14 EXPLORATION IN WKSTEHN AUSTRALIA 



ness and assistance before I started on my trip. Viewed from 

 any point, it stands out as a prominent mountain. 



On the following day, I went in the opposite direction to 

 the creek three miles below my camp. The creek, the head of 

 which I had seen before, I now found to flow into the Adcock, 

 near a range on the west side. This range, although not the 

 actual main precipitous range I have mentioned, forms a spur of 

 it. The surrounding country is very good, being well-grassed 

 and watered. The country along the creek for about a mile, is 

 very rough, but it soon opens out into beautiful small plains, 

 dotted with pink lily lagoons on the western side. The main 

 range lies about two miles to the back. 



I now came upon the big mountain I had seen from Mt. 

 House. It descended right into the Adcock on the left bank, 

 and trended thence east by south. It much resembles Mt. 

 House, but is not so isolated. I have named it " Clifton," 

 after the Under Secretary for Lands at Perth. It appears to 

 come very close to the creek on the east side for some distance, 

 and the main range lies four or five miles back from the stream 

 on the west. All between is splendid cattle country. About 

 ten miles from Mt. Clifton, the creek appeared to vanish in a 

 a gorge. Crossing the creek above Mt. Clifton, I went back, 

 then crossed again to the west side, where I found a large 

 creek coming in from the north-north-east. It has no 

 running water, but there are some splendid water-holes in the 

 reaches, whilst all the country is magnificent from a squatter's 

 point of view. The main range is distant fifteen miles from 

 this spot. 



The creek I have named the Edkins, in remembrance of my 

 excellent good friend Mr. Edkins, of Mount Cornish, North 

 Queensland. Here, and on the Adcock, I met with large 

 numbers of blacks, but they were as wild a lot as I ever saw 

 and were quite unapproachable. 



I now travelled to the N.N. West, crossing the Adcock, and 

 after proceeding some 10 miles struck another splendid running 

 creek going south Avest. It appeared to take its rise in the 

 ranges 10 miles above us. There is magniiicent land on either 

 bank. The banks are low, yet the country has no appearance of 

 being subject to floods. The land, grass and timber are good, 

 and in the creek there is an abundance of fine fish. Forming a 

 camp, I went to the top of a hill close by, and obtained a good 

 view of the surrounding country. I saw that the range inter- 

 cepted the Adcock, and the creek last discovered. I therefore 



