628 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



the PEACH ? R. L. J.] I then ran up the other creek [the PEACH ? R. L. J.] for 

 about 3 miles, when it became too steep to carry gold, unless I ran up till it came to 

 the level again. I got back to camp at dark. I regret not being able to run up this 

 creek, as I feel confident that this was the run of the gold belt. I believe it would run 

 up 5 or 6 miles into dry country. The creek we camped on [BEETLE CREEK. R. L. J.] 

 carried as heavy wash as any on the Palmer. It reminded me of the Three-Mile 

 Beach on the Palmer. Water was very scarce. I reckon we were from 7 to lo miles 

 from the WATERSHED [of the Peninsula. R. L. J.]. We camped all day and tried to 

 get more water, but found none. 



" Started next morning and ran N.JW., thinking to cut Mr. Jack's track, but 

 could see no sign of it. [We were then south of Laing's party. R. L. J.] 



" We ran on until we reached the fork of a large river, with no name, which we will 

 call Sullivan River, supposed to run towards Duyfken Point. [One of the heads of 

 the PEACH RIVER ? R. L. J.] The feed was poor, and no indications. Prospected 

 both branches of the fork, but could not get any colours. 



" This is AS FAR AS WE WENT. Dense SCRUB to the north. The party, not willing 

 to go any further, determined to return and prospect the [so-called Sefton. R. L. J.] 

 river before mentioned. I reckon we were about 85 miles north of the log hut and 

 about 20 miles from the original Coen. Camped. [The log hut is practically at 

 the ' original Coen ' diggings and about 20 miles SW. of Laing's position. He may 

 have travelled 85 miles. R. L. J.] 



" Commenced our RETURN JOURNEY next morning, and arrived at Sefton River, 

 where the gold was first discovered [i.e., what Laing called the SEFTON RIVER, which 

 I take to be BEETLE CREEK. R. L. J.]. Ran it up, crossed our outward track until 

 we came to broken country, the ridges coming close to the river. Here we prospected, 

 and Soldier Jim found COLOURS in the adjoining gullies south of this river. 



" Next morning, followed it to the eastward till it wheeled right round to the SE. 

 Followed it on till all of a sudden it turned south into broken country. Knocked 

 about trying to find a crossing, but could not find one, the bank being so steep. Had 

 to cut the banks away to get the horses over. This is a likely-looking country for 

 gold, but we found none. Yet I believe gold will be found in the vicinity. 



" We then proceeded SE. until late in the afternoon, and lost the good indication 

 of gold, travelling on without water until we came to the left-hand branch of the 

 ARCHER, supposed Peach, River. Prospected the creeks running into it, but found 

 no gold. Prospected the supposed Peach all the afternoon. Got no gold. By putting 

 the compass on the bank of this river, I found it ran NW.-SE." 



[The party emerged, therefore, on the SE.-NW. reach of the 

 river which extends from Birthday Mount to the point where the 

 river breaches the Geikie Range, and flows west. It is incidentally 

 mentioned that in one portion of their return journey they " pro- 

 ceeded SE.," but, as this direction would have brought them to 

 the Pacific coast instead of to the Peach River, the conclusion is 

 that the course given is erroneous ; perhaps the back sight was 

 read instead of the front, and the actual direction was NW. It 

 will be noted that as soon as the party got on gold they " pushed 

 on " or " proceeded." Distances, however, are left for the reader 

 to conjecture, and in the one instance where the direction is given 

 it is obviously incorrect. I conclude that from the time they left 

 to the time they returned to the Peach they were mainly on 

 IRVINE and BEETLE CREEKS, and touched CHRISTMAS CREEK and the 

 upper reaches of the PEACH itself, but that they never were on the 

 divide of the Peninsula. R. L. J.] The narrative, describing 



