4 
by surveyors and local residents. This would serve the double 
purpose of establishing an appropriate and pleasing geographical 
nomenclature, and perpetuating at least one of the most interesting 
parts of native dialects, otherwise doomed to deplorably early annihi- 
lation. The native name of Bartle Prere is " Chooreechillum" ; that 
of Bellenden-Ker is " Wooroonooran," pronounced slowly with equal 
accent on all four syllables. The name Bellenden-Ker was bestowed 
in 1803 by Captain Flinders, after T. Bellenden-Ker, a botanist of the 
period. 
On the east side of Tringilburra Creek, the north spur of the 
Bellenden-Ker Range terminates on the edge of the Mulgrave Plain. 
That spur rises gradually to Mount Toressa, the first peak, at a height 
of 2,600 feet. This is an abrupt sharp-pointed mountain falling 
suddenly from the crest on south and west in precipices 300 or 400 
feet in depth. From the summit you look down on the Mulgrave 
Yalley and the mouth of the Russell, with a clear view away to the 
north and west. Descending from Toressa about 600 feet, and follow- 
ing the crest of the connecting ridge, you come to the ascent of Mount 
Sophia, which rises suddenly to a height of 4,100 feet. This is a,lso a 
sharp-crested peak covered by dense rank vegetation. Descending 
1,000 feet from the summit of Sophia you cross the intervening 
saddle which separates it from the north peak of Bellenden-Ker, rising 
by an unpleasantly steep ascent to 5,000 feet. 
To this peak from the starting point on the Mulgrave Plains 
the range is running south-south-east. Prom the north peak to the 
centre peak the direction is nearly due south, and thence to the south 
end the mountain curves gradually to south-south-west. The north 
peak has a huge spur running down into broken ranges terminating in 
the junction of the Mulgrave and Russell, the gorge at the foot of the 
s-piir being drained by a branch of Harvey's Creek. The total length 
of the Bellenden-Ker Range, from the Mulgrave Plains to the south 
end, which at a height of 5,000 feet stands facing Bartle Prere, is about 
twenty or twenty-five miles. Prom end to end the whole range is 
covered on both sides by dense tropical jungle, that on the eastern or 
Russell River side being the most luxuriant. There is not a bare foot 
of ground on the whole extent of summit or the radiating spurs. Once 
on the north peak, at 5,000 feet, you are actually on the top of 
Bellenden-Ker, though the centre peak rises 200 feet higher. The 
view is magnificent beyond all possible description, and only bounded 
by the sky line on the edge of the horizon. Further physical features 
will be given in another part of the report. 
On the 16th June Senior- Constable Whelan came over from his 
camp on the Mulgrave with troopers and pack-horses, in accordance 
with instructions kindly wired by Mr. Commissioner Seymour, who 
requested him to afford the expedition all reasonable assistance. It is 
my duty to mention here that the police assistance was of special 
value to the party, and saved a considerable amount of expense. 
Senior-Constable Whelan did all in his power, within whatever time 
was not actually necessary for the discharge of his own official duties, 
and he is certainly entitled to grateful mention in this report. On 
the night of the 16th we camped at the head of the valley of Tringilburra 
Creek, beside the junction where one branch comes down from under 
Sophia and Toressa, and the other from Bartle Frere and the west side 
of Bellenden-Ker. 
