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. The black guides were not forgotten, and
received their reward of biscuit and tobacco. The manner in which
they use this latter is curious, and worthy of notice. Not satisfied
with the ordinary "cutty" of the whites, they inhale it in volumes
through a bamboo cane. The effect is a profound stupefaction, which
appears to be their acme of enjoyment. On the morning of the 5th,
taking with them their younger brother, John Jardine, and their two
guides, Harricome and Monuwah, and the five fresh horses, in addition
to their own, the Brothers started to return to the cattle party, who
were anxiously awaiting their return on the banks of the flooded
Jardine. The black pilots were made to understand where the camp
was, and promised to take them by a good road. The first stage was
to the Saltwater Creek, on which they had camped with the tribe,
which they reached in about 17 miles, passing on the way, three fine
lakes, Wetura, Baronto, and "Chappagynyah," at two, four, and eight
miles from Somerset. The road was a fair one for the cattle, keeping
along the line marked by Mr. Jardine the preceding year as before
mentioned, and only presented a few light belts of scrub to go
through. They were likewise enabled to choose a better crossing of
the Saltwater Creek, where the swamps join and form a defined
channel. The last two miles were very boggy, even the fresh and
well-conditioned horses getting stuck occasionally.

'March' 6.--The camp was reached in the evening of to-day, at the
end of about 22 miles, but the black pilots were of very