SECOND PRELIMINARY REPORT 603 



shock to the nervous system was greater than I could have believed 

 a healthy man could have suffered from what was, after all, only a 

 flesh wound. 



It would have been quite impracticable for us to follow the 

 blacks in the condition in which our horses now were, even had 

 we been more numerous. As they had followed us nearly 10 miles 

 they probably returned to their camps for food in the morning. 

 They could easily elude us by going out to the islands in their 

 canoes. 



The next morning, loth March, we travelled to FALSE ORFORD 

 NESS, by the beach, a distance of 8 miles. About halfway to the 

 Ness we had to wait three hours for the falling of the tide before 

 we could cross the mouth of a small creek. At FALSE ORFORD NESS 

 we found the PROSPECTING PARTY and gladly camped beside them. 

 [CAMP 58.] Mr. Crosbie poulticed and dressed the wound and 

 I am deeply indebted to the whole party for numberless acts of 

 thoughtful kindness. 



The PROSPECTORS had been less fortunate than we in making 

 the coast. They had HAD MORE RAIN, and an INCESSANT STRUGGLE 

 WITH SCRUB, HEATH AND BOG. MR. CROSBIE was suffering martyr- 

 dom from EAR-ACHE. The HORSES had SUFFERED dreadfully FROM 

 WANT OF GRASS. THREE WERE LOST in consequence of the POISON 

 they had eaten at Camp 53. 



ROBERT L. JACK. 



TOWNSVILLE, l^th April, 1880. 



To the Hon. The Minister for Mines, Brisbane. 



By Authority : James C. Deal, Government Printer. William Street, Brisbane. 



