FROM FALSE ORFORD NESS TO SOMERSET 605 



In the southern bight of ORFORD BAY we found a large inlet, 

 with four mouths, among the mangroves. The crossing of the 

 first mouth was dangerous a thin and treacherous crust of sand on 

 stiff black clay. Some of the horses sank deeply in the clay. 

 " Ross," with my packs, fared worst, and my MAPS AND NOTE-BOOKS 

 were SUBMERGED. While we were in these straits our ears were 

 regaled with the howls of a number of NATIVES in the mangroves. 

 At the next mouth we had to wait an hour for the tide to fall. 

 The next two mouths presented no difficulty, as the tide was low. 



ORFORD BAY has a broad stretch of sandy beach bordered with 

 low SAND-HILLS, which, apparently, go a long way inland. 



About a mile beyond the last mouth of the tidal inlet a large 

 outrigger CANOE was drawn up on the beach, and seven or eight 

 natives stood about it. They carried their luggage leisurely into 

 the scrubby sand-hills while we were crossing the inlet. Crosbie, 

 Layland, Love and Charlie galloped towards three who remained 

 beside the canoe till they were within a quarter of a mile, when 

 they disappeared among the sand-hills. In a mile more we sighted 

 seven gins and a piccaninny coming to meet us, the gins all carrying 

 heavy swags. They retired into the sand-hills, and came down to 

 the beach again when we had passed. It was probably the moving 

 of a camp, the men having come by the canoe while the women 

 carried the luggage overland. 



There was only one light shower to-day, but heavy RAIN fell 

 during the night. We camped on the " RED CLIFFS," in latitude 

 1 1 14' S. (CAMP 59.) [SEE MAP A.] 



ONE OF CROSBIE'S HORSES had to be ABANDONED a mile short 

 of the camp. " Coen " gave sudden signs of his old complaint, and 

 " Brownie " was getting very feeble. 



March 14. For most of the day we kept on the top of the 

 sandstone cliffs, having to cut two large SCRUBS behind the first 

 tier of sand-hills above the " Remarkable Red Cliffs." A fourth- 

 magnitude creek empties into the sea a mile north of Camp 59, 

 and another midway between the " Remarkable Red Cliffs " and 

 "No. II Point." The sandstone cliffs become higher to the 

 north. At No. n Point they are about 150 feet in height. They 

 are bare, or nearly so, for a little way back from the sea, but inland 

 they are covered with BLOWN SAND to a height of about 300 feet 

 above the sea-level. We camped about a mile south of No. n 

 Point. (CAMP 60.) 



Heavy RAIN began about midday, and continued till we had got 

 into camp. The night was threatening, but there was no rain 

 and only a short gale. 



March 15. Heavy RAIN began at daybreak and continued with 

 slight intermission till four o'clock. Travelling was impossible. 

 Gales and a few showers during the night. 



March 16. The morning was fine and breezy, although 



