18 THE JARDINES' EXPEDITION 



the frame being dead Nonda wood, which is light, and across 

 this they stretched and bound a hide. Although the 

 water fell considerably in the night, the stream was still 

 130 yards wide, the current ran swiftly, and the banks 

 were lined with scrub ; however, they swam 4 horses safely 

 over and then floated the saddles and rations across on the 

 raft. The brothers and Eulah, who were to go in search 

 of the settlement, camped on the north side, Scrutton and 

 the others remaining with the cattle. 



On 6tli February the little exploring party pushed 

 on in a N.N.E. direction, and, after many difficulties, at 

 20 miles, they looked down on the sea about half-a-mile 

 distant. Tliis was Newcastle Bay. They went three 

 miles further on and camped on a palm creek, with very 

 steep banks. Following along the coast next morning 

 at 7 or 8 miles, their course was blocked by what proved 

 to be the Escape River. This they followed up through 

 country tliat was indescribably difficult, the saddles at 

 each of the numerous creeks having to be carried on their 

 heads and a passage cleared with their tomahawks through 

 the scrub. At last three of the horses completely knocked 

 up, and they camped in the open. The brothers walked 

 on until they came near the river ; only near it though, 

 for on either side there was a dense mass of mangroves 

 nearly 3 miles in width. Their rations now consisted almost 

 wholl}' of jerked beef, and they rejoiced that evening at 

 finding 13 scrub-turkey's eggs. " Eating what yolk or 

 white they contained, they plucked and roasted the chicks 

 as a honne-houche.'''' They and their horses were tormented 

 by Marcli flies and sandflies by day, and by mosquitoes 

 by night. This da^' they travelled 22 miles. Wearisome 

 as their journey had so far been, it was not less so on the 

 two following days ; for although they could now see their 

 destination, there was no hope of getting through the mud 

 and mangroves which shut them oft" from the river banks. 

 It was decided, therefore, to return to the cattle, and take 

 them by a course which they hoped would lead to a practic- 

 able crossing higher up the stream. So bad was the country 

 they now traversed that they made only 12 miles, having 

 to drive their knocked-up horses before them, and several 

 times to drag them out of bogs. On the following evening 

 they got back to camp after another most fatiguing day ; 



