NARRATIVE OF MR. CARRON. 205 



crossed^ nor could we tell how far the devastation 

 had extended to the south-west j but the ground to 

 the north and east bemg* swampy^ and covered only 

 with small Melaleucas and Banksias, the wind had 

 not taken much effect. Many of the trees in the 

 middle of the fallen timber measured two feet in 

 diameter. Some were torn up by the roots, and the 

 trunks of others were snapped oiF at various heights 

 from the gTound. The latitude of our camp here 

 was 13° 35' S. 



Oct. 21st. — We killed another of our horses 

 to-day, as he was too weak to stand. 



Oct. 22nd. — We g-ot our meat well dried to-day, 

 and having" smoked it a little, packed it as before. 

 Our stock of flour was now reduced to two hundred 

 pounds weig'ht, and many of the men gTowing- very 

 weak, we were obliged to increase our Aveekl3^ ration 

 a little. Three of the party, Doug-las, Taylor, and 

 Costig'an, were suffering* fi'om diarrhoea, in con- 

 sequence of having- eaten too freely of the pandanus 

 fruit. Their spirits began to fail them, and they 

 ii'equently complained despairingly to Mr. Kennedy 

 that they should never be able to reach Cape York. 

 Although our horses were so very weak, these men 

 were obliged to ride, being- quite unable to walk far 

 at a time. The countr}^ before us was very moun- 

 tainous, but between the hills we found plenty of 

 grass and water: to the south the whole country 

 appeared to be on fire. 



Oct. 2Srd to 25th. — We travelled during these 



