7i 8 NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA 



They can probably be identified from his description, but, consider- 

 ing the indefiniteness of his mileage, they had better wait for a 

 survey before being put on the map. 



On 26th July, the party crossed from the left to the right 

 bank of the LOCKHART, and the Leader struck out to the east, saying 

 that he was making for the Mcllwraith Range. This is wellnigh 

 incredible, and can only be explained on the supposition that he 

 had previously mistaken the Macrossan Range for the Mcllwraith. 

 Not long after they had started to go east, the party came in sight 

 of the SEA, which must have been visible through the gap made by 

 DODD CREEK in the Macrossan Range between Meston and Adam 

 Heights. Admitting his mistake, Dickie turned back and headed 

 to the west. Presently the party found themselves on a well-beaten 

 TRACK, which they supposed to go from Hays Creek to Tin (Hull) 

 Creek. The track was followed till it recrossed to the left bank 

 of the Lockhart, where CAMP 36 was made. 



The creek (DoDD CREEK) which, in this locality, breaches the 

 MACROSSAN RANGE, was erroneously taken for Hays Creek, which 

 is further south. Dick says that Dodd believed this creek to be 

 Hays Creek. 



On the 27^, the camp was moved 2 miles east of the Lockhart, 

 to some " bald " hills seen on the previous day (CAMP 37). The 

 following passage occurs in Dick's diary of this date : 



" In the valley of Hills is a perfect maze of ravines, gullies, creeks and scrubs, 

 One could easily get bushed. . . . We were camped near the track from the Sandal- 

 wood Landing to Tin Creek." 



This, the first mention of the " VALLEY OF HILLS," leads me 

 to think that Dick believed he had identified DODD CREEK (which 

 he took for Hays Creek) with the " VALLEY HILLS " vaguely 

 indicated on the Admiralty Chart and the Lands Department's 

 4-mile Map. On subsequent dates, this Camp 37 is referred to as 

 the " Valley of Hills," and sometimes as the " Valley of Green 

 Hills " camp. 



The Admiralty Chart bears, in 10 2' S. lat., the words " Valley 

 Hills," which refer either to two hills, of 900 and 879 feet, on the 

 crest of the Macrossan Range, or to hills in a distant valley seen 

 from the ocean through an opening between the two peaks referred 

 to in other words, to some portion of the Mcllwraith Range. 

 Dick's " Valley of Hills " is evidently not the " Valley Hills " of 

 the chart. 



From Camp 37 as a base, Dickie and Dick prospected the head 

 of the LOCKHART till 2nd August, tracing GOLD, in the form of 

 " fine colours," for the greater part of the way. The best place 

 gave three grains of scaly gold to three dishes of dirt. In one 

 gully they found a SLUICE-BOX, a certain proof that others had been 

 ahead of them and actually WORKING GOLD, and in two other places 



