MULLIGAN'S FIFTH EXPEDITION 453 



1 6 miles to the west of Camp 3 /A, but saw only a very rough and 

 uninviting sandstone country. Returning by a more northerly 

 route, the LYND was struck and followed up to the infall of the 

 TATE. In the Lynd valley a few miles below the junction, they 

 came on an old native camp and charred human remains which 

 were unmistakable evidence of a cannibal repast. Returning to 

 Camp 37A, a move was made about a mile to the south-east to 

 better feed on the left bank of the TATE. CAMP 38, i$tb July. 



Since Mulligan's time, a better and shorter road from the 

 Etheridge to the Palmer has come into use, without going so far 

 west. It leaves Georgetown and crosses the Einasleigh at Dagworth 

 Station ; crosses the Lynd near the mouth of Rocky Creek (Hann's 

 Camp 5) ; and joins the old road at the Tate Telegraph Station, 

 whence it follows Hann's return track and the telegraph line to 

 Palmerville. 



The caravan left CAMP 38 on i^th July. As Leichhardt had 

 followed the Lynd, Mulligan elected to keep further east, on " that 

 solid block lying between the Walsh and this river," as no white 

 man had yet been there. On a north-westerly course, over a 

 tableland of horizontally bedded sandstone, he struck the right 

 bank of the LYND, which here runs a little west of north, in 23 miles, 

 and then followed the river for 7 miles to CAMP 40, i$tk July. (SEE 

 MAP G.) 



On 1 6th July, Mulligan followed the right bank of the LYND 

 down for 15 miles, to CAMP 41, Leichhardt having kept the left 

 bank. A creek falling into the river, it is said, " might be Hann's 

 Nonda Creek." The remark might be misinterpreted to mean 

 that Mulligan identified it with that creek, but he probably meant 

 only to convey that in soil and vegetation there was a resemblance. 

 Nonda Creek is 35 miles to the east, and falls into the Walsh. 

 (SEE MAP H.) 



THE JUNCTION OF THE LYND WITH THE MlTCHELL, 25 miles from 



Camp 41, was reached on iSth July. CAMP 43. The party caught 

 some fine fish (Barramundi) and indulged in the new sport of 

 ALLIGATOR SHOOTING. It was observed that " the BLACKS' MARKS 

 on the trees in all this locality have been made with very sharp 

 instruments, quite as broad as a half-axe." It is more than probable 

 that the marks in question were made by HANN, who had camped 

 on the same spot on 2ist July, 1872. LEICHHARDT'S CAMP, on the 

 Lynd, of I5th June, 1845, was barely 2 miles to the south. 



On a course of 15 to 20 degrees east of north, the expedition 

 travelled 29 miles in two days (20^ and 2ist July) and camped on 

 the 2 ist on "a beautiful shallow creek" running to the west. 

 CAMP 45. The land was " of the poorest description, all thickly 

 timbered with tea tree and other bush resembling brigalow." 

 " Many of the flats," says Mulligan, " are now boggy. I do not 

 think it would be possible to travel this country in wet weather. 



