THE RETURN JOURNEY 403 



completely than ever. But still there was one other hope, and that 

 was the road indicated by the natives, so we buoyed ourselves up 

 for another trial and returned to camp." 



On \2th October, Hann started early, accompanied by Tate, 

 Stewart and Jerry, with a native " guide." In 3 miles to the 

 south-east a site was selected for CAMP 64. Stewart was sent back 

 to bring on the expedition to this point, and the others penetrated 

 about 6 miles further to the south-east, and got on a high hill. 



" Our doom is sealed," says Hann. " All further progress south is debarred us, 

 and the retreat to the westward has become imperative ; it is now a case of personal 

 safety. ... I saw at once how completely I was frustrated in my desire to reach the 

 coast, which, if I had reached, would have wrecked the expedition. From this 

 eminence I had a view of the whole country beneath me. Towards the sea stretched 

 miles of broken country densely covered with scrub of an impenetrable character. 

 To the south, the DIVIDING RANGE towered to an immense height, forbidding 

 approach, and also covered with scrub, which seemed to spread over the whole country. 

 The range ended abruptly over the sea, and as far as I could discern, maintained the 

 same character south, as far as visible. Here my last hope vanished, and I descended 

 the hill with a feeling of disappointment exceeded by [exceeding] anything I had 

 felt the previous day when I found my first road was shut against me. I have 

 STRUGGLED HARD, BUT TO NO PURPOSE ; all my endeavours have been frustrated by 

 the completely impassable nature of the country for white men with horses." 



The guide slunk off. Jerry had been told by an old man, one 

 of the " friendly natives," that there was no possibility of reaching 

 the sea ; that they themselves reached it by CANOES, which came 

 up salt-water creeks to within a few miles of the camp. The 

 navigable channel thus indicated must have been the DAINTREE 

 RIVER. 



It was by the favour of God that HANN HAD THE WISDOM TO 

 ADMIT HIS DEFEAT. Had he been endowed with the unbending 

 pertinacity, or obstinacy, of Kennedy, he would have gone on at 

 all risks, to perish with his whole party. His dilemma was now a 

 sharp-horned one indeed. The formidable character of the 

 westward route had already decided him to TRY THE COAST, which 

 was found to be impossible, and the difficulties of the WESTWARD 

 ROUTE had by this time been seriously aggravated. On a deliberate 

 review of the situation, these difficulties resolved themselves into 

 the physical weakness of some members of the party, worn out 

 with fatigue and faced with inevitable scarcity of food, and the 

 leg-weary condition of the horses and the chances of drought and 

 want of grass. Nevertheless, the WESTWARD RETREAT was the lesser 

 of two evils, and no other course was now open. 



On Hann's return to CAMP 64, it was reported to him that 

 the " friendly natives " had given annoyance by pilfering. 



While traversing these scrubs, Jerry described a CLIMBING 

 KANGAROO which he had seen in the Cardwell district, and showed 

 Hann and Tate trees bearing the marks of the ascent of some such 



