FIRST EXPEDITION 495 



The kangaroo dog killed a bandicoot its sole achievement on 

 the journey. 



We kept a watch all night, as we knew that natives were camped 

 near us. 



September 5. In the morning, as we were packing up, two 

 BLACKS reconnoitred us from a distance of about a furlong. Having 

 satisfied their curiosity, they lighted a fire and made themselves 

 comfortable. 



Grainer had, on his previous trip, turned back at Saltwater 

 Creek, having met there with troops of diggers returning from the 

 Coen with discouraging reports. We were therefore without 

 any information as to the remainder of our journey. 



SALTWATER CREEK, when we crossed it, was running a strong 

 current of salt water, the tide being near its ebb. The tide rises 

 about 4 feet at the crossing. The track runs the right bank up 

 for about a mile. It cost us three hours' time to pick up the track 

 on the left bank, which is flanked by a double and sometimes treble 

 chain of deep lagoons. North of the creek the track bore W. 

 36 N. (true) through a very gently rising country, with a light 

 sandy soil supporting a well-grown forest of bloodwood and stringy- 

 bark and a few ironbarks. In 3 miles we passed a swamp on the 

 left. 



From this point the track bore N. 44 W. (true), through similar 

 country. In 3 miles we crossed a sandy water-course of the third 

 magnitude. 



After 7 miles more of poor, flat, sandy country, mostly timbered 

 with tea trees and bloodwood, with a few pandanus and cabbage 

 trees, we came to a fourth-magnitude creek. On running it up 

 for half a mile we found a water-hole, containing about enough 

 for ourselves and the horses for one night. We camped on the 

 left bank. Beside the creek we found some OLD CAMPS, and a 

 tree marked " James Gillige." (CAMP 33 : Moreton Bay ash, 

 }. 5/9/79. Latitude 14 34' if.) 



September 6. We made a late start, the horses having split 

 up in the night owing to the poor quality of the grass ; half of 

 them were found at a large creek, with plenty of water, to the 

 north-east. There was also plenty of water higher up the creek 

 on which we were camped. In a quarter of a mile (to magnetic 

 NW.) we crossed from the right to the left bank of a third-magnitude 

 creek, with water-holes and OLD CAMPS beside them. The creek on 

 which we camped last night must fall into this one. In half a mile 

 more we crossed from the right to the left bank of another third- 

 magnitude creek with water in a muddy hole. 



Five miles from the camp we came to a fourth-magnitude 

 creek [a tributary of the ANNIE RIVER] with cabbage trees, plenty 

 of water and traces of camping. Up to this point we had crossed 

 poor, flat country, with teatree and bloodwood. Here it is 



