THE NORTH-AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. 231 



with a party of six persons, viz. Mr. H. Gregory, Mr. Elsey, Dr. Mueller, 

 and three men, Dean, Bowman, and Melville. 



The arid nature of the country in the interior of Northern Australia 

 compelled us to decrease our latitude to 1 5° south, in order to pass 

 the central parts of Arnheim Land ; after which we kept parallel to the 

 coast, as far inland as water could be found in the rivers, the greatest 

 distance from the sea not exceeding one hundred miles. 



Reaching the appointed rendezvous at the Albert River on the 30th 

 of August, the schooner had not arrived ; but from some marked trees 

 it appeared that her Majesty's ship ■ Torch' had sent a boat up the 

 river a few weeks previous, but it was evident that this visit had no 

 reference to the Expedition, as the only marks left consisted of the 

 names of some of the crew, which they had amused themselves by 

 carving on the trees and stumps, and the ashes of their fire. 



Under these circumstances I deemed it advisable not to await the 

 arrival of the schooner ; and having marked trees, and buried instruc- 

 tions for Mr. Baines at a spot which had been previously agreed upon, 

 we left the Albert on the 3rd of September, and made some ineffectual 

 attempts to proceed to the south-east, but want of water compelled me 

 to pursue a route parallel to the coast, to latitude 17° 20' south, when 

 the Gilbert River enabled a south-east course to be again pursued. 



Crossing the heads of the Lynd in 18° 40', reached the Burdekin on 

 the 1 6th of October ; our route was then along the right bank of that 

 river, to the junction of the Suttor River, which was followed up to 

 the Belyards River; tracing that river to latitude 22°, and then a 

 south-east course to the junction of the Comet and Mackenzie Rivers, 

 and thence an easterly course to the Dawson, brought us to Messrs. 

 Conner and Pitt's station on the 22nd of November. 



I am now en route to Brisbane, where I purpose to leave the horses 

 until arrangements can be made for their disposal, and proceed direct 

 to Sydney. I have, etc., 



A. C. Gregory, 



Expedition 



[Third Letter from Mr. Gregory.] 



Sydney, 7th January, 1857 



Sir. — T have tha honour to transmit 



cellency the Governor-General, an outline of the proceedings of the 



