NOTES ON THE RIVER GORDON. 31 



NOTES ON THE RIVER GORDON AND ON THE 

 NEED FOR RESERVATION OF LAND ALONG 

 ITS BANKS. 



By J. W. Beattie. 



(Read July 13, 1908.) 



The River Gordon is about .four miles distant from 

 Sarah Island. Its entrance is narrow, with a bar, upon 

 which there is a depth of water of about two fathoms, 

 deepening almost immediately to 10 fathoms. The en- 

 trance to the river has now been well beaconed, and 

 renders navigation safe. Approaching the Gordon, the 

 surrounding mountain scenery is very grand. Away to 

 the south the D'Aguilar Range and Mount Direction 

 stand rugged and picturesque, the next in importance 

 being the Elliott Range, its southern trend gently slop- 

 ing until lost in the billowing ranges which separate it 

 from the D'Aguilars, while its eastern extremity ends in 

 'high, broken abruptness. 



Following the Elliott Range eastward, we next 

 notice an elevated flat belt of open country, called the 

 High Plain. Across this plain came Sir John and Lady 

 Franklin and party, on their memorable overland 

 journey from Hobart in 1842, piloted by the late Mr. 

 lames Erskme CaMer, afterwards Surveyor-General of 

 Tasmania. They reached the Gordon about 10 miles 

 from its entrance, at a reach of the river called " Pre- 

 servation Inlet." where the relief vessel the " Breeze " 

 lay awaiting them. Following the High Plain are four 

 fine-sized mountain peaks, called by Lady Franklin 

 " The C r avcrofts/ : after relatives. One or other of the 

 Craycroft peaks shows nicely in some of the Gordon 

 scenery. Directly eastward from the Craycroft Range 

 the tops of the Engineer Range are just visible. 



