Jan. 12, 1857.] NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. 201 



After replacing these notices, and leaving one of my intended 

 movements, for Gregory or any of his party, I retraced my steps to the 

 ship, and found that while the crew were watering ship they beheld 

 an interesting relic of the ' Beagle.' Inscribed in large letters on a 

 tree nearest the well, were these words : — 



" This river was discovered, by the officers of H.M.S. * Beagle,' 

 on the 18th Oct., 1839, and was named the ' Victoria,' in honour of 

 Her Majesty, the Queen of England." 



Here I had the good fortune to find the rare and interesting 

 bower-bird's nest (Chlamydera nuchalis) among the mangroves, and 

 scarcely above high- water mark at springs. 



On arrival at Gregory's camp, 6 miles below Steep Head, we 



found it looking like an English farmyard, with thatched houses, 



huts, sheep-pens, horse-sheds, forge, oven, &c. The spot was well 



selected. We landed on a pier formed of large stones and pigs of 



ballast. In our road lay iron hoops, rope, tubs, buckets, old 



clothes, Indian com, old boots and shoes, pieces of harness ; and wo 



came to the oven, in the interior of which, protected by four pigs of 



iron ballast, was a bottle, containing a notice to the following 



effect : — 



" Camp, Victoria River. 



"On Saturday, 21st June, 1856, the exploring party of the N. A. 

 Expedition, consisting of seven persons, left this camp, on their way 

 to the Albert Eiver, in the Gulf of Carpentaria ; and on Wednesday, 

 July the 2nd, the remainder finally abandoned the camp and pro- 

 ceeded down the river to join the schooner • Tom Tough,' which 

 had dropped down to Shoal Eeach about three months previously. 

 The vessel will sail, as speedily as possible, to Timor, whence, after 

 obtaining supplies, she would proceed to the Albert Kiver, and the 

 detachment of the Expedition on board will fonn camp and await 

 the arrival of Mr. Gregory. Subsequent information will be left on 

 Entrance Island. 



*' John Finlay, carpenter of the schooner, died April 22nd, 1856, 

 and is buried near a gouty-stem tree, marked, with the dome, bearing 

 W.N.W. i a mile (Tuesday evening the 1st of July). 



" The finder of this document will greatly oblige the Expedition 

 by giving it every publicity, and, if possible, by forwarding it to his 

 Excellency, the Governor of New South Wales, or to any other of the 

 Australian colonies. 



(Signed) " T. Baines." 



After perusing this, we went to the forge, where another paper 

 was buried, containing a similar notice. We returned to Mr. Gre- 

 gory's hut, and, having drank success to his expedition, read all the 

 interesting notices over and over again. 



I passed an hour at the camp, admiring all the arrangements. It 



