226 WILSON ON THE NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. [Dec. 8, 1856. 



already succeeded in finding a creek, with an abundance of water in 

 pools ; but we were then 3 miles past the place, and the nearest 

 pool was half a mile from the river- side. I might have sent the 

 sheep there, but my party was too weak to be divided between two 

 camps and the vessel, the latter requiring all the assistance that 

 could be afforded. The allowance of water to the sheep was stopped 

 until more could be obtained, and we had but ten days to have a 

 camp selected and ready to receive Mr. Gregory and party. To 

 meet both these ends, I organized a party to proceed up the river 

 to Steep Head, or such other place where we might find fresh 

 water, and, at the same time, to look out the most convenient place 

 for a camp. We had an India-rubber double boat, composed of four 

 large air-tight bags ; these we proposed to fill with fresh-water and 

 tow them down the river. My party included Mr. Elsey, Mr. Baines, 

 and two sailors. With the exception of a spring between Sandy 

 Island and Steep Head, we found no fresh- water imtil we reached 

 Palm Island, which we did with considerable difficulty, having to 

 haul the boat over the stony shoals at Steep Head. On the evening 

 of the sixth day, we got back to the vessel, and, on the following 

 morning, the water was got on board, amounting to upwards of 

 500 gallons. On the morning of the 8th of October, I started, with 

 Mr. Elsey and a sailor, in the small boat, to determine the place for 

 our camp. I examined the slope of Sea Range for a distance of 

 about 5 miles in a fruitless search for water, then returned to the 

 boat and proceeded up the river after sundown, and reached a stony 

 spit within a mile of Sandy Island, and stopped there the remainder 

 of the night. In the morning we hurried up to where we had found 

 the springs, dug two wells that promised an abundant supply, filled 

 a small cask, and hurried to get back to the vessel. On our way 

 back, we remembered indications of a large creek running eastward 

 in front of Sea Range, and determined to look into it more particu- 

 larly as we passed down. As we did so, we were astonished to find 

 a river broad and deep enough to warrant our anticipating its 

 having a long course. Being of a nature to turn Mr. Gregory out of 

 the line he should follow, and delay him on his way to the camp, I ran 

 the boat up its circuitous course till we were 6 miles in a straight 

 line from the entrance ; here we were stopped by a flat ledge of 

 rock, over which the water was too shallow to pass with the boat 

 except at high tide. Leaving the man in charge of the boat, we 

 started on foot to trace the river up to a place where it might be 

 supposed the horses would cross, and where they might find fresh 

 water. We effected this at a distance of about 6 or 7 miles, where I 

 marked some trees, and left a notice for Mr. Gregory, informing him 



