SECOND EXPEDITION 523 



march or in camp his resourcefulness was equal to any occasion. 

 Nothing came amiss to him, from horse-shoeing to the 

 building of boats or bridges. 



After the expedition, he managed the " Explorer " and 

 other mines on the Hodgkinson Goldfield. 



In 1892, an old associate, ROBERT SEFTON, one of the pros- 

 pectors of the COEN, who had afterwards made a success in 

 the MALAY PENINSULA, induced him to migrate to the latter 

 field. For a short time he managed a gold mine in the 

 Peninsula, and represented various Queensland syndicates 

 carrying on business there and in the Celebes, but the break- 

 down of his health forced him to return to Queensland, 

 where he managed the " MOUNT LEYSHON "' Gold Mine 

 until his death on 7th December, 1894. Incidentally, it 

 may be mentioned that during his brief connection with this 

 mine, he succeeded, in spite of his hopeless illness, by ingenious 

 devices of his own invention, in reducing mining costs to such 

 an extent that ore of the grade of 4 dwt. to the ton became 

 payable. 



The photograph herewith was taken in 1891. 



JOHN LAYLAND was a miner on the Hodgkinson when the 

 call came, and was also an unusually skilful blacksmith. 

 Inclined to be taciturn, he was nevertheless capable of flashes 

 of caustic wit. He proved indefatigable on the journey 

 and could be relied on in any emergency or difficulty. After 

 we broke up, he managed a mine on the LOWER HODGKINSON 

 for some time, and on the outbreak of the WEST AUSTRALIAN 

 GOLD RUSH he made several journeys overland from Queens- 

 land to the West, where he engaged in prospecting for gold. 

 He was eventually MURDERED BY THE BLACKS.] 



We reached COOKTOWN on i^tb November, 1879, an ^ a week was 

 spent in completing our outfit. Having made arrangements for 

 our stores to be sent by boat up the ENDEAVOUR RIVER to Barrett's 

 Landing, we camped in Webb's Paddock, on the left bank of the 

 Endeavour River, 13 miles from Cooktown. 



On the 26tb November we left Webb's Paddock, and followed the 

 Escort track (on the north side of CUNNINGHAM'S RANGE) for 

 3 miles. [SEE MAP E.] The prospectors had a serious mishap on 

 starting : a pack-saddle being broken, and Crosbie's " spare " pair 

 of boots lost. One of their pack-horses (a mare) gave a deal of 

 trouble. Crosbie and Layland had to camp with it, and did not 

 overtake the rest of the party till the following morning. 



^ November 27. We continued our journey, the Escort track 

 joining the main Palmer ville Road at the foot of the tableland 

 referred to in the foregoing report. After 1 6 miles of travelling, 

 we camped on the left bank of the NORMAN BY. 



