1 84 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



The scientific EQUIPMENT consisted of a sextant and mercurial 

 horizon ; a chronometer ; a compass ; and Arrowsmith's Map 

 of New Holland. The TRANSPORT animals were seventeen horses 

 and sixteen bullocks. 



A SPRING CART formed part of the initial train, but was evidently 

 not meant to go far : as a matter of fact, it was abandoned after 

 a few days. 



Leichhardt's original idea was to LIVE almost entirely ON GAME, 

 as far as meat was concerned. This was, however, soon found to 

 be impracticable, and as it was necessary to reduce the number 

 of the party, HODGSON and CALEB LEFT on 3rd November to return 

 to Jimbour, the main camp being then on the heads of the DAWSON 

 RIVER. 



The ITINERARY of the expedition from Darling Downs to the 

 heads of the rivers falling into the Gulf of Carpentaria need only 

 be briefly summarised, as only the latter portion of the journey 

 comes within the region forming the subject of this work. 



From JIMBOUR station, north of DALEY/ to near MiLES, 1 the 

 plain on the southern side of the Bunya Bunya Range was followed. 

 The range was crossed north of Miles and the heads of the DAWSON 

 RIVER were successively crossed on a course which was at first 

 nearly west and gradually swung round to the north. The COMET 

 RIVER was next run down from its head to its junction with the 

 MACKENZIE. After the high ground forming the PEAK RANGE 

 had been traversed, a descent was made into the valley of the Isaacs 

 River, in the latitude of Broad Sound. The ISAACS was then 

 run up to its head, at a gap in the DENHAM RANGE, leading to the 

 head of the SUTTOR RIVER ; and the Suttor was followed down to 

 the Burdekin. (SEE MAP Q.) The BURDEKIN valley was next 

 followed up, past Sellheim railway station on the Towns ville 

 to Charters Towers line, Dalrymple and the Valley of Lagoons, 

 and the DIVIDE between the waters of the Pacific and the Gulf of 

 Carpentaria was cleared north of MOUNT LANG. (SEE MAPS O, 



P AND K.) 



1 The route is more easily followed by the introduction of names of places which did 

 not exist in Leichhardt's time than it would be if only his own place-names were given. 



