Junk 22, 1857.] GREGORY'S NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. 491 



Coepang for supplies of fresh provisions, and thence to the Albert 

 Eiver, to co-operate with the land party, I left the camp on the 

 Victoria River on the 21st June, 1856. 



7. Proceeding up the Victoria to the eastern bend in latitude 15° 

 38', left the river on the 20th June, and followed up a large creek, 

 coming from the eastward. The country at first was very rocky and 

 of indifferent quality, except on the immediate bank of the creek, 

 till we approached its source, when the sandstones were replaced by 

 basaltic rocks, and the country changed to fine open grassy ridges, 

 very thinly wooded. 



8. Beyond this creek (latitude 15° 38', longitude 131° 40') a low 

 sandstone table land commenced, elevated about 700 feet above the 

 sea. The country now changed to thinly -grassed stringy-bark forest, 

 destitute of watercourses, except a small creek which we struck in 

 latitude 15^ 30', longitude 132^. As no water appeared to exist ex- 

 cept in this creek, I followed it down to theN.E. to latitude 14° 54', 

 longitude 132^ 30', where it turned to the N.W. ; but after five days' 

 reconnoitering, succeeded in finding a passage to the E, across the 

 table land (which appeared to be the northern extension of the in- 

 terior desert) to a small creek, tributary to the " Eoper " River, and 

 moved the party to it on the 12th July. 



9. Attempting a S.E. course, we were repulsed by a scarcity of 

 water, and had to trace down the creek to its junction with the 

 Roper, in latitude 14^ 58', longitude 133° 20'. The country im- 

 proved, and was well suited for pastoral purposes, the rocks being 

 basaltic. 



10. Having followed the Roper 20 miles to the K.W., I again re- 

 turned to a S.E. course, re-entering a poor sandstone country ; and 

 on the 1 8th July encamped on a small creek with a few waterholes. 



1 1 . In the afternoon a small party of blacks were observed watch- 

 ing the camp, and, on finding they were discovered by us, came up, 

 but would not speak a single word, and soon after retired, but were 

 detected stealing into the camp at night, when a discharge of small 

 shot compelled them to retire. 



12. The following da}^ continued a S.E. route, encamping at a 

 spring in a sandstone ravine, where the grass was very inferior, and 

 we experienced some difficulty in keeping the horses near the camp, 

 their instinct doubtless leading them to avoid a spot where poisonous 

 plants existed, as the next day at noon two horses were taken ill, 

 and died in less than an hour after ; the stomachs, on examination, 

 showing the action of violent poison. 



13. V\^e continued to traverse a very indifferent country, with flat- 

 topped sandstone ridges, between scnibby valleys, in which small 



