Page:Northmost Australia volume 2.djvu/53

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NORTHMOST AUSTRALIA


the Diary, to "a spur from MOUNT COOK" coming down to the right bank shows that Hann took the mountain mass east of the Annan for Mount Cook, instead of the isolated hill between the mouths of the Annan and Endeavour. Some POISONOUS HERBAGE had been eaten by Hann's best mount, which died at the camp. Two other horses appear also to have partaken of the poison, and were not considered out of danger for at least three days and were not fit for work for some weeks.

It may be mentioned that some years later, the ANNAN VALLEY and the mountain mass lying between it and the sea, including MOUNT THOMAS and MOUNT AMOS, produced a considerable quantity of tin oxide, of which the greater part was in the form of STREAM TIN. A dredging scheme has lately been set on foot with the object of recovering stream tin from the lower reaches of the river.

CAMP 49, of 26th September, appears to have been on high ground between WALLABY CREEK and BAIRD'S CREEK, tributaries of the Annan's right bank.

On 27th September, the day opened with something of the nature of a war-dance by NATIVES on a hill, but the " demonstration "was not followed up by any hostile act. Much time was spent, and lost, in following old tracks of natives, in the hope that these would lead to a way out of the " steep mountains and dense scrub." A progress of 5 miles to the south was the gross result of a day of severe toil. CAMP 50 was on the left bank of the ANNAN, about 15 49' S. latitude.

On 28th September, the party climbed up the valley of the ANNAN, partly in the rough bed of the river and partly over steep slopes covered with dense scrub, and appears to have reached a point very near the head of the river in about 3 miles to the south-east. CAMP 51.

From the HEAD OF THE ANNAN (which, it must be remembered, Hann called the Endeavour) to the mouth of the BLOMFIELD RIVER, in Weary Bay, the path had literally to be hewn foot by foot through a dense jungle which covered steep and dangerous slopes. A general south-eastward course was kept, but many deviations were forced on the travellers by the nature of the country. CAMPS 52, 53 and 54, of 2^th September and 1st and 2nd October, appear to have represented gains of 3, 2, and 2 miles respectively. Frightful risks were taken. In one place a horse fell on a "knife-edge ridge," and must have been killed if the ground had been clear ; but the trees were close enough together to save him from death. Another horse rolled over no less than four times before he could regain his footing.

The mouth of the BLOMFIELD RIVER was safely reached on 2nd October, but in this region the shore of the Pacific affords no footing for travellers. Some 12 miles south of Weary Bay, MOUNT