the elongated spur of the Cape York peninsula that stood in urgent need
of detailed exploration.

Amongst what may be called the minor pastoral expeditions of that period,
was one conducted by G.E. Dalrymple, who penetrated the coastal country
north of Rockhampton as far north as the Burdekin. In 1859 he followed
that river down to the sea, and found that the mouth had been located
further to the south than was really the case. His party then struck
inland, examined the head of that river, and found the Valley of Lagoons.
The following year another party, consisting of Messrs. Cunningham,
Somer, and three others, explored the tributaries of the Upper Burdekin,
and opened up several good tracts of pastoral country. The permanent
running stream which flows through a rugged wall of basalt into an
ana-branch of the Burdekin, was first noticed by this party, and called
Fletcher's Creek.

[Illustration. Frank L. Jardine.

Illustration. Alec W. Jardine.]

Frank and Alec Jardine jointly led up the Cape York Peninsula an
expedition that in its hardships and dangers emulated that of Kennedy's,
but fortunately without a tragic ending. The year 1863 was one of great
activity in the northern part of eastern Australia. At Cape York, the
Imperial Government had, on the recommendation of Sir George Bowen, the
first governor of Queensland, decided to form a settlement. John Jardine,
the police magistrate of the central town of Rockhampton, was selected to
take charge, and a detachment of marines was sent out to be stationed
there. Somerset, the new settlement, was formed on the Albany Pass,
opposite to the island of the same name. Jardine was to proceed by sea to
his new sphere of office, but, anticipating the want of fresh meat at the
proposed station, he entered into an arrangement with the Government
whereby his two sons were to take a small herd of cattle thither
overland, and on the way make careful observations of the land through
which they were to pass. Somerset was situated near the scene of
Kennedy's death, and knowing what tremendous difficulties that explorer
had met with on the eastern shore, it was decided that the expedition
should attempt to follow the western shore through the unknown country
that faced the Gulf of Carpentaria. Both the Jardine brothers were quite
young men at the time when they started on their exceedingly adventurous
trip, which combined cattle-droving with exploration: Frank, the accepted
leader