456 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



The spring appears to have marked the base of the sandstone 

 where it rested on granite, as the diary of i$th August refers only 

 to granite, which Mulligan was anxious to get out of, because, in 

 his opinion, a change to slate like that of the Palmer would give 

 him a better chance of getting gold. Still keeping north-west, 

 he gained 7 miles, and in the granite he " could not raise the 

 colour " of gold. The " ravine " was followed down for a mile, 

 when it was left, as it went too far west. Another creek was 

 crossed, running west, and next a creek was met with, and followed, 

 as it kept the desired north-western course. CAMP 55 was formed 

 where this creek fell into a larger one (called the ALICE RIVER on 

 the 4-mile map) coming from the east. (SEE MAP F.) 



On ijth August, Mulligan followed the river down for 6 miles 

 to west and an equal distance to north-west, crossing, in so doing, 

 the area of 100 square miles now officially known as the PHILP 

 GOLDFIELD, and dismissing the day's journey with the brief remark : 

 " No show for gold." CAMP 56 was on the western boundary of 

 the field. 



The goldfield was originally named the Alice River Goldfield, 

 but the genuine and original ALICE RIVER was that tributary of 

 the Mitchell on which the BROTHERS JARDINE pitched their 44th 

 Camp on i8th December, 1864, and fought the so-called " Battle 

 of the Mitchell," and which has been traced by " run-surveys " 

 up to longitude 142 53' E. and latitude 15 55' S., or 70 miles 

 above the Jardines' Camp. There can be little doubt that the 

 so-called Alice of the goldfield falls into the real Alice at the 

 meridian of 142 14' E., through the medium of the unnamed 

 water-course which runs westward along the parallel of 15 30' S., 

 and this river should be named the PHILP. 



Mulligan followed the PHILP RIVER down to the west for 5 miles 

 on 1 8th August, when, finding that it turned south-west, he left 

 it and resumed his course of W. 40 N. In 6 miles in this direction, 

 he camped on a large creek with deep water-holes. CAMP 57. 



The " large creek " was followed down for 2 miles, 10 degrees 

 to the north of east, on lyth August, when it ran into a still larger 

 creek, " quite a river, in fact," which was named FAHEY CREEK, 

 after the Hon. B. Fahey, at that time Sub- Collector of Customs, 

 Cooktown. The name was officially recognised, and appeared in 

 a map of Queensland showing the proposed Transcontinental 

 Railway, in 1880, but the 1 6-mile map of Queensland, 1899, and 

 the 4-mile map, 1910, name the river ETHEL CREEK. When, or by 

 whom, or for what reason, the alteration was made, I am unable to 

 conjecture, but Mulligan's name should be restored to FAHEY CREEK. 



After running Fahey Creek down for I mile to the west, Mulligan 

 left it running south-west and resumed his own course of W. 40 N. 

 In this direction he travelled for 10 miles, when he pitched CAMP 58 

 on " a creek, with water-holes, running SW." This was CROSBIE 



