was immediately formed, all herbs carefullypulled up in and about it, and the horses penned there. Theprecaution came too late, for before evening five of them besides themissing one ("Rasper") were dead. It was supposed that "Rasper" musthave got into the river and been drowned, as one of the effects ofthe poison is complete blindness. The symptoms are thus described. Profuse sweating, with a heaving of the flanks, the ears droop, theeyes glaze, set, and the animal finally turns stone blind. He thenlies down, struggles fitfully for several hours, and never risesagain. This was a heavy blow. Ten of their horses were now gone, eight of which were picked, and the best of the whole number, besidesbeing the best conditioned, one peculiarity of the poison being thatit appears to attack the fattest animals. A careful search was madeto detect the plant that caused this fearful loss, butunsuccessfully. The number of horses being now reduced totwenty-one, and those the poorest and worst, it became necessary totake only what was actually wanted of their baggage, and to abandonthe remainder. A cache was accordingly dug, and 25 sets ofhorse-shoes, a lot of nails and other miscellaneous articles wereburied at the foot of an iron acacia on the top of the ridge andfacing the creek, on which was marked in a sheild F J over LXVII. Over DIG in heart. The horses were kept in the yard all night, andthe rest of the day and evening spent in disposing of the reducedloading, and making preparations for leaving this fatal camp. Therain continued to fall heavily throughout the day, which could notunder the circumstances, have increased the cheerfulness of theparty. The Leader, however, closes the entry in his Diary with "NilDesperandum" merely marking the day of the week in parenthesis as("Black Thursday. ")

'January' 13. --The poor condition of the horses, and the wretchedlysoft nature of the ground, making it impossible for them to beridden, or do more than carry the diminished loads of baggage andstores, the party had no choice but to walk and in some cases even tocarry the packs of the horses. Mr. A. Jardine describes theirappearance this morning as "rather neat" at the starting from thecamp, the two Brothers, Mr. Binney, Scrutton, and the four black-boyshaving doffed everything but their shirts and belts. It was well forthe whites that their previous habits on the journey had hardenedtheir feet and enabled them to travel without shoes, with but littleless hardship than their black companions. This they had acquired bythe custom on coming into camp, of going out with the boys opossumand "sugar bag" hunting. With stout hearts and naked legs, thereforethey faced forward driving the horses and cattle before them, and bythe end of the day placed ten miles between them and "Poison Creek, "as it was then named. This however was not accomplished withoutgreat toil, the country traversed being red soil ridges, with blacksoil tea-tree flats between them, which were so many bogs. In thesethe cattle floundered and bogged at every hundred yards, and even thespare unladen horses had to be pulled out. The latter were at lengthso completely knocked up that it was necessary to leave some of themat one side of a swamp, the party carrying their packs and loadsabout a quarter-of-a-mile on to a dry ridge on the other. Here theycamped and tired as they were, were obliged to keep a vigilant watch, as, to add to their many annoyances the natives had been followingthem all day. Distance 10 miles N. E. By N. Box marked F. J. 68 cross. 

'January' 14. --At daylight this morning the horses were got overthe swamp, with less difficulty than was expected, being recruited bytheir night's rest. The journey was resumed at 6. 30. There had beenno rain on the previous day and night, and the ground with only thistwenty-four hours of dry weather had hardened sufficiently on thecrust to allow the horses to walk without bogging. This crust, however, once broken through, they bogged hopelessly, until draggedout with ropes. In this the water and sludge oozing out from thetracks were great auxiliaries, as they formed a kind of batter, inwhich, by pulling the horses on their sides, they slid along likesledges. This process had continually to be repeated throughout theday, causing so much delay, that seven or eight miles were withdifficulty accomplished. At each running stream the packs had to betaken off and carried over. The country traversed was similar tothat of yesterday, undulating blood-wood red soil ridges, sufficiently well-grassed, with the everlasting black soil, tea-treeflats, and gullies running between them, some being very wide. Twomore horses died during the day from the effects of the poison, andthe Leader owns that he was beginning to be at his wits end as to howthey were to get along. Every superfluity and been abandoned, and, with the exception of a few light things, such as clothes andblankets, of too trifling weight to make it worth while to leave, andonly what was absolutely necessary, retained; yet there were barelysufficient horses left to carry that. He had therefore good causefor anxiety. The day kept tolerably fair until the party came intocamp, when the rain came down in torrents. Whilst in the hurry andconfusion of putting up the tents to protect the stores from thedeluge that was pouring, the alarm of "blacks" was again given. Theywere fortunately unarmed, and the party easily chased them away. This was fortunate, and was caused by the native custom of making thegins carry their spears and shields on the march, themselves onlycarrying a nulla or two. They were soon back again however, withlarge bundles of spears, but not before the party had had time toprepare for them. The rifles were dry and loaded. Frank Jardinehere owns to a feeling of savage delight at the prospect of having a"shine" with these wretched savages, who, without provocation, hungon their footsteps dogging them like hawks all through the thickestof their troubles, watching with cowardly patience, for a favourablemoment to attack them at a disadvantage. Even then, however, hewould not be the agressor, but allowed them to come within sixtyyards, and ship their spears in the woomerahs, before they were firedupon. The two foremost men fell to the only two shots that weredischarged, and their companions at once broke and fled; nor was theadvantage followed up, as the travellers were careful to husbandtheir ammunition, and their caps were running short. This, however, was the last occasion on which the party was molested, their sableadversaries having, probably, at length learned that "they were worthletting alone, " and never again shewing themselves. The distancetravelled was 8 miles. N. E. By N. 

'January' 15. --This being Sunday and horses, cattle, and men, beingin want of rest after the work of the last two days, it wasdetermined to make a rest day. The party employed part of the timein spreading out the contents of the pack bags to dry, everythinghaving become mouldy with the constant wetting. The day was markedtoo, by a grant feast of "stodge, " doughboys, and jam, stodge being adelicacy extemporised for the occasion, consisting of "flour boiledwith water to the consistency of paste, with some small pieces of rawmeat thrown into it"!! The Brothers spent part of the afternoon inthe mutual good offices of picking the pandanus thorns out of eachothers feet and legs, the blackboys following their example. Thesethorns were a constant source of small torture to the party. Thenecessity of trying the ground in advance of the cattle preventedthem wearing boots, and thus feet and legs were left without anyprotection, and exposed them day after day to the same annoyance. Another horse, "Creamy, " sickened from the effects of the poison. Itwas thought that he had not taken enough to kill him, and that theday's rest would set him to rights. A cow was also left bogged inthe swamp. The ground on which the party encamped was supposed atfirst to be dry, being on a bloodwood ridge, with six or eight inchesof gravel on the surface, but the heavy rain of the previous nightcaused the water to run through the tents to a depth of three inches. It was only necessary to scratch a handful of gravel off the crust toget clear running water for drinking. A heavy rain again fell duringthe night, dispelling all hopes of sound travelling for the morrow. (Camp LXIX. Bloodwood. )

'January' 16. --The absolute necessity of getting at or near theirdestination before the setting in of the periodical rains, stimulatedthe Leader to urge the party to long stages, which was not at allrelished by some of the number, two of whom at starting made repeatedrequests to camp for another day, alleging that they could not walkany further. To this Mr. Jardine could not listen, and being furtherimportuned, disposed of the request summarily by packing their rifleson the horses, and telling them that they might remain or come on asthey might elect. He heard no more grumbling, and a good stage wasaccomplished. The country for the first two miles was similar tothat of the last two stages. It then suddenly changed into red sandystringy-bark ridges, with a dense under-growth of vines, zamias, andpandanus, which made the walking difficult and painful. Severalcreeks were crossed, the largest of which was at ten miles from thecamp, and running W. By N. , and the party halted at another six milesfurther on, which received the name of Dalhunty Creek. Its coursewas west, and it was remarkable for the palms ('Seaforthia Elegans')growing in its bed. All these creeks were supposed to be tributariesof the Batavia River. The party had only to unpack the horses twiceduring the day, and made a capital stage, but not without paying forit, for even the Black-boys shewed signs of fatigue. Their legs andfeet, as well as those of most of the party were in a frightfulstate, cut in peices by the thorny vines which covered the line ofmarch. They were now completely out of meat, but it would have beenunwise to halt to kill a beast for three reasons: first, theweather; next, the fact that they could not pack the meat withoutleaving behind something to make place for it, another of theirhorses, Combo, having died to-day from the effects of the poison; andlastly, the urgency of getting forward whilst the weather would admitof it. The morning had been rainy, but in the afternoon it clearedup and gave promised of a few fair days, of which it was expedient totake advantage. In addition to the horse that died (Combo), two moreof their best horses (Rocket and Creamy) were fast sinking. It was afearful thing to see them dwindling away day by day, without power tohelp or time to halt for them; but to press forward was a paramountnecessity. Distance 16 miles North. (Camp LXX. Applegum. )

'January' 17. --The country traversed to-day was similar to that ofyesterday, save that the ridges were higher and more stony. Creekswere crossed at two and ten miles, running strongly westward, whichappeared to be permanent. Five miles further on, the party camped ona smaller one of the same character, having vine scrub and seaforthiapalms on its banks, which was named Skardon's Creek. The horseCreamy died during the day, and Rocket through the night. Theselosses reduced their horses from forty-two, with which they started, to fifteen of the culls. They were in latitude 11 degrees 51 minutes50 seconds, and by their dead reckoning, just about the track ofKennedy, supposing it to have been correctly charted, and thereforeon the western slope of the dividing range. The Torres Strait pigeon('Carpophaga Luctuosa') was again seen, and the bitcherplant('Nepenthes Kennedya') first noticed. Two of the police saddleshad to be left at this camp in consequence of the loss of the horses. Distance 15 1/2 miles. North. (Camp LXXI. )

'January' 18. --The march to-day is described as being through themost abominable country that can well be imagined, being acontinuation of loose white sandy ranges, thickly covered with lowbush from three to eight feet in height, broom, fern, grass-tree('Xanthoraea'), pandanus, and "five-corner" bushes, being thicklymatted together with prickly vine. Not a tree relieved the monotonyof this waste, and what was worse, not a blade of grass was seen formiles. Several deep creeks were crossed, all running strongly withclear pelluced water to W. And N. W. The timber when it occured wasbloodwood, stringy and iron-bark on the ridges, banksia, grevillia, and several kinds of tea-trees in the gullies, which werehoney-combed and boggy. Two new kinds of palm were seen. The bushwhich seems to be what Kennedy alluded to as "heath, " could only begot through by leading a horse ahead, the others following slowlybehind him, the cattle then following in their track. A straightcourse was impossible, as all the boggy creeks and gullies had to berun up to their heads before they could be crossed. A generalcourse, however, was kept of N. By E. The packs were continuallybeing knocked off the horses, occasioning great delay, so that only12 miles were accomplished. Some black perch were caught in one ofthe creeks, and scrub turkeys were seen. Poor "Nell Gwynne's" foalknocked up to-day, after having kept up bravely since the mare'sdeath. Nothing remained therefore but to kill him. The party beingwithout meat, and it being impossible to stop in such a country tokill a beast, part of his flesh was dressed and carried on, which wasa grateful addition to the food, and although two or three at firstrefused to eat of it, the craving of hunger soon made them forgettheir repugnance to horse-flesh. At night the horses had to be shorthobbled and a watch kept over them. The weather kept fine, raisingthe hopes of the Leader of getting in before the rains. 

'January' 19. --Despite the watch kept over the horses, they gotaway during the night, and a late start was the consequence. Severalhours were also lost at the first mile on the journey, in consequenceof some of the horses getting "upside down" in one of the deep narrowcreeks, which were constantly recurring, and having to be extricated. These creeks run N. W. , and take their rise from springs. They are soboggy that in some cases, though perhaps only eighteen inches wide, they had to be headed before the cattle could pass. The summit ofthe range was reached in seven miles of similar country to that ofyesterday, resembling (identical in fact) in appearance and botanicalcharacter, to the worst country of Botany Bay, the Surry Hills, andcoast about Sydney. A thick vine scrub was then passed, when theparty emerged on to some open ridges of red sandy soil, timbered withbloodwood, stringy-bark, and nonda. They were now satisfied thatthey were on eastern waters, as, whilst out sugar-bag hunting in theevening, the Brothers saw the blue waters of the ocean about twelveor fifteen miles to the eastward, a small arm of which was supposedto be a bay to the northward of Cape Grenville. Their latitude was11 degrees 46 minutes 36 seconds. The camp was pitched at the headof a small creek running eastward. 

'January' 20. --After 4 miles of brushwood and scrubby range hadbeen accomplished this morning, further progress was stopped by adense pine and vine scrub stretching across the course. The cattlewere halted outside, whilst the Brothers made search for an openingfor them to get through, in doing which they came on to a narrowtrack cut by the blacks. This they followed for more than two miles, but were obliged to return at last, the vine ropes, tangle, and densescrub, making it hopeless to attempt taking the cattle along it. Afurther search proved equally unsuccessful. The whole party hadtherefore to turn back along their tracks for a couple of miles, thenturning east they travelled on that bearing. At about half-a-milethey reached the eastern slope, from which the sea was distinctlyvisible. A spur of the range was followed for about four miles intorather better country, where the party camped, being well-grassed andslightly timbered, though stoney. Although about 9 miles weretravelled over, the distance in latitude from the last camp could nothave been more than one-and-a-half miles. From a bluff on the rangea fine view of the low country and sea was obtained, and a bearingtaken to Cape Grenville of 117 deg. Blacks' tracks were verynumerous to-day, and it was evident by the neat cutting of the markson the trees that they were provided with good iron tomahawks. Manyturkeys' nests were found, but the eggs only benefitted the strongerstomachs of the party, having young ones in them in most cases. Incrossing one of the boggy creeks, one of the horses jumped on to apack-saddle, and a hook entering his skin lacerated it dreadfully. 

'January' 21. --The course to-day was N. E. By N. , along the easternslope of the Richardson Range, through a fearfully difficult country. Seven deep scrubby creeks had to be crossed running strongly to thewestward, whose banks were invariably fringed with a thick scrub, which had in each case to be cut through before the cattle couldpass: one in particular was so dense that it alone occupied threehours in cutting. The cattle occasionally got their horns entangledin the vines, and had to be cut loose. One cow got fearfully furiousat being thus arrested, and when extricated, galloped straight away, and was no more seen. Over seven hours were occupied in making adistance of about 8 miles, only 3 of which were spent in actualtravelling. A great variety of palms were seen in the scrubs, whichwere covered with fruit and berries, but only the "Seaforthia, " themost graceful of the family, the 'Caryota Urens', remarkable for itsstar-shaped fronds and the more common 'Corypha', of which thecolonial straw-hats are made, were known to the travellers. Latitude11 degrees 37 minutes 46 seconds. 

'January' 22. --The country traversed to-day was of the samedescription as that of yesterday, utterly without grass, and the sametedium and toil were experienced in cutting through the vine scrubswhich bordered the running creeks. These were very numerous, andquite uniform in their difficulty, a lane for the cattle having to becut through each. Some very large pines were noticed to-day (mostprobably 'Araucaria Cunninghamii'), which, forming large and densescrubs, twice forced the party out of their course. The campto-night was a very miserable one, surrounded by scrub and brushwood, without a blade of grass for the stock, or even a tree that could bemarked, and to add to their wretchedness, a heavy rain came downwhich lasted till near midnight. Course N. W. , 10 miles. (CampLXXVI. )

'January' 23. --A steady rain poured down all to-day, and asyesterday, the route alternated over and through desert wastes ofbrush and tangled scrubs, the former telling with great severity onthe lacerated feet of the travellers. Their legs had the appearanceof having been curried by a machine. At the end of 9 miles theyluckily came on to a creek comparatively well-grassed on the banks. This being the first that had been seen for three days, they joyfullyencamped on an open ridge. The timber comprised nonda, grevillea, banksia, tea-tree, mahogany, and many other tropical trees not known. The total distance travelled was 10 miles. N. By W. (Camp LXXVII. )

'January' 24. --For the first three miles to-day, the countryremained similar to the generality, that is, scrub and heath, afterthis it slightly improved, opening into coarse sandstone ridges, insome parts strewed with quartz pebbles, either white or tinted withoxide of iron. At two miles from the start a stream was struck, running north, having a clear sandy bed thirty yards wide, which wasimmediately concluded to be a head of the Escape River, and acontinuation of that crossed on the 22nd. Into this, numerous shortsteep scrubby creeks discharge themselves from the range or ridge tothe eastward. These had, as usual, all to have passages cut throughthem for the stock. At the end of about six miles, a heavythunder-storm coming on whilst the party were engaged in clearing, the creek they were upon was sent up bank and bank by the stormwater, and barred their further progress. They were thereforecompelled to camp. At sundown it was again nearly dry, but the raincontinued at intervals till midnight. During the day a large lowtable-topped mountain was passed about 4 miles to the eastward. Itwas either bare of timber or heath clad, and received the name ofMount Bourcicault. (LXXVIII. ) Distance 6 miles. N. By W. 

'January' 25. --A ten-mile journey was accomplished to-day, thecountry for the first seven having slightly improved into red soilridges coarsely grassed, having patches of scrub along their summits. The remaining three were of the usual character, heath and brushwood, in the midst of which, in a miserable hole as it is described, theywere obliged to camp. A delay of a couple of hours occured inconsequence of a thunder-storm flooding a narrow gutter that might behopped over. It was not until this subsided that the horses andcattle could be made to face it, the poor brutes having been sofrightened with bogs and water, that the horses had to be led overthe smallest of them. The rain still continued to pour heavily atintervals during the day. (Camp LXXIX. ) No trees to mark. Thecourse was N. By W. 

'January' 26. --After two miles of travelling, the party againstruck the supposed Escape River. The stream was flooded, and atthis point fifty yards wide, and the bed clear of fallen timber. Abloodwood tree was marked on both sides, on the S. Bank. The countryon either side is of a red and white sandy soil, timbered withbloodwood, mahogany, melaleuca and black and white tea-tree, coarselygrassed, with heath and scrub running down to the banks in manyplaces. The river was followed down for 7 or 8 miles, its generalcourse being N. W. , the party having to cut roads for the cattlethrough the thick scrubs which lined the tributary creeks andgullies, in four instances. At this distance a large branch nearlyequal in size, joins it from the south-east, to which the name of the"McHenry"* was given. It being flooded and deep, the party traced itupwards for about a mile from its junction and encamped. The tentsbeing pitched and everything made secure for the night, the Brothersexplored up the stream in search of a good crossing place for themorrow. After several trials were made, a spot was finally decidedupon, about three-quarters-of-a-mile from the camp, and they returnedwith the pleasing prospect of having to swim the cattle and horsesover next day, and carry the packs on their heads. Black and whitecockatoos, some parrots, scrub turkeys ('Talegalla Lathami'), andwhite pigeons (Torres Straits), were seen on the march, throughoutwhich the rain still continued to fall, as it did also during thenight. At this camp (80) the last of the sugar was finished, butthis was not thought much of, as from the latitude being ascertainedto be 11 degrees 10 minutes, it was supposed that Somerset could notbe more than 20 or 30 miles distant. How they were undeceived intheir conjecture, and had their hopes disappointed, will be seen. 

[footnote] *After Captain J. McHenry, of Arthur Downs, Isaac River. 

'January' 27. --Early this morning the party addressed themselves tothe task of crossing the McHenry. This was accomplished in safety, cattle and horses taking the water like dogs, the greater difficultybeing in getting over the packs, saddles, and stores, which had to becarried on the heads of the swimmers of the party, and this necessarypart of a bushman's education was not common to all, or at leastsufficiently to be of use. The course was then continued on theother side to the junction of the two streams. The rain continued tofall steadily during most of the day, filling up every little creekand gutter. Some of the former had to be swum over, whilst thelatter occured at every mile. Just below the junction there is alarge dense vine-scrub, which had to be skirted, after which, theparty continued their course down the supposed Escape, which had nowincreased its width to a hundred yards. Its width when first struck, was only twenty, increasing to forty or fifty at its junction withthe McHenry, when the united streams form an imposing river. Itscourse is extremely winding, whilst the numberless creeks and gulleyswhich join it, all with scrubby banks, make travelling along itsbanks, a work of great labor and difficulty. The country on thisday's march slightly improved, being more open and better grassed, the best being on the river banks, but coarse and sparse at best. The timber chiefly bloodwood and black tea-tree. Several trees weremarked with a cross at the crossing place of the McHenry, and onesimilarly at the point of the scrub below the junction. Inconsequence of the many delays to-day the total distance travelledwas only 5 miles. Course N. By W. (Camp LXXXI. )

'January' 28. --The course of the river was followed down to-day forabout two-and-a-half miles, but the endlessly recurring watercourses, each with its eternal fringe of thick vine scrub, at lastcompelled the party to turn to the west in order to avoid them, therebeing no time to cut roads for the cattle. They were constantlygetting entangled by the horns in the hanging vines of the 'CalamusAustralis' and 'Flagetlaria', so often referred to. The effect ofthis on some was to work them into such a perfect fury, that whenreleased by the party cutting them clear, they would in someinstances rush blindly away from the herd and be lost, as describedbefore. The intention on starting was to run the river down to thehead of the tide, and then establish a camp, where the cattle couldstay, whilst the Brothers went on to find Somerset, now supposed tobe not far distant. On leaving the river the course was shaped west, to head the scrubs on the tributaries, but this, far from improvingthe travelling, made it worse as they got into a maze of scrub, heath, and swamps, through which they had to thread their course. They, had therefore, to make their way back to the river, which wasagain struck in about 7 miles. It was here running north, the bedfree from fallen timber, and about 150 yards wide, and so full andflooded as to make it impossible to discover whether it was withinthe tidal influence or not. Following the river for 4 miles, makinga total journey of 12, the rain pouring the whole day, the partycamped on the bank, where alone grass was to be found, and that evenvery poor and thin. Two of the horses "Tabinga, " and "Pussey, " hadto be left about three miles back from the camp with their saddles, utterly knocked up. A lame heifer was killed and cut up for jerking, on the morrow. Course N. W. By N. Distance 12 miles. (Camp LXXXII. )

'January' 29. --This day was devoted to rest, with the exception ofthe necessary duties of jerking the beef of the heifer, and preparingfor the start of the Brothers to find Somerset. The horses leftbehind were sent for and brought into camp, and dispositions made fora halt, until the return of the Leader. The packs, saddles, andstores were "overhauled, " and found for the most part to becompletely rotted, from the constant rain and severe duckings theyhad undergone, making the party congratulate themselves that theywere near their destination. At the request of Frank Jardine, Mr. Richardson plotted up the route, as far as this camp, and gave himhis position on the chart, with a note "that camp 82 was on theEscape River, eight miles in a direct line from where it joins thesea, and sixteen miles from Somerset. " In this, as in the case ofthe position of the Lynd, he was mistaken, the reason for which, hestates to be that his sextant was out of order. This was much to beregretted, as failing the correctness of the surveyor's observations, Mr. Jardine might just as well trust to his own dead reckoning. Itmight be supposed that Mr. Richardson having had an opportunity ofchecking his position by the bearing to Cape Grenville, when hesighted the sea on the 20th inst, at camp 74, should have been ablemore accurately to have determined his present position, but heexcuses himself on the score of the difficulty of estimating thedaily distance whilst walking. * This is a very admissableexplanation, considering the tedium and slowness of their progress inwinding through scrubs, and being delayed by crossings, thetortuousness of their route making it difficult to keep the course. It was the more unfortunate, therefore, that the sextant, which wasnaturally depended upon for keeping them informed of their progress, should have been allowed to become so deranged, as to be lessreliable than the result of mere dead reckoning. 

[footnote] *See his Journal. 

CHAPTER V. 

First Start in Search of Settlement--Character of the Jardine--The Eliot--Return to Main Camp--Flooded State of River--Impromptu Raft--Crossing Horses--Uncertainty--Second Start inSearch of Settlement--View of the Ocean--Reach South Shore ofNewcastle Bay--Reach Mouth of True Escape--Unable to Cross--ADainty Meal--Character of the Escape--Return to Main Camp--Horses Knocked-up--Another Horse Dead--Flour Exhausted--Wretched Condition of Horses--More Baggage Abandoned--Prospects--The Whole Party Again Move Forward--Another Horse Abandoned--Reach Head of Tide View of the Gulf--Barne Island--Return up theJardine--Third Start in Search of Settlement--Wild Grape--Crossing Saddles--a Disappointment--Head the Escape River--MeetFriendly Natives--Natives Act as Pilots--Native Bread--Canoes--Corroboree--Native Drums--Arrival at Somerset--Mr. Jardine'sMarked-tree Line--Meeting with their Father--A Heroine. 

'January' 30. --This morning, Mr. F. Jardine with his Brother andthe Blackboy, Eulah, started to find the Settlement, leaving the restof the party encamped with the cattle, in charge of Mr. Scrutton. They took with them a week's ration of 25 lbs. Of flour, and 12 lbs. Meat (tea and sugar had long been things of the past), intending tofollow the supposed river down to the head of the tide. It wasaccordingly followed for about 21 miles, but to their astonishment, instead of trending N. N. E. , its general course was found to beNorth-west 1/2 West. This led them to the conclusion that it was awestern water, and not as they had hitherto supposed, the EscapeRiver. Of this they were now convinced, but to make certain, agreedto continue travelling down it for two days more, and with thisintent camped on a creek coming in from the southward. The margin ofthe river is generally open and coarsely grassed, timbered withmahogany, bloodwood, and melaleuca, the points of scrubs andbrushwood occasionally closing down to the stream. Its width variesfrom one to two-hundred yards, with a sandy bed, entirely free fromfallen timber. Its banks are steep in many places, of white clay andcoarse sandstone, and fringed with tall melaleuca, whose longdrooping branches and leaves swept the rapid and deep stream. Astraight course was impracticable, for as soon as attempted, and theriver was out of sight, the party got entangled in thick brushes andtea-tree swamps, without a blade of grass. They were obliged, therefore, to follow the course of the river in all its windings. The only birds seen were scrub turkeys, and Torres Strait pigeons. The weather at starting was fine, but about 11 o'clock the raincommenced, and continued steadily the whole of the day. At night, oncamping, a "bandicoot gunyah" was erected, and covered with the broadpliable paper bark of the melaleuca, which made a snug shelter forthe night from the still pouring rain. Course generally N. W by W. Distance following the river, 21 miles. 

'January' 31. --Crossing the creek immediately after leaving thecamp, the party still continued to follow the windings of the riverthrough similar country to that of yesterday, save that the groundwas more boggy, the swamps, ana-branches, and small lagoons morenumerous. On the latter some Coromandel geese were seen, of aspecies different from those found near Rockhampton. The heavy rainwhich had continued all last night had caused the river to riseseveral inches. At about ten miles the progress of the party wasstopped by a large stream coming in from the South-east, about thesame size as the McHenry. A tree was marked AJ at the junction whichwas very scrubby, and the new stream received the name of the Eliot. It was running strongly, and had to be traced up for two miles, before the party could cross in safety. This they fortunatelyaccomplished without accident, although the water was up to theirnecks, as they waded across with their saddles and packs on theirheads, giving them all they could do to stem the rapid current. Theythen proceeded on their way for 7 miles further, the last two ofwhich were through thick brush, and camped on the bank of the mainstream, now much augmented in size after receiving the waters of theEliot. There was but little grass for the poor horses, but nochoice, the country back from the river being all scrubs and swamps, covered with tea-tree, but barren of grass. The total distancetravelled was 17 miles. The course generally West by South, clearlyproving that they could not be on the Escape. 

'February' 1. --The river was again followed for about seven milesfurther, but as the course still continued to trend West, and evensouth of West, the Brothers in disgust determined on re-tracing theirsteps, satisfied, if satisfaction can be predicated of such adisappointment, that they were on western waters, and that they hadnot yet reached the looked-for Escape River. At this point, therefore, they turned, intending to swim the river at the main camp, and make another exploration to find the Settlement from the Northside, or right bank. By night-fall they reached their first night'scamp, where they found the "gunyah" very acceptable. They had nowfollowed the supposed Escape 45 miles; deducting a third for itssinuosities, a distance of at least 30 miles in a straight lineWestward had been travelled, and they were filled with surprise thatso large and important a stream should have remained undiscovered. Its width at their turning-point was over two-hundred yards, thebanks commencing to be very swampy, and it is described by Mr. A. Jardine, as the most compact river, with the exception of theFitzroy, he had seen in the North. The rain continued as yesterdayduring the whole of the day, accompanied with cold winds. This, together with their disappointment, was sufficient to depress thespirits of most men. There is not, however, in the journals ofeither of the Brothers the slightest indication of despondency orcomplaint. 

'February' 2. --The main camp was reached this morning early, andeverything found safe and right, save in one particular, thatdeserves recording. In looking over the ration account, Mr. Jardinefound a deficiency of 30 lbs. Of flour, accruing in the interval ofthe four days of his absence. All denied any knowledge of it, andall were equally certain that the allowance had not been exceeded;"so" writes Frank Jardine, "where it is gone to, I am never likely toknow, " and there the matter dropped. It is humiliating to think, that amongst white men banded together in exploring parties, wherethe success and safety of the enterprise are much dependent on thegood conduct of each individual member, there should be foundindividuals so ignoble, as to appropriate an undue share of thecommon stock of food on which the health, and perhaps the life ofeach equally depends; and yet, sad to say, such instances are notsingular. The well-proved charge against Gray of cooking flour forhimself privately, for which he was chastised by poor Burke, is oneinstance. Gray's excuse was that he was so ill, and his apologistspoint to the fact that he subsequently died. Either Burke or Willswould have died on the spot, rather than have taken an ounce morethan their meanest companion, and yet it has been asked why this manhas had no monument. Again, in the unfortunate expedition of poorKennedy (not far from their present camp), the storekeeper of thepartyof the name of Niblett, was discovered to have largely pilferedfrom the stores for a considerable time previously. Who knows that, but for the deficiency his greed caused, more of that ill-fated partymight have held out until the succour arrived, guided by the heroicblack, Jacky, who risked his own life to save that of his master, andwhose name is as worthy of being held up for honour as that of thewhite man's for contempt. 

'February' 3. --This day was spent by the Brothers with theirblack-boys in hunting for a good crossing place, or as they describedit, "doing a little water dogging. " The river being two hundredyards wide, and running rapidly, made it a difficult matter, andafter trying a number of places, it was found that as they were allalike, deep and wide, they might as well cross opposite the camp. This would not be without risk and danger, but the exigency of theparty made it necessary. Their flour was nearly exhausted, and theyhad nothing else but the jerked meat of the beef they killed, andwhat they could catch in the bush, to depend on. In this last, however, as old hunters and bushmen, they were generally prettysuccessful, supplementing and eking out their ordinary rations verylargely. The day previous their larder had been recruited by threeiguanas' eggs, a brush turkey ('Megapodius Tumulus'), and nineturkeys' eggs. The rain came down as usual at intervals during theday, which, added to the almost incessant rain of the four previousdays, brought the river down during the night, increasing its volumeand current so much as to make it dangerous to attempt crossing. 

'February' 4. --The river being too high to cross, the start for theSettlement was postponed, the fagged horses getting the benefit ofthe delay. A beast was killed in the evening. The weather clearing, Mr. Richardson was enabled to get correct observations for thelatitude, having succeeded in putting his sextant into tolerableadjustment. The readings gave the latitude of camp 82 to be 11degrees 11 minutes 39 seconds, or about 33 miles south from CapeYork. Part of the day was employed in constructing a raft to floatover the saddles, rations, etc. This was done by stretching a hideover a frame of wood, but not without some trouble, as it was foundthat the only wood light enough for the purpose, was dead nonda, andthis being scarce, had to be searched for. Before evening, however, a raft was finished sufficiently light for the purpose. 

'February' 5. --The river having sunk considerably during the night, the crossing was commenced this morning, despite the downpour ofrain, which lasted all day without a break. The stream was onehundred and thirty yards wide, the banks fringed with scrub andvines, and the current still running rapidly. It required thereforestrong and expert swimmers to get the horses across, the method beingas follows:--One of the party went in first with a line made fastto the bit of the horse's bridle, and another followed, holding on tohis tail by way of rudder. Now as a horse can swim faster than aman, and is of course heavier in the water, the leader has no easytask even if the horse swim honestly for the opposite bank, butshould he turn back or boggle at all, man and line are alikepowerless; the use of the rudder therefore will be seen. When theleader reaches the opposite bank, he has to scramble up nimbly, or hemay have the horse on him, and arrived there, be in readiness withthe line to assist him should he get entangled in the saplings andvines which fringe the banks. It will be remembered that in crossingthe Batavia on the 11th January, two horses were drowned, in spite ofevery care and precaution. Here, however, they were fortunate enoughto cross their four horses without accident, Mr. Scrutton, old Eulah, and the black-boys doing good service, being all excellent swimmers. The saddles and rations were then floated over in the raft, alsowithout accident, and the advanced party (the Brothers and Eulah)camped on the north side, leaving the remainder of the party andcattle in charge of Mr. Scrutton. Even now, Frank Jardine wasuncertain as to what stream they were on, and still leaned to thebelief that it was the Escape, his faith in the result of theobservations, having been shaken by the accident to the sextant. They failed to assist him in his opinion, which was sorely puzzled bythe river running westward. He considered it, therefore, absolutelynecessary to find the Settlement before moving the cattle forward, his horses being so weak, as to make it useless to travel on inuncertainty. The necessity for reaching their journey's end wasbecoming urgent, for their tea and sugar were exhausted, their flournearly so, and some of the party were complaining of being unwell, and getting very weak. 

'February' 6. --The second start was made this morning, the Brothersintending to find either the Settlement or the mouth of the Escape. Their course for the first 15 miles was N. N. East, over barren whitesandy country, covered with brushwood and scrub. At 7 miles a largedeep running creek was crossed, running westward. Its south bank wasso densely covered with vine scrub, that they had to walk and cuttheir way through it with their tomahawks. After crossing it, thecountry suddenly changed to thickly timbered sandy ridges, some beingrocky, of course sandstone, the more elevated ones having belts ofimpenetrable scrub running along their crest. At 12 miles a finesheet of water was passed, surrounded by sandy coarsely-grassedridges. At 15 miles, from a line of high ridges forming asaddle-range, they had a view of the ocean, and could distinguish afew small islands out to sea. It might have been seen sooner but forthe drizzling rain which fell with little intermission. The rangewas of red soil, timbered with bloodwood, and stringy-bark. Twomiles further on the country improved still more, continuing fromthence into their camp, 6 miles. The course was altered from therange to N. By E. , and at 20 miles a white hill was reached, fromwhich they looked down on the sea about half-a-mile distant beneaththem. This was Newcastle Bay. Turning westward and skirting thecoast, they travelled 3 miles further on, and camped on a palm creek, with very steep banks. Large flocks of the Torres Strait pigeonsflew over in the evening. Distance travelled 23 miles. 

'February' 7. --The good country traversed yesterday ceased at acreek half-a-mile from the camp, on crossing which the party had tocut their way as usual, after which the course skirting the coast layover a villainous country, boggy swamps, brushwood and scrub. Aftertravelling 7 or 8 miles their progress was arrested by a large streamthree-quarters-of-a-mile in width, running rapidly from the W. N. W. Its banks were low and muddy, covered with a wide belt of densemangroves, its muddy and swollen waters carrying down quantities ofrubbish. This they correctly surmised to be the mouth of theveritable "Escape" but Frank Jardine was again in error in supposingit to be the same stream that they had left the cattle on. Seeing solarge a stream he naturally reverted to the idea that it had turnedon itself, and that their first exploration had stopped beforereaching the turning point. His case was dispiriting in the extreme. The main camp was not more than 15 miles in latitude south of hispresent position. The Settlement, the long-wished end of theirjourney, could not be more than 20 to the North, yet his progress wasarrested by a broad and rapid river, to head the supposed bend ofwhich he had ineffectually travelled nearly 50 miles. His plan wasnow to follow the Escape up in hopes of being able to cross at thehead of the tide, and so reach Somerset, but this, as will be seen, was more easily planned than executed. Following up the course ofthe river the way lay over a country which Alexander Jardine mentionsin his notes as "too bad to describe, " pandanus swamps, vine scrubs, and small creeks swollen by the rains to a swimmable depth, succeeding one another along the whole stage. At the latter thehorses had always to be unpacked and their saddles taken over on theheads of the party. Three hours were consumed in cutting their waythrough the last of the vine scrubs, when they camped on the outside, three of the horses being completely knocked up. The Brothers thenwalked to the river in hopes of finding a crossing place. Thishowever, proved hopeless. A thick matted fringe of mangroves nearlythree miles wide intervened between them and its bank, through whichit was next to impossible to make any headway. Their supper to-nightwas augmented by a lucky "find" during the day of thirteen scrubturkeys' eggs, which, though they would scarcely have beenappreciated at an ordinary breakfast table, were very acceptable totired and hungry travellers existing principally on jerked beef. Eating what yolk or white they contained, they plucked and roastedthe chicks as a "bonne-bouche. " Fires had to be kept going day andnight to drive away, and protect the poor miserable horses from themarch and sand-flies by day, and mosquitoes by night. These were, infact, the principal cause of the poverty and debility of the poorbrutes, who could never get a moment's rest to feed or sleep. Twenty-two miles were accomplished to-day, despite their difficulties. 

'February' 8. --The journey was continued to-day up the Escape, thecourse of which was very crooked, but generally N. W. By N. Thehorses knocked up a few miles after starting. The party weretherefore obliged to walk and drive them before them. The countrytraversed was similar to that of yesterday, so that they could notget more than a-mile-and-a-half an hour out of the poor jaded beasts. Three times they tried to make into the river bank, but withoutsuccess, from the great width and the density of the belt ofmangroves, and the soft mud. An old black's camp was passed in whichthey found heaps of shells, turtle, and shark bones. In the eveningthey caught a quantity of whelks and cockles, which, with an iguana, and three turkeys' eggs, made a good supper. 

'February' 9. --The course of the river to-day was even more crookedthan yesterday, the nature of the country continuing the same, savethat the swampy ground was occasionally broken by ridges ofbloodwood, and stringy-bark. From a tree on one of these they had afine view of Newcastle Bay, and what was supposed to be MountAdolphus Island, the latter about 25 miles away, and could trace thecourse of the river to where it debouched, by the stretch ofmangroves. Here, therefore, they were within 20 miles of theirdestination, which they were tantalised by seeing, without being ableto reach. With difficulty they drove their horses before them for 7miles, when they turned out and camped, as well to hunt, as again totry and reach the river. In the first they were pretty successful, getting some turkeys' eggs and shell-fish, but the last they wereunable to do, mud and mangroves barring their way, whilst the saltwater proved to them that they were still within the influence of thetide, and the stream was still between three and four hundred yardswide. Despairing of being able to find a crossing to which theycould fetch the cattle, their horses being unable to cross the river, to continue the search for Somerset in advance, and their scantyprovision of flour being nearly exhausted, Frank Jardine, reluctantlyabandoning the idea of getting into the Settlement, determined toreturn to the cattle, and with them, head the supposed bend of theEscape. Disheartening as this was, there was nothing else to be donein the present state of the country. Distance travelled, 7 mileswesterly. 

'February' 10. --Turning their backs on the mangroves and swamps ofthe Escape River, the little party faced for the camp, steeringS. S. E. The first four miles was through boggy, swampy country, through which they walked, driving their horses before them. Theremainder was over the usual iron-bark and bloodwood ridges, fairlygrassed with coarse grasses, intersected with swamps and belts of scrub, through one of which they were three hours in forcing their way twomiles. After 11 miles of this kind of travelling they camped, thehorses completely knocked up, the men in not much better condition, having had to drag the horses out of bogs several times, besidescutting through the hanging vines of the scrubs. Distance 12 miles. 

'February' 11. --The main camp was reached to-day, after anotherfatiguing journey of 11 or 12 miles, the first 6 miles similar tothat of yesterday, the remainder through heath and brushwood. It wassundown before they reached the river, which they found much swollen. A heavy thunder-shower of two hours' duration, put up all the creeksbank high, one of which, at about two miles from the river, they hadto swim across. Having struck it immediately opposite the camp, theyleft their jaded horses with their saddles on the north side, andswam across themselves to the party. During their absence another ofthe horses, "Pussey, " had died from exhaustion. 

'February' 12. --The meat at the camp being all consumed, it becamenecessary to halt for a couple of days, in order to kill and jerk abeast. The flour too was now exhausted, save 10 lbs. , which wasjudiciously put by and reserved for an emergency. The day was spentin crossing back the four horses, with saddles and swags. The cattlewere counted and some found missing; the Black-boys were thereforesent in search of them. A beast was killed, cut up, and jerked, atedious task, from the absence of the sun. Although there were onlya few light showers towards evening, the air was damp; the meat, therefore, had to be smoked under a covering. 

'February' 13. --The lost cattle were found to-day, the jerking ofthe meat finished, and preparations for a final start on the morrowcompleted. The unfortunate horses were in such wretched condition, that it was found necessary to lighten the loads to the Settlement. Four pack-saddles, two police saddles, and the two belonging to theBrothers were therefore abandoned, with the remainder of the odds andends. The prospect before them was not very bright. With noprovision save jerked meat, and with knocked-up horses, they werestarting on a journey of at least 100 miles, when their destinationwas not more than 30 miles away from them. They hoped to head thebend of the river they were on (having reverted to the opinion thatit was the Escape), without knowing how far beyond the lowest pointof their first exploration this turning-point might be, or whatobstructions might be a-head of them. On the other hand, the wholeof the party were without sickness, and they had plenty of cattle toeat. 

'February' 14. --A final start was made this morning from camp 82, of dreary memory, after a good deal of trouble in packing, choosingand rejecting what was too heavy or useless, and the other delaysattendant on the breaking up of an established camp. The river wasfollowed for 11 miles with the usual amount of bogging anddifficulty, in crossing the small trench-like creeks alreadymentioned. In one of these they were compelled to abandon anotherhorse (Tabinga). The poor brute fell in trying to cross, and whenpulled out and set on his legs was too weak to stand. He had to beleft, therefore, saddle and all. Another (Pussy) having died at thelast camp, their number was now reduced to thirteen. Their loadswere reduced to the slightest possible, and consisted merely of thejerked meat, the ammunition, and swags of the party. Distance 11miles. (Camp LXXXIII. )

'February' 15. --A gloomy morning with light showers, 10 miles wereaccomplished to-day. Three hours were consumed in crossing one ofthe boggy gullies. Every horse had to be unpacked, and half of themhad to be pulled across with ropes. The pack of another horse (LadyScott) had to be abandoned. She was too weak to carry even the emptysaddle. The camp was pitched in the angle formed by the large creekrunning into the river just below the gunyah camp of their firsttrip, mentioned January 30th. (Camp LXXXIV. )

'February' 16. --The Eliot was reached to-day 8 miles from the camp. It had fallen considerably, but was still too high to allow ofcrossing without taking off the packs. It was about thirty yardswide, and running clear, about five feet deep, where the partycrossed. The camp was pitched on the main stream two miles further, making a total of 10 miles for the day's journey. (Camp LXXXV. Nonda. )

'February' 17. --The lowest camp of the Brothers on their first tripwas passed to-day at about 6 miles. The total distance theyestimated they had travelled down the river on that occasion was 40to 45 miles, as it will be remembered that they went 6 or 7 milesbeyond this camp on the 1st of February. The true distance to theturning point by Mr. Richardson's reckoning, was estimated at 35miles, which is probably correct. Mr. Richardson in his journal ofto-day's date says, "they told me they had travelled 20 miles Northand 30 miles West. " A glance at sheet No. 14 will shew this to havebeen an error; and in a foot-note at February 2nd, he states, "Iafterwards found that these distances were incorrect. The truedistances West and North respectively from the 82nd camp to the pointin our track where the Leader turned back, are about 24 miles W. And7 N. " Now, considering the tortuous course of the river, the natureof the country, the weather, and obstacles of the creeks, 6 miles isnot a great error in westing. Mr. Richardson's own reckoning, generally, despite his advantage over the Brothers, in having nothingto do but follow the cattle, was not more to be depended upon, whilstthe results of his observations by the sextant were not so much so, as he naively informs us he did not think he error in Latitude wasmore than 15 miles! It appears evident therefore that the deadreckoning of the explorers was of equal, if not greater value, as faras the journey was concerned, than the surveyor's, the chief resultand use of whose presence in the party is, that we have beenfurnished with a very excellent and interesting map of the route; butit by no means assisted the Leader in the piloting of the Expedition, or resolved his doubts when at fault, either at this point or onleaving the Einasleih in search of the Lynd. The party camped at theend of about two miles on the right bank of a broad deep creekrunning in from S. W. , when after turning out, some of them wentfishing, but only one small cat-fish was caught. 

'February' 18. --A slight rain fell during last night, but clearedoff before morning. The creek was crossed at about a mile from thecamp, cattle, horses, and men having to swim. The former took itlike water-dogs, and the latter had as usual to carry their saddles, packs, and "traps" over on their heads. After ten miles oftravelling over poorly-grassed stringy-bark ridges, the countryresumed its old character of swamp, brushwood, and low scrubby banks, flooded for four or five feet, the overflow filling swamps runningparallel, and about two or three hundred yards distant from theriver. This was followed during the day's march, and they wereelated with the hope that they had at length reached the much wishedfor bend, the course being slightly to the eastward of north. It wasMr. Jardine's intention to have again halted the party when theyreached this point, and once more pushed forward in search ofSomerset, but they were out of meat, and the party had startedwithout breakfast, there being nothing to eat. He therefore campedat the end of 10 miles to kill a beast. There were a good manydelays during the march, chiefly to pull the exhausted horses out ofthe constantly recurring bogs. Poor "Lady Scott" especially was withgreat difficulty got into camp. Distance 10 miles, N. 1/2 E. (CampLXXXVII. Bloodwood)

'February' 19. --To-day was chiefly devoted to rest, and the cuttingup, jerking, and smoking of the beef by the whites, the black-boys, after the manner of their race, dividing it pretty equally betweensleeping and stuffing. The meat curing was as usual a slow process, there being no salt, and a gunyah having to be made to smoke it in. The river was here first observed to have a rise and fall in it ofabout six inches. Its width was about a quarter of a mile. 

The latitude of this camp (87) is 11 degrees 11 minutes 13 secondsThe latitude of camp (82) is 10 degrees 58 minutes 2 secondsThe Northing therefore equals 13 minutes 11 seconds

'February' 20. --It commenced to rain at two o'clock this morning, and continued heavily as the party started. The river again turnedto the Westward, to their great disappointment. The course wascontinued along it for 9 miles, when they were brought to astand-still by a deep creek with boggy banks, twenty yards wide, flowing from the South. It was evidently affected by the tide, asthe water was slightly brackish and the edge fringed by a species ofmangrove. A crossing-place was looked for without success, and thecamp was finally pitched, as the rain was pouring heavily. (CampLXXXVIII. )

'February' 21. --This morning the Brothers, taking old Eulah withthem, swam across the creek, alligators notwithstanding, and walkedto the top of a high stringy-bark ridge on the south side. Selectingthe highest tree he could find (a bloodwood) Alexander Jardineascended it with Eulah, and from its top branches got a view thatfinally dispelled the doubts as to their position, and the identityof the stream they had traced down. Before him, at about 3 milesdistant lay the mouth of the river, about 2 miles wide. Its coursecould without difficulty be traced from where they were till itdebouched into the Gulf waters opposite a small island, which waseasily recognized as Barn Island, whilst to the North, EndeavourStraits, and Prince of Wales Island could be distinctly seen. It wasnow perfectly plain that the river they had followed was not theEscape. They had therefore, been deceived a second time. Itreceived the very appropriate name of Deception, but has since, bythe direction of his Excellency Sir George Bowen, been charted, andis now known by the name of the Jardine. Descending from his perch, after half-an-hour spent in taking bearings by the compass to thedifferent points of interest, Mr. Jardine joined his brother, who atonce determined to return to camp 87, it being impossible to crosswhere they were. Re-crossing the creek, they rejoined the party, reaching the camp at sun-set, under a heavy downpour of rain. 

'February' 22. --Although it was raining heavily with everyappearance of a continuance, the party started to return up the riverin excellent spirits. The Brothers were now certain that they shouldhave no difficulty in finding the Settlement on their next trip. They were, however, very much puzzled as to where such a large streamas the Escape was found to be, should rise. They now re-traced theirsteps, and camped close to their last camp LXXXVII. Six miles. 

'February' 23. --To-day was spent in killing and jerking a beast, and preparing for the Leader's third start in search of theSettlement. The rain poured down heavily, causing the river to risevery fast. Another raft similar to that made at camp 83, had to beconstructed, a work of some time, for the only wood fit for makingthe frame was dry nonda, which was scarce. The rain too, very muchimpeded the drying of the beef, for which, as usual, a bark gunyahhad to be erected. Everything, however, was got well forward for theimportant business of crossing the next morning. 

'February' 24. --The horses, saddles, and rations were all crossedin safety to-day, though not without difficulty. In swimming thehorses particular care had to be taken, for there was only one smallspot on the other side at which they could be landed. As explainedon the 5th, on the occasion of the second start, it requires a strongswift swimmer to lead a horse across a stream, and in this the whitemen, or at least, three of them, were much superior to theblack-boys, who, although all good swimmers, were much more efficientin the service of the raft. This only illustrates the rule that mostwhite men can beat the aboriginal in swimming fast, whilst the latterhas superior endurance; but there is no doubt, that under the sameconditions of education and practice, the civilized white man issuperior to the savage in any physical function or exercise. Therain poured down consistently during the whole of the day, and a coldcutting wind drove the swimming party at intervals to the fires, where, whilst toasting the outward, they solaced the inner man with adecoction of Scrutton's, by courtesy called, soup, being an 'ollapodrida', or more properly "bouillon, " of the bones, gristle, head, and oddments of the lately-killed beast. This was always a stockrepast after each kill-day, and there is but little doubt but thatits "osmazome" contributed not a little, to the good health and heartof the party. Almost every exploring party on short commons, recordssome favourite cookery, some dish that their souls loved. InMcKinlay's journey, the dish most in vogue was a kind of "amorphous"black-pudding, made of the carefully-saved blood of the bullock, horse, or sheep, as the case might be, boiled with some fat, andseasoned with a little condiment, which being of light carriage, canalways be saved for such high occasions. In the present instance, the fat was always devoted to the greasing of the saddles, pack-straps, etc. , during the latter part of the journey, whenclothing was at a premium; of the explorers themselves, "moreaboriginum, " who found that the protection it afforded them againstcold, wet, and mosquitoes, far outweighed any slight redolence, which, after all, could only be offensive to anyone not equallyanointed. At night the Brothers camped on the north side of theDeception, or Jardine, leaving the party again to await their reportand return, the cattle being in charge of Scrutton. 

'February' 25. --There was an early start this morning, but thelittle party did not make much headway that day, for after two milesof boggy brushwood country their progress was suddenly arrested by asea of water, the overflow of a large creek, the outline of whichcould be traced by a fringe of dark green foliaged trees. Somefruitless attempts were made to cross it at different points. At thenarrowest part they could find, on running it down at a spot wherethe channel was hemmed in by ridges on either side, it was stillhalf-a-mile wide, and running very strongly in the actual channel. They therefore had to resign themselves to wait patiently till theflood went down, apparently not a near prospect, for the rain stillcontinued to drizzle unceasingly. After hunting about for some timethey were fortunate enough to find a good dry camp when turning out, they disposed themselves to await the subsidence of the water, withwhat patience they might. The next two days were spent in huntingfor the pot, and exploring for a good crossing place. In the formerthey met with no success, all they were able to find being a kind ofwild grape, about the size of a small marble. They are black andsweet, and as Alexander Jardine describes, "very good to eat, butthey take all the skin off the tongue and lips!" On the evening ofthe second day they had the pleasure of seeing that the creek wasslowly going down, giving promise that they might be able to cross iton the morrow. 

'February' 28. --This morning they had the satisfaction of seeingthat the creek had fallen sufficiently to enable them to cross, butnot without swimming. At the spot they chose for going over thestream was about fifteen yards wide, but the current very rapid. Thehorses were crossed in the usual manner, swimming with their saddleson their backs, but the rations, etc. , were passed over by adifferent method, one which did credit to the projector. A kind offlying suspension bridge was improvised, by which they were slung tothe other side, in a manner proving that necessity is the mother ofinvention. By attaching one end of their light tent-line to thebranches of an over-hanging tree on the hither side, and the otherend to a butt on the opposite bank, the "swag" slid down by its owngravity, and was safely crossed. Their 'impedimenta' were thussafely transported to the opposite bank, the whole process occupyingabout an hour. They were well re-paid for their long patience, forimmediately on attaining the other side, the country changed intogood sound well-grassed stringy-bark ridges, which continuedthroughout the whole stage, with the exception of a few broadtea-tree gullies. They encamped at about 10 miles. Poor old Eulahexperienced to-day, what he felt was a cruel disappointment. Justbefore getting into camp he espied what he supposed to be a freshturkey's nest (the 'Talegalla Lathami'); jumping off his horse, heeagerly commenced rooting it up, expecting to be rewarded by a finehaul of eggs. These, as is the habit of that bird, were deposited ina large mound formed of sticks, earth, and leaves. Hisdisappointment and disgust were equal, and his language forcible anddeep, on finding that he had been anticipated--the big mound wasthe abode of emptiness. The mystery was cleared up on going on alittle way, when they found a black's camp about two days old, wherethe egg-chips shewed that the occupants had enjoyed Eulah'santicipated feed, the piccaninnies probably amusing themselvesafterwards by filling up the nest to its original appearance. In theevening, whilst Alexander Jardine, was preparing the frugal supper(they generally ate their jerked meet raw, but on this occasion hewas cooking it for a change), the Leader and Eulah walked to the topof a small sandy conical hill, about half-a-mile distant, whenclimbing the highest tree, they could find, they were rewarded by afine view of Newcastle Bay, on the south-east of the bight, on whichthey were now camped. They had also the great satisfaction offinding that they had at last headed the Escape River. 

'March' 1. --"A nasty wet morning. " The trio started early, thinking it quite possible that they might "pull up" something orother belonging to the Settlement before night, but they kept theirthoughts to themselves. They had had so many disappointments thatthey felt that to hazard a guess even, was a mistake. Aftertravelling over a great deal of low scrub and brushwood, which, however, was better than boggy ground ("to be without one or theother, " says Alexander Jardine "would have been too much to expect")during a heavy shower of rain, about three o'clock, whilst ridingover some low sandy ridges they suddenly came on to a number ofblacks, camped on the outside of a thick scrub, at a point where itabutted on a small creek. The travellers immediately unslung theircarbines, very dubious however as to whether they would go off (forthey were all damp, ) and prepared for the customary "set-to. " Ashitherto, in all these encounters, they had always without any showof hostility on their part, been at once attacked, they weresurprised to find the blacks, who were very numerous, bolt into thescrub, with the exception of three who stood their ground, andholding up their empty hands shewed that they were unarmed, dancingand shouting vociferously. Eulah was the first to detect what theysaid, and reining up called out "hold on, you hearim, that one binyabber English. " the brothers halted and listened. Sure enough theydistinctly heard the savages shouting excitedly "Alico, Franco, Dzoco, Johnnie, Toby, tobacco, and other English words. It was nowevident that they had met with friendly natives, who were acquaintedwith the Settlement, so they went forward and spoke to them. Theblacks still continued to shout their shibboleth, pointing toSomerset, which they called "Kaieeby. " After taking a roughinventory of the camp, without, however, finding anything that couldhave come from the Settlement, they started two of the mostintelligent in front of them, making them understand by signs, thatthey wanted to be guided by the shortest route to Cape York. Thisthey had no difficulty in doing, for they were by far the mostintelligent blacks they had met with. The whole party now startedforward, the sable guides piloting them over the best ground. Inabout 7 miles they arrived at a shallow salt-water creek, thatempties itself into a northern inlet of Newcastle Bay. Here they metwith a large body of unarmed blacks, who after making a great manysigns, came up and presented them with some spears and wommerahs, which they had concealed in the mangroves, possibly as an earnest ofpeace. They also brought them a villainous compound, in somedilly-bags, a mixture of mangrove-roots and berries, pounded up intoa pulp, of a yellowish color. Although it was very disagreeable tothe taste, the travellers eat of it in token of confidence in theirhosts, or rather to make them believe that they trusted them, forthey were too well acquainted with the aboriginal nature to trustthem in reality, and kept a wary though unobserved watch. The tidebeing in, and it being very late when the salt-water creek wasreached, the Brothers determined to camp with their newly-madefriends at their main camp, and accordingly followed them for abouttwo miles, when they again hit the salt creek. Here three largecanoes were moored to the mangroves, the largest was about 28 feetlong, and 30 inches wide, cut out of the solid butt of some largetree, and very neatly finished. The tent was pitched, but not mademuch use of, for after dark the travellers left it and campedseparately, each keeping vigilant watch all night. The natives spentit very differently, and, whether in honor of the whites, or inanticipation of picking their bones (it might have been either) theyheld high corroboree till about midnight, keeping up a fearful din, in which two large drums formed a prominent part. The name of thiskind of drum is "Waropa" or "Burra Burra, " and it is procured inbarter or war from the Islanders of Torres Straits, who frequentlyvisit the continent. It is neatly made of a solid piece of woodscooped out, in shape like an elongated dice box. One end is coveredwith the skin of a snake or iguana, the other being left open. Whenthis instrument is played upon by a muscular and excited "nigger, " amusic results which seems to please him in proportion to itsintensity; keeping time with these, and aiding with their voices, they kept up their wild dance varying the chant with the peculiarb-r-r-r-r-r-r-oo, of the Australian savage (a sound made by"blubbering" his thick lips over his closed teeth, ) and giving totheir outstretched knees the nervous tremor peculiar to thecorroboree. But a corroboree, like the ball of civilized life musthave an end, and at length the tired dancers sought their severallairs, leaving the whites to watch the watery moon and lurid stars, and listen to the dull plashing of the tide through the mangroves, whilst waiting for daylight. 

'March' 2. --At daylight the party started forward, accompanied by astrong detachment of "black guards, " who were much disgusted when thegreater number of them were dismissed before they had proceeded far, no doubt wishing and expecting to share in the "bacca" or "bissiker, "which would reward the pilots. Mr. Jardine selected the three theyhad first met as guides, who turned out capital fellows. Theyexplained that to go straight they would have "mouro pia" much scrub, and therefore led the way along the beach, carefully shewing thehorsmen the hardest places on the sands. In rounding one of therocky headlands, Eulah's horse fell with him, causing the greatestamusement and merriment to the body-guard. To be laughed at byMyalls was nearly too much for Eulah's equanimity, and could he havehad his own way he would probably have resented the insult. As itwas, his ire could only find vent in deeply muttered objurgations andabuse. At about noon the party sighted the Settlement, andinvoluntarily pulled up to gaze at the scattered and insignificantbuildings they had so long and ardently desired to see and struggledto reach, hardly realizing that the goal was at last attained; whenthey again moved forward theguides set up an admonitary yell, whichhad the effect of bringing Mr. Jardine and their brother John to thedoor. For a considerable time before the arrival of the overlandparty, Mr. Jardine had not been without some uneasiness for thesuccess and safety of the expedition. The time for their probablearrival had long elapsed. A report had reached him by the"Salamander" from Rockingham Bay, that the party were on the Lynd, unable to move forward for want of water, and that their provisionwas exhausted, and finally the wet season had set in. To facilitatetheir endeavours in finding the Settlement (a work of more thanordinary difficulty, arising from the intricacy of the rivers andscrubby nature of the country, at the apex of the Cape Yorkpeninsula, ) Mr. Jardine had cut a marked tree line for 30 miles in asouth-westerly direction, meeting a similarly marked line runningeast and west from the head of the Kennedy to the west or Gulf Coast, a distance of about 10 miles. On the latter and on either side ofthe longitudinal line, trees were marked at intervals, withinstructions for their course, so that the party hitting the east andwest line would be guided to the junction of the first one leadinginto the Settlement. The east and west line, it has been seen theyoverran, the rapid tropical growth of the scrub having so farobliterated it as to make it difficult to notice, or find, even ifsought for. Yet through any depression that might naturally beinduced by the delay, whatever his fears might have been for thesuccess of the expedition, he felt none for the safety of his sons, well knowing and relying on their dauntless pluck, energy, andfitness for the work. His parting injunction to them had been, thatwhatever might betide, 'they should keep together'. He knew that hewould not be disobeyed, and felt firm in the faith that, should theparty by misfortune be reduced to their own two selves, with onlytheir tomahawks in their hands, they would make their way to him. Thus, firmly reliant on the qualities of his boys, he waited withpatience, and his faith was well rewarded. On the morning of the 2ndof March, Mr. Jardine being employed in some matters about the house, during an "evendown" pour of rain, was disturbed by a loud shouting, and looking out saw a number of blacks running up to the place. Imagining that the Settlement was about to receive another attack, (for the little community had already had to repulse more than one, )he seized his gun, always in readiness for an "alerte" and rushedout. Instead, however, of the expected enemy, he had the pleasure ofseeing his long-looked-for sons, surrounded and escorted by theirsable guides. For a long time previous, the natives who visited theSettlement had been made to understand that Mr. Jardine expected hissons with horses and cattle, and had been familiarized with theirnames, "Franco" "Alico" as also with others such as "Somerset, " "CapeYork, " "Salamander, " and "Toby, " (Mr. Jardine's well-known retreiver)the intention being that these should act as pass words when they metthe party, a wise precaution, which, as it has been seen, probablyprevented a collision. Thus, on nearing the Settlement the blacksset up the shouts that had alarmed him, screaming out his name Joko, Franco, Alicko, and such was the eagerness of each to prove that he(smiting himself on the breast) was "Kotaiga" or friend, pointing atthe same time to the Brothers, as a witness of their truth, that itwas with some difficulty that the Father could reach his sons togreet and welcome them. But for the horses they bestrode, even afather's eye might have failed to distinguish them from the blacks bywhom they were surrounded. Six months of exposure to all weathershad tanned their skins, and so reduced their wardrobe, as to maketheir appearance primitive in the extreme, their heads being coveredwith a cap of emu feathers, and their feet cased in green hidemocassins. The rest of their costume was 'a l'ecossaise, ' theirpantaloons being reduced to the waist-bands and pockets, the legshaving for a long time been matters of remembrance only. However, they were hearty and well, in high spirits, and in good case. Duringthe hubbub caused by the tumultuous demonstrativeness of the natives, an amusing episode occurred, which is worthy of record. Theattendant of Mrs. McClintock, a fine strapping girl from the EmeraldIsle, whose good humour and light-heartedness in the discomforts of anew Settlement had earned her the name of cheerful Ellen, hearing thetumult outside, and seeing Mr. Jardine rush out gun in hand, imaginedalso that they were about to have another attack. Seizing hermistress in her arms, with more kindness than ceremony, she bore heraway to her own room, where, having deposited her burden, she turnedthe key on her, saying, "that was no place for her whilst fightingwas going on. " Nor was it until she was well assured that there hadbeen a false alarm that the kind-hearted wench released her mistressfrom durance. 

It must be left to the imagination of the reader to realize theswelling feelings of joy and pride with which the Father grasped thehands of his gallant sons. After a separation of more than tenmonths, his boys had found their way to him at the extremity of theAustralian Continent, by a journey of over 1600 miles, whosedifficulties, hardships, dangers, and escapes, have seldom beenparallelled, and never been surpassed in the whole annals ofexploration. Had they, like poor Lichhardt, Kennedy, or Burke andWills, perished in the attempt, they would have been honored asheroes, and a tablet or monument would been handed down their namesto posterity. As it was, thanks to a kind Providence, they wereliving heroes, who had sturdily accomplished their work, and broughttheir companions through without hurt or casualty. The modesty whichis ever the attribute of true merit, will probably cause their cheeksto tinge in finding their exploits thus eulogized, but assuredly itis no exaggeration of praise to say, that they have won forthemselves a lasting and honorable name in the records of AustralianExploration. 

CHAPTER VI. 

Chose Site for Station--Native Method of Using Tobacco--Returnfor the Cattle--The Lakes--Reach the Camp--Another Horse Dead--The Whole Party Cross the Jardine--Raft Upset--Cargo Saved--Deserted by Guides--Final Start for Settlement--Another HorseAbandoned--Horses Knocked Up--Cattle Missing--Choppagynya--Reach Vallack Point--Conclusion. 

On the afternoon of their arrival in Somerset, the Brothers, after a"slight" luncheon, in which Mr. Jardine's preserved vegetablesreceived very particular attention, manned the whale-boat belongingto the Settlement, and pulled over the Straits to Albany Island toget fresh horses. Two were got over, but night coming on, thecrossing of the rest was deferred until the next day. The Strait isthree-quarters-of-a-mile wide, which, with a current running upwardsof five knots an hour, makes it an exhausting swim even for a stronghorse. The next morning three more horses were crossed. The fiveexpedition horses which these re-placed were in a miserablecondition. Three of them had given in on the preceding day, twomiles from the township, and had to be left behind for the time. With the fresh horses the Brothers were enabled to take a look aboutthem, and select a site for the formation of a cattle station. Aconvenient spot was chosen at Vallack Point, about three miles fromSomerset, to which it now only remained for them to fetch up theircompanions and the cattle. Two days were spent in recruiting thehorses, the explorers themselves, probably, enjoying the "dolce farniente" and change of diet. The black guides were not forgotten, andreceived their reward of biscuit and tobacco. The manner in whichthey use this latter is curious, and worthy of notice. Not satisfiedwith the ordinary "cutty" of the whites, they inhale it in volumesthrough a bamboo cane. The effect is a profound stupefaction, whichappears to be their acme of enjoyment. On the morning of the 5th, taking with them their younger brother, John Jardine, and their twoguides, Harricome and Monuwah, and the five fresh horses, in additionto their own, the Brothers started to return to the cattle party, whowere anxiously awaiting their return on the banks of the floodedJardine. The black pilots were made to understand where the campwas, and promised to take them by a good road. The first stage wasto the Saltwater Creek, on which they had camped with the tribe, which they reached in about 17 miles, passing on the way, three finelakes, Wetura, Baronto, and "Chappagynyah, " at two, four, and eightmiles from Somerset. The road was a fair one for the cattle, keepingalong the line marked by Mr. Jardine the preceding year as beforementioned, and only presented a few light belts of scrub to gothrough. They were likewise enabled to choose a better crossing ofthe Saltwater Creek, where the swamps join and form a definedchannel. The last two miles were very boggy, even the fresh andwell-conditioned horses getting stuck occasionally. 

'March' 6. --The camp was reached in the evening of to-day, at theend of about 22 miles, but the black pilots were of very little use, as shortly after starting they fairly got out of their latitude, andwere obliged to resign the lead to the Brothers, who hit the river alittle before dark, nearly opposite the camp. They found it aboutthe same height as when first crossed, but it had been considerablyhigher during their absence. It being too late to cross, the partycamped on their own side, and Messrs. Harricome and Monuwah swam overto see the new strangers and get a supply of beef. They returnedwith nearly a shoulder of a good sized steer, which entirelydisappeared before morning, the whole night being devoted to feeding. The quantity of meat that a hungry native can consume is somethingastounding, but in this case beat anything that any of the wholeparty had ever seen. The natural result was a semi-torpor and aperfectly visible distention. 

'March' 7. --This morning the Brothers crossed over to the camp, when they had the satisfaction of finding, on counting the cattle, that a number were away, and when the horses were tried, two of themwere found missing, besides one that had died during their absence, "Lady Scott. " They were immediately sent for, and the remainder ofthe party employed in preparing for the crossing, and killing abeast. A fresh raft was made with the hide capable of carrying 400lbs. Weight. The two Somerset blacks evinced a great deal ofsurprise at sight of the cattle, and expressed it by chirping andmaking various curious noises with their tongues and mouths. Accustomed chiefly to fish, herbs, and roots, the succulent beef hadcharms which outweighed surprise, and another night was spent infeasting on the "oddments" of the fresh killed beef. 

'March' 8. --The missing cattle and horses were brought in with theexception of three, which prevented the party crossing to-day, although all was now in readiness. The river was still 200 yardswide, and running strongly, so that it was expedient to cross thewhole together. 

'March' 9. --The three missing cattle not having been found, thecrossing operations were commenced at mid-day. The width andappearance of the river made it difficult to make the cattle face it, but they were all safely crossed after a little time, with theexception of one, which broke away, and could not be recovered. Thepack-horses were then put over, which was easily accomplished, and itthen only remained to cross the packs and baggage. The raft answeredadmirably, and everything was ferried over in safety, till the lastcargo, when a little adventure occurred, which nearly cost the lifeof one of the party. Cowderoy, being unable to swim, had to be takenacross holding on to the raft, and was, therefore, left to the last;all went well with him until within 30 yards of the bank, when, whether from trepidation, induced by visions of alligators (withwhich the river indeed abounds), or from an attempt to strike outindependently, he "succeeded" in upsetting and sinking the raft, andwas with some difficulty got to the shore "quitte pour la peur. " Intruth it requires some nerve for a man who can't swim to cross a wideand rapid river. Without a confiding trust in the means adopted forhis transport, a catastrophe is not an unlikely result. The writerhas known instances of persons crossing broad rivers supported by aspear held between two blacks, by holding on to a bullock's tail, andeven sitting on a horse's back, but in every case the success of theattempt depends almost entirely on the coolness of the individual, and even with this essential, he has known some fatal cases, so thatCowderoy might congratulate himself on his safe transit. The packs, etc. , which formed the last cargo, were recovered after some time, the distance from the shore being slight, and Cowderoy soon recoveredhis accustomed good humor. By four o'clock everything had beencrossed in safety, save the four beasts before mentioned; but oncamping for the night it was found that the guides had decamped, their unwonted high feeding, having, no doubt, induced anindisposition to work, a result not confined to blacks alone. 

'March' 10. --This morning the "Cowal, " or watercourse, which haddetained the Brothers on their first trip, had to be swum over, andhere poor Ginger, one of the horses, got hopelessly bogged, andthough got out and put on his legs with saplings, was too exhaustedto go on, and had to be abandoned. The distance accomplished was 11miles. 

'March' 11. --The line marked by Mr. Jardine was followed to-day. Ascrub occurred on a creek called Wommerah Creek, through which ittook two hours to drive the cattle. Only 10 miles were made, and thecamp was pitched at about 4 miles from the mouth of the creek wherethe corroboree was held. Three horses were knocked up during theday, which prevented their gotting as far as intended. 

'March' 12. --On counting the cattle it was found that 30 head hadbeen dropped in coming through the scrub at Wommerah Creek. Two ofthe black-boys were sent after them, and the Brothers went out tofind a crossing-place over Ranura Creek, (their last camp inSomerset. ) Here they met the same tribe, (known as Wognie's, ) andbartered "bacca" and "bissika, " against "moro wappi, " or fish, withwhich the camp was plentifully supplied in the evening. The cattlewere recovered all but five. The country is described as beingcomposed of ridges of white and red sand, intersected by swamps oftea-tree, pandanus, and banksia, the crest of the ridges beinggenerally surmounted by a patch of scrub. The timber, bloodwood, mahogany, stringy-bark, and nonda. 

'March' 13. --A late start was made to-day, for some of the horseswere away. The camp was formed on the banks of the lakebefore-mentioned, 8 miles from Somerset, Chappagynyah, which isdescribed as teeming with crocodiles. TThe next day the partyreached their final resting place, probably not without someexhiliration in feeling that their journey was over. They were metat Baronto, by Mr. Jardine, who had ridden out from Somerset for thepurpose. The camp was established at Vallack Point, where thewearied horses and cattle at length found rest, whilst their driverswere able to indulge in the unwonted luxuries of regular feeding anduninterrupted sleep: luxuries which few but those who haveexperienced hunger and broken rest can fully appreciate. They hadbeen on the road for 5 months, travelled over 1600 miles, the last250 of which were, as we have seen, performed on foot, and by most ofthe party barefooted, whilst for the last four weeks their food hadconsisted chiefly of jerked veal, fish without salt, and the wildfruits and herbs they might find in the bush. In addition to thedistance travelled over by the whole party, and over which the cattlewere driven, the Brothers traversed more than 1200 miles in theirexploratory trips ahead, looking for the lost horses, etc. AlexanderJardine's journey down the Einasleih alone amounted to little lessthan 300. It may be imagined, therefore, that the return to thehabits and fare of civilized life must have been an agreeable change. 

After an interval employed by the Brothers in forming a station atVallack Point, they returned with their father to Brisbane, in H. M. S. Salamander, leaving their younger brother, John, in charge of thenewly-formed station, where the cattle were doing well. Mr. Richardson left in the same vessel, and on arriving in Brisbaneimmediately set to work to chart the route. Having every facility athand in the office of the Surveyor-General, the error of the riverLynd was rectified, and a map compiled, shewing the route, from whichthat now presented to the reader has been reduced. A glance at itwill shew that a large tract of unexplored country exists between thetrack of the Jardines and that of Kennedy, which affords ample scopefor, and may possibly repay future explorations. Already stock is onthe road to occupy country on the lower Einasleih, and it is notimprobable that before long the rich valley of the Archer will addits share to the pastoral wealth of Queensland. 

FINIS. 

***

[Plate: SOMERSET CAPE YORK. Lithograph. ]

APPENDIX

THE MELALEUCA ('Tea-tree Gum M. Leucodendron. ')

This tree, of which there are several varieties, is very common toNorthern Australia; the drooping kind ('Melaleuca Leucodendron'), occupying the beds and margins of the rivers, where its long pendantbranches weeps the stream, as does the graceful willow of Europe. Its bark is in thin paper-like layers, whilst its leaves are likethat of the gum, but thinner and straighter. It is remarkable forcontaining an extraordinary quantity of brackish water, which poursout in a torrent, when the bark is cut through, to the extent of froma quart to a gallon. Another variety is found chiefly in flat sandycountry and shallow swamps. It is much smaller than that of therivers, and the leaves broader, stiff, and upright, its blossomsnearly the same. It is indifferently called weeping gum, tea-treegum, and tea-tree, although it is in no way allied to the latter. Itis with the upright kind that the arid levels of the Staaten arechiefly timbered. 

GARRAWAN. 

This scrub, one of the numerous family of accacia, which togetherwith the pandanus, gave the travellers so much annoyance on theirjourney, occupies a large extent of country about the Richardsonrange, from the Batavia to Cape York. It much resembles, and isprobably identical with that which grows in the neighbourhood ofSydney, to the appearance of which, indeed, that part of thePeninsula closely resembles. 

FLOCK PIGEON OF THE GULF ('Phaps Histrionica. ')

These beautiful pigeons which are alluded to by Leichhardt, are atcertain seasons found in immense flocks in the plain country aboutthe Gulf of Carpentaria. Their range is wide, as in 1846 theyappeared in flocks of countless multitudes on the Murrimbidgee River, N. S. W. , probably driven from their usual regions by drought. Theyare described and figured in Mr. Gould's great work on the Australianbirds. 

THE EINASLEIH. 

This river was erroneously supposed by its first settlers to be theLynd of Leichhardt. That such was not the case, was proved byAlexander Jardine, who traced it down for 180 miles from CarpentariaDowns, when he turned back, within about a day's stage of itsjunction with the Gilbert, fully satisfied that it could not be theLynd. Since then it has, I believe, been traced into the Gilbert, and thence to the Gulf. Its importance would lead to the suppositionthat it was the principal branch of the Gilbert. There is anexcellent cattle country on the lower part, as described in the textwhich has probably ere this been occupied by our pioneers. 

THE NONDA ('Parinarium Nonda. F. Mueller. ')

This tree so named by Leichhardt's black-boys (described in Bentham's'Flora Australiensis'), is very abundant north of the Einasleih, which is possibly the extreme latitude of its zone south. It formedan important accession to the food of the party, and it is highlyprobable that their good health may be attributable to the quantityof fruit, of which this was the principal, which they were able toprocure, there being no case of scurvy during the journey, adistemper frequently engendering in settled districts, when there isno possibility of varying the diet with vegetables. The foliage ofthe tree is described as of a bright green, the fruit very abundant, and much eaten by the natives. It is of about the size andappearance of a yellow egg plum, and in taste like a mealy potatoe, with, however, a trace of that astringency so common to Australianwild fruits. The wood is well adapted for building purposes. 

BURDEKIN DUCK ('Tadorna Raja'). 

This beautiful species of shelldrake, though not numerous, has a widerange, extending from the richmond river to Cape York. It frequentsthe more open flats at the mouths of rivers and creeks. 

THE NATIVE BEE. 

This little insect (called Wirotheree in the Wellington dialect), theinvasion of whose hoards so frequently added to the store of thetravellers, and no doubt assisted largely in maintaining theirhealth, is very different from the European bee, being in size andappearance like the common house-fly. It deposits its honey in treesand logs, without any regular comb, as in the case of the former. These deposits are familiarly known in the colony as "sugar bags, "(sugar bag meaning, aboriginice, anything sweet), and require someexperience and proficiency to detect and secure the aperture by whichthe bees enter the trees, being undistinguishable to an unpractisedeye. The quantity of honey is sometimes very large, amounting toseveral quarts. Enough was found on one occasion to more thansatisfy the whole party. Its flavor differs from that of Europeanhoney almost as much as the bee does in appearance, being morearomatic than the latter: it is also less crystalline. As thecelebrated "Narbonne honey" derives its excellence from the beesfeeding on the wild thyme of the south of France, so does theAustralian honey derive its superior flavour from the aromaticflowers and shrubs on which the Wirotheree feeds, and which makes itpreferred by many to the European. 

THE APPLE-GUM ('Angophora?')

I have been at some pains to discover to what species this treebelongs, but further than that it is one of the almost universalfamily of the Eucalypti, have not been able to identify it. Asmentioned in the text, it was found very valuable for forgingpurposes by the Brothers, who were able to bring their horse-shoesalmost to a white heat by using it. It is like box in appearance, and very hard. 

TERRY'S BREECH-LOADERS. 

This formidable weapon can hardly receive too high a commendation, and to its telling efficiency is probably attributable the absence ofany casualty to the party in their many encounters with the savages. Not only for its long range is it valuable, but for its superiorcertainty in damp or wet weather, its charge remaining uninjuredafter days and weeks of interval, and even after immersion in water, making it available when an ordinary piece would be useless. Theeffect of the conical bullet too is much more sure and complete, which, when arms 'must' be resorted to, is of great importance. 

THE MARAMIE. 

This shell-fish is to be found in almost all the Australian riversand lagoons. It is in size and appearance very much like the littlecray-fish or "Ecrevisses" which usually garnish the "Vol-au-vent" ofParisian cookery, and of very delicate flavor. 

SPINIGEX, Spear Grass, Needle Grass, or "Saucy Jack" ('Triodia Irritans. ')

This grass, so well known to all Australian travellers, is a certainindication of a sandy sterile country. The spinifex found in theMally scrubs of the south attains a great size, generally assumingthe appearance of a large tuft or bush from one to two feet indiameter, and twelve to eighteen inches high. When old, its sharppoints, like those of so many immense darning needles set on end atdifferent angles, are especially annoying to horses, who never touchit as food, except when forced by starvation. In Northern Queenslandthe present species is found abundantly from Peak Downs to Cape York. 

FIVE CORNERS ('Stypelia?')

This fruit is well known and very common in the neighbourhood ofSydney, and was found in the scrubby region about the RichardsonRange, which, as before mentioned, is of similar character to thatdescription of country. It does not, so far as I am aware, exist inany other part of Queensland. 

THE NATIVE PLUM ('Owenia. ')

This tree, of which there are several species, ('Owenia Cerasifera'and 'Owenia Vanessa' being most common in Queensland), is found alongthe whole of the east coast, as far south as the Burnett, and is oneof the handsomest of Australian forest trees. Its purple fruit has apleasant acid flavor, and is probably a good anti-scorbutic. It isbest eaten after having been buried in the ground for a few days, asis the custom of the natives. The stone is peculiar, having much theshape of a fluted pudding basin. The timber is handsomely grainedand is of durable quality. 

On the subjects of the fruits, edible plants, and roots ofQueensland, Mr. Anthelme Thozet, of Rockhampton, whose name is welland deservedly known to Botanists, has been at great pains to preparefor the approaching Exhibition at Paris, a classified table of allthat are known as consumed by the natives raw and prepared, and tohis enthusiastic attention to the subject, we are indebted for thepossession of a large and important list, a knowledge of which wouldenable travellers in the wilds of the colony to support themselvesfrom their natural productions alone, in cases where their provisionwas exhausted. 

THE CALAMUS ('Calamus Australis. )

This plant belongs to a genuis of palms, the different species ofwhich yield the rattan canes of commerce. Its form in the scrubs ofthe Cape York Peninsula is long and creeping, forming a net work ofvines very formidable to progress. 

THE PITCHER PLANT ('Nepenthes Kennedyana. ')

This interesting plant was first noticed to the north of the BataviaRiver, and is common to the swamps of the peninsula. It has beendescribed and named in honor of the unfortunate Kennedy, who firstnoticed it. 

THE FERGUSON OR STAATEN. 

This stream, whose arid banks Mr. Jardine was forced to trace to thesea, in consequence of the sterility and waterless character of thelevels to the northward, is neverthless of some importance. Likemost of the northern rivers, it is a torrent stream, whose bed isinsufficient to carry off its waters during the flooded season, causing the formation of lagoons, back-waters, and ana-branches, andyet in the dry months, containing only a thread of water tricklingalong a waste of sand, sometimes three or four hundred yards wide, and at intervals loosing itself and running under the surface. Should the northern branch which was seen to join amongst theana-branches near its debouchure prove to be the larger stream, thatfollowed by the party might still retain the name of "the Ferguson, "given to it by the Brothers, in honor of the governor of Queensland. It receives Cockburn Creek, one of importance, which, just beforejoining it, receives the waters of another large creek from thesouth, which was supposed to be Byerley Creek, but this as mentionedin the text, is unlikely, for when the Brothers were in quest of theLynd (which they never reached at all) they left Byerley Creektrending to the south, at a point considerably to the west of thelongitude of that influence. It is more probable, therefore, thatByerley Creek is a tributary of either the Einasleih or Gilbert, orthat it is an independant stream altogether, running into the Gulfbetween the Gilbert and Staaten rivers. 

It appears unlikely also that any practicable route for stock will bediscovered between the coast which Mr. Jardine skirted, and the headsof the rivers Staaten, Lynd, Mitchell, and Batavia. The intervalbetween Kennedy's track and that of the Brothers has yet to beexplored, when the best line will probably be found nearer to theformer than the latter, for the country between the Staaten andMitchell near their sources has been proven to be a barren andwaterless waste, the good country only commencing beyond theMitchell, and forming the valley of the Archer, but terminating aboutthe Coen. 

FATE OF THE MULE. 

The fate of the unfortunate mule, whose loss was amongst the mostseverely felt of the journey, has come to light in rather aninteresting manner. In a late letter from Cape York, Mr. FrankJardine mentions that some natives had visited the Settlement atSomerset, amongst whom were seen some of the articles carried in themule's pack bags. On questioning them he found that they werefamiliar with all the incidents of the journey, many of which theydescribed minutely. The mule had been found dead, having shared thefate of Lucifer and Deceiver, and perished from thirst, and his packsof course ransacked. They had watched the formation of the Cache, when the party abandoned the heaviest articles of the equipment, andin like manner ransacked it. These blacks must have travelled nearly500 miles, for the Staaten is nearly 450 miles in a straight linefrom Somerset, and were probably amongst those who dogged the stepsof the party so perseveringly to within 100 miles of Cape York, frequently attacking it as described. From their accounts it appearsthat the expedition owed much of its safety to their horses, of whichthe blacks stood in great dread. They described minutely thedisasters of the poison camp on the Batavia, particularising the factof Frank Jardine having shot one of the poisoned horses, hisfavourite, with his revolver, their start on foot, and other things. From this is would appear that they closely watched and hung on tothe steps of the party, though only occasionally daring to attackthem; and proves that but for the unceasing and untiring vigilence ofthe Brothers, and their prompt action when attacked, the party wouldin all probability have been destroyed piece meal. The utterfaithlessness, treachery, and savage nature of the northern nativesis shown by their having twice attempted to surprise the settlementwhilst Mr. Jardine, senior, was resident there, although they hadbeen treated with every kindness from the first. In these encounterstwo of the marines were wounded, one of whom has since died from theeffects, whilst others had narrow escapes, John Jardine, junr. Havinghad a four-pronged spear whistle within two inches of his neck. Since then they have not ceased to molest the cattle, and in anencounter they wounded Mr. Scrutton. They have utilized theirintercourse with the whites so far as to improve the quality of theirspears by tipping them with iron, a piece of fencing wire, 18 incheslong, having been found on one taken from them on a late occasion. In his last letter Frank Jardine mentions an encounter with a"friendly" native detected in the act of spearing cattle, in which hehad a narrow escape of losing his life, and states that, despitetheir professions of friendship, they are always on the watch formischief. It is evident therefore, that no terms can safely be heldwith a race who know no law but their own cowardly impulse of evil, and that an active and watchful force of bushmen well acquainted withsavage warfare is necessary to secure the safety of the youngsettlement. For a description of the habits and the character of theAustralian and Papuan races, which people the Peninsula and theadjacent islands of Torres Straits, the reader is referred to theinteresting narrative of the voyage of the Rattlesnake, by Mr. JohnMcGillivray, in which the subject is ably and exhaustively treated, and which leaves but little to add by succeeding writers. 

THE MIDAMO. 

The "villanous compound, a mixture of mangrove roots and berries, "which was presented to the explorers by the friendly natives as apeace-offering on first meeting them near Somerset, was probably whatis described as the "Midamo" in Mr. Anthelme Thozets' valuablepamphlet already alluded to above on "the roots, tubers, bulbs, andfruits used as vegetable food by the aboriginals of NorthernQueensland. " The midamo is made by baking the root of the commonmangrove ('Avicennia Tomentosa'), which is called Egaie by the tribesof Cleveland Bay, and Tagon-Tagon by those of Rockhampton. Itspreparation is described at page 13. 

_____________

SOMERSET. 

A description of the settlement at Port Albany, Cape York, at thetime of the arrival of the Brothers has been carefully drawn up inthe shape of a report to the Colonial Secretary of Queenslandby Mr. Jardine. It is so full and interesting that I cannot do better thanpublish it in extenso. It first appeared in the 'Queensland DailyGuardian' of 24th June, 1865. A letter from Mr. Jardine to SirGeorge Bowen, reporting the arrival of the sons, and epitomising theevents of the journey, together with the report of Dr. Haran, R. N. , Surgeon in charge of the detachment of Royal Marines, on the climateof Cape York, showing its great salubrity, are also added:--

PORT ALBANY. 

Somerset, March 1st, 1865. 

Sir, --My former reports to you having been, to a certain extent, necessarily taken up with matters of detail in reference to theformation of the new settlement of Somerset, and that object beingnow in such a state of completion as to enable me to say that it isfairly established, so far as the comfort and safety of the presentresidents are concerned, I now do myself the honor to lay before youthe result of such general observations as I have been able to makeon what may be termed general matters of interest. 

2. The portion of the country to which my observations willparticularly apply is that which, I think, may correctly be termedthe "York Peninsula proper, " and comprises the land lying to thenorthward of a line drawn from the estuary of the Kennedy River, atthe head of Newcastle Bay, to the opposite or north-west coast. Thegeneral course of the Kennedy River runs in this line, and from thehead of the tideway to the north-west coast the breadth of land doesnot exceed six miles. The mouth of the river falling into the sea ashort distance to the southward of Barn Island will be nearly met bythe western extremity of this line. 

3. The land on the neck thus formed presents singular features. There is no defined or visible water shed; a succession of lowirregular ridges, divided by swampy flats, extends from coast tocoast, and the sources of the streams running into either overlap ina most puzzling manner. The large ant-hills which are spread overthe whole of this country may be taken as sure indicators of thenature of the soils; on the ridges a reddish sandy loam, intermixedwith iron-stone gravel, prevails; on the flats a thin layer ofdecomposed vegetable matter overlays a white sand, bearing'Melaleuca' and 'Pandanus', with a heavy undergrowth of a plant muchresembling tall heath. Nearly every flat has its stream of clearwater; the elegant "pitcher" plant grows abundantly on the margins. The timber is poor and stunted, chiefly bloodwood and 'grevillea';and the grass is coarse and wiry. 

4. Leaving this neck of barren and uninteresting country, the landto the northward rises, and a distinct division or spine is formed, ending in Cape York. From it, on either side, spurs run down to thecoast, frequently ending in abrupt precipices overhanging the sea; inother places gradually declining to the narrow belt of flat landwhich occasionally borders the shore. The formation is, I may say, entirely sandstone, overlaid in many places by a layer of lava-likeironstone. Porphyry occurs occasionally in large masses, split andstanding erect in large columns, at a distance resembling basalt. The sandstone is of the coarsest quality, almost a conglomerate, andis soft and friable; exposure to the air might probably harden it ifquarried, when it would be available for rough building. The ridges, with very few exceptions, are topped with large blocks of ferruginoussandstone, irregularly cast about, and are covered with a thickscrub, laced and woven together with a variety of vines and climbers, while the small valleys intervening bear a strong growth of tallgrass, through which numerous creeping plants twine in alldirections, some of them bearing beautiful flowers. Among them I mayparticularise two species of 'Ipomea', which I believe to beundescribed, and a vine-like plant, bearing clusters of fruit muchresembling in appearance black Hambro Grapes, wholesome and pleasantto the taste. The scrubs are formed of an immense variety of treesand shrubs, far too numerous for me toname, were I able to do so. Some of them have fine foliage, and bear handsome flowers andagreeably tasted fruit, and would form most ornamental additions toour southern gardens and pleasure grounds. Several species of thenumerous climbing plants produce a fine and strong fibre, from whichthe natives make their fishing lines. Some fine varieties of palmare found on the moister lands near the creeks, two especiallyelegant, a 'Seaforthia' and a 'Caryota'. A wild banana, with smallbut good fruit, is also found in such localities. On the opengrounds the bloodwood, Moreton Bay ash, and a strong growing acaciaare the principal trees. Timber for building is scarce, and of veryindifferent quality. The iron-bark and pine are unknown here. 

5. The soil on these grounds is a reddish loam, more or less sandy, and thinly covered with a coarse ironstone gravel. Much of theironstone has a strong magnetic property--so much so as to suspenda needle; and it was found a great inconvenience by Mr. SurveyorWilson, from its action on the instruments. As the land descends, the soil becomes more sandy. Near the creek patches with aconsiderable mixture of vegetable loam are found, which would besuitable for the growth of vegetables, bananas, etc. The grass isgenerally long and coarse, and soon after the rainy season ceasesbecomes, under the influence of the strong south-east winds, witheredand dry. Horses and cattle keep their condition fairly, but sheep donot thrive; the country is quite unsuited to them. Goats may be keptwith advantage; and pigs find an abundant supply of food in thescrubs and swamps. 

6. In the Zoology of the district, the careful researches of Mr. M'Gillivray--the naturalist attached to H. M. 's surveying shipRattlesnake--have left little room for the discovery of manypositive novelties. I have, however, been able to note manyinteresting facts in the economy and habits of the birds, especiallysuch as relate to their migration. Several of the species found hereare season visitors of New South Wales, and it is interesting tocompare the times of their arrival and departure in this place withthose in the southern colony. 

7. The animals afford small variety. The dingo, or native dog, fourspecies of the smaller kangaroos, and two other marsupials are found. One, an elegant little squirrel-like opossum, striped lengthways withblack and white, I believe to be new. 

8. The birds are more plentiful. My collection comprises more thanone hundred species of land birds, many of them remarkable for beautyof plumage, and peculiarity of form, structure, and habit. Amongthem the most remarkable are the great black macaw, ('MicroglossusAtterrimus') the magnificent rifle bird, ('Ptiloris Magnifica') andthe rare and beautiful wood kingfisher, ('Tan Ts-ptera Sylvia'). Thelatter first made its appearance here on the 30th of November last. On the afternoon and night of the 28th and the 29th of that monththere was a heavy storm of rain, with wind from the north-east, andthe next morning the bush along the shore was ringing with the criesof the new arrivals. To my constant enquiries of the blacks for thisbird, I was always told by them that when the wind and rain came fromthe north-west the birds would come, and their prediction wasverified to the letter. They also say the birds come from "Dowdui"(New Guinea). I think this probable, as several of the birdsdescribed by the French naturalist, M. Lesson, as found by him in NewGuinea have also appeared here for the breeding season. The'Megapodius Tumulus' is also worthy of mention, on account of thesurprising structure of its nest. The mound resembles, and iscomposed of the same materials as that of the brush turkey('Talegulla'), but is very much larger in size. Some that I havemeasured are upwards of thirty (30) feet in diameter at the base, andrise at the natural angle to a height of fifteen (15) feet or more. It is wonderful how birds so comparitively diminutive can accumulateso large a pile. These birds live in pairs, and several pairs usethe same mound. The eggs are deposited at a depth of from one tothree feet; the heat at that depth is very great, more than the handcan bear for any length of time. I cannot say whether the young, when released from the mounds, are tended by the parents; they, however, return and roost in the mounds at night. The flesh of the'Megapodius' is dark and flavorless, being a mass of hard muscle andsinew. Birds, which may be called game, are not numerous. The brushturkey ('Talegalla'), the 'Megapodius', several species of pigeon, with a few ducks and quail, comprise the whole. 

9. --Fish are in abundance, and in great varieties; some of them ofstrange form and singular brilliancy of coloring. The grey mullet, the bream--a fish much resembling in general appearance the Englishpike--and several others, are excellent eating. 

10. --Three species of turtle are plentiful during the season, thatis, the period when they approach the shores to deposit their eggs, the green, the hawksbill, and another species, which grow to a muchlarger size than either of the above. The natives take large numbersof the former; indeed, from the month of November till Februaryturtle forms their principal food. The green turtle are taken in thewater by the blacks, who display great address in "turning" them;they are approached when asleep on the surface; the black slipsgently from his canoe and disappears under water, and rising beneaththe animal, by a sudden effort turns it on its back, and by a strongwrench to the fore flipper disables it from swimming. The fishermanis assisted by his companions in the canoe, and a line is secured tothe turtle. This is hazardous sport, and deep wounds are frequentlyinflicted by the sharp edges of the shells, which in the femaleturtle are very sharp. A singular mode of taking the hawksbillturtle is followed by the natives here. This custom, though said tobe known so long back as the time of the discovery of America byColumbus, is so strangely interesting that I will give a shortaccount of it, as I have seen it practised. A species of suckingfish ('Remora') is used. On the occasion to which I allude two ofthese were caught by the blacks in the small pools in a coral reef, care being taken 'not to injure them'. They were laid in the bottomof the canoe, and covered over with wet sea weed--a strong fishingline having been previously fastened to the tail of each. Four menwent in the canoe; one steering with a paddle in the stern, onepaddling on either side, and one in the fore-part looking out for theturtle and attending to the fishing lines, while I sat on a sort ofstage fixed midship supported by the outrigger poles. The day wasvery calm and warm, and the canoe was allowed to drift with thecurrent, which runs very strong on these shores. A small turtle wasseen, and the sucking fish was put into the water. At first it swamlazily about, apparently recovering the strength which it had lost byremoval from its native element; but presently it swam slowly in thedirection of the turtle till out of sight; in a very short time theline was rapidly carried out, there was a jerk, and the turtle wasfast. The line was handled gently for two or three minutes, thesteersman causing the canoe to follow the course of the turtle withgreat dexterity. It was soon exhausted and hauled up to the canoe. It was a small turtle, weighing a little under forty pounds (40lbs. ), but the sucking fish adhered so tenaciously to it as to raiseit from the ground when held up by the tail, and this some time afterbeing taken out of the water. A strong breeze coming on, the canoehad to seek the shore without any more sport. I have seen turtleweighing more than one hundred (100) pounds, which had been taken inthe manner described. Though large numbers of the hawksbill turtlesare taken by the Cape York natives, it is very difficult to procurethe shell from them; they are either too lazy to save it, or if theydo so, it is bartered to the Islanders of Torres' Straits, who use itfor making masks and other ornaments. 

11. Although there is a considerable variety of reptiles, snakes donot appear to be very numerous. The common brown snake anddeath-adder are found; carpet snakes (a kind of 'boa'), appear to bethe most common, and grow to a large size. They have been verytroublesome by killing our poultry at night. They seem to bebloodthirsty creatures, frequently killing much larger animals thanthey can possibly swallow, and are not satisfied with one victim at atime. One which was killed in my fowl-house had three half grownchickens compressed in its folds and held one in its jaws. A shorttime since I was roused in the middle of the night by the piteouscries of a young kangaroo dog, and on running out found it rolling onthe ground in the coils of a large carpet snake. The dog wasseverely bitten in the loin, but in the morning was quite well, proving that the bite of this reptile is innocuous. This snakemeasured nearly twelve feet in length. 

12. Crocodiles are found in numbers in the Kennedy River and alagoon, which has communication with its estuary. They are also seenoccasionally in the bays in Albany Passage. 

13. Of the aborigines of Cape York I can say little more than hasalready been so often repeated in descriptions of the natives ofother parts of the Australian continent. The only distinction that Ican perceive, is that they appear to be in a lower state ofdegradation, mentally and physically, than any of the Australianaboriginal tribes which I have seen. Tall well-made men areoccasionally seen; but these almost invariably show decided traces ofa Papuan or new Guinea origin, being easly distinguished by the"thrum" like appearance of the hair, which is of a somewhat reddishtinge, occasioned no doubt by constant exposure to the sun andweather. The color of their skin is also much lighter, in someindividuals approaching almost to a copper color. The trueAustralian aborigines are perfectly black, with generally woollyheads of hair; I have however, observed some with straight hair andfeatures prominent, and of a strong Jewish cast. The body is markedon each shoulder with a shield-like device, and on each breast isgenerally a mark in shape of a heart, very neatly executed. Thelarge cicatrices which appear on the bodies of the tribes of SouthernAustralia are not used here; nor is a front tooth taken out at theage of puberty. The 'septum' of the nose is pierced, and thecrescent-shaped tooth, of the dugong is worn in it on stateoccasions; large holes are also made in the ears, and a piece of woodas large as a bottle cork, and whitened with pipe clay, is insertedin them. A practise of cutting the hair off very close is followedby both sexes, seemingly once a year, and wigs are made of the hair. These are decorated with feathers, and worn at the 'corrobories' orgatherings. The women hold, if possible, a more degraded positionthan that generally assigned to them among the Australian aborigines. They are indeed wretched creatures. The only covering worn by themis a narrow belt of twisted grass, with a fringe of strips of palmleaves in front. The men go entirley naked. The aborigines make nohuts. In the wet weather a rude screen of leafy boughs, with palmleaves--if any happen to grow in the neighbourhood--is set up asa shelter. 

14. The arms used by these natives are few and simple. Four sortsof spears, made from the suckers of a very light wood tree with largepith, headed with hard wood and generally topped with bone so as toform a point or barb, are the most common. The end of the tail of aspecies of ray fish is sometimes used as a point. It is serrated andbrittle, and on entering any object breaks short off. It is said tobe poisonous, but I do not believe such to be the case, as one of themarines stationed here was speared in the shoulder with one of thesespears, and no poisonous effect was produced. The point which brokeshort off, however, remained in the wound, and could not be extractedfor many months. The spear most commonly in use, and the mosteffective, has merely a head of very hard wood, from a species ofacacia, scraped to a very fine sharp point. These are the onlyspears which can be thrown with any precision to a distance--theyare sent with considerable force. I extracted two from the thigh ofone of my horses; the animal had another in the shoulder, which hadentered to a depth of five and a half inches. All spears are thrownwith the 'wommera', or throwing stick. A rudely made stone tomahawkis in use among the Cape York natives, but it is now nearlysurperseded by iron axes obtained from the Europeans. I have seen noother weapons among them; the boomerang and nulla-nulla (or club) arenot known. 

15. The greatest ingenuity which the natives display is in theconstruction and balancing of their canoes. These are formed fromthe trunk of the cotton tree ('Cochlospermum') hollowed out. Thewood is soft and spongy, and becomes very light when dry. The canoesare sometimes more than fifty feet in length, and are each capable ofcontaining twelve or fifteen natives. The hull is balanced andsteadied in the water by two outrigger poles, laid athwart, having afloat of light wood fastened across them at each end--so that it isimpossible for them to upset. A stage is formed on the canoe wherethe outriggers cross, on which is carried the fishing gear, and, invariably, also fire. The canoes are propelled by short paddles, ora sail of palm-leaf matting when the wind is fair. Considerablenicety is also shown in the making of fishing lines and hooks. Theformer are made from the fibres of a species of climber very neatlytwisted. The fish-hooks are made of tortoise-shell, or nailsprocured from wreck timber. They are without barbs, and ourfish-hooks are eagerly sought for in place of them. 

16. The food of the natives consists chiefly of fish, and, in theseason, turtle, with roots and fruits. These latter and shell-fishit is the business of the females to collect and prepare. They may, however, be truly said to be omnivorous, for nothing comes amiss tothem, and the quantity they can consume is almost incredible. I haveseen them luxuriating on the half putrid liver of a large shark castup on the beach, the little black children scooping up the filthyoil, and discussing it with apparently the greatest gusto. 

17. These remarks apply to the four tribes which inhabit theterritory within the limits mentioned at the commencement of thisreport--viz. , the peninsula to the northward of the Kennedy River. These four tribes are not distinguishable from each other in anydistinct peculiarity that I can perceive. They keep each to theirown territory, except on the occasion of a grand "corroborie, " whenthe whole assemble. They are at present on terms of peace nominally. Should a safe opportunity of cutting off a straggler offer, I have nodoubt it would be taken advantage of. They are cowardly andtreacherous in the extreme. The "Gudang" tribe, claiming the landfrom Cape York to Fly Point, at the entrance of Albany Pass, is smallin numbers, having, I fancy, been seriously thinned by theirneighbours, the "Kororegas, " from the Prince of Wales' Island, inTorres' Straits, who frequently come down upon them. Paida, Mr. M'Gillivray's 'kotaiga' (friend), was not long since killed by them. The "Goomkoding" tribe, who live on the north-western shore, I haveseen little of. They and the "Gudang" seem to hold mostcommunication with the islanders of 'Torres' Straits, theintermixture of the races being evident. "Kororega" words are usedby both these tribes, and the bow and arrow are sometimes seen amongthem, having been procured from the island. The "Yadaigan" tribeinhabit the south side of Newcastle Bay and the Kennedy River; the"Undooyamo, " the north side. These two tribes are more numerous thanthe two first-mentioned, and appear to be of a more independant racethan the others, and gave us much trouble on our first settlement, bycontinual thefts and otherwise. The tract of country which theyinhabit is nearly covered with the densest scrub and with swamp, intowhich they took refuge with their booty as soon as any depredationwas committed, so as to render it next to impossible for us to pursuethem. These four tribes together do not number in all more than 250to 300 men. 

18. All these people are much addicted to smoking. Tobacco is usedby them in preference when it can be got. Before its introduction, or when it was not procurable from Europeans, the leaves of a largespreading tree, a species of 'Eugenia', was, and is still used. These leaves must possess some strong deleterious or narcoticproperty. I was for some time puzzled to assign a cause for so manyof the natives being scarred by burns. Nearly every one shows somemarks of burning, and some of them are crippled and disfigured byfire in a frightful manner. They smoke to such excess as to becomequite insensible, and in that state they fall into their camp-fires, and receive the injuries mentioned. The pipe used is a singularinstrument for the purpose. It is a hollow bamboo about 2 1/2 feetlong, and as thick as a quart bottle; one of the smoking party fillsthis in turn with smoke from a funnel-shaped bowl, in which thetobacco is placed by blowing it through a hole at one end of thetube. When filled it is handed to some one who inhales and swallowsas much of the smoke as he can, passing the pipe on to his neighbour. I have seen a smoker so much affected by one dose as to lie helplessfor some minutes afterwards. 

19. Thus much for the general appearance and habits of the CapeYork natives. A very accurate vocabulary of their language has beenpublished by Mr. M'Gillivary in his account of the voyage of H. M. S. Rattlesnake. Of their superstitions I am unable to speak withcertainty. That they have no belief in the existence of a SupremeBeing is, I think, positive. They are, like all the Australiantribes, averse to travelling about at night if dark; this, I believe, chiefly arises from the inconvenience and difficulty of moving aboutat such times, and not from any superstitious fear. They travel whenthere is moonlight. They are true observers of the weather, andbefore the approach of a change move their camps so as to obtain asheltered position. They do not seem to give the slightest thoughtto cause or effect, and would, I believe eat and pass away their timein a sort of trance-like apathy. Nothing appears to create surprisein them, and nothing but hunger, or the sense of immediate danger, arouses them from their listlessness. 

20. I am aware of the great interest taken by his Excellency theGovernor and all the members of the Government of Queensland in thepromotion of missionary enterprise. I much fear, however, that themainland here will be found but a barren field for missionary labors. One great obstacle to successful work is the unsettled nature of thepeople. No inducement can keep them long in one place. Certainly amissionary station might be formed on one of the neighbouring islands--Albany or Mount Adolphus Island, for instance, where some of theyoung natives might be kept in training, according to the system usedby Bishops Selwyn and Patterson for the instruction of theMelanesians. 

21. With the Kororegas or Prince of Wales Islanders, who, fromconstant communication with the islands to the northward, haveacquired a higher degree of intelligence than the pure Australians, Ibelieve a successful experiment could be made. Missionary enterprisebeyond the protection and influence of this new settlement atSomerset would, of course, at present be attended with considerablerisk. 

22. To the Banks and Mulgrave Islanders in Torres' Straits, asimilar remark will apply. Those people, however, seem to be of amore savage nature, although intelligent, and giving considerableattention to the cultivation of yams, bananas, etc. Both the goodand bad features in their characters may, I believe, in a greatmeasure be attributed to the strong influence exercised among them bya white man, called by the natives "Wini, " who has been living therefor many years. This man, who is supposed to be an escaped convictfrom one of the former penal settlements in Australia, no doubtconsiders it politic to keep Europeans from visiting the island wherehe resides, "Badu". The natives of Cape York hold him and the BanksIslanders generally in the greatest dread, giving me to understandthat all strangers going to these islands are killed, and their headscut off. The latter appears to be the custom of these and theneighbouring islands towards their slain enemies. 

23. The natives of the islands more to the northward and eastwardare said to be of milder dispositions, especially the DarnleyIslanders--of whom Captain Edwards, of Sydney, who had a"Bech-de-mer" fishing establishment there during the last year, speaks in high terms as being of friendly dispositions and displayingvery considerable intelligence, living in comfortable huts andcultivating yams, bananas, coconuts, etc. , in considerablequantities. Among these islanders I should think missionaries mightestablish themselves without great difficulty, and with asatisfactory result. 

24. I think that the simple fact of a settlement of Europeans beingestablished at Cape York will very much tend to curb the savagenatures of the natives, not only of the mainland, but also of theislands, and any unfortunates who may be cast among them fromshipwrecked vessels will, at all events, have their lives spared; andI believe that, should such an event take place, I should soon hearof it from the natives here. The communication between the islandersand the natives of the mainland is frequent, and the rapid manner inwhich news is carried from tribe to tribe to great distances isastonishing. I was informed of the approach of H. M. S. Salamander onher last visit two days before her arrival here. Intelligence isconveyed by means of fires made to throw smoke up in different forms, and by messengers who perform long and rapid journeys. 

25. I should like much to send one or two of the Cape York nativesto Brisbane to remain there a short time. I believe that the reportswhich they would bring back to their tribe of the wonders seen amongthe white men would tend more than any other means to promotefriendly feelings towards us, and to fit their minds to receivefavourable impressions. 

26. From what I have previously said of the soil here, it will beseen that no large portion of it is suited for agriculture. Evenwere the land good, the peculiar climate, which may be considered dryfor eight months in the year, would not permit satisfactorycultivation to any large extent. During the rainy months, fromDecember to April, vegetables suitable to the temperature may begrown in abundance. 

27. Of the agreeableness and salubrity of the climate of Somerset, Ican not speak too favorably. The wet season commenced here last year(1864) with the month of December, and continued till the latter partof March. During that time the rain was intermittent, a day or twoof heavy wet being succeeded by fine weather. The winds from thenorth west were light, and falling away to calm in the evening andnight. During this season the highest range of my thermometer was 98degrees in the shade; but it very rarely exceeds 90 degrees, as maybe seen from Dr. Haran's meteorological sheets. During the calmsimmediately succeeding wet the heat was disagreeable, and mosquitoesappeared, but not numerously. The nights were invariably cool. Theweather for the remaining seasons of the year may be termedenjoyable. A fresh bracing breeze from the south east blows almostcontinually, the thermometer averaging during the day from 80 to 85degrees. This temperature, with the cool nights, (sufficiently so torender a blanket welcome) and delightful sea bathing, prevent any ofthe lassitude or enervating influence so common to tropical climateselsewhere from being felt at Somerset. 

28. During the time of my residence here no serious indispositionhas occurred among the European residents. Occasional slight attacksof illness generally traceable to some cause, has taken place, but asfar as can be judged there is no 'local malady'. There has been nosymptom of fever or ague, which it was apprehended would be prevalentduring the rainy season, as in other hot countries. Dr. Haran, R. N. , (the naval surgeon in charge) reports very favorably of the salubrityof the climate. I have every reason to believe with Dr. Haran, thatat no very distant period, when steam communication through TorresStraits shall have been establish, Somerset will be eagerly sought byinvalids from the East as an excellent and accessible sanatorium. 

29. At all events, there can be no doubt but that the new settlementwill fulfil admirably the objects for which it was founded, 'i. E. ', aport of call and harbor of refuge for trade in the dangerousnavigation of Torres Straits, and a coal depot for steamers. 

30. I almost fear that in the foregoing remarks it may be consideredthat on some subjects I have entered too much into details, while onothers my notices have been too slight. I have endeavored, as muchas possible, to confine myself to subjects of interest, and you mayrely on my statements as the result of personal observation. Shouldthere be any particular point on which the Government may requiremore specific information, I shall be most happy, if it be in mypower, to afford it. 

I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, JOHN JARDINE, P. M. 

------

PORT ALBANY. 

OVERLAND JOURNEY OF THE MESSRS. JARDINE TO THE PORT ALBANY SETTLEMENT. 

Somerset, May 1, 1865. 

Sir, --Since the date of my last report the most importantintelligence which I have to communicate is the arrival of my sons, Frank and Alexander Jardine, with their overland party, all safe andwell, after an extremely arduous and toilsome journey of five months, almost entirely over country which for the greater part may be termedbarren, the distance travelled over being somewhat more than 900miles. 

2. The party, consisting of my two sons and four other Europeans(including Mr. Surveyor Richardson, attached to the expedition by theGovernment of Queensland), with four aborigines of the Rockhamptondistrict, made their final start from Mr. J. G. McDonald's station, Carpentaria Downs, in latitude 18 deg. 37 min 10 sec S. , longitude144 deg. 3 min 30 sec. E, (the farthest out-station on the supposedLynd River), on the 11th of October, 1864, and reached this place onthe 13th of March, ult. Rockhampton was the first point ofdeparture, my second son leaving it, with the horses and men, on the16th of May, 1864, making the journey for them about 1800 miles. 

3. It would appear from the journals kept that a great portion ofthe country on the west coast of the York Peninsula, especially inthe locality of the Mitchell River, is at times (I presumeperiodically) subject to inundation; the water, however, soondisappears from the flat and sandy land, and for the greater portionof the year, till the next rainy season, the country is destitute ofwater, and in other respects little better than an absolute desert. 

4. It is a subject of great regret to myself, and in which I am sureyou will share, that this long journey should be, so far as atpresent appears, productive of so poor a result to the public indeveloping new resources to the colony. However, a large andvaluable addition to geographical information has certainly beengained; but at the same time few of the important discoveries inlands suitable for pastoral or agricultural occupation, or inminerals, etc. , etc. , and which might in so large a tract of countryhave reasonably been expected, have been made. 

5. My sons have experienced a severe disappointment to their hopesand expectations in the nature of the country around, and within areasonable distance of this place, as well as a heavy loss inprosecuting their undertaking. However at their ages, 23 and 21respectively, the spirit is very buoyant, and they are again quiteready for another venture. Their journey, which, from the nature ofthe country traversed, has been one of unusual difficulty andhardship; and it is surprising to me that, hampered as they were witha herd of 250 cattle, for which providing food and water in a barrenand unknown country is in itself no easy matter, they should havecome through so successfully. 

6. Next to the general barrenness of the country, the difficultiesthey had to encounter were--first, the destruction of a quantity oftheir supplies and gear, through the camp being carelessly permittedto catch fire during their absence in pioneering the route. Next, the determined hostility of the natives, who were almost continuallyon their track, annoying them on every favorable opportunity; on oneoccasion, the crossing of the "Mitchell, " opposing them soobstinately that a considerable number were shot before they wouldgive way. Then the loss of two-thirds of their horses (all the best)from eating some poisonous plant, and which necessitated the last 300miles of the journey being travelled on foot; and last, the floodedstate of the country during the season of the rains. And I think itis not too much for me to say, that nothing but a thorough knowledgeof their business, supported by determined energy, could have carriedthem through what must be considered one of the most arduous tasks inexploration on record. 

7. I will not attempt in the small space of a letter to give youmore full particulars of the journey and its incidents. Mr. SurveyorRichardson has, of course, his journal and maps of the route asdirected by the government, and from these, with the informationgained by my sons in their numerous "offsets" in search of the bestcourses to follow, which will be placed at the disposal of theGovernment, I believe a pretty accurate idea of the nature of thecountry on the west coast of the York Peninsula may be gathered. 

8. My sons have at present formed their station near Point Vallack, on the north shore of Newcastle Bay, between two or three miles fromthe settlement of Somerset. They are on good terms with the natives, and their black servants fraternise with them, but are kept understrict rule. The natives of Cape York from the first have shown afriendly feeling towards them, having, on their first arrival, metthem about twenty miles from the settlement, and shown them thenearest way to it, and they have since been very useful in carryingtimber to build huts, stockyards, etc. , etc; and I believe that forthe future, if well treated, they will offer no annoyance to thepresent settlers. The establishment of a cattle station in theneighborhood is of great advantage to the settlement, serving as anoutpost to secure its safety, and in opening up the country, besidesaffording a ready supply of fresh meat. Already my sons and theirblacks have cut good passages through the scrub to the settlement, and also through the various belts of scrub dividing their stationfrom open grounds; so that now a large extent of country can be'ridden' over without obstruction. 

9. I have little else of importance to communicate. The affairs ofthis settlement have gone on slowly but steadily. The several worksleft unfinished are, under the charge of the acting foreman, PrivateBosworth, Royal Marines, (and of whom I can speak most highly for hisattention and work), completed, with the exception of the CustomHouse, which is well advanced. 

10. The natives are on good terms with us, and work for us invarious ways, being duly paid in food, tobacco, etc. 

11. On the 23rd ultimo there was a slight shock of an earthquakefelt distinctly by myself and other persons here. It occurred in theafternoon, about two o'clock, was accompanied by a rumbling sound, but lasted little more than a minute. The health of the royalMarines, and all other residents at the settlement, continues to bevery good, as will be seen from the report of the surgeon Dr. Haran, R. N. I have the honor to be, Sir, Your most obedient servant, JOHN JARDINE. P. M. 

To the Hon. The Colonial Secretary, Brisbane. 

***

DR. HARAN'S REPORT. 

Somerset, May 22, 1865. 

Sir, It affords me much pleasure to have again to forward to your Excellencya most favourable report of the climate of this settlement, and of theuninterrupted good health of our small community, military and civil. The dreaded summer season, with its calms, light winds and heavy rains, has passed off without causing a single case of sickness, attributableto noxious exhalations, which prevail at that season in most tropicalclimates, but which, in my opinion, cannot exist here, owing to thepreventive causes enumerated in my letter of the 13th January last;neither have we experienced that oppressiveness of the atmosphere whichits saturated condition at that season through the sun's directinfluence in favoring evaporation in the surrounding seas would lead oneto expect. Some slight oppressiveness was felt immediately before therains, but speedily disappeared on their occurrence. I can only accountfor this valuable immunity by attributing it to some peculiarity ofclimate, in all probability to the same causes which counteract theevolution of noxious exhalations; for we did experience calms and verylight winds, and the hygrometer during the greater part of the timeindicated a very large amount of moisture in the atmosphere. 

2. The meteorological sheets forwarded by this opportunity, contain fullparticulars regarding the winds, temperature, etc. , for the last fourmonths, and having been prepared from a series of observations, conducted with care and regularly registered, they cannot fail, amongstother important objects bearing on general climatology, to affordconvincing proof that, as a climate, even during the summer season, thatof Somerset, although in close proximity to the equator, possesses manyadvantages not attainable in higher latitudes, and is, in my opinion, from its mildness and equable character, especially suited for such asmay have the misfortune to be predisposed to, or suffering from, pulmonary consumption. 

3. The S. E. Trade ceased as a continuous wind in these seas on the 24thDecember last. Calms, light winds, from all points of the compass, butchiefly from the points between North and West to South, or against thesun's course, and heavy rains, with electric phenomena of acomparatively mild character, succeeded and persisted until the 11th ofMarch; when the sun's more direct influence having been diverted fromits course, and in a manner dissipated by the great heat andevaporation, again resumed its ascendancy, and has continued sincewithout interruption. 

4. On the 25th of January two of the Marines were seized with a severeheadache and other suspicious symptoms while working in the sun during acalm; and I consider it my duty at once to recommend such alteration inthe working hours as would protect the men from sun-exposure during itsperiod of greatest heat. These alternations were adopted, and continuedin force until the 22nd of March, when the former working hours wereresumed, as no danger was apprehended from solar heat at any time of theday during the prevalence of the S. E. Trade wind. 

5. One well-marked case of scurvy became developed at the end ofJanuary; and a few of several cases of cutaneous eruption undertreatment at the time closely resembled the symptoms characteristic ofthat disease. The only anti-scorbutic dietary available, viz. , --preserved meats and potatoes, compressed vegetables and lemonjuice, was issued at once, and continued on the salt-meat days for threeweeks, when all the indications of scurvy having disappeared, the usualdietary was resumed. Since then the entire adult community have enjoyedvery good health. 

I am, etc. , T. J. HARAN, Surgeon, R. N. 

His Excellency, Governor Sir G. F. Bowen, G. C. M. G. 

JARDINE'S JOURNAL--NOTES BY THE ETEXT-MAKER. 

Spelling errors and typos listed below are as shown in the paper textand have been copied into the electronic text. 

FRONT MATTER

The footnote in the INTRODUCTION does not have a referent in the text--there is no asterisk in the text. It is not clear whether the'settlement' it refers to as having been abandoned is at Adam Bay or inWestern Australia. 

P ix--'loosing' instead of 'losing'P xi--re-placed

CHAPTER 1

There are several words in this chapter which do not conform to today'sspelling, but which appear in the paper text as copied:p 1--faciliatep 3--agreablep 5--speersp 5--Gaala Creek--(should be Galaa Creek)p 5--discriptionp 7--amunition

CHAPTER 2

P 9--amunitionP 9--earthernP 9--cheiflyP 10--stoneyP 10--occuringP 11--villanousP 11--vestageP 16--potatoeP 16--oppossumP 17--apparantlyP 18--despatchP 18--amunitionp 19--muscles--probably should be 'mussels'p 19--(about 18 miles. . . . --no closing bracketp 23--a cawbawn saucy--should probably be 'as cawbawn. . . . P 23--agressorsp 24--succededp 24--'where' instead of 'were'p 24--'frighened' instead of 'frightened'p 26--emeup 27--double and single quotes on "Ferguson, ' don't matchp 27--'spenifex' instead of 'spinifex'

CHAPTER 3P 30--too (too days)P 30--diliriousP 32--carcasep 32--indispensibleP 32--chisselP 33--'these' should probably be 'they'p 33--pigmyP 34--agreablyP 34--a-headP 35--degnifiedP 36--'course' instead of 'coarse'P 37--steadillyP 37--abondonedp 37--wireyP 38--cheiflyp 38--seivesP 38--permenantlyp 39--occuringP 40 --frightendedP 40--bythe (all one word)P 40--gratuitious

CHAPTER 4

P 42--they (no capital on beginning of sentence)P 43--horses (no possessive apostrophe)P 43--varitiesP 44--varitiesp 44--gulleyp 46--sheildp 48--agressorp 49--peicesp 50--bitcher plant--(instead of pitcher plant?)p 50--pelluced--------------------------------------------

CHAPTER 5

p 59--'course sandstone'--should probably be 'coarse'p 63--a-headp 64--the latitude measurements seem to have reversed the signs for minutes and seconds in measuring latitude. I have spelled out the words. P 67--'meet' instead of 'meat'p 68--'eat' instead of 'ate'p 69--horsmenp 69--admonitaryp 70--Lichhardtp 70--retreiverp 70--mocassins

CHAPTER 6

p 72--distentionp 73--'gotting' should be 'getting'?p 73--exhiliration

APPENDIX

p 75--weeps the stream--should be 'sweeps the stream'? or was the author being poetic?p 77--SPINIGEX--should be 'Spinifex'p 77--genuis--genusp 77--neverthlessp 77--loosing--losingp 78--vigilencep 79--Thozets'--Thozet'sp 82--easly--easilyp 82--entirleyp 83--surperseded