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stream descending from a precipice 100 feet in height. At the lower 
end of the pool the water flows over a narrow ledge down the fall 
right beneath where you are standing. Directly in front, not 50 
yards away, a large stream descends from a ravine in the opposite 
mountain and falls clear down with terrific force about 200 feet into 
an oval-shaped rock pool, from whence it emerges under an arch 
spanned by a single block of granite, and joiniDg the main creek both 
flow over the ledge together into the cataract below. All these three 
falls are within 100 yards of the spot you are standing on. .These are 
the " Erancesca Falls." All round are glorious ferns and flowering 
orchids, chief of which is Bailey's orchid {Bulhophyllum Baileyi), 
which appears here to attain its maximum of perfection. I^rom this 
point right up the creek to the Morehead Cataracts there is a 
succession of splendid falls, cascades, and deep still pools, form- 
ing one continuous picture of sublimity and weird and awful 
grandeur, indescribable and unimaginable. Arriving near the Morehead 
Cataracts, we turned to the eastward up a steep spur, and ascending 
800 feet arrived where the blackboys were at the blacks' camp at 
1,700 feet. Eain came on with the darkness, and fell heavily all 
night. As the roof of our camp leaked we had to postpone sleep to 
a future occasion. In the morning the two creeks at the Pools were 
uncrossable, so we had to go back down Barnard's Spur, and on arrival 
at the foot found the main creek flooded and roaring through the 
granite rocks like thunder. Each one selected his own place to swim 
across — rather a dangerous work for all of us — and Whelan and 
I marched into camp without our clothes, somewhat to the astonish- 
ment of Mr. Bailey, who was attentively examining a plant with a 
name as long as that of a Madagascar prince. On the 11th we all 
left for the Mulgrave plains, where we remained until the 18th, 
collecting down both sides of the creek and along the Mulgrave. 
Grame was abundant here, and we could have shot far more than the 
camp required. 
One day, the 12th, we collectively brought in twelve pigeons, five 
scrub hens, two turkeys, six cockatoos, two rifle birds, one . dragoon 
bird, and sundry others. On the 13th Whelan again left for the 
Up])er Eussell diggings, being advised of fresh murders by the blacks. 
On the 18th, leaving Beman in charge of the main camp, and 
discharging Butcher, we started for Harvey's Creek, on the Eussell, a 
distance of fourteen miles, Bailey on horseback, and Broodbent, 
Harold, the two blackboys, and myself on foot. At Harvey's Creek 
we were again joined by Whelan. Next day one of the troopers, and 
Jimmy, the Tanna boy, started up the Eussell, a distance of thirty 
miles, to meet an aboriginal named " Yabba," who was to join us at 
Choonbine bora ground, for the ascent of Bartle Frere (Chooree- 
chillum). Next day A¥helan and I started on the same route, and 
camped that night at Teechappa," a bora ground twelve miles from 
Choonbine. The road was along the valley of the Eussell, all the 
way through dense scrub, perhaps the thickest in Queensland. From 
Teechappa to Choonbine, we were crossing the terminal spurs of Bartle 
Frere. In the twelve miles there are actually twenty- five running 
streams of water, not surpassed in Australia for purity and drinking 
qualities. At Choonbine we found Jack and Jimmy and Yabba 
camped under a tree. This Tabba was a strong, active, rather 
pleasant-looking fellow, with somewhat light limbs slightly curved 
