306 EOTAXICAL ]S^OTES OX QUEEXSLA^^D, 



question is broad and shallow, taking its rise in the Herberton 

 [Ranges, and issuing into the sea at a short distance south of 

 Cape Palmer, or 20 miles south of Cape Grrafton, in about Lat. 

 17'40 8. The river during the whole of its short course, runs 

 through some of the most abrupt and precipitous mountain 

 gorges in Australia. In no part does it ever flow through a 

 broad alluvial valley, but the mountains rise abruptly from the 

 waters, seldom leaving even a narrow terrace between their 

 precipitous sides and the water. The consequence is that the 

 stream is liable to extraordinary inundations. Flood marks are 

 found 70 and 80 feet above the bed, and on these high water- 

 marks enormous trees are stranded. In the more open places 

 the sand and alluvial accumulations form considerable ridges. 

 The formations of rock on the banks vary between granite, 

 paleozoic slates and newer volcanic rock. These occasionally 

 make falls and rapids in the stream. The steep banks are usually 

 volcanic. 



As a rule the banks are clothed with dense tropical forest, 

 formed of lofty trees and a dense undergrowth of palms and 

 ferns, amongst which are Calamis australis, Ali)inia cocrnlia^ Pteris 

 onarginata, P. trcmida^ As2)idiwn conjliiens, Alsophila Leicli- 

 liardtiana, and JBleclimim cartalafjineum. It will be observed 

 that in this list but few of the forest trees are mentioned. The 

 reason of this being, that I was making a hurried journey, and 

 unless I was able to recognize the species at a distance, I had no 

 opportunity or time to collect flowers or fruits for identification. 

 The country is very little explored and the natives are extremely 

 savage and fierce. But there are a few places where cedar getters 

 have cut down some of the timber and the trees in falliug have 

 given a facility for galheriug both flowers and fruits, which would 

 otherwise be out of reach. It is remarkable, that on the banks 

 of the Mulgrave, or rather on the slopes rising from the banks, 

 there are many forests almost made up of ^'mc—Amucaria 

 Cunninr/hami, and though the Mijrtaccce are well represented the 



