15 
On the 16th of August we left the summit of Barnard's Spur, 
descended 1,700 feet, and after a weary journey of eighteen miles 
arrived on the Mulgrave about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. 
On the 19th the whole party returned to Cairns, and on the 21st 
we went out to the Freshwater Valley, from which we came back on 
the 26th, leaving for Brisbane on the 27th by the " Waroonga," and 
arriving there on the 2nd September, after an absence of thirteen 
weeks. 
We had done all we started to do, and a little more. The 
period of the year was the worst for both the botanist and the 
ornithologist. Mr. Bailey had to pass by a great number of trees and 
plants that only flower and fruit in the summer, but on the other 
hand he obtained specimens of many which blossom only in the winter. 
His report, however, will show that he made a large and interesting 
collection of botanical specimens, including many entirely new to 
science, besides others discovered for the first time in Australia. 
Geologically, there is little to report. Bellenden-Ker and Bartle 
Frere are composed almost entirely of granite, interspersed here and 
there by quartz reefs and slate. On the west side there were indica- 
tions of tin, but careful prospecting might reveal the existence of 
other minerals. The creeks on both sides of the southern slopes of 
Bartle Frere contain gold, and considerable quantities have already 
been obtained by white men and Chinese. All the head waters of 
the Eussell bring gold down from the Basalt Terraces. The alluvial 
gold-washing has so far been of the most superficial nature, most of 
the diggers being amateurs, with very primitive appliances. Many of 
them were assisted by the blacks, in whom a few reposed a blind 
unsuspicious confidence that cost them their lives. 
The whole of the country travelled over, except the valley of the 
E,ussell, consisted of high steep ranges and deep ravines all covered 
by dense tropical jungle, and drained by steep granite creeks To 
show the extent to which that country is watered, it is only necessary 
to mention that between the bora grounds of Teechappa and Choon- 
bine, a distance of ten miles, there are twenty-five running streams, 
some of considerable size. On the eastern face of Bartle Frere is a 
cataract falling sheer down over two thousand feet, visible for the 
whole length from the south peak of Bellenden-Ker. In the wet season 
it would clear a descent of three thousand feet. To that cataract I 
have given the name of the " Hume Black Palls," in honour of the 
present Minister for Lands. Every ravine in all parts of the ranges 
has its stream of pure cold spring water. The climate everywhere on 
the mountains is perfect, the fresh clear air unsullied by gases from 
decomposing vegetation such as you find in the rank undergrowth of 
the scrubs on the low lands of the river flats. There was no sickness 
whatever in camp during the whole period of the expedition. In many 
places there are magnificent facilities for hydropathic establishments, 
in climate and scenery unsurpassed in the world. 
One year ago Cairns was visited by Dr. Alexander, health oflicer 
of Dunedin, in New Zealand, who went away with the impression that 
it possessed the best climate in Australia for people with weak chests 
or any form of throat or lung disease. We have irrefutable evidence 
of severe cases of long- continued asthma and incipient consumption, 
being perfectly cured by residence in the Cairns climate. There is a 
