492 GREGORY'S NORTH AUSTRALIAN EXPEDITION. [June 22, 1857. 



creeks look their rise, and trending to tlie N.E., form the heads of 

 the " Wickham " and " Liminin Bight " Eivers. 



14. Scarcity of water, however, compelled ns to turn to the north- 

 ward, and travel along the broken sandstone country at the edge of 

 the tableland, reaching the "Mac Arthur" Eiver on the 4th August, 

 in latitude 1G° 25', where the channel did not exceed 20 yards in 

 width ; and so little water remained, even at this season, that it had 

 to be followed down for some miles before a sufficient supply coiild 

 be obtained. 



15. Being desirous of keeping as far inland as possible, I again 

 struck S.E., crossing the spurs of the table land. In the valleys be- 

 tween, many small creeks took their rise, and form the heads of the 

 rivers which flow into the Gulf of Carpentaria. 



16. The principal feature of the country was sandstone, though 

 basalt and limestone frequently cropped out, and formed small tracts 

 of grassy country, which seemed to expand to the north of our route ; 

 but to the south, the sandy table was almost unbroken. 



17. The elevation of this table land gradually increased to about 

 900 feet above the sea, and in latitude 17° 40', longitude 137'' 40', a 

 spur, or rather a detached mass of greater altitude (1300 feet) pro- 

 jected from it to the north. From its higher ridges the view ex- 

 tended for 40 or 50 miles to the south ; all was hopelessly level, and 

 without a single marked feature. 



18. 20th August. — Deep gullies took their rise on the S.E. slope 

 of this high land, rapidly increasing, by their junction, into a con- 

 siderable creek, which proved to be the head of the Nicholson Eiver. 

 Considerable difficulty was, however, experienced in descending 

 into its valley, owing to the abruptness of the ridges, which were 

 formed by the edges of sandstone strata at a high angle, while 

 granite prevailed in the lower ground. 



19. The Nicholson, however, soon re-entered the sandstone ranges 

 to the E., over which we toiled for three days, without finding suffi- 

 cient gTass for our horses. Following down the river, the country 

 became more level ; narrow grass flats appeared on the banks, but 

 the back country was still worthless, covered with very open scrub 

 or terminalia and melaleuca, to within 30 miles of the Albert Eiver, 

 when grassy plains commenced, and extended several miles back 

 from the right bank of the river. 



20. On the 30th August crossed a fine running creek, which joined 

 the Nicholson from the south, in latitude 17^ 53', after which the 

 river turned to the N. Continuing our route E.N.E. for three miles, 

 struck a fine brook of running water, with open grassy plains on its 

 banks ; its course was nearly east for four miles, when it was joined 



