82 LAND MK. Kennedy's party. 



On May 23rd, a convenient spot for landing- the 

 overland expedition having been found on the shores 

 .of Eocking^ham Bay, we shifted our berth in the 

 afternoon a few miles further to leeward, and 

 anchored under the westernmost of the Family 

 Islands, in order to be near the place of disem- 

 barkation. On the two following' days everything' 

 belonging to Mr. Kennedy's party (with the 

 exception of one horse drowned while swimming it 

 ashore) was safely landed, and his first camp was 

 formed on some open forest land behind the beach, 

 at a small fresh water creek. 



The object of Mr. Kennedy's expedition, was to 

 explore the country to the eastward of the dividing 

 range running along the N.E. coast of Australia at 

 a variable distance from the shore, and terminating 

 at Cape York, where a vessel with supplies was 

 to meet the party in October, after which they were 

 to start on their retm'n to Sydney ; proceeding at 

 first down the western side of the peninsula to the 

 Gulf of Carpentaria, and then shape such a coiu"se 

 as was best calculated to bring them to the settled 

 districts of New South Wales. 



Of the disastrous results of this unfortunate 

 expedition, I need not here speak ; I shall after- 

 wards have to allude to the melancholy death of its 

 gallant leader, within a day's jouriiey almost of the 

 goal which he was struggling with desperate 

 energy to reach — the nearest place where assistance 

 could be procured for the few remaining survivors 



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