NATIVE FLORA OF TROPICAL QUEENSLAND. 415 



FORSAYTH TO GEORGETOWN, CROYDON AND NORMANTON. 



The journey from Forsayth (Charlestown) to Croydon 

 was made by coach, the distance being one hundred and 

 thirty-five miles, while from Croydon to Norman ton, a 

 distance of ninety-four miles, the train was used. The 

 country falls gradually most of the way, the height of the 

 railway at Forsayth being 1,326 feet, at Croydon three 

 hundred and sixty-one feet, while at Normanton it is only 

 thirty-two feet above sea level. 



From Forsayth to Georgetown on the Etheridge River, a 

 distance northerly of twenty-five miles, the geological 

 formation is chiefly granite and porphyry. From George- 

 town to Croydon is westerly, one hundred and ten miles, 

 the formation for nearly thirty miles being mostly granitic. 

 Beyond this point the Gilbert River is reached and followed 

 for more than thirty miles, the country being largely made 

 up of alluvium with the river bed full of sand. This river 

 was discovered and named by Leichhardt on 12th July, 1845, 

 after the naturalist of his party, who was murdered by the 

 natives. Before Croydon is reached small escarpments of 

 Upper Cretaceous sandstone may be seen on both sides, 

 while at Croydon the granitic and porphyritic rocks re- 

 appear. From Croydon to Normanton no rocks are visible 

 from the train and the soil is chiefly of a sandy nature. 



The vegetation for the most part from Forsayth to Nor- 

 manton is open forest, largely made up of Eucalyptus, shady 

 Terminalias, bright flowered Bauhinias and Grevilleas, and 

 clumps of various Acacias, the lagoons near the Gilbert 

 and Norman Rivers being dotted with charming pale blue 

 and white Water Lilies (Nymplicea sp.), while the banks of 

 the large streams are decorated with the beautiful drooping 

 Willow Teatree, (Melaleuca saligna). 



Between Forsayth and Normanton the following plants 

 were noticed: — 



