280 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



The "Victoria" anchored on ist October, 1861, 28 miles up 

 the ALBERT RIVER (20 miles in a straight line), where the water, 

 although influenced by tides, was fresh. Landsborough recom- 

 mended as a site for the proposed depot to be formed of the 

 " Firefly " hulk the vicinity of " a narrow mere which I called 

 Wood's Lake," i.e., the site of the future township of BURKETOWN. 

 (SEE MAP M.) The report in which this recommendation is made 

 was addressed to Captain Norman and is dated Sweers Island, 

 8th October. After that date, the " Victoria " must have come 

 on to the ALBERT INLET, and established the depot. Landsborough 

 finally set out from the depot on ijth October. As Burke had 

 reported that he followed the Albert River to the sea, Lands- 

 borough's first task was to run that river up. He found its main 

 feeder to be the GREGORY RIVER, which, with its important branch, 

 the O'SHANASSY, he traced to SSW., almost to the source of the 

 latter, naturally without seeing any trace of Burke, who had 

 mistaken a mouth of the Flinders for the Albert. (SEE MAPS N 

 AND R.) He then crossed the BARKLY TABLELAND to the 

 south and followed down the Herbert (now GEORGINA) River to 

 20 n' 15" S. (27 th December, 1861), i.e., to a few miles south of the 

 present CAMOOWEAL township, where the threatening attitude of 

 the NATIVES made it advisable, considering the numerical weakness 

 of his party, to turn back. He named the GREGORY and 

 O'SHANASSY RIVERS, and the SEYMOUR and THORNTON RIVERS, 

 tributaries of the latter, the BARKLY TABLELAND and the HERBERT 

 (NOW GEORGINA) RIVER. 



On passing BEAME'S BROOK on his return journey from this 

 " FIRST EXPEDITION," he observed (iSth January, 1862) the tracks 

 of an exploring party making for the depot on the Albert. (These 

 must have been WALKER'S TRACKS.) He reached the depot early 

 next day. (SEE MAP M.) 



On what is called his " SECOND EXPEDITION," Landsborough 

 left the FIREFLY HULK DEPOT on 8th February, 1862. Crossing 

 the LEICHHARDT RIVER on i^th February, at a ford formed by a 

 basaltic ledge, just above the influence of the tide, in latitude 

 1 8 10' 30" S. (where is now FLORAVILLE TELEGRAPH STATION), he 

 struck out to the south-east and passed DONNOR'S HILL on the 

 CLONCURRY RIVER close enough to note that it was composed of 

 sandstone and conglomerate and reached the FLINDERS RIVER on 

 lyth February. (SEE MAP R.) This course would take him up the 

 valley of the ALEXANDRA RIVER, a tributary of the Leichhardt, for 

 about 40 miles and up the valley of its tributary, COLLIER CREEK, for 

 some 1 6 miles, and then for a few miles across the watershed between 

 the Alexandra and the Cloncurry Rivers. He then followed 

 up the Flinders (SSE.) via FORT BOWEN, MOUNT BROWN, MOUNT 

 LITTLE, HERVEY DOWNS, O'CONNELL CREEK (near the modern 

 township and railway station of RICHMOND), SLOANE CREEK, 



