32 
Report of the Expedition 
a river with a broad sandy bed, easily to be crossed at low tide. 
Its water is briny. Between the Staaten and the Van Diemen, 
which I crossed at 17 deg. Omin. 13 sec., I passed four creeks, 
all provided with water holes and fine water. Between the Staaten 
and Gilbert’s Lagoon I found three creeks with water. The 
country along both rivers is excellent. Between the Van Diemen 
and the Caron, latitude 17 deg. 28 min. 11 sec. I passed a small 
river which had no name, and which I called the “Gilbert,” in 
commemoration of the fate of my unfortunate companion. Its 
latitude was about 17 deg. 5 min. It contained numerous water- 
holes of fresh water, but was not running. A fine chain of lagoons 
is between the Van Diemen and the Gilbert; seven creeks with 
water between the Gilbert and the Caron. Towards the latter 
river, which had no water in its bed, but chains of lagoons paral¬ 
lel to its banks, the creeks were lined by a dense tea-tree scrub, 
half a mile or more broad. The tea-tree is of a peculiar species, 
which always indicates the neighbourhood of salt water. In lati¬ 
tude 17 deg. 49 min. we came on a salt-water river, which I called 
the “ Yappar,” this word being frequently used by friendly black 
fellows, whom we met at one of the fine lagoons alongside the 
river. Between the Yappar and the Caron there is a chain of 
shallow lagoons of fresh water. 
The whole country from Gilbert’s Lagoons to the Yappar, 
extending along the east coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria, is 
highly adapted for pastoral pursuits. Cattle and horses would 
thrive exceedingly well. Sheep would not. Neither the climate, 
the temperature, nor the nature of the soil is favourable for them. 
Large plains, limited by narrow belts of open forest land, exten¬ 
sive box flats and tea-tree flats openly timbered, changing with a 
more undulating country, fine grassy meadows along frequent 
chains of lagoons, and shady forest land along the rivers, render 
this country pleasing to the eye of the traveller and inviting to 
the squatter. After what I have learnt of the cultivation of rice 
and cotton, I can add that long stretches of country would be 
adapted for both. 
The country is well inhabited by black fellows. We had three 
times intercourse with them. The first time they were hostile 
