o was
backed by Burns, Philp and Co. to start a store, had left Townsville for
the same destination as ourselves, if the locality was found to be
suitable.

He did not overtake his teams until they reached the Twelve-mile Hole,
on the Elderslie road, where he stopped them while he rode on to
Collingwood, the newly-surveyed township, to inspect.

He concluded the country was subject to floods, so he turned his teams
back, and decided to build on the spot on which we found him camped when
we arrived with our teams.

We also met a man named Bob Allen, who had been located in the
neighbourhood for two years or more. Allen was an ex-sergeant of police,
who left Aramac about 1875 to start a store and public house on what is
known as the Pelican Hole, one mile west of the site of Winton. Very
heavy rains fell in 1876, and we were told he was compelled by floods to
remain two days on the wall-plate of his building.

When the water allowed him, he shifted what was left of his hotel and
store, and re-erected them on the present site of the Queensland
National Bank, Winton.

Allen, Lynett, Fitzmaurice and I discussed the removal of the building,
and forming the town back on higher ground.

We offered to do the work without cost, but Allen and Lynett decided to
remain where they were. We had to accept the position, and agreed to
build in line with the others.

This formed the base upon which Mr. Surveyor Jopp laid out the township
afterwards.

After putting up a skeleton shed covered by tarpaulins, I obtained from
Ayrshire Downs two loads of wool for our teams, returning to Townsville.
In the meantime, Fitzmaurice had disposed of L600 worth of goods. I was
occupied a whole day pasting the pieces of the torn and damaged cheques.
I then started for the nearest bank, which was at Aramac, 250 miles
away.

A drought being on, I had many difficulties in getting through.

There were only 5,000 sheep on Vindex, and these were camped on a
water-hole which had been filled by a stray thunderstorm. The remainder
of the sheep from the run were travelling for grass and water on the
coast near Townsville. As a compliment, I was allowed to replenish my
water-bag, and to obtain one drink for each of my two horses.

My next camp was off the road on East Darr Station, where a mob of
kanakas were cutting down scrub for fencing.

When I reached Muttaburra, I found the hotel to be a grass hut. It
proved to be a very rowdy place, so I dec