EXPLORAT[()^^ IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 



(with map.) 



By FRANK HANN. 



(Communicated by Major A. J. Boyd, F.R.G.S.Q.) 



{Rmd before t/ir Hoi/ul Societi/ of Quremhind, 7th Ajiril, 1900.] 



I MADE two journeys to the north-Avestern interior of Western 

 Australia, where it was my intention to take up and stock any 

 sood country which I might meet with in the course of the 

 trips, or rather, on my second trip, which I propose to describe 

 more fully than the first, the latter being merely what may be 

 described as a preliminary canter. I left Lawn Hill, on the Gulf 

 of Carpentaria, on the 1st April, 1896, and travelling across to 

 Western Australia without any unusual experiences, crossed the 

 overland telegraph line in South Australia at Newcastle ^^'aters. 

 My party consisted of one white man, six Queensland blacks, 

 and sixty-seven horses, nine of which belonged to my white 

 companion, who went with me as far as Roebourne (W.A.), 

 where we parted company, and from that time I had no white 

 man in the party, but the Queensland black boys behaved 

 well and rendered me many valuable services. After leaving 

 the telegraph line, I made for the Victoria River, and on 

 reaching it I ran it down as far as Victoria Station, which is 

 situated on the banks of the Wickham, a branch or tributary of 

 the Victoria. 



At the Victoria Depot 1 was able to get some needed rations, 

 which are regularly brought there by the steamer from Port 

 Darwin. The boat runs up the Victoria River to a point about 

 ninety miles from the coast and eighty from the Station. 

 Leaving the depot, I struck the Baines River, a tributary of the 

 Victoria, and followed it till I arrived at Avern Station. On the 

 Victoria I saw a celebrated baobab tree, which was marked by Mr. 



