650 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



In this region, viz., the heads of the Archer east of the Geikie 

 Range, I cannot subscribe to the interpretation put on the known 

 data by the official version of Sheet 2oC, as will be seen by a com- 

 parison with the sheet as officially issued and the sheet herewith. 

 My map of this region, which formed part of my completed report, 

 was not published with it, which was the fault of the Department 

 of Mines. But I have been able to reproduce the lost map, AS 

 GIVEN HEREWITH, from my note-books. It must be clearly under- 

 stood that the only mapping in this region was done by myself in 

 1879-80, by Mr. Embley in 1884-5, and > to a limited extent, by 

 the Telegraph Construction Party in 1885. 



I am indebted to the present Surveyor-General, Mr. Allan 

 A. Spowers, for a copy of Sheet 2oC with all Mr. Embley's lines 

 shown in red ink. Taking these as a basis, I have added my own 

 lines, which are in no instance in conflict with Mr. Embley's, in 

 the production of the version given herewith in illustration of 

 Kennedy's travels (1848) and my own (1879-80). 



Mr. Embley finds it difficult to believe that keen observers like 

 the Dutch sailors could possibly miss the opening which forms 

 the mouth of the Archer, but Carstenszoon's log of May, 1623, 

 leaves no room for doubt. 



At noon of 6th May, the "Pera" (on her northward voyage) was 

 in 13 29' S. lat. When evening came, the wind had taken an 

 unfavourable turn, and the ship was anchored. Early on the 7th, 

 the skipper landed, and, as the result of an attempt to kidnap a 

 native, had a fight with 100 armed blacks. The anchor was lifted 

 at noon, the moment the latitude of the anchorage (13 20' S.) had 

 been ascertained, and the " Pera " continued her northward 

 voyage. 



Now 13 20' is practically the latitude of the mouth of the 

 combined Archer and South Coen Rivers, and the landing must 

 have taken place on the prominent elbow of the shore west of the 

 mouth of the river. The " Pera " had probably anchored too 

 late the previous evening for good observation, and in the morning 

 it is likely that the men left on the ship were too much interested 

 in the proceedings on shore to take any account of the scenery. 



On the night of the 7th, the anchorage was in 13 7' S., as 

 ascertained while the ship was still at anchor at noon on the 

 following day. Next morning, Carstenszoon himself landed with 

 the skipper and ten musketeers and did not get back to the ship 

 till the afternoon. They had had a busy and successful day. 

 Having observed FOOTPRINTS of men and dogs, they FOLLOWED 

 THEM TO THE NORTH till they came on a " revier," which they 

 named the COEN, after the Governor of the Netherlands India 

 Company. It is not said whether the water was salt or fresh, nor 

 is mention made of any opening being visible from the sea. From 

 the course (parallel to the coast-line and only 7 miles from it) now 



