222 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



the trees which had been broken, this terrific storm appeared to 

 have taken place about two years ago. Not a tree had been left 

 standing. . . . Many of the trees in the middle of the fallen 

 timber measured two feet in diameter. Some were torn up by 

 the roots, and the trunks of others were snapped off at various 

 heights from the ground." It is interesting to compare this 

 description with that of the cyclone-swept clearing seen by me on 

 20th February, 1880. 



Kennedy's camp of 2Otb October was in 13 35' S. lat., which 

 was probably in the valley between the Mcllwraith and Macrossan 

 Ranges, south of the mouth of the NISBET RIVER. It is safe to 

 assume that Kennedy followed this valley, which not only affords 

 an easy passage to the north, but is practically the only one. 



On the 22nd October, only a short stage was made, three of the 

 party, Douglas, Taylor and Costigan, who were suffering from 

 diarrhcea, being compelled to ride, in spite of the weakness of the 

 horses. The flour was found to be reduced to 200 Ib. In 70 

 days which had passed since it was weighed at 700 Ib., the 13 men 

 had consumed 500 Ib., or at the rate of 0^55 Ib. per man per day, 

 so that they must have kept strictly to the ration fixed on I4th 

 August. The three sick men " complained despairingly to Mr. 

 Kennedy that they should NEVER BE ABLE TO REACH CAPE YORK " 

 and they never did. The travelling this day is briefly described 

 as " between the hills," which makes it almost certain that the 

 party was between the Mcllwraith and Macrossan Ranges, and 

 now ascending the valley of the NISBET RIVER. The blacks were 

 burning the grass to the south. 



In the six following days, 2yd to 2%th October, the expedition 

 travelled over " a rocky mountainous country, interspersed with 

 deep gullies and creeks, fringed with belts of scrub." Kennedy 

 must have got up on the eastern slopes of the MC!LWRAITH RANGE, 

 crossing Swallow, Cherry, Surprise and Greyhound Creeks. Had 

 he but known, he might have found an ideal natural road by running 

 the Nisbet River to its head and crossing into the Lockhart Valley 

 by an almost imperceptible gap. 



In all probability, when I was attacked on 9th January, 1880, 

 and my horse was killed by the blacks, I was standing on Kennedy's 

 footsteps. I probably also followed his track on i8th January, 

 1880, between my Camps 25 and 26. Dickie, Dick and Sheffield's 

 " home " track, as far as it went NNW. from Cherry Creek, in 1910, 

 was probably also Kennedy's. 



2()th October. This was Sunday and there were " prayers at 

 eleven o'clock " and three wallabies were shot to eke out the scanty 

 food supply. The party remained in camp, and the horses must 

 have needed rest. 



$otb October. Luff was too lame to walk. Here the two last 

 of the round tents were burned to lighten the load and enable Luff 



