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CHAPTER XLI

THE TOURNEY OF FRANK AND ALEXANDER JARDINE (1864-5) FROM ROCKHAMPTON TO SOMERSET

CARPENTARIA DOWNS VIA EINASLEIGH RIVER TO THE MOUTH OF THE ETHERIDGE RIVER

PROGRESS OF SETTLEMENT OF QUEENSLAND UP TO 1864. SOMERSET. NAMES OF MEMBERS OF THE EXPEDITION. CATTLE AND HORSES TO STOCK A STATION. EQUIPMENT. CAMP AT J. G. MACDONALD'S CARPENTARIA DOWNS STATION, WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TO BE ON LEICHHARDT'S LYND RIVER. ALICK'S RECONNAISSANCE DOWN THE RIVER, WHICH is NAMED THE EINASLEIGH. His RETURN TO CARPENTARIA DOWNS. A. J. RICHARDSON, SURVEYOR. His NARRATIVE AND MAP. F. J. BYERLEY EDITS THE BROTHERS' DIARY. EXPEDITION LEAVES CARPENTARIA DOWNS. DOWN EINASLEIGH RIVER TO INFALL OF ETHERIDGE RIVER. CAMP 13. CANNIBALISM. SUMMARY OF ITINERARY. EINASLEIGH RIVER FALLS INTO GILBERT RIVER. THE DUTCH STATEN REVIER, DE JURE, is ONE OF THE MOUTHS OF THE GILBERT RIVER.

QUEENSLAND was separated from New South Wales in 1859. The Governor of the new colony, SIR GEORGE BOWEN, on his return from a voyage to the northern ports, recommended SOMERSET, Cape York, as the site of a settlement, "on account of its geographical importance, as harbour of refuge, coaling station and entrepot for the trade of Torres Strait and the North Pacific." MR. JOHN JARDINE, then Police Magistrate and Gold Commissioner at Rockhampton, was placed in charge of the new settlement as "Government Resident" and a detachment of marines was landed in 1863.

Gradually as it became evident that the prevailing industries of the new settlement were destined to be chiefly maritime, THURSDAY ISLAND, off the mainland of Cape York, became the chief depot for the ships engaged in the search for pearls, pearl-shell and beche de mer and the seat of Government was eventually transferred to the island.

Shortly after his installation, Mr. Jardine foresaw the necessity for a regular supply of FRESH MEAT to the new settlement, and proposed to the Government to send his two sons, Frank (22) and Alick (20) overland with a herd of cattle to form a station from which it might be supplied. The proposal was agreed to and the Government instructed a surveyor to accompany the expedition.

With all the advantages of health and youth, and above all, of training from their childhood in the bushmanship which Australia requires and bestows, the two brothers were unusually well qualified

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