682 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



under circumstances connected with the murder of two white 

 pearlers on the " SCHEARDEN RiVER," 1 the murder being attributed 

 to the Batavia River tribe. Mr. Douglas had some difficulty in 

 preventing the launching of a volunteer punitory expedition from 

 Thursday Island. Subsequent rumours of further murders fanned 

 the agitation. 1 On iyth January, 1894, the steamer " Kanahooka " 

 was wrecked in the Gulf near Normanton, and the heroic conduct 

 of the missionaries and their black flock, in saving and succouring 

 the survivors, restored the mission to popular esteem. 



From September to December, 1894, Ward and Hey were 

 busy looking for a site for a second station up the Batavia River, 

 but did not meet with success. On 3rd January, 1895, WARD DIED 

 of the fever which had attacked him eighteen months before. His 

 widow left for Brisbane and Mr. and Mrs. Hey were left alone 

 at Mapoon. Ward's place was taken by Edwin Brown in 1895, 

 and Mrs. Ward returned to Mapoon to take charge of the mission 

 school. 



In September, 1895, HEY, accompanied by a digger named 

 Rigby and two black boys, rode out from Mapoon in search of 

 a SITE FOR THE SECOND STATION. Following the Batavia River 

 for 40 miles say to 12 23' S. lat., striking south for 12 miles to 

 Myall Creek and following that creek upward, they reached, in 

 four days, YORK DOWNS CATTLE STATION (long. 142 19' E., 

 lat. 12 44' S.), 8 miles south-west of the Jardines' Camp 64, of 

 8th January, 1865. (SEE MAP D.) Here they found MR. J. T. 

 EMBLEY, Licensed Surveyor, who was at this time making the 

 station, which was conveniently situated for his work, his head- 

 quarters. It appeared that he had had trouble with the blacks 

 (who killed his cattle) and was consequently in sympathy with the 

 mission and its aims. He set out to guide the party to PINE CREEK. 

 They travelled WSW. via BROWNSTONE CREEK, and they found 

 themselves in course of time on the south, or left, bank of a tidal 

 river (the EMBLEY). Retracing their steps till the horses could 

 cross (which must have been near the infall of Brownstone Creek) 

 to the right bank, they " SELECTED A SITE between two creeks, 

 and returned to YORK DOWNS." On this site, the WEIPA MISSION 

 STATION now stands, on the infall of Spring Creek (long. 142 7' E., 

 lat. 12 43' S.). From YORK DOWNS they reached MAPOON, 

 following the BATAVIA RIVER for the latter part of the journey, 

 and noting by the way a " suitable site " for a mission station, of 

 which nothing has been heard since.* 



1 Jardinss' SKARDON RIVER (lat. 11 45' S.). This name was then, and is still, 

 erroneously applied to the Dutch " CARPENTIER REVIER." The Jardine Brothers' 

 SKARDON RIVER falls into Port Musgrave, but appears on modern maps as the DALHUNTY 

 RIVER. The Jardines' DALHUNTY CREEK falls into the NORTH ALICE, a tributary of 

 the DUCIE RIVER. 



See Chapter XLVII. 



8 The Miracle of Mapoon and Mr. Key's Letter to the Author, dated I5th April, 



