SECOND EXPEDITION 531 



COEN], where we found the prospectors camped, and camped 

 beside them on the right bank. (CAMP n. Cloudy ; no observa- 

 tion.) 



To-day's stage was all gently rolling country, with ironbarks 

 and stringybarks. 



A sharp thunderstorm and rain at nightfall. 



December 18. Accompanied by Macdonald, I crossed the 

 [SOUTH] COEN, which at our camp ran west-north-west, and struck 

 west. In 2 miles the river again came round to the line of our 

 course, received a third- or fourth-magnitude creek, and again 

 flowed to west-north-west. 



For 5 miles more, due west, we travelled over nearly level 

 country, when we struck TADPOLE CREEK, here a large third-, or 

 almost second-magnitude creek. We followed it up for 5 miles, 

 mainly to the south-east, but winding at times to the east and 

 even north-east. It had a wide, flat, sandy bed in two or three 

 channels, crossed at long intervals by bars of granite. We tried 

 the creek in several places, but got not even " the colour " of gold. 



We struck back N. 28 E., and in 3 miles crossed our morning's 

 track in the gully, 2 miles from Camp 1 1. We crossed the [SOUTH] 

 COEN at the mouth of the gully, and got fine " colours " in the 

 bed of the river. Between Tadpole Creek and the [SOUTH ] COEN 

 we saw many QUARTZ REEFS, but they were white and unstained 

 by iron oxide, and altogether of an unpromising appearance. 



December 19. We left the camp on the [SOUTH] COEN RIVER, 

 Crosbie leaving the lame horse behind. In 4 miles N. 30 W. 

 we came to a creek of the fourth magnitude falling west-south-west, 

 with water on a granite bed. We washed three dishes of stuff 

 here and got " colours " of gold in each. The creek was joined a 

 little lower down by a similar creek coming from north-north-east. 



Three miles N. 30 W., through grass-tree country sloping 

 gently to the left of our course. Granite with much quartz, some 

 of it iron-stained. 



For 2 miles we gradually ascended to the north-west, over 

 well-grassed ridges of granite with much iron-stained quartz. 

 Hills were seen to right and left. We prospected in gullies among 

 the ridges, but got no colours. 



For 6 miles more, W. 40 N., we traversed gently undulating, 

 well-grassed country with reddish soil, when we came to a rise 

 showing for the first time an outcrop of brown and yellow sand- 

 stone. [Ascending the Geikie Range. R. L. J.] 



In 6 miles more on the same course, across rough, stony, barren 

 sandstone ridges with sharp gullies and scrubby brushwood, we 

 ; camped at nightfall on a gully [a tributary of the Archer River. 

 R. L. J.] falling to the north. (CAMP 12.) 



There was a smart thunder-shower while we were travelling 

 through the well-grassed low country. 



