IG EXPLORATION IN WESTKRN AUSTRALIA 



I think the Isdell is the head of the CHenelg, and the 

 Adcock either the head of the Fitzroy or a branch of it. We had 

 found the second range so rough on our return journey that I 

 thought I could not go wrong in trying for a better track. A3 

 it turned out the old proverb " The longest way round is the 

 shortest way home " once more proved its truth. Here a basalt 

 dyke cuts through the range, so I ran the gully into a fearful 

 looking gorge. I think this is about the strangest part of 

 Australia. On one side, only a few hundred yards back, there 

 is a range over 1000 feet high and as rough as possible, with the 

 creek running through the aforesaid ugly gorge. Then appear 

 rippling streams, lagoons, and small grassy plains as good as 

 any in Australia, and in contrast with these charming spots the 

 rough, wretched ranges surrounding them. 



I decided to camp in a pretty spot on the creek, and as 

 soon as all was settled my boys amused themselves by rolling 

 big stones into the gorge, down whose precipitous sides the 

 boulders rushed, bounding into the air, crashing through the 

 brushwood and finally crashing in a thousand pieces on the 

 rocks below. It was great fun for them, but I had to find a way 

 out somewhere. Fortunately there was no sign of any blacks 

 being about, although I saw plenty of their tracks. Perhaps 

 the roar of the rocks rolling into the gorge made them believe 

 that "debbil debbil " was about and they had better keep close. 

 Striking camp early next morning we passed along a stretch of 

 country only a few hundred yards wide, having on one side a 

 range 500 feet high and on the other one of over 1000 feet. 



I named the camp we had just left " Eva Camp," after 

 Mrs. J^iroadhurst, of the Pyramid, Roebourne, and the pass we 

 were then in the " Broadhurst Pass," in recognition of the 

 family's courtesy to me. After we had negotiated some 3 

 miles of the pass we reached a large running creek coming out 

 of one of the gorges and entering another. Whilst I was 

 examining this I heard a black cooee in the range to our left, a 

 couple of hundred yards oft". About a minute afterwards a great 

 number showed themselves, all armed with spears and making 

 a tremendous row, at the same time running towards us. As 

 they looked dangerous, and outnumbered us probably by fifty to 

 one, I let go a few shots to try and stop them, and told the boys 

 to be "quick about getting out a supply of cartridges, which were 

 in the pack bags. I could see that the blacks were deter- 

 mined to take advantage of what Julius Ciesar called, 

 " the inferior position." It was certainly a very dangerous 



