to leave civilisation and the kindness of our Sydney friends; but it offered variety, and a hope of interest,—above all, a possibility of doing some useful work.
We reached Brisbane on the 22d, and there, in conversing with Lord Normanby (to whom we all owe gratitude for the kindest hospitality), and the Hon. A. Palmer, Colonial Secretary, my ideas as to profitable work to be done in northern waters began to take definite shape. It was no small advantage to obtain an insight into the views of two such men, possessed of a perfect knowledge of the cumulative forces which have wrought out the present aspects of Australian affairs, and much foresight of the future; and this I hoped to turn to good account as opportunity offered, as far as it should lie parallel with the routine of the service and my duty.
Having taken on board the horses and stores for Cape York, and filled up our coal, we took leave of Moreton Bay and the mangrove-covered shores of Brisbane river on January 28th, and left finally for our destination.
The voyage from Brisbane to Cape York is now a common one, and is performed by two routes, one leading inside, and the other outside, the Great Barrier Reef. We took the inner one, which is now coming into general use, being shorter than the other, and of course more sheltered. These advantages will in time outweigh the difficulty of a somewhat more intricate navigation, and cause it to be all but exclusively used.
It is generally known that the gigantic Barrier
