400 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



the Diary, to " a spur from MOUNT COOK " coming down to the 

 right bank shows that Hann took the mountain mass east of the 

 Annan for Mount Cook, instead of the isolated hill between the 

 mouths of the Annan and Endeavour. Some POISONOUS HERBAGE 

 had been eaten by Hann's best mount, which died at the camp. 

 Two other horses appear also to have partaken of the poison, and 

 were not considered out of danger for at least three days and were 

 not fit for work for some weeks. 



It may be mentioned that some years later, the ANNAN VALLEY 

 and the mountain mass lying between it and the sea, including 

 MOUNT THOMAS and MOUNT AMOS, produced a considerable 

 quantity of tin oxide, of which the greater part was in the form of 

 STREAM TIN. A dredging scheme has lately been set on foot with 

 the object of recovering stream tin from the lower reaches of the 

 river. 



CAMP 49, of z6th September, appears to have been on high 

 ground between WALLABY CREEK and BAIRD'S CREEK, tributaries of 

 the Annan's right bank. 



On 2jth September, the day opened with something of the 

 nature of a war-dance by NATIVES on a hill, but the " demonstra- 

 tion " was not followed up by any hostile act. Much time was 

 spent, and lost, in following old tracks of natives, in the hope that 

 these would lead to a way out of the " steep mountains and 

 dense scrub." A progress of 5 miles to the south was the gross 

 result of a day of severe toil. CAMP 50 was on the left bank of 

 the ANNAN, about 15 49' S. latitude. 



On 2%th September, the party climbed up the valley of the 

 ANNAN, partly in the rough bed of the river and partly over 

 steep slopes covered with dense scrub, and appears to have reached 

 a point very near the head of the river in about 3 miles to the 

 south-east. CAMP 51. 



From the HEAD OF THE ANNAN (which, it must be remembered, 

 Hann called the Endeavour) to the mouth of the BLOMFIELD 

 RIVER, in Weary Bay, the path had literally to be hewn foot by 

 foot through a dense jungle which covered steep and dangerous 

 slopes. A general south-eastward course was kept, but many 

 deviations were forced on the travellers by the nature of the 

 country. CAMPS 52, 53 and 54, of 2^th September and 1st and 2nd 

 October, appear to have represented gains of 3, 2, and 2 

 miles respectively. Frightful risks were taken. In one place a 

 horse fell on a " knife-edge ridge," and must have been killed 

 if the ground had been clear ; but the trees were close enough 

 together to save him from death. Another horse rolled over no 

 less than four times before he could regain his footing. 



The mouth of the BLOMFIELD RIVER was safely reached on 

 2nd October, but in this region the shore of the Pacific affords no 

 footing for travellers. Some 12 miles south of Weary Bay, MOUNT 



