BY HON. A. NORTON. 17 



reported that their camp was on the Escape River, eight 

 miles in a direct line from where it joins the sea, and sixteen 

 miles from Somerset. In this case, as in that of the Lynd, 

 he was altogether mistaken. 



Leaving the rest of the party at tliis point, the brothers 

 with Eulah started down the river on 30th January in 

 search of the settlement. They took with them 251 bs. 

 flour and 121bs. meat as rations for a week. The country 

 for travelling was execrable, and before noon the rain once 

 more began to pour. Then the river turned sharply to 

 the west, and they were forced to the unwelcome con- 

 clusion tliat it was not the Escape ; for protection fi'om the 

 incessant rain they ran up a gunyah of tea -tree bark and 

 decided, in deference to Mr. Richardson, to follow the course 

 of the river still further on the morrow. When they stai'ted 

 next morning they found no improvement in the country ; 

 the continual rain had increased the flood waters ; the ground 

 was more boggy ; the swamps, anabranches, and lagoons 

 were more numerous. After travelling 10 miles, another 

 large stream from the south-east, which they named the 

 Eliot, blocked the way. This they waded safely with the 

 water up to their necks ; their saddles and packs they 

 carried on their heads ; 7 miles further on they camj^ed 

 for the night on the river bank. Next morning they tried 

 the river for another 7 miles ; then, as it ke])t turning more 

 and more towards the west, they felt even more certain 

 that it was not the Escape River, and turned back on the 

 track by which they had come, camping at night in their 

 tea-tree bark gunyah ; rain, accompanied by cold winds, 

 had fallen all day. When they reached the camp they found 

 all well ; but the flour was 301bs. short, and, as always 

 happens on such occasions, nobody could imagine what 

 had become of it ! Being almost without floui-, and having 

 to depend upon such game as tliey could secure to supple- 

 ment the jerked beef, they were most anxious to push 

 forward, but one day was spent in searcliing for a practic- 

 able crossing of the river which was now wide and deep 

 and rapid. The continual rain flooded it still more and 

 detained them another day ; they therefore killed anotiier 

 beast for rations. Richardson, after making further 

 observations, decided that they were 33 miles south of Cape 

 York. During the day they constructed a small raft, 



