48 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



were trammelled by no canons of spelling. In the text, the 

 writer meant to convey that the dry and barren country he de- 

 scribed extended from the Watering-place to 15 20' (his know- 

 ledge of its extent having been derived from the observations 

 made on the outward voyage), and in the marginal note he 

 estimates the position of the Watering-place as 15 30', or 10 

 minutes south of the place touched at on i6th (correctly, lyth) 

 April. Accepting this as correct, the Watering-place was about 

 8 English miles SSW. of Angeram Mission Station, at the mouth 

 of Topsy Creek. R. L. J.] 



" In the morning of the 4^, the wind ENE., good weather, course N. in 7^ fathoms, 

 the land plainly in sight. At noon the latitude 15 12', and a little to the north an 

 inlet was seen, which we have named the VEREENICHDE REVIER. Wind W., course 

 NNE., near the land for the whole of the night." 



[EDITORIAL NOTE. Evidently the " main " mouth of the river 

 which Leichhardt afterwards named the MITCHELL. The latter 

 name has been too well established by usage for a restoration of 

 the original name to be practicable at this date. R. L. J.] 

 [See Map D.] 



" In the morning of the 5^, the wind E., course N. Noon latitude 14 5'. 

 Shortly afterwards, the wind W., whereupon made for the land and anchored in 

 2 fathoms, and I personally went ashore with the boat, duly armed. The BLACKS came 

 towards us offensively with their weapons, but afterwards took to flight. Then our 

 party walked some way inland, and found, leaning against trees, specimens of their 

 weapons, such as assegais and callaways, which we did not disturb, except that we tied 

 pieces of iron and beads to them to attract the blacks, of which, however, they took 

 little notice, but, in the course of several advances, they insolently held up their shields 

 and launched them at the muskets. These men, like all the others, are lank and meagre 

 of body, and quite naked, but malignant and cruel by nature. [Cape Keerweer. 

 R. L. J.] 



" In the morning of the 6th, the wind E., whereupon set sail, course N., in 3 and 

 4 fathoms, along the land. At noon, the wind W., in latitude 13 29'. In the even- 

 ing, E., 3 1 fathoms, anchored [13 20' S.]. 



" In the morning of the jth, the wind SE., fine weather, and the skipper rowed 

 to the shore in the boat, having been most strictly ordered to treat the BLACKS well 

 and attract them with iron and beads and capture one while they were engaged with 

 these things. At noon, when they returned, we were given to understand that on 

 their arrival upwards of 100 blacks, with their weapons, had collected on the strand 

 and in a very hostile mood sought to prevent the landing ; that a musket shot was 

 fired (to frighten them), whereupon they fled and retreated into the bush, whence 

 they tried every method and trick to surprise and overpower our men. In features 

 and build these people are the same as those we have seen before, pitch black and quite 

 naked, but some of them had their faces painted red and others white, with feathers 

 stuck through their noses. Set sail at noon, wind E., course N., along the land, being 

 then in latitude 13 20'. [West of mouth of ARCHER RIVER. R. L. J.] Towards 

 evening, wind W., and anchored in 3^ fathoms. 



" In the morning of the 8th, wind ESE., good weather, and I LANDED personally 

 with 10 musketeers. We saw numerous footprints of men and tracks of dogs (going 

 from south to north). We therefore spent some considerable time in following the 

 said footprints, which took us to a river, where we plucked very delicate vegetables 



