GREGORY 269 



J. T. Embley connected the Nicholson River with Lawn Hill Creek. 

 (SEE MAP M.) 



Gregory was now in touch with the " Beagle " (1841) and 

 LEICHHARDT (1845), for the Barkly had only to be followed down 

 a short distance when it received Leichhardt's BEAME'S BROOK,* 

 shortly below which it widened into what Stokes called the Hope 

 Reach of the " Beagle's " ALBERT RIVER. Beanie's Brook is in 

 reality one of the channels of the Barkly or Albert River and, as 

 it happens, the only one which carries running water through all 

 but the most prolonged droughts. On the banks of the Hope 

 Reach, certain marks on trees were understood to denote the 

 presence, in the month of March, 1856, of a boat party sent up 

 the Albert by Lieutenant Chirnmo, of H.M. steamer " Torch." 



It had been arranged that the " Tom Tough " should await 

 the land party on the Albert River, but she had evidently failed 

 to make the rendezvous in time, and Gregory left instructions 

 which it was expected would be found by Baines. 



It appeared that, having reached Soerabaya, the " Tom Tough " 

 was overhauled and pronounced to be in need of extensive repairs 

 before she would be fit for a voyage to the Gulf of Carpentaria. 

 She was therefore left behind, while another schooner, the 

 " Messenger" was chartered for the service. The latter reached 

 the Albert on nth November, and found Gregory's letters. She 

 then sailed for Sydney by the west coast. 



From the right bank of the Albert River below Beame's Brook, 

 Gregory steered (^rd September) eastward for about 10 miles 

 over box flats and grassy plains to HARRIS CREEK, which he followed 

 to the NE. for a few miles until he had satisfied himself that it 

 was one of the heads of the " SALTWATER ARM " of the Albert. 

 (Here he was 8 miles SE. of the modern township of BURKETOWN.) 

 Then turning SSE., he crossed CROOKY CREEK, here running north, 

 and another head of the Saltwater Arm. On the same course, 

 he camped for the night at " Millar's Waterhole," on MILLAR 

 CREEK, by far the longest tributary of the Saltwater Arm. The 

 telegraph line from Burketown to Normanton, via Floraville, 

 now crosses Millar Creek at the water-hole. The names Harris, 

 Crooky and Millar designate the three branches of the South- 

 Western Arm on modern maps, but there is nothing in the diary 

 or report to indicate that they were bestowed by Gregory. 



The following day (^.th February) brought the party by a course 

 still to the SE., to the bank of a large river which Leichhardt, 

 who had crossed it about 12 miles lower, i.e., down stream, had 

 mistaken for the Albert, but which Gregory now named the 

 LEICHHARDT. Its course is to the north and it falls into the Gulf 

 only 2 miles east of the Albert, the mouths of the rivers being 

 interlaced by the Landsborough Inlet. Gregory's camp of 4th 



1 Beame's Brook Hotel of modern times is near the junction. 



