CHAPTER LXIX 

 THE AUTHOR'S EXPLORATIONS, 1879-80, continued 



SECOND EXPEDITION 



WITH CROSBIE'S PROSPECTING PARTY 



COOKTOWN TO THE ARCHER RIVER 



GOVERNMENT GEOLOGIST'S INSTRUCTIONS. His PARTY : J. J. MACDONALD, JAMES S' 

 LOVE AND CHARLIE (BLACK BOY). PROSPECTORS' PARTY : JAMES CROSBIE, JOHN 

 LAYLAND, GEORGE HUME AND JOHN HAMIL. POLICE ESCORT REFUSED. REACH 

 COOKTOWN, 13 NOVEMBER, 1879. CAMP AT WEBB'S PADDOCK, ENDEAVOUR 

 RIVER. START 26rn NOVEMBER. NORMANBY. WELCOME WATER-HOLES. BATTLE 

 CAMP. LAURA TELEGRAPH STATION. LEAVE COOKTOWN-PALMERVILLE ROAD AT 

 KENNEDY BEND, 3RD DECEMBER. NORTH-NORTH-WESTWARD. CAMP I ON 

 WANGOW CREEK, NEAR KENNEDY'S CAMP OF 23RD SEPTEMBER, 1848. ON 

 " CONGLOMERATE " RANGE. HEADS OF HANN AND MOREHEAD RIVERS. OFF THE 

 TABLELAND. GRANITE, SCHIST, GNEISS AND QUARTZITE. WATERSHED OF PENIN- 

 SULA. NEW CREEK CALLED CROSBIE CREEK. CAMP 4. HALT BECAUSE OF LAME 

 HORSE. RIDE DOWN CROSBIE CREEK. PROSPECTING. COLEMAN RIVER. CAMP 5. 

 MULLIGAN'S TRACK. QUARTZ REEFS. DISMAL CREEK. CAMP 6. ACROSS 

 KING RIVER. QUARTZ REEFS. INTO THE FUTURE HAMILTON GOLDFIELD. PROS- 

 PECTING. No GOLD. DOWN MACDONALD VALLEY TO HOLROYD (LUKIN) RIVER. 

 CROSS HOLROYD. SCOLDED BY BLACK GIN UP A TREE. NORTHWARD. WESTWARD 

 DIVERGENCE TO SANDSTONE HILLS. TADPOLE CREEK. CAMP 10, NEAR FUTURE 

 LOCHINVAR PROVISIONAL GOLDFIELD. MERIDIONAL ANT-HILLS. THE SOUTH 

 COEN. CAMP n. QUARTZ REEFS. LAME HORSE ABANDONED. PROSPECTING. 

 " COLOURS " OF GOLD. ON TOP OF SANDSTONE TABLELAND (GEIKIE RANGE). 

 CAMP 12. OFF THE TABLELAND. PEACH (ARCHER) RIVER REACHED, 22ND DECEMBER. 

 CAMP 13. 



(ANNOTATED REPRINT) 

 SECOND EXPEDITION 



O 



N the I5th October, 1879, I received a telegram from the 

 Under- Secretary for Mines as follows : 



" Minister for Mines wishes you to hold yourself in readiness to 

 accompany party starting from Thornborough to prospect York Peninsula." 



To my inquiries regarding the route to be followed and the 

 time of starting, I received the following reply : 



" Brisbane, i/th October, 1879. 



"The prospecting party will start from Cooktown in about a month. Not 

 earlier. Will prospect in direction and beyond locality lately visited by you. Will 

 be fitted out for six months." 



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