MULLIGAN'S FIFTH EXPEDITION 455 



That their sextant might be repaired at the township ; 



That in these circumstances it was expedient to VISIT PALMER- 

 VILLE before setting out for the Coleman. 



The " right about face " to the north-east was immediately 

 effected, and in 12 miles from Camp 48 the party camped on BIG 

 CREEK. CAMP 49. Prospecting for GOLD on the day's journey 

 yielded " no show." 



In 10 miles to the east, on the following day (ist August), CAMP 

 50 was pitched on the right bank of the PALMER RIVER, between 

 Fernhill and Glenroy Creeks. Shortly after leaving Camp 49 the 

 party crossed " MACMILLAN'S ROAD " from Frome on the Palmer, 

 via the Kennedy River, to Cooktown. It had already come to be 

 known as " Macmillan's Old Road," owing to the general use of 

 the newer road up the Little Kennedy to Palmerville, which is 

 now followed by the telegraph line. 1 



In the afternoon, Mulligan went up the river to PALMERVILLE 

 (about 7 miles) for his mail. 



The replenishment of the supply of provisions, horse-shoeing, 

 the death of a horse, and the recuperation of the others on good 

 grass, filled up the time till nth August, when the party moved 

 down the river 4 miles to the site of HANN'S CAMP of 9th August, 

 1872. CAMP 51. 



ABELSON AND MORAN were DETACHED from the main party at 

 PALMERVILLE and went up the river to prospect for REEFS. I am 

 unable to give any account of their success, but it is probable 

 that the start of the REEF-GOLD MINING in the neighbourhood 

 of MAYTOWN was due, at least in part, to their explorations, as 

 these reefs began to be producers of GOLD in 1876. 



On I2tb August, 9 miles were accomplished, partly down the 

 PALMER, partly by " MACMILLAN'S OLD ROAD," which was now 

 disused, and then north-westward along the foot of the CON- 

 GLOMERATE RANGE to CAMP 52. 



The base of the range was followed on the same course for 10 

 miles, over granite country, on i$th August. CAMP 53 was on " a 

 little creek, with plenty of water," on which was HANN'S CAMP 21, 

 of 2 ist August, 1872. Mulligan himself had been thus far on 3rd 

 October, 1874, when he was driven by the scarcity of water to 

 return to Palmerville, abandoning for the time his intention of 

 penetrating to the Coleman. 



The expedition diverged on i^th August a few degrees west of 

 Hann's track. In 4 miles they mounted a low SANDSTONE TABLE- 

 LAND, which they followed for the remainder of the day. The 

 stage was a long one, 21 miles having to be covered before water 

 was found in a spring at the head of a ravine. CAMP 54.. (SEE 

 MAP E.) 



1 Macmillan came from Cooktown by what was afterwards named the " new " road 

 and returned by the " old " road. 



