IS 
Upper Russell diggings we walked seven miles over very rough liilly 
road, and arrived at Teecliappa about 6 o'clock, a solid rapid walk 
from the summit o£ about eight hours in cold misty rain. 
On the 24th we returned to Harvey's Creek at the mouth of the 
Eussell, the journey down being in torrents of rain from start to 
finish. B/aining all day on the 25th. Took one of the boys and went 
across the river and up the coast range. The weather not being 
propitious, we all returned on the 26th to the camp on the Mulgrave. 
In the evening Harold shot a very fine cassowary weighing 186 lb., 
the liver weighing 4 lb., and the heart as large as a sheej^'s. This bird 
is now set up in the Museum. 
On the 29th we shifted camp over to the Mulgrave, where we 
received all possible consideration from Senior- Constable Whelan. 
The next four days were employed in collecting in the vicinity oE the 
Police Camp. On Eriday, the 2nd of August, I went alone up the 
Walsh ■ Pyramid (" Charroogin "), and brought specimens for Mr. 
Bailey from the summit at 3,050 feet. 
On Sunday, the 4th, I took Harold and three blackboys and 
started to explore the ranges at the head of the Little Mulgrave. 
That night we camped at Jensen's, on the Herberton road. In the 
morning we started up the valley of Wright's Creek, crossing at the 
start a small detached hill 650 feet high. 
following up the valley through thick scrub we arrived at the 
head of the creek, and camped on a small bare hill 600 feet high. 
Next morning, the 6th, we started up the range on a spur so steep that 
we had to crawl at times on our hands and knees. In at least two 
places a false step meant certain destruction ; but we had to go up 
or go back, and I have the same contempt as Mirabeau for "that 
blockhead of a word 'impossible.'" One of the boys, a Mulgrave 
native named Toby, out on his first journey with me, knocked up, and 
I had to take most of his swag. We camped that night on the crest 
of the range at 2,450 feet. Temperature at night, 56 degrees; shade 
at noon, 74 degrees. Next day, the 7th, we started along the top of 
the range through thick scrub and splendid hardwood timber, some of 
the trees six and seven feet in diameter. At noon we were on the 
head of the Little Mulgrave and Preshwater Creek, on a mountain 
3,000 feet high, commanding a complete view of a vast expanse of 
country. It may be well to mention here that when Christie Palmer- 
ston was across that country about three years ago, looking for a 
railway track at the request of the Glovernment, he reported the 
discovery of 30,000 acres of grand country on the head of Freshwater 
Creek, and induced the Minister for Lands to reserve that area. It 
is my duty to rei:)ort here that these 30,000 acres of grand country 
exist nowhere outside of Palmerston's imagination. The heads of 
Preshwater Creek, the Clohesy, and Little Mulgrave rise in rough 
broken ranges and deep rocky gorges, and there is not 100 acres of 
level or available country on one of them. During the day the first 
nest and egg of "Mestou's Bower Bird" — Prionodura Newtoniana — 
was found by me in the fork of a small tree about seven feet from 
the ground. The female flew ofl: the nest, and the male was sitting on 
an adjoining tree. 
Near here was found the complete skeleton of a wallaby at 3,000 
feet, and I brought it down for the Museum. How a wallaby ever 
got into such a place is a mystery to me, as no wallaby ever lives on 
