STATEN RIVER TO JARDINE RIVER 307 



excellent water. Leichhardt's melaleuca, fan-leaved palm and 

 fig trees, some of the latter bearing ripe fruit, also vines and 

 tropical trees unknown to me " (Richardson, p. 33). 



On ijth December, about 7 miles were travelled to north- 

 west, among the channels of the MITCHELL. One of these, about 

 midway, was taken to be the " MAIN STREAM." It is described thus 

 by Richardson : " Bed 500 yards wide, sandy, and two channels, 

 some water, not running, banks low, and flood marks above them ; 

 the foliage of the trees on both sides is very dense and rich in various 

 shades of green. The latter part of our journey bore some resem- 

 blance to a deserted garden, which had contained many choice 

 plants and trees, acacia, bauhinia, Leichhardt, and fan-leaved palm, 

 the latter numerous, also cedar." Game was plentiful, including 

 wallabies, native companions, duck, and Torres Strait pigeons. 

 CAMP 43 was on a flooded gum flat. Here one of the cows died 

 from the effects of some POISONOUS PLANT. 



The story of the iSth December is given in Byerley's words 

 (p. 35), which cannot be abridged or paraphrased : 



" 1 8th December. The river was followed down to-day for 9 miles through a 

 complete network of anabranches, gullies, and vine scrubs to another branch, which 

 may be called the true stream. It was 30 yards wide, deep, and running strongly. 

 Here the party had to camp for about 3 hours, whilst the Brothers searched for a good 

 crossing. The cattle and pack-horses were crossed in safety, but some of the pack-bags 

 got wetted in the passage. They were travelled another mile over to a sandstone bar, 

 crossing another deep sheet of water that had been previously found. This stream 

 had been explored in search of a ford for 4 miles further up but without success. 

 It continued of the same width and appeared to do so much further. This day, Sunday, 

 was marked by the severest conflict the travellers had yet had with the natives, one 

 which may well be dignified by the name of the * BATTLE OF THE MITCHELL/ On 

 arriving at the running stream before mentioned, whilst the cattle halted, the Brothers 

 and Eulah, taking axes with them to clear the scrub, went down to find a safe crossing. 

 At about a mile and a half they came on to a number of blacks fishing : these imme- 

 diately crossed to the other side, but on their return, swam across again in numbers, 

 armed with large bundles of spears and some nullahs, and met them. The horsemen, 

 seeing they were in for another row, now cantered forward towards the camp, deter- 

 mined this time to give their assailants a severe lesson. This was interpreted into a 

 flight by the savages, who set up a yell, and redoubled their pursuit, sending in the 

 spears thick and fast. These now coming much too close to be pleasant (for some of 

 them were thrown a hundred yards), the three turned suddenly on their pursuers, 

 and galloping up to them, poured in a volley, the report of which brought down their 

 companions from the camp, when the skirmish became general. The natives at first 

 stood up courageously, but either by accident or through fear, despair or stupidity, 

 they got huddled in a heap, in, and at the margin of the water, when ten carbines 

 poured volley after volley into them from all directions, killing and wounding with 

 every shot with very little return, nearly all their spears having been expended in the 

 pursuit of the horsemen. About thirty being killed, the leader thought it prudent 

 to hold his hand, and let the rest escape. Many more must have been wounded 

 and probably drowned, for fifty-nine rounds were counted as discharged. On the 

 return of the party to the cattle an incident occurred which nearly cost one of them 

 his life. One of the routed natives, probably burning with revengeful and impotent 

 hate, got into the water under the river bank, and waited for the returning party, 



