284 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



this river down for 120 miles and left it, near his Camp 48, on 

 2$th November. (SEE MAP M.) His 45th Camp (21 st November) 

 was opposite the site of the modern VENA PARK STATION. 



West of Camp 48, he struck the FLINDERS RIVER (z$th November, 

 Camp 49) about 3 miles north of Gregory's camp of 9th 

 September, 1856, and 6 miles north of the modern MILGARRA 

 station, but had to follow up the right bank of the river to the 

 south for a couple of miles above Milgarra before he found a 

 convenient crossing. On the bank of the river he found CAMEL 

 AND HORSE TRACKS, making down stream, which could only have 

 been made by BURKE'S expedition. 



Keeping a course of west by north from the Flinders, almost 

 on Gregory's track, he crossed ARMSTRONG, " L," GOAT and 

 " M " CREEKS, camping on the latter (28^ November, Camp 52) 

 near the GEARY HILLS. He recognised this as very GOOD PASTORAL 

 COUNTRY. 



On ist December, salt water was met with on LAGOON CREEK, 

 a tributary of the Leichhardt, and after a considerable southward 

 detour the LEICHHARDT RIVER itself was reached. But it was 

 "salt 'as brine." Followed up to SSE. for 8 miles it was still 

 salt, but fresh water was found in a small creek (Camp 55, ist 

 December, 1861). Here the NATIVES made a threatening attack. 

 Few details are given, but it is stated that " their (the blacks') 

 right wing, which was the strongest, got over the river and were 

 off, but the centre and left wing suffered a heavy loss." Near 

 the camp, a camp of the natives was found to contain a sailor's 

 jumper and an empty brandy bottle. 



Steering NNW., Walker's Camp 56 (znd December) was on 

 MILLAR'S CREEK, close to Gregory's of 3rd September, 1856. A 

 course of NNW. brought him next day (Camp 57) to the Albert 

 (Barkly or GREGORY) River, where the water was slightly salt and 

 influenced by the tides. After the camp had been made snug, 

 the sound of a GUN was heard down the river. 



Near this camp, on the ^th, a tree marked by GREGORY (1856) 

 was found, and also a buried bottle containing a letter from CAPTAIN 

 NORMAN, dated 29th November, stating that the " Victoria's " 

 depot was 12 miles down the river (i.e., on the site of the modern 

 town of BURKETOWN). Walker crossed the BARKLY RIVER and 

 BEAME'S BROOK, and on "]th December, 1861, "shook hands with 

 Captain Norman." 



K At the depot, Walker was supplied with the rations and stores 

 necessary to replenish his equipment, and eagerly addressed himself 

 to the task of taking up BURKE'S TRACKS from the point where 

 he had seen them on the Flinders. He hastened back to the 

 FLINDERS, no doubt, avoiding the difficulties which had delayed 

 him on his outward course, and succeeded in tracking Burke to 

 " two or three camps," i.e., probably to his Camp 119, when he 



