208 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



recruited from that class, it is more than likely that his mind was 

 unhinged by the new style of shepherding, with its attendant 

 difficulties, to which he had been introduced. 



Carron mentions that on the i^th an ALLIGATOR rose to the 

 surface of the water close to the camp and appeared to have his 

 eyes on the sheep. The unhappy sheep were further disturbed by 

 a pack of dogs belonging to the natives. 



On i$tb June, the party progressed 3 miles inland, and camped 

 on the edge of some fresh-water swamps. On this and the following 

 day, Kennedy, with a small party, endeavoured, without success, 

 to find a way through the swamps. The camp was broken up on 

 ijth June, and a stage of 5 miles was made along the edge of the 

 swamp, the cart-wheels often sinking to the axles in the rotten 

 ground. 



The next day, Sunday, iStb June, was observed as a day of 

 rest, the Leader reading prayers at eleven. 



i<)th-22nd June. Kennedy and five others explored unsuccess- 

 fully for a way out of the swamps, and the Leader made up his mind 

 to return to the beach. There was heavy rain from the night of 

 the 1 9th to the night of the 22nd. Two of the horses left at the 

 main camp were found bogged, and were extricated. Parties of 

 NATIVES, as many as 80 or 100, came and surveyed the main camp 

 from a distance. 



2$rd June. The expedition moved on southward by the 

 beach, and presently crossed a small tidal river (DALLACHY CREEK?), 

 on a sand-bar near its mouth. Turning inland for a short distance, 

 they camped on the north, or left, bank of "a small river " (WRECK 

 CREEK) south of the last. Kennedy and five men spent the next 

 day (2^th June) looking for a way out of the swamps, but without 

 success. 



On 2$th June, they accomplished 5 or 6 miles southward, 

 near the beach, the ground being rotten and sandy. 



On 26th June, after a little distance southward along the beach, 

 another " small river " was met with, which Carron thought might 

 be the same they had left the day before (WRECK CREEK), but 

 which must have been MEUNGA CREEK, 2 miles north of the 

 modern town of CARDWELL. In crossing this creek, the carts 

 sunk into the mud, and had to be unloaded, the goods being carried 

 ashore. In this operation, a number of NATIVES, who had by this 

 time learned to address some of the party by name, assisted. One 

 or two were detected in petty acts of theft. The CAMP was made 

 on a grassy rise, after cutting through half a mile of man- 

 groves. 



On 2jtb June, a progress of 5 miles was made inland (west), 

 the country rising gradually and becoming dryer. Probably the 

 night's CAMP was on MEUNGA CREEK, where it turns south. On 

 the 28^, a road had to be cut for 3 miles west, through a 



