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 By Wiff Knight.
-Reading in "Bush Walker" No. 1 an account of Oliver Moriarty and party doing a
+Reading in "Bush Walker" No. 1 an account of Oliver Moriarty and party doing a trip from Kiandra to Kosciusko in midwinter, makes me think of a trip I did over that route in February and it was too cold for me then. I swore off cold spots and would rather go amongst mosquitoes and crocodiles than suffer another trip to Kosciusko.
-trip from Kiandra to Kosciusko in midwinter, makes me think of a trip I did over that
+I will write about a trip the wife and I took to the most northern point of Australia. We were camped at Somerset, a homestead that is situated on the north eastern point of the Peninsula. We had to go to the north western point about 9 or 10 miles as the crow flies, but much further by walking. I tried to get some information from Mr. Vidgeon who owns the land at Somerset. He told me that he had not been over by land and that it was about 20 miles around through swamps and advised me not to go without a guide. The black boy told him it was not a place for a white woman to go. With this cheerful information we decided to give it a fly.
-route in February and it was too cold for me then. I swore off cold spots and would rather go amongst mosquitoes and crocodiles than suffer another trip to Kosciusko,
+Mr. Vidgeon was taking some wheat and pollard around to the other end of his land where the old family home was. A. Mr. Jenkins and his wife were living there trying to start a poultry farm. It appears that they sailed up from Sydney in a yacht, sold the yacht and started to raise fowls. They had 200 fowls in a snake proof yard and well locked up at night. The carpet snakes are very plentiful and like a chook occasionally. He had a dog that warned him of any danger; his last dog disappeared and he thought a croc. must have got him. The trip around in the boat would cut a lot of walking out. It seems funny that sandy beaches and muddy will run next to one another. We passed a headland and then a small muddy bay. We had made three attempts to get to this bay overland and had to give it up as the bush and vines were too thick only about 1 mile from our camp. On the next headland was a croc asleep. The blackboy pointed him out to me. Before I could draw the wife's attention to him he was over the edge and under the water. It put the wind up me, I thought what chance would we have of getting away from him on land. Mr. Vidgeon told me that they could travel as fast as a good horse.
-I will write about a trip the wife and I took to the most northern point of Australia. We were camped at Somerset, a homestead that is situated on the north
+We put out a trailing line with a piece of white rag on and soon had a kingfish on, not a big one but enough for dinner. Then we came to a large muddy bay, more rocks, and then turned into the next bay, a long shallow one. We anchored well out about ½ (( 0.5 )) mile from shore and got into a flatbottom boat and rowed as far as we could and then got out and walked the rest. Mr. Jenkins came out with a hand-made cart of packing boxes drawn by a horse, all harness hand-made, to get his fowl feed. His house was well up off the beach. He had to come well out in the water as it was too shallow for boats. As we were to camp here I decided to get as close to his house as possible. We were invited to dinner wild turkey, wild pig, kingfish and yams with cheese custard to top off. It was well cooked and we enjoyed it. We pitched our small tent in long grass just in front of the house. Green spiders swarmed up the walls of the tent and the mosey's gave up a tune and I fell asleep and never woke until daylight. The wife told me she had not slept at all. The dog was rushing first to the beach and then over to the fowl yard barking at something - might have been snakes or croc's. So I am lucky to be a bit deaf. I thought the wife was going to say let us go back to our main camp, but to my surprise she said let us get on with this trip and get it over.
-eastern point of the Peninsula. We had to go to the north western point about 9 ur 10 miles as the craw flies; but much further by walking. I tried to get some inform-
+Mr. Jenkins came with us part of the way as he wanted to shoot a bull for fowl feed. We went down to the beach and got on a track that leads to the Telegraph Station followed it inland for about a mile and then branched off on pig tracks making for a hill. This country is a bog in wet weather and the grass about 4 ft. high. Mr. Jenkins went in front with his rifle as there might be a croc about.
-ation from Mr.- Vidgeon who owns the land at Somerset. He told me that he had not been over by land and that it was about 20 miles around through swamps Land advised me
+He told me that he would not think of going in the bush without his rifle and was surprised when I told him I never carry firearms. I blazed the trees high up on the side that I could see coming back. When we got to the top of the hill about 200 ft. high we had a splendid view of our direction to the beach about 1 mile away. But we had to go through a level forest. I was told to blaze a way through so that we could find our way back. Just then the dog scented a turkey and Mr. Jenkins left us and was back in ten minutes with his turkey. He told us that they are silly birds, they hide their heads and not their bodies when danger is near. We descended the hill and I arranged with the wife to stay at the last blaze until I blazed another tree in front, then pick out a third tree in line and come up to me so that we could keep straight through the bush. She soon forgot her job and was wandering about picking flowers and I ran into a wasps' nest. Then we had to both bolt with our eyes shut fighting off the wasps. I only had my shorts on and got more than my share of stings. We lost our blazes and I would not risk another lot of stings we went what we thought straight ahead until we landed in a mangrove swamp I knew we were near the beach then. Climbing on mangrove roots was a difficult job until we landed, not on our sandy beach, but a muddy one about 200 yards from our right place. That made a big difference because we sank up to our knees in the mud and when we pulled our legs out our shoes stayed in the bottom of the hole. I had to put my hand down to get them. We both laughed at each other with black legs and arms. I told the wile if she saw a croc to get up one of the mangrove trees, she said, "What are you going to do?" I said I would have to stick in the mud and with a pole I carried sharpened at the end and try and stick it down his throat. If there is one thing the wife won't do is to walk in mud but there was no way out; it had to be done. It was an awkward job every step you took meant some balancing while you pulled the other leg out. At last we landed on the sandy beach and peeled off, and were soon in the water washing the mud off ourselves and shoes and socks. We decided to have a snack and rest; it was only 11 o'clock. 11-30 saw us on our way across this mile beach and a small headland, then a very small sandy beach the furthest north beach, so we had another dip. I might tell you we never went any deeper than 2 feet. I had to chase a big fiddle-nose shark away before we went in, they are harmless but you never know what is in that milky water. Then on to the rocks and oysters - I never saw such oysters; one measured 6 inches by 4 inches, I opened them by giving them a blow with the back of my tomahawk. Something to chew about in one of them! They are good but tougher than the variety down south.
-not to go without a guide. The black boy told him it was not a place for a white woman to go. With this cheerful information we decided to give it a fly.
+We were only about 1 mile from our goal, it took about ½ (( 0.5 )) an hour to do as there were very rough cliffs. At last we stood right on the most northern point of Australia. As there were two rocks with about 10 ft. between them I stood on them both to make sure. I have never had a compass so could not tell which one was the exact north. The sun was my guide and mid-day sun is due north in the winter. About a stone's throw away is York Island and about 10 feet away fram that is Ellerbee Is. with a light on it. On the western side south is a sandy beach about 9 miles, then rocks where the Telegraph Station is. The line comes from Thursday Island and goes overland to Batavia and Cookstown about 400 miles. A motor boat brings the mails and stores across from Thursday Island every two weeks. We left this lonely spot and made back to the sandy beach where we could get water and camp. After tea we walked on to the headland dividing the sand from the mud to see if we could see any crocs and to get our bearing back through the forest. No crocs but we got a good view of our way baok. The mosseys were thick in the tent. I got some dried grass and smoked them out and sealed the tent up and went to sleep with my croc pole handy and the wife had the tomahawk. We were not disturbed and in the morning we had a dip and early start back. We came through the forest easily and over the hill but got a bit bushed in the swamp. I would go back to the last blaze and look for the next blaze and we got back to Mr, Jenkins' place at 11 o'clock. We decided to push on home to our main camp a very doubtful way. If low tide we could do it in 6 miles. If high tide I was told it was a long way around. We went the short way until we struck a creek, dirty black water about waist deep, I went in with pack and clothes on my head singing out and lashing the water with my croc pole to scare them away, I put my pack dawn on the other side and went back for the wife who had a small pack. Safely across she started picking up shells. I told her to drop them and get off the beach as soon as we could. It was about ½ (( 0.5 )) a mile across and ran back about the same distance and not a tree to climb up if Mr. croc had put in an appearance. We easily did the last stage and landed back at camp at 2 p.m.
-Mr. Vidgeon was taking some wheat and pollard around to the other end of his land where the old family home was. A. Mr. Jenkins and his wife were living there
+On Sunday, two days after, the natives from the homestead were in that creek spearing crabs and a croc rushed passed  them and never touched them. I think we were very lucky. The wife signed the visitor's book at the homestead and said she was very disappointed at not seeing a crocodile.
-trying to start a poultry farm. It appears that they sailed up from Sydney in a yacht, sold the yacht and started to raice fowls. They had 200 fowls in a snake
+===== Camp Fire Chatter. =====
-proof yard and well locked up at night. The earpet snakes are very plentiful and
-like a chock occasionally. He had a dog that warned him of any danger; his last dog disappeared and he thought a croc must have got him. The trip around in the boat would cut a lot of walking out. It seems funny that sandy beaches and muddy will run
-next to one another. We passed a headland and then a small muddy bay. We had made
-three attempts to get to this bay overland and had to give it up as the bush and vines were too thick only about 1 mile from our camp. On the next headland was a croc asleep. The blackboy pointed him out to me. Before I could draw the wife's attention to him he Was over the edge and under the water. It put the wind up me, I thought what chance mould we have of getting away from him on land. Mr. Vidgeon told me that they could travel as fast as a good horse.
-We put out a trailing line with a piece of white rag on and soon had a kingfish on, not a big one but enough for dinner. Then we came to a large muddy bay, more
-rooks, and then turned into the next bay, a long shallow one. We anchored well out about mile from shore and got into a flatbottom boat and rowed as far as we could and then got out and walked the rest. Mr. Jenkins came out with a hand-made cart of
-loacking boxes drawn by a horse, all harness hand-made, to get his fowl feed. Hig house was well up off the beach. He had to come well out in the water as it was too shallow for boats. As we were to camp here I decided to get as close to his hous,:
-as possible. We were invited to dinner wild turkey,wild pig, kingfish and yams wiin cheese custard to top off. It was well cooked and we enjoyed it. We pitched our small tent in long grass just in front of the house. Green spiders swarmed up the
-walls of the tent and the mosey's gave up a tune and I fell asleep and never woke
-until daylight. The wife told me she had not slept at all. The dog was rushing
-first to the beach and then over to the fowl yard barking at something - might have been snakes or croc's. So I am lucky to be a bit deaf. I thought the wife was
-going to say let us go back to our main camp, but to my surprise she said let us get on with this trip and get it over.
-Mr. Jenkins came with us part of the way as he wanted to shoot a bull for fowl feed, We went dawn to the beach and got on a track that leads to the Telegraph Station followed it inland for about a mile and then branched off on pig tracks
-making for a hill. This country is a bog in wet weather and the grass about 4 ft, high. Mr. Jenkins went in front with his rifle as there might be a croc about.
-- 4 -
-He told me that he would not think of going in the bush without his rifle and was surprised when I told him I never carry firearms. I blazed the trees high up on the side that I could see coming back. When we got to the top of the hill about 200 ft, high We had a splendid view of our direction to the beach about 1 mile away, 13:: Y 1 had to go through a level forest. I was told to blaze a way through so that wr) could find our way back. Just then the dog scented a turkey and Mr. Jenkins lc-ft af: and was back in ten minutes with his turkey. He told us that they are silly birdzthey hide their heads and not their bodies when danger is near. We descended th3 hill and I arranged with the wife to stay at the last blaze until I blazed another tree in front, then pick out a third tree in line and come up to me so that we cod keep straight through the bush. She soon forgot her job and was wandering about picking flowers and I ran into a wasps' nest. Then we had to both bolt with our oyes shut fighting off the wasps. I only had my shorts on and got more than my share cf stings, We lost our blazes and I would not risk another lot of stings we went what we thought straight ahead until we landed in a mangrove swamp I knew we were near tire beach then. Climbing on mangrove roots was a difficult job until we landed, not on our sandy beach, but a muddy one about 200 yards from our right place. That made a big difference because we sank up to our knees in the mud and when we pulled our legs out our shoes stayed in the bottom of the hole. I had to put my hand down to get them. We both laughed at each other with black legs and arms. I told the wile if she -saw a croc to get up one of the mangrove trees, she said, "What are you going to do?" I said I would have to stick in the mud and with a pole I carried sharpened at the end and try and stick it down kis throat. If there is one thing the wife won't do is to walk in mud but there was no way out; it had to be done. It was an awkward job every step you took meant some balancing while you pulled the other leg out. At last we landed on the sandy beach and peeled off, and were soon in the water washing the mud off ourselves and shoes and socks. We decided to have a snack and rest; it was only 11 o'clock. 11-30 saw us on our way across this mile beach and a small headland, then a very small sandy beach the furthest north beach, so we had another dip. I might tell you we never went any deeper than 2 feet. I had to chase a big fiddle-nose shark away before we went in, they are harmless but you never know what is in that milky water. Then on to the rocks and oysters - I never saw such oysters; one measured 6 inches by 4 inches, I opened them by giving them a blow with the back of my tomahawk. Something to chew about in one of them! They are good but tougher than the variety down south.
-We were only about 1 mile from our goal, it took about an hour to do as there were very rough cliffs. At last we stood right on the most northern point of Australis, As there were two rocks with about 10 ft. between them I stood on them both to make sure. I haveYnever had a compass so could not tell which one was the exact north. The sun was my guide and mid-day sun is due north in the winter. About a stone's throw away is York Island and about 10 feet away fram that is Ellerbee Is. with a light on it. On the western side south is a sandy beach about 9 miles, then rocks where the Telegraph Station is. The line comes from Thursday Island and goes overland to Batavia and Cookstown about 400 miles. A motor boat brings the mails and stores across from Thursday Island every two weeks. We left this lonely spot and made back to the sandy beach where we could get water and camp. After tea we walked on to the headland dividing the sand from the mud to see if we could see any crocs and to get our bearing back through the forest. No crocs but we got a good view of our way baok. The mosseys were thick in the tent. I got some dried grass and smoked them out and sealed the tent up and went to sleep with my croc pole handy and the wife had the tomahawk. We were net disturbed and in the morning we had a dip and early start back, We came through the forest easily and over the hill but got a bit bushed in the swamp. I would go back to the last blaze and look for the
-next blaze and we got back to Mr, Jenkins' place at 11 o'clock. We decided to pish on home to our main camp a very doubtful way. If low tide we could do it in 6 mir), If high tide I was told it was a long way around. We went the short way unti) struck a creek, dirty black water about waist deep, I went In with pack and on- my head singing out and lashing the water with my croc pole to scare them I put my pack dawn on the other side and went back for the wife who had a smalpt Safely across she started picking up shells. I told her to drop them and get (.1. beach as soon as we could. It was about a mile across and ran back about th-
-distance and not a tree to climb up if Mr, croc had put in an appearance. We easJ11.3' did the last stage and landed back at camp at 2 p m.
-On Sunday, two days after, the natives from the homestead were in that creek spearing crabs and a croc rushed passed,. them and never touched them. I think we were very lucky. The wife signed the visitor's book at the homestead and said she was very disappointed at not seeing a crocodile.
-CAMP FIRE CHATTER.
 By Firelight.