At The End Of The Third Day The Last Horse Was Shod, And It Only Remained To Get The Stores And Gear Together, And Dispose Them On The Different Packs.

This was done on the 10th, on the evening of which they were ready for the final start.

The party was thus composed: Frank Lacelles Jardine, Leader; Alexander Jardine, Archibald J. Richardson, Government Surveyor; C. Scrutton, R. N. Binney, A. Cowderoy, Eulah, Peter, Sambo and Barney, black boys from the districts of Rockhampton and Wide Bay; 41 picked horses and 1 mule, all in good order and condition.

Their provision was calculated to last them 4 months, and was distributed together with the tools, amunition, and camp necessaries on 18 packs, averaging at the start about 150 lbs. each. It consisted of 1200 lbs. flour, 3 cwt. sugar, 35 lbs. of tea, 40 lbs. currants and raisins, 20 lbs. peas, 20 lbs. jams, salt, etc. The black troopers were armed with the ordinary double-barrelled police carbine, the whites carrying Terry's breech-loaders, and Tranter's revolvers. They had very ample occasion to test the value and efficiency of both these arms, which, in the hands of cool men, are invaluable in conflict.

The personalities of the party were reduced to a minimum, and what was supposed to be absolutely necessary, one pack (the mule's) being devoted to odds and ends, or what are termed in bush parlance, 'manavlins'. Three light tents only were carried, more for protecting the stores than for shelter for the party.

All were in excellent health, and good spirits, and eager to make a start.

CHAPTER II.

Start from Carpentaria Downs - Order of Travel - Canal Creek - Cawana Swamp - Simons' Gap - Cowderoy's Bluff - Barney's Nob - Casualties in Parallel Creek - Basaltic Wall - Singular Fish - Black Carbonado - Improvement in Country - Search for the Lynd - Doubts - First rain - Error of Starting point - Large ant-hills - Ship's iron found - Native nets - Second start in search of Lynd - Return - Byerley Creek - The whole party moves forward - Belle Creek - Maroon Creek - Cockburn Creek - Short Commons - Camp Burned - The Powder saved - Maramie Creek - The Staaten - First hostility of Natives - Poison - "Marion" abandoned - Conclusion as to River - Heavy rain - First attack of Natives - Horses lost - Barren Country - Detention - Leader attacked by Natives - Black-boy attacked - A "growl" - Mosquitoes and flies - Kites - Cattle missing - Horses found - Leader again attacked - Main party attacked - Return to the River - Character of Staaten - Lagoon Creek - Tea-tree levels - Junction of Maramie Creek - Reach head of tide - Confirmation of opinion.

'October' 11. - At sunrise the cattle was started with Cowderoy and two black-boys, Eulah and Barney, the former acting as pilot. Their instructions were to camp at the swamp at the junction of Pluto Creek, seventeen miles from McDonald's station, mentioned on 3rd. September. The pack-horses were not got away until half-past 12, two, "Rasper," and the mule (as often provokingly happens when most wanted) being astray, and having to be hunted for. There was also the usual amount of "bucking" incident to a start, the unpractised pack-horses rebelling against the unwonted load and amount of gear, and with a few vigorous plunges sending pack-bags, pots, hobbles, and chains in scattered confusion all round them. Few starts of a large party occur without similar mischances, but a day or two, suffices for the horses to settle to their work, after which all goes smoothly. The country travelled has been described in the preceding chapter. A hill at five miles on Pluto Creek, received the name of Mount Eulah. On reaching the swamp, the brothers found the cattle party had not arrived. This was the first of many similar annoyances during the journey. It being between 8 and 9 p.m., it was useless to think of looking for them at that time of night. They therefore encamped on the river, intending to return and run the tracks of the cattle in the morning. The distance travelled was about 20 miles.

'October' 12. - Leaving Binney in charge of the horses, with orders to feed them about the Lagoon, where there was better grass than at the river, the brothers started at sunrise in quest of the cattle party. They met them at about five miles up Pluto Creek, which they were running down. It appeared that Master Eulah, the pilot, had got completely puzzled, and led the party into the ranges to the eastward, where, after travelling all day, they had been obliged to camp about half-way from the station, and without water. He was very chop-fallen about his mistake, which involved his character as a bushman. The Australian aborigines have not in all cases that unerring instinct of locality which has been attributed to them, and are, out of their own country, no better, and generally scarcely so good as an experienced white. The brothers soon found water for them in the creek under Mount Eulah; after which,returning to the camp, it was too late to continue the journey, particularly as it had been necessary to send one of "the boys" back for a bag of amunition that had been lost on the way. This is the work they are most useful in, as few, even of the best bushmen are equal to them in running a track. The day's stage of the cattle was about 11 miles.

'October' 13. - The cattle started at a quarter-to-six, in charge of Alexander Jardine and two black-boys, while Frank and the rest of the party remained behind to pack and start the horses. This at the commencement was the usual mode of travelling, the horses generally overtaking the cattle before mid-day, when all travelled together till they camped at night, or preceded them to find and form the camp. Two incidents occurred on the way: "Postman," a pack-horse on crossing a deep narrow creek, fell and turned heels uppermost, where he lay kicking helplessly, unable to rise, until the pack was cut clear of him; and "Cerberus," another horse, not liking the companionship of the mule, took occasion in crossing another creek to kick his long-eared mate from the top to the bottom of it, to the intense amusement of the black-boys, who screamed "dere go poor fellow donkit" with great delight.

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