196 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



Midlothian Station. It is the southmost mouth of the Gilbert, 

 and there are the strongest grounds for the belief that it was the 

 " furthest south " of the " Pera " and " Aernem" named by 

 Carstenszoon the STATEN REVIER. 



On 1 8th July, Leichhardt camped in 17 41' 52", probably 

 east of the modern township of NORM ANTON. There does not 

 appear to have been anything distinctive enough about the NORMAN 

 RIVER, in this region, to call for a name. It was simply that the 

 party had to go a long way round to the east and south to avoid 

 mangrove swamps. On the ijtb, presumably because he was 

 near the latitude (16 23') of the inlet which Flinders had mistaken 

 for Tasman's Caron Revier, he reckoned he had identified " Caron 

 RIVER (CORNER INLET)." Possibly it was BRANNIGAN CREEK. 



It may be said here that I have made painful and conscientious 

 attempts to follow Leichhardt round the southern end of the Gulf 

 by the aid of his diary and Arrowsmith's illustrative map, and I 

 warn those who may essay the task in future that " that way 

 madness lies." Leichhardt did not give sufficient data for the 

 identification of his positions on the modern map, whereas Arrow- 

 smith, with only the coast-line to guide him, must have had even 

 a harder task than was mine. I have come to the deliberate 

 conclusion that all charting of this portion of Leichhardt's journey 

 is worthless. His latitudes must be wrong. Perhaps his sextant 

 was out of order. He must have been very careless about distances 

 and bearings. 



We find him camped on 6th August in what he calls lat. ij$f S., 

 on a river which, he says, " I am inclined to think is the ALBERT of 

 Captain Stokes and the Maetsuyker of the Dutch navigators." 

 Sir (then Mr.) Augustus Gregory noted (in 1856) the obvious mistake 

 and named the river the LEICHHARDT. 



On i%th August, Leichhardt struck a large river which must 

 have been the real ALBERT, and had to follow it up 4 or 5 

 miles to the south-west before he could find a crossing. A running 

 creek was found falling into its left bank, and was named BEAME'S 

 BROOK, after Walter Beames, of Sydney. (SEE MAP N.) 



Leaving Beanie's Brook on a north-westerly course, a river, 

 which Leichhardt named the NICHOLSON, after Henry Alleyne 

 Nicholson, of Bristol, was crossed within two miles. Pursuing 

 this, or a slightly more northerly course, the I38th meridian of 

 east longitude was passed. This line now divides the State of 

 QUEENSLAND from the NORTHERN TERRITORY. 



Leichhardt's journey across the southern end of the Gulf of 

 Carpentaria was marked by few noteworthy incidents. His 

 assiduity in making botanical and geological observations had full 

 play, and his success in " shooting for the pot " gave him no reason 

 for complaint as regards diet, emus, pigeons and cockatoos being 

 abundant. 



