160 An Historical Review of the 



was discovered on the Fitzgerald River. The grassy country 

 soon failed him, after leaving Cape* Riche, and a barren scrub 

 land with saltlakes took its place. The view from Fitzgerald 

 Peak (1000' above the plains), presented a vast sea of dark 

 scrub, intersected by broad belts of salt lakes and samphire 

 marshes, winding through a country almost level. Between 

 Fitzgerald Peak and Mount Eitly only a rain shower saved the 

 party from destruction. On several occasions water was col- 

 lected from bushes after dew, an expedient to which Mr. 

 Gregory likewise repeatedly resorted, in his West Australian 

 travels, and which is effected best by the means of drawing 

 blankets over the bushes loaded with dew. The whole northern 

 horizon from his last position was perfectly unbroken. 



The expedition of Mr. Gregory (1855-1856), was attained 

 in its beginning with so many disasters, that a less energetic 

 and experienced leader would have failed, perhaps, to extricate 

 himself from his difficulties. The transport vessel carried by 

 the tide out of its course struck a coral reef near Point Keates, 

 from which an escape was effected only after the lapse of seven 

 days, and extreme suffering of the horses, arising from the ob- 

 lique position of the vessel. Pressed also by this unfortunate 

 delay for want of water, and having lost the guidance of our 

 schooner in a dark night, we were compelled to land the horses 

 at Point Pearce, indeed under those gloomy rocks, from which 

 Captain Stokes was so successfully assailed by the savages. 

 Fresh water was at last found after a long search over the 

 dreary sandstone country. Having recruited our horses as far 

 as circumstances would permit, we crossed in about three weeks, 

 he country between our landing place and the Victoria River, on 

 which tour also, the survey of the Fitzmaurice river, a romantic 

 stream, became greatly extended. 



The small schooner, sent to co-operate with the exploring 

 party, was wrecked on its voyage up the Victoria River, a mis- 

 fortune which shortened the North Australian exploration con- 

 siderably, not only by the loss of a vast quantity of provisions, ' 

 but also in rendering it unlikely, even after a superficial 

 repair of the vessel at our camp, to receive afterwards any 

 aid in the exploration of the country around the Gulf of Car- 

 pentaria, from whence alone by the re-establishment of a fixed 

 camp the exploration could have been extended to Central 

 Australia. 



Mr. Gregory continued his survey in November and De- 

 cember, 1855, along the upper part of the Victoria River, and 

 over the adjacent country, the climate and fertility of the country 



