BY HON. A. NORTON. ll 



on good fresh water with good grass in the bed of the creek. 

 Latitude 16 degrees 3 minutes 38 seconds. Next day 

 the character of the country was still tlie same, but hot 

 winds had dried up the grass. Then after a stage of 23 

 miles, with country somewhat ridgy and a better class of 

 timber, they camped on Eulah Creek with abundance of 

 good water and grass. On 16th December, the country 

 becam.e more difficult ; wide stretches of flood- marked 

 levels and a creek wliich was so thickly lined with scrub 

 that the brothers had to clear a track through for the 

 cattle. While here they were attacked by blacks, who 

 made a circle round them and forced a fight, but they were 

 driven off. When exploring the country ahead in the 

 afternoon, the brothers came upon the long-sought Mitchell 

 River. 



For some days they travelled down the river, crossing 

 flood-marked flats and numbers of anabranches ; but 

 18th December was a memorable day, the party having 

 been attacked by a large body of natives, who at first 

 showed signs of great courage ; after some trouble and no 

 small danger they were driven off. Three clays later 

 another mob appeared ; these carried green bushes behind 

 which they attempted to approach the whites without 

 being observed. This time they turned and fled, the whites 

 chasing them without firing a shot, and then carrying oft" 

 the spears which in their flight the blacks had dropped. 



When the travellers left the Mitchell on 22nd December, 

 they had decided to begin- the straight running for Cape 

 York. In such country at this particular time of year, 

 however, those who travel must take such course as is 

 possible. Their first day did not turn out well ; there had 

 been more rain than they wanted, and their camp at night 

 is described as "a puddle without a blade of grass," for 

 the verdure which from a • distance looked so promising 

 was nothing but a dense mass of small green tea-trees about 

 six inches in height. They had had no meat for three 

 days, so they killed a steer and feasted ! They jerked the 

 meat as best they could, for the rain came down heavily, 

 and they watched the cattle and horses. Notwithstanding 

 the rain, they had no water at the next camp, for the sand 

 being exceptionally dry, no water lay on the surface. Nor 

 was there any grass. Next day there was very little 



