190 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



the mouth of the Palmer, sends similar leakages to the STAATEN, 

 de facto. Below the Palmer, the MITCHELL, now only a little more 

 than a degree of longitude from the sea, begins to spread out a 

 FAN OF MOUTHS, which, however, do not keep independent courses 

 but form a bewildering network of anastomosing channels. It is 

 difficult at all times for a traveller to be certain which is the " main 

 channel " of such a river, and it must be that, if not from year to 

 year, at least from century to century, floods alter the channels in 

 such a manner that their comparative importance undergoes 

 radical alterations. 



Leichhardt himself did not actually see the JUNCTION OF THE 

 LYND WITH THE MITCHELL when he camped about 2 miles south 

 of it on i$tb June, 1845. Had he realised, at the time, the impor- 

 tance of the Mitchell, he would not have been content to take, as 

 he did, his information about it from his followers. Roper, Brown 

 and Charley described the river at the junction as having a very 

 broad sandy bed, quite bare of vegetation, and, meandering 

 through the sand, a small stream which here and there expanded 

 into large water-holes. 



The expedition moved on i6th June WNW. down the Mitchell 

 for an estimated distance of 9 miles. The CAMP was on HIGHBURY 

 LAGOON, on the left bank of the river (long afterwards a Native 

 Police Reserve). 



A delay of two days was made at this camp while a bullock was 

 killed and the meat cured. The flour had been finished three 

 weeks before. 



On igth June, a stage of about 8 miles was made to the NW., 

 down the Mitchell. The CAMP, beside a deep lagoon on the left 

 bank, was in lat. 16 22' 16" S., and must have been about 

 bench mark 10 M. Here Leichhardt noticed the tracks of 

 CROCODILES. 



20th June. Ten miles NW. down the Mitchell, past some 

 fine LAGOONS. Camp at bench mark 2oM. 



21 st June. Nine miles NW. down the Mitchell, past more 

 fine lagoons. The CAMP, in lat. 16 9' 41 " S., was on " a small 

 creek, scarcely a mile from the river, from which John Murphy 

 and Brown brought the leaves of the first PALM TREES we had seen 

 on the waters of the Gulf. They belonged to the genus Corypha." 

 This creek runs into the left bank of the river near bench mark 3oM. 

 NATIVES were observed collecting the seeds of water-lilies for food. 



From the Lynd to the camp of 2ist June, Leichhardt's course is 

 now followed by the road connecting GAMBOOLA with DUNBAR 

 cattle station. 



22nd June. Twelve miles NW. down the Mitchell. Passed 

 a very long lagoon and noted the superior quality of the grass now 

 known as MITCHELL GRASS, which is the most appreciated of all on 

 the " sheep country " of the western interior of Queensland. The 



