THE “QUEENSLANDER” TRANSCONTINENTAL EXPEDITION.

Globe, Volume XX, Issue 1481, 14 November 1878, Page 3

THE “QUEENSLANDER” TRANSCONTINENTAL EXPEDITION.

[From the “Brisbane Courier,” October 10th.] In an unofficial letter from the leader of the “ Queenslander ” Trans-continental Purvey Party, dated “Kill’s Creek, August 24tb,” Mr Favenc says:—“Wo arrived here the beginning of this week, and start on again tomorrow. . , . There is no doubt that after crossing the Herbert there is a long strip of wa f erless ciuntry, that forms a very difficult birrier to penetrate; many have tried it and turned back. I think that we are likely to get across, as we are trying further north than it has been tried bd'ore, and as far as I can make out, there is greater chance of getting a creek heading from (he westward that would help us through. Once over it we shall get on to decently watered country. It has been a very dry year out hero ; they bad s 'urcelv ar y wet seison, and the food is very dry ; it is better on the Herbert, as the river was Hooded, and gnus grows on the edges of the waterhol-s as the water falls. Our horses have kept condition wonderfully well, and arc looking as well as when we started. I have got a boy from the police named Opal. He is not one of the boys recommend' d by Mr Towner, as they were both away. Up to

the present time I have been blackboy myself, which has rather interfered with my own wo-k I think the map B is preparing will bo very valuable ; certainly no such information has ever been obtained before. . . ,

Enclosed you will find two sketches of the edge of the table-land coming on to the Diamantina —(hey were the only noticeable features on the track. ... I am very pleased

with H , who is a first-rate fellow, and well suited for the work ; poor B says that 1400 miles and not a public-house on the road is pas', a j <ke altogether. The blacks have yarns about a l »rge extent of water in the interior (an inland sea), but their yarns ate very fanciful; it is strange, however, that some of the creeks crossing the telegraph line should run northerly. I think there is a good chance of coming across auriferous country; we shall not ho far from the Dividing Range, and the run of gold between tho Cloncurry and Yam Creek should crop out somewhere. There are slate and granite out there in places, and where they are together gold is not far off. ... I am anxious to g-4 on to the Herbert as soon as pos.-ible, as the warm weather is coming on rapidly, and wo have not much to do between hire and there. So far the line has not crossed an elevation of any moment, the drop off the tableland, 30 miles from here, being the only difficulty, and that but a slight one. . . , The great drawbacks on the line traversed so far are flooded country and scarcity of timber ; these are not very terrible ones. The mere crossing of the water channels themselves is nothing, and I don’t see why the flioded country should present much difficulty, os it is only about once in every three or four years that it is under water, and then not for long. Of ballast there is any quantity. Any obstacles in the way of timber would, I should say, be amply compensated by the level nature of the country traversed, ... I don’t know exactly when to say that we are likely to arrive at Port Darwin ; I think you may expect a wire from mo, from Daly Waters, about December Ist; but, if I come across good country and plenty of game, I shall probably camp for a spell to get the horses into condition. I shall certainly try and make Port Darwin by the end of the year, and avoid all chance of the wet. You need not get out an obituary notice until we have been a clear twelve months away.”