CHAPTER LX 



DALRYMPLE'S EXPEDITION, 1873. THE BEGINNINGS OF COOK- 

 TOWN AND THE FIRST RUSH FROM COOKTOWN TO THE 

 PALMER. W. J. WEBB'S ACCOUNT 



GOVERNMENT SEND DALRYMPLE WITH Two CUTTERS TO PREPARE FOR ANTICIPATED 

 RUSH TO PALMER. ARRIVAL AT ENDEAVOUR RIVER. ARRIVAL OF STEAMER " LEICH- 



HARDT " WITH OFFICIALS AND MlNERS. CoOKTOWN FOUNDED. THE RuSH TO 



THE PALMER. LARGE OUTPUT OF GOLD. SUBSEQUENT EXHAUSTION OF ALLUVIAL 

 GOLD. ENORMOUS COST OF LAND CARRIAGE. " PAYABLE GOLD " AN ELASTIC 

 TERM. FUTURE OF THE REEFS. REMINISCENCES OF THE FIRST COOKTOWN PALMER 

 RUSH, BY W. J. WEBB. Loss OF FOUR LIVES. ENCOUNTER WITH NATIVES AT 

 BATTLE CAMP. ACROSS " CONGLOMERATE RANGE " TO PALMER. THE DIGGERS 

 FROM THE ETHERIDGE FOUND AT WORK. GOLD, BUT NO FOOD. RETURN TO 

 COOKTOWN FOR RATIONS. 



SOME interesting glimpses of the events following on Mulli- 

 gan's report of the occurrence of payable gold on the 

 Palmer are afforded by GEORGE ELPHINSTONE DALRYMPLE'S 

 Narrative and Reports of the Queensland North-East Coast 

 Expedition, I8/3. 1 



This expedition set out on 29th September, 1873, from ROCK- 

 INGHAM BAY in the 1 2-ton cutter " Flying Fish " and ro-ton cutter 

 " Coquette," both chartered by the Queensland Government. (SEE 

 MAP K.) Its object was to explore all rivers, inlets, etc., between 

 Cardwell and the Endeavour River. Dalrymple was the officer 

 in command, and he was assisted by Sub-Inspector F. M. Thomp- 

 son. There were also on board Walter Hill, Botanist, and Sub- 

 Inspector R. Johnstone, with thirteen native police troopers. 

 Each of the cutters had its own master, and there were six seamen 

 and a cook. 



The GOVERNMENT acted with promptitude and thoroughness, 

 FORESEEING THE RUSH which must inevitably take place. Mulligan 

 only arrived at Georgetown and telegraphed his discovery to 

 Brisbane on $ist August, and on <)th September, Dalrymple, as 

 instructed, took charge of the expedition. The terms of the instruc- 

 tions, however, involved delays at river-mouths between Rocking- 

 ham Bay and the Endeavour, and, besides, the minuteness of the 

 craft employed made it imperatively necessary to wait for perfect 

 weather, so that the expedition only anticipated the first of the 

 rush by a bare nineteen hours. The cutters dropped their anchors 



1 Parliamentary Paper. Brisbane, by Authority, 1873. 

 418 



