534 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



timber from the hill-top, I made an extensive series of compass 

 observations. The PEACH [ARCHER] RIVER could be seen for about 

 15 miles below the camp, making its way through a gap in the sand- 

 stones of the GEIKIE RANGE. The sandstones of the Geikie Range 

 were seen extending to the north-east and north. Birthday 

 Mount lay S. 40 E., about 12 miles off. [An under-estimate ; 

 the distance is about 16 miles. R. L. J.] 



Macdonald got " colours " [of GOLD] in the bed of the river 

 near the camp, while the prospectors got " colours " among 

 the slate bars in the river above View Hill. 



In the afternoon, I went out with Crosbie and Macdonald. 

 We crossed (in half a mile) to a creek or river which joins the Peach 

 below the camp, and which we afterwards named ATTACK CREEK. 

 [See 5th January, 1880. R. L. J.] This creek is nearly as large as 

 the Peach, with a channel equally wide, and with very high flood 

 marks. It carries a running stream about half the volume of that 

 of the Peach. In the bed of the creek opposite View Hill (at the 

 junction of granite with gneiss and bluish micaceous greywacke, 

 striking north and south), a few fine " colours " [of GOLD] were 

 obtained. 



About a mile higher up the creek (to the east), the country 

 changed to ferruginous mica-schist, slate and greywacke, striking 

 north-east and dipping generally to the north-west. 



We next visited a hill which bore E. 43 S. from View Hill. 

 It was composed of quartzite, the intervening ground being 

 mostly of slate or schist, weathering red and yellow. 



December 23. Leaving Camp 13 we kept up the left bank 

 of the PEACH RIVER for 2 miles on a south-east course, and crossed 

 to the right bank. (Ferruginous mica-schist, slate and greywacke.) 

 At the crossing were ENORMOUS HEAPS OF MUSSEL-SHELLS accumulated 

 by the natives. We then kept the right bank of the river for 5 miles 

 more on the same course, when we crossed a third-magnitude 

 creek near its confluence with the river. A little beyond this creek 

 a NATIVE CAMP was surprised. Two gins and four men ran away, 

 leaving behind them a whole armoury of spears barbed with iron 

 and kangaroo-bone. 



We continued our south-east course for 6 miles more over soft 

 decomposed granite country, the river lying about 2 miles to our 

 right, and crossed a running creek of the second-magnitude coming 

 from the east. Some horse tracks were seen on the right bank of 

 the creek, in all probability belonging to DONALD LAING'S PARTY, 

 who were known to be out prospecting in the same region. Love 

 had heard a shot on the 2ist while engaged in cooking at our Camp 

 No. 13 on the Peach. From subsequent comparison of dates, there 

 remains no doubt that Laing's party and ours were within a short 

 distance of each other at this time, although we did not chance 

 to meet. 



