520 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



On 22nd October, 1879, tne Under-Secretary for Mines 

 telegraphed : 



" Prospecting party in course of formation to start from Cooktown within month 

 will consist of four white mea, experienced prospectors, who will be fitted out for six 

 months' trip and will prospect for four months in localities north indicated by you as 

 most probably auriferous. If unsuccessful up to that time, will then be allowed to 

 prospect where they may fancy. Be preparing what you require as outfit and advise 

 this office when ready." 



I reached COOKTOWN on l$th November, and the following 

 instructions arrived by the same steamer : 



" Department of Mines, Brisbane, yth November, 1879. 



"/ re Prospecting York Peninsula. 

 " SIR, 



" The prospecting party will be under your direction so far as relates to the 

 localities that are to be prospected during a period of four months. At the expiration 

 of that time, if the prospectors do not approve of the directions of Mr. Jack, they 

 are to be at liberty to proceed by themselves ; Mr. Jack and men to proceed with 

 his geological exploration so long as his supplies, and other considerations, will permit. 



" JAMES CROSBIE will be the leader of the gold-prospecting party, consisting of 

 himself, Leeland [LAYLAND], HUME and HAMIL ; and, in the event of any difference 

 of opinion as to their course of proceedings, the instructions of Crosbie are to be 

 followed * by the other three. Crosbie will keep a diary of proceedings, making an 

 entry therein daily. In the event of the prospectors parting company with you 

 and your men at the end of the four months, you will hand over such rations and 

 other necessaries as you can conveniently spare from your supplies to Crosbie and 

 party, so as to enable them to remain out prospecting as long as possible. 



" The whole party will supply themselves with rations, &c., for a six months' trip. 



" Everything supplied by the Government to Crosbie and party, Crosbie as leader 

 will be held responsible for, and it is to be returned, or satisfactorily accounted for, 

 to the Police Magistrate or Warden of the district where the party is broken up. 



" The primary object of the expedition is to discover on the Peninsula an alluvial 

 goldfield, to which object you will specially devote your knowledge, at the same time 

 taking every opportunity to make a general geological survey of the country passed 

 over, without in any way delaying the party in its main purpose that of prospecting 

 for gold. The time of the party must not be expended in searching for quartz reefs, 

 although notes should be made of any auriferous reefs accidentally discovered. The 

 prospecting party, consisting of Crosbie, Leeland, Hume and Hamil, will be each equally 

 entitled to retain all gold found by them, the usual reward claims, and any reward 

 payable for gold discoveries, provided that they each use their best endeavours to secure 

 a successful issue to the expedition. 



" I have, &c., 



" GEO. L. LUKIN, 



" R. L. JACK, ESQUIRE, " Under-Secretary for Mines. 



" Govt. Geologist, 

 " Cooktown." 



1 The prospecting party had misread this passage, and till four months later, when 

 we happened to compare our copies of the instructions, were under the impression that 

 in case of difference of opinion the instructions of their leader were to be " foreclosed " 

 by the other three. It is satisfactory to be able to say that they worked harmoniously 

 together in spite of this misunderstanding. In my copy, but not in that supplied to the 

 prospectors, the word " followed " was plain. The prospectors' reading of the word 

 appealed to' my sense of humour. They thought " foreclosed " was " a funny word " ; 

 but concluded that it was official language signifying that their leader's instructions 

 might be " overruled " or " disregarded " by the majority. R. L. J. 



