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"THE JARDINES' EXPEDITION FROM 

 ROCKHAMPTON TO CAPE YORK IN 18fi4." 



By HON. A. NORTON. 



Read before the Royal Society of Queenskind, March 2&h, 



1908. 



For the use of Jardines^ Journal, and permission to write 

 a papsr on the subject for the Royal Society of Queensland, 

 I am indebted to my friend, Alick Jardine. For the tracing 

 of Cape York Peninsula, showing the course of tlieir journey, 

 I have to very heartily thank Mr. Spowers, Surveyor- 

 General of Queensland, wlio, with his wonted courtesy, 

 unhesitatingly consented when asked to have a tracing 

 prepared in his office. 



It was during Leichhardt's expedition from Moreton 

 Bay to Port Essington. 1844 to 1846, that Gilbert, the 

 naturalist, a collector for Mr. Gould, w^as killed by the 

 blacks on the w^estern side of Cape York Peninsula. Very 

 little was known of that part of the country at the time 

 (1845), but the aboriginals had shown a decided disposition 

 to dispute any claim on the part of the white settlers to 

 interfere wath them, or wnth the country the\ occupied. 

 In 1848, when Kennedy tried to reach Port Albany by 

 keeping nearer to the eastern side of the Peninsula, the 

 blacks asserted tlieir rights with equal determination, 

 and their hostiUty led to the death of Kennedy himself, 

 when, with his blackboy Jackey, he had pushed on until 

 almost within sight of the x>lace at which they had hoped 

 to arrive in safety. 



Warnings such as these murders conveyed were in 

 themselves sufficiently suggestive of what others might 

 expect should they attempt to pass through the country 

 which these hostile tribes claimed as their own. The 

 Peninsula blacks had lived for vears under conditions 



