406 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



to the west and then northward down the WEST NORMANBY. 

 CAMP 66. Gins and children were surprised at the camp. Their 

 camp contained several pieces of iron, one a rod used as a yam-stick. 

 After dark, during Tate's watch, he heard BLACKS prowling about 

 the camp. On his firing a shot they ran away howling, their 

 flight being accompanied by the rattling of SPEARS. 



On 1 8tb October, a progress of 10 miles to the north was made 

 down the WEST NORMANBY. CAMP 67 was probably not more 

 than 6 miles west of Camp 59. 



Leaving the WEST NORMANBY on igtb October, a basalt ridge 

 was met with in 2 miles. The country from Oaky Creek to this 

 point had been entirely of slate. The BASALT continued for the 

 remaining. 1 3 miles of the day's march to the north-west. From 

 the point where the basalt was first seen, the party had been on 

 the head-waters of the LAURA. Hann named the branch which 

 he followed, the HEARN l (the name of his wife's family) and camped 

 (CAMP 68). He believed it to be the Kennedy. 



The river (the Laura) still running to the north-west, with 

 the dividing range which he judged to be impassable a few 

 miles to the left, Hann followed it next day (2Otb October) for 

 9 miles to CAMP 69. The country passed over was " stony and 

 broken quartz ridges," with basalt on the right hand. Rain fell 

 at night, for the first time during the journey. 



On 21 st October, Hann very unwillingly pursued his way DOWN 

 THE LAURA for 9 miles further to the north-west. CAMP 70 was 

 " close under a range of SANDSTONE." The leader was most anxious 

 to find a pass through the range and get away south, but was 

 satisfied that " the horses could not climb these precipices." 8 



Six miles from Camp 69, while Hann rode ahead of the party, 

 he " came," as he relates, " upon a NATIVE, who at first ran away, 

 but shortly returned with his friends, who began to shout and 

 gesticulate and brandish their SPEARS." He continues : " I rode 

 away to join my party without paying any attention to them. In 

 if- miles . . . the NATIVES again made their appearance and 

 began to yell at us, all being armed with SPEARS. I now thought 

 it necessary to disperse them, so four of us dismounted from 

 our horses and advanced towards them. When one of our party 

 went to within 80 yards of the mob, one native made himself more 

 conspicuous than the rest by preparing his spears for an onslaught, 

 but a BALL fired in amongst them had the desired effect, for they 

 all ran away without looking behind. This was all I wanted. 

 I had no wish to have these fellows hovering about the neighbour- 



1 Hann's name ought to stand, by undoubted right of priority, but the name of 

 Laura, applied later, during the Palmer rush, has become too firmly fixed by usage, 

 especially since the " Laura " became a railway terminus, to be altered now. 



3 In the beginning of 1875, the portion of the Hearn or Laura valley which had 

 been followed down by Hann was already occupied as a fattening run for cattle. Expedi- 

 tion in Search of Gold and other Minerals in the Palmer Districts, by Mulligan and Palmer. 

 Brisbane, by Authority, 1876, p. i. 



