Observers' Field Reports 83 



strike the railway terminus at Duchess. Most of the track was very sandy and several 

 sandy creeks gave us a great deal of trouble, the car having to be emptied of all gear; a track 

 had to be made with branches of trees and with a few sacks and tent covers which were carried 

 for such i)iu-poses. At one place it required 2 hours to travel 100 yards, and several trees 

 were felled to supply leaves and branches for the track on which to run the car. As all the 

 Cloncurry district is very rough, the car was sent by railway from Duchess to GilUat, about 

 60 miles from Cloncurry. 



After taking my observations at Cloncurry, I rejoined the automobile there and 

 traveled to Kynuna, some of the track being very good and a speed of 30 miles an hour 

 being attained for a considerable time. From Kynuna we continued to Winton, and obser- 

 vations were made at both places. At Kynuna, while putting away the dip needles, a 

 swift whirlwind struck the tent, the pegs holding but the tent pole snapping, which in 

 falling knocked the dip circle off the tripod to the ground. Luckily no damage was done 

 to the instrument, probably due to the fact that the ground was soft, the base screws partly 

 burying themselves. One of the hinges of the door was strained, but this was soon repaired. 

 We returned to Longreach on October 18, 1913, the entire trip of 2,286 miles having taken 

 a little over a month. 



Fairly strong winds were experienced throughout, especially at Winton, and the weather 

 was very hot, the heat being fortunately a dry kind. Water was very scarce everywhere 

 and frequent 60-mile stages were passed where there was no water; for that reason few 

 cattle were seen traveling on the stock-routes. Considering that such a great distance was 

 covered, very little variety of country was met with, the majority of it being flat and devoid 

 of timber, except the patches of desert country and the belts of bush around some of the 

 creeks. No snakes were seen, but a number of iguanas and lizards were noticed, the 

 iguanas being very numerous on the plains in the Northern Territory, where they are the 

 favorite food of the aborigines. Provisions and also water in a water-bag were carried as 

 a precaution in case of a break-down of the car in the wilds. Very few people were met on 

 the road and on one lOO-mUe stage but 6 people were seen, 4 of these being cattlemen; 60- 

 mile runs without meeting anyone were not uncommon. Cordial hospitality was shown at 

 all the cattle stations called at, and the people met treated us very courteously. 



F. Brown, on Magnetic Work in Northern Queensland, Australia, 



October to December 1913. 



In accordance with instructions from my chief of party, Mr. E. Kidson, dated October 

 21 , 1913, 1 left Jericho for Rockhampton and thence by steamer for Cooktown and Thursday 

 Island. My instrumental outfit was the same as for the previous trip in Northwestern 

 Australia. 



The stations occupied were as follows : 



After reoccupying on November 7 our magnetic station at Thursday Island, I left for 

 Mapoon on November 13 on the Beatrice, an old pearling lugger of about 15 tons. Landing 

 at Mapoon mission-station on the afternoon of November 15, I observed the following day 

 and then tried to make arrangements to leave for Weipa, but was unsuccessful. During 

 the ensuing delay here, I reoccupied the magnetic station and took hourly readings of 

 declination for 24 hours. I finally succeeded in leaving Mapoon on the mission boat 

 7. G. Ward, and traveled by her to Weipa mission-station, which was reached after a 2 days' 

 sail. Completing the observations here, I left the following evening for Merluna cattle- 

 station with 5 horses and a blackfellow. At Merluna I hired 4 horses and a black boy 

 and proceeded to Coen. Mien telegraph station was one day's ride from Merluna, and 



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