26 J. H. MAIDEN. 



belt of the Territory, with its intrusive granites was 

 examined. An enormous area of Cambrian quartzites, 

 limestones and volcanic rocks was shown to exist, in which 

 very little evidence of earth movement was apparent. 

 The stratigraphy of the Cambrian rocks was made out. 

 On the Barkly Tableland these rocks contain sub-artesian 

 water, the conditions of whose occurrence were studied. 

 A great development of hot springs was found along a line 

 stretching across almost the whole width of the territory. 

 The ancient gneissic rocks of Cloncurry were examined, 

 and important suggestions bearing upon palaeography 

 obtained therefrom. 



I am indebted to Dr. Woolnough for the above brief and 

 modest sketch of an expedition which we owe to the broad 

 mindedness of the Commonwealth Government, and I trust 

 it will be the precursor of many similar expeditions under 

 Government auspices, to regions very little known from a 

 scientific point of view. 



Professor Spencer, though engaged in engrossing duties, 

 collected a fairly large number of plants, and although it 

 does not appear that we have new species amongst them, 

 several of them will contribute to our knowledge of geo_ 

 graphical botany. 



The various observations of the Expedition are being 

 worked out, but the immediate results are two, and very 

 important. One is that Professor Spencer accepted the 

 offer of the Commonwealth Government to act as Chief 

 Protector of the Aborigines for the Northern Territory for 

 a period of twelve months, beginning with the present 

 year, and not only will it result that valuable suggestions 

 will be made for the welfare of the aborigines, but obser- 

 vations will be made in regard to the ethnology of certain 

 native tribes, by an entirely competent and sympathetic 

 observer. The second result has been that Professor 



