342 NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. [April 27, 1857. 



ascending the Victoria Eiver, and a quantity of stores and provisions 

 thereby destroyed, I instructed Mr. Baines to embark that portion 

 of the expedition which was not required to form the land party, 

 and to proceed to Copang for supplies, and thence to the Albert 

 Eiver in the Gulf of Carpentaria, to co-operate with the land 

 expedition. 



On the 21st June I left the encampment on the Victoria 'Eiver, 

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

 Miiller, and three men — Dean, Bowman, and Melville. 



The arid nature of the country in the interior of Northern Aus- 

 tralia compelled us to increase our latitude to 15° S. 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 100 miles. 



Eeaching the appointed rendezvous at the Albert Eiver on the 

 30th 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 con- 

 sisted 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 not advisable to wait the 

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

 structions for Mr. Baines at a spot which had been previously agreed 

 upon, we left the Albert on the 3rd September, and made some in- 

 effectual 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' S., when the Gilbert Eiver enabled a S.E. course to be again 

 pursued. 



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

 on the 16th October. Our route was then along the right bank of 

 that river to the junction of the Suttor Eiver, which was followed 

 up to the Belyando Eiver, Tracing that river to latitude 22°, we 

 then pursued a south-east course to the junction of the Comet and 

 Mackenzie Eivers, and from thence to the Dawson brought us to 

 Messrs. Connor and Pitt's station on the 22nd November. 



I am now on my way to Brisbane, where I purpose to leave the 

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

 direct to Sydney. 



(Signed) A. C. Gregory, 



Commander N. A. Expedition. 



