608 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



the west through low heathy country. When he returned, the 

 rain had set in, and it was too late to move the camp. 



March 21. We left Camp 63, and CROSSED the northmost 

 branch, and in half a mile to the south the southmost branch, 

 of the ESCAPE (a fourth- and third-magnitude creek respectively). 

 At the latter we had to unpack the horses and carry the goods 

 across a BRIDGE of saplings while the horses were crossed about 

 a quarter of a mile higher, just aswim. RAIN began as we were 

 repacking, and lasted for two hours. 



After leaving the Escape we travelled for half a mile to W. 10 S. 

 over HEATH and PITCHER-PLANT BOGS. For the next half mile to 

 the west we passed over rather higher ground (oolite), with oaks, 

 pandanus and stringybark, and reached a fourth-magnitude creek 

 running north the last of the Escape waters. In 2 miles to the 

 south we headed the creek. For the first half mile we had to cut 

 through SCRUB, but the rest was small timber with HEATHY UNDER- 

 GROWTH. The rocks were oolite and sandstone. In the 2 miles 

 we ascended about 250 feet. 



For i mile to the SW. we kept the crown of the DIVIDE OF THE 

 PENINSULA (between the ESCAPE and JARDINE waters). For a 

 similar distance we kept to WSW. down a very gentle grassy slope, 

 thickly timbered with stringybarks, oaks, nondas, etc., with a SCRUB 

 to the left and a BOG to the right. We camped on the latter, as 

 it was now near sunset. (CAMP 64.) 



No rain fell during the night. 



Six days had now elapsed since we left Camp 61, and we were 

 now only 8 miles to the west, the Escape River having forced us 

 to a course which was totally unexpected. 



March 22. Our next anxiety was to CLEAR THE KENNEDY 

 RIVER [Jackey-Jackey Creek] above the tidal waters, and with that 

 view we aimed to keep on the heads of the Jardine waters. 



Leaving Camp 64, for I mile to WNW., three-quarters of a 

 mile WSW., and three-quarters of a mile WNW., we kept nearly 

 on the divide ; and for a mile and a half to the NE. we ran up the 

 left bank of a pandanus BOG with a fourth-magnitude creek, one 

 of the tributaries of the JARDINE RIVER. 



In i mile further to WNW. we reached the edge of a SCRUB 

 covering the short steep slope of the eastern fall. We kept the 

 edge of the scrub for a mile farther to WNW. and camped. 

 (CAMP 65.) 



Here, for the first time since we left the neighbourhood of 

 Cooktown, we saw the tracks and dung of CATTLE. 



A heavy shower fell about an hour after we left the camp in 

 the morning. The afternoon and night were fine. 



March 23. There was heavy RAIN at daybreak, and the day 

 was dull and threatening. We did not move camp, as two of 

 Crosbie's HORSES were KNOCKED UP, and one of mine (" Poodle ") 



