LEICHHARDTS OVERLAND EXPEDITION 193 



The JARDINE BROTHERS' traverse of the delta of the Mitchell 

 in 1864 was further west than Leichhardt's. Keeping a northerly 

 course, they crossed DUNBAR CREEK (the Nassau River, de facto) 

 and were the first to wander among the anastomosing channels 

 intersecting the delta. They next crossed the SCRUTTON RIVER, 

 which comes out of Magnificent Creek and runs into the Dunbar, 

 and MAGNIFICENT CREEK (named by them Arbour Creek), which 

 comes out of the Mitchell proper and runs into the "South Mouth" 

 of the river. Lastly, they followed the MITCHELL proper north- 

 westward to lat. 15 10' S., where the "North Mitchell" leaks 

 out of the mouth which is named the " Main Channel." 



Most of the mouths of the Mitchell (below the infall of the 

 Palmer) were surveyed by J. T. Embley in 1886-7. 



It was the part of the CHURCH OF ENGLAND MISSION to the 

 Aborigines to make the latest addition to our knowledge of the 

 delta. I am indebted to the Rev. John Jones, of the Australian 

 Board of Missions, for a pamphlet entitled " Mitchell River 

 Aboriginal Mission," printed in Thursday Island, undated, but 

 evidently issued after nth July, 1905, as it contains excerpts from 

 Bishop White's diary of that date. A map attached to the 

 pamphlet shows that KILPATRICK CREEK has been traced north- 

 westward to its junction with the " South Mitchell," while 

 another creek, to the west, runs NNW. and joins Kilpatrick Creek. 

 On this creek, which may be referred to as BOSWORTH CREEK, is 

 located " OLD " BOSWORTH (CATTLE) STATION (lat. 15 30' S.), 

 as well as the site of a new mission station, to be named YEREMUNDO. 

 West of Magnificent Creek, a chain of fine fresh-water lagoons 

 extends from east to west, and on the banks of the lagoons are first 

 the out-mission-station DAPHNE, and then the head station 

 TRUBANAMAN. Below the head station the lagoons merge into a 

 winding salt-water inlet, opening into the Gulf in lat. n 25' S. 

 Two out-stations of the mission, KOONGALARA and ANGERAM, are 

 situated on this salt-water inlet, the former about a mile west of 

 the head station and the latter on the sea coast. A few miles 

 south of the Trubanaman Creek and lagoons, TOPSY CREEK com- 

 mences in the east, also as a chain of fresh-water lagoons, and further 

 west becomes a salt-water inlet, which falls into Trubanaman 

 Creek. Bishop White, in his diary, expresses the belief that both 

 Trubanaman and Topsy Creeks leak out of Magnificent Creek, 

 and I have no doubt that he is right. 



The Mission, for which a reserve of about 500 square miles has 

 been set apart, was initiated in 1902, and evidently exercises a 

 civilising influence on the natives, but I am unable to assign the 

 credit due to individual missionaries for their part in the explora- 

 tion of this exceptionally interesting geographical region. 



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