63 
Climate. 
The climate of the' plateau was cool and bracing, the nights 
being sharp and cold. This doubtless accounts for the healthy 
appearance of the people who also gave evidence of greater activity 
than the coastal races. The rainfall on the eastern portion of the 
plateau was heavy and of almost daily occurrence, generally com- 
mencing about four o’clock in the afternoon. As we advanced west 
the rainfall became less frequent and torrential, only falling on an 
average about three or four times a week. This might be accounted 
for by the great distance we were front the sea. 
Coal. 
There is every probability of beds of good coal being found on 
the borders of the great plateau, although I do not think that any 
minerals of value will be found in the elevated region caused by the 
upheaval of the coral beds. Coal has been found on the upper 
waters of the Purari by the Mackay expedition, and it was found by 
us both on the lower and upper waters of the Kikor river. On the 
upper waters of the Kikor there is undoubtedly a very extensive field 
of excellent coal. Unfortunately, the large number of specimens we 
were bringing down were lost when the rafts capsized. We followed 
down a creek for some days that brought us to the Kikor. Every- 
where the beds were strewn with lumps of good-looking, bright, 
hard coal, and for about 15 miles down the Kikor coal was seen in 
almost every little creek and waterway, as well as on the banks of 
the river. The attempt to develop this field by the Kikor waterway 
is evidently impossible, as for 120 miles the river is one succession 
of rapids, whirlpools, and gorges. There is no reason jsvhy this coal- 
field should not extend further west, in fact a seam of coal was seen 
on the western side of the river, and, if so, it might be worked from 
the Strickland river, which it was estimated could not be more than 
20 miles distant. 
The coal we found on the lower Kikor was one isolated lump 
considerably weathered. However, as the creek was a very small 
one, running northward for only a few miles, it is evident that the 
seam from which it came could not be far off, and, when a magisterial 
station is established on that river, a fuller investigation might be 
made. If a large bed of good coal could be found here, I believe 
barges might be brought up the river to within 6 or 7 miles of it, 
although two very small rapids occur on the route. These run 
swiftly when the river is high, but are barely noticeable when the 
river is not in flood. 
Flora. 
The whole of the country traversed was covered by dense jungle 
'and scrub, and we literally had to cut our way through the 374 miles 
traversed on foot, except where we occasionally met a native track 
going in the desired direction. It was surprising that over rough 
coral ranges and valleys, trees of considerable size and dense scrub 
could find a roothold and sufficient nourishment. The roots spread 
all over the surface of the rocks, constituting steps and ladders up 
