CHAPTER VI.

Chose Site for Station - Native Method of Using Tobacco - Return for the Cattle - The Lakes - Reach the Camp - Another Horse Dead - The Whole Party Cross the Jardine - Raft Upset - Cargo Saved - Deserted by Guides - Final Start for Settlement - Another Horse Abandoned - Horses Knocked Up - Cattle Missing - Choppagynya - Reach Vallack Point - Conclusion.

On the afternoon of their arrival in Somerset, the Brothers, after a "slight" luncheon, in which Mr. Jardine's preserved vegetables received very particular attention, manned the whale-boat belonging to the Settlement, and pulled over the Straits to Albany Island to get fresh horses. Two were got over, but night coming on, the crossing of the rest was deferred until the next day. The Strait is three-quarters-of-a-mile wide, which, with a current running upwards of five knots an hour, makes it an exhausting swim even for a strong horse. The next morning three more horses were crossed. The five expedition horses which these re-placed were in a miserable condition. Three of them had given in on the preceding day, two miles from the township, and had to be left behind for the time. With the fresh horses the Brothers were enabled to take a look about them, and select a site for the formation of a cattle station. A convenient spot was chosen at Vallack Point, about three miles from Somerset, to which it now only remained for them to fetch up their companions and the cattle. Two days were spent in recruiting the horses, the explorers themselves, probably, enjoying the "dolce far niente" and change of diet.

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