THE CAPE YORK TELEGRAPH LINE 667 



Coen to this point, the line, as subsequently constructed, follows 

 Bradford's track closely, except where he diverged to the west 

 (to CAMP 1 6) because the blacks had burned the grass upon which he 

 depended for the sustenance of his horses. 



From MEIN TELEGRAPH STATION, a TELEPHONE LINE is now 

 (1920) being laid to MERLUNA GOVERNMENT CATTLE STATION, 25 

 miles to the north-west. It is also the starting-point of tracks 

 leading to the Nisbet and Hays Creek Provisional Goldfields, 

 Giblet's Sandalwood Landing on the Lockhart River, Bairdsville 

 and Plutoville diggings and the Bowden Mineral Field. 



From MEIN, the Telegraph line, as constructed, runs about 

 10 degrees west of north. Bradford's exploratory track was at times 

 a few miles west of this line, his CAMP 18 being placed on his map 

 between Merluna and the head of Rocky Creek. He remarked 

 on this neighbourhood showing " the best country we have seen 

 since we passed the so-called Coen," and this observation probably 

 led to the " looking for country " which was followed in 1888 by 

 the occupation of Merluna. Nevertheless, the condition of the 

 horses supposed to have been poisoned about CAMP 4 or 5 had by 

 this time become critical and a cause of vexatious delays. 



The necessary data for the exact location of Camps 19, 20 and 

 2 1 are not given by the report. In all probability, the subsequently 

 constructed and surveyed Telegraph line was crossed from west to 

 east in the neighbourhood of CAMP 19 (i6th July), which was 

 situated on creeks of the " fourth " and " third " magnitude, and 

 which Bradford conjectures to be heads or branches of the " true 

 Coen." CAMP 20 was on " a creek of the fourth magnitude, con- 

 taining large holes of water." [I take it to have been ROCKY CREEK, 

 a tributary of the Batavia River. R. L. J.] On i%th July, says 

 Bradford, 



" We came on the bank of the true Coen River, a wide stream flowing slowly to 

 the north-west. The banks of this river are high (perhaps 70 feet) and sound sandy 

 country, no possibility of floods." [This, which Mr. Bradford took to be the " true 

 Coen River," must have been the BATAVIA, in its unsurveyed part near the northern 

 edge of Map C. R. L. J.] CAMP 21 was pitched here. 



On 19^ July, the BATAVIA RIVER was crossed about half a mile 

 below (north of) Camp 21 " about 200 yards below a waterfall 

 a few feet in height." (SEE MAP B.) The river was about 10 

 chains wide, with a sandy bed, and " a good get-in and get-out." 



Here began the bad land, or the WET DESERT, as it is sometimes 

 called. This region had furnished Kennedy, the Brothers 

 Jardine and myself with some of our least desirable experiences. I 

 did not think of calling it a " wet desert " because I traversed it 

 in the height of a bountiful wet season when no place could fairly 

 be described as wetter than another, but its other objectionable 

 features, as described by Bradford, are constant and only too 



