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--- 195609 [2019/03/14 22:18] – vievems
+++ 195609 [2019/03/14 22:32] – vievems
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 early start. The ridge on which the track climbed ran into rain forest where the branches of the trees practically met overhead and there were quite a few orchids in the tall trees. I met an old prospector with swag on back on his way to Daintree for rations. He assured me he was getting a little gold in the creeks hereabouts.
-Three hours walking brought me to Gold Hill, about 3,000 ft. From here there was a fine view. Away to the east on the skyline was Capt. Cook's monument or "Pieterbot", a tall spire-like rock first sighted by the famous navigator on his voyage up the coast. I had reached the highest point and the track now led down into open grassland where I had lunch at a small creek. I was now in the "China camp" area, once the centre of tin and gold mining but now deserted save for a few old miners who made a living washing the gravel in the creek beds for tin. I noticed all the gear - sluices, cradles, dishes - as I passed through. The country was now dotted with termite mounds about 5 ft. high. As the track persisted in going west I was getting
+Three hours walking brought me to Gold Hill, about 3,000 ft. From here there was a fine view. Away to the east on the skyline was Capt. Cook's monument or "Pieterbot", a tall spire-like rock first sighted by the famous navigator on his voyage up the coast. I had reached the highest point and the track now led down into open grassland where I had lunch at a small creek. I was now in the "China camp" area, once the centre of tin and gold mining but now deserted save for a few old miners who made a living washing the gravel in the creek beds for tin. I noticed all the gear - sluices, cradles, dishes - as I passed through. The country was now dotted with termite mounds about 5 ft. high. As the track persisted in going west I was getting anxious as I should be bearing north; however I decided to follow it until sundown. About 5 o'clock I came upon a tin shack with a set of cattle yards. The shack consisted of one unlined room furnished with three hessian bunks. In the centre was a table and food cupboard.
+There was a small verandah at the front entrance. On pegs driven into the wall hung all the gear of a cattle camp - pack saddles, hobbles, harness, branding irons and two rifles. The shack was deserted. Outside on the clothes line were pegged numerous white objects. Closer inspection revealed what is known as "jerked meat". The meat is treated with coarse salt and then hung on the line to cure in the sun. I pitched camp a short distance from the dwelling and was cooking tea when the owners arrived - two young chaps and a station hand. They were very friendly and invited me over for a talk. The place was known as the "Ten Mile" and I was about six miles off course. However it
-anxious as I should be bearing north; however I decided to follow it until sundown. About 5 o'clock I came upon a tin shack with a set of cattle yards. The shack consisted of one unlined room furnished with three hessian bunks. In the centre was a table and food cupboard.
-There was a small verandah at the front entrance. On pegs driven into the wall hung all the gear of a cattle camp - pack saddles, hobbles, harness, branding irons and two rifles. The shack was deserted. Outside on the clothes line were pegged numerous white objects. Closer inspection revealed what is known as "jerked meat". The meat is treat-
-ed with coarse salt and then hung on the line to cure in the sun.I
-pitched camp a short distance from the dwelling and was cooking tea when the owners arrived - two young chaps and a station hand. They
-were very friendly and invited me over for a talk. The place was known as the "Ten Mile" and I was about six miles off course. However it
 was a blessing in disguise as I had travelled around the headwaters of the Bloomfield River across which I would have had to get a boat or wait for low tide and wade. It is infested with sharks and crocks.
-My hosts were very interested in Paddy's "Federation" rucksack
-and camping gear and obtained his address from me. I was invited to
+My hosts were very interested in Paddy's "Federation" rucksack and camping gear and obtained his address from me. I was invited to breakfast and loaded up with as much jerked meat as I could carry. I found the meat, when boiled with potatoes and pumpkin, very appetising. It will keep for a long while. It is the custom on most stations to give travellers a handout of moat.
-breakfast and loaded up with as much jerked meat as I could carry.
-I found the meat, when boiled with potatoes and pumpkin, very appetis-
+My friends directed me to the track which led to Ayton, a small village at the mouth of the Bloomfield river, 14 miles distant. The country was similar to that which I had traversed the previous day. It was quite hot walking as I was down about sea level again. I arrived at the township about 4 o'clock and stocked up with some food as the rations were getting low. All the stores are brought into Ayton by sea, a boat calling once a month. The main export is timber. The tropical fruits, pawpaws and pineapples, grow well here.
-ing. It will keep for a long while. It is the custom on most stations to give travellers a handout of moat.
-My friends directed me to the track which led to Ayton, a small
+I followed the road around to the sawmill and made camp for the night in a deserted cottage at the mill. On Saturday I arose at dawn and left camp early. The road followed the river for a while. It was very pleasant walking on the sunny spring morning, the country here on the coastal frings being flat and open. There were a lot of wild pigs and a few dingos in this area. After lunch a utility came along on its way to Cooktown and offered me a lift. The road here was just a rough track. After a few miles we came to some wild jungle country dotted with large boulders laced with fallen tree trunks and lawyer vine, the quaint umbrella palm and the wild banana bushes. On some of the large rocks one could see Aboriginal drawings, mostly outlines of the human body.
-village at the mouth of the Bloomfield river, 14 miles distant. The country was similar to that which I had traversed the previous day. It was quite hot walking as I was down about sea level again. I arrived at the township about 4 o'clock and stocked up with some food as the rations were getting low. All the store are brought into Ayton by sea, a boat calling once a month. The main export is timber.
-The tropical fruits, pawpaws and pineapples, grow well here.
+We were now in the open cattle country and stopped a while at the small township of Rossville. The local inn is appropriately named the "Lion's Den". The walls of the bar room were lined with the skins of pythons which Mine Host had killed in his fowl pen. The pythons kill the fowls by crushing their heads with one snap. After gorging, the snakes are unable to get through the wire mesh and so fall easy prey to the irate Innkeeper.
-I followed the road around to the sawmill and made camp for the night in a deserted cottage at the mill. On Saturday I arose at
-dawn and left camp early, The road followed the river for a while. It was very pleasant walking on the sunny spring morning, the country here on the coastal frings being flat and open. There were a lot of wild pigs and a few dingos in this area. After lunch a utility came along on its way to Cooktown and offered me a lift. The road here was just a rought track. After a few miles we came to Some wild jungle country dotted with large boulders laced with fallen tree trunks and lawyer vine, the quaint umbrella palm and the wild banana bushes. On some of the large rocks one could see Aboriginal drawings, mostly outlines of the human body.
+On the road once again, the Annan River was crossed. The trees here were of the ghost gum variety. A few miles from Cooktown is Black Mountain, an awe-inspiring heap of black granite boulders, bare except for a green bush scattered here and there. The rocks expand and contract with the changes of temperature caused by the sun setting
-We were now in the open cattle country and stopped a while at the small township of Rossville. The local inn is appropriately named the "Lion's Den". The walls of the bar room were lined with the skins of pythons which Mine Host had killed in his fowl pen. The pythons kill the fowls by crushing their heads with one snap.
+or a cloud covering the sun. The action of contracting makes a clicking sound. The natives fear them on this account and say a Debbil-Debbil dwells there. Black Mountain is also the home of numerous rock pythons which prey on the small rock wallabies that infest the mountain.
-After gorging, the snakes are unable to get through the wire mesh and so fall easy prey to the irate Innkeeper.
-On the road once again, the Annan River was crossed. The trees
+I arrived in Cooktown as the sun was setting and camped in what was once the park. It had now reverted to wilderness. There was a strong wind which blows continually for weeks on end around this time of the year. In its heyday Cooktown was quite a large town, kept going by the gold and tin that were found in the area. One can still see signs of the large Radio and Aerodrome Station that were here during the last War. The bank and hospital are two fine buildings that give a hint of its former glory. There is a fine monument to Captain Cook who landed here, also one to Kennedy, the ill-fated explorer who lost his life exploring the Peninsula.
-.
-here were of the ghost gum variety. A few miles from Cooktown is Black Mountain, an awe-inspiring heap of black granite boulders, ilare except for a green bush scattered here and there. The rocks expand and contract with the changes of temperature caused by the sun setting
-or a cloud covering the sun. The action of contracting makes a clicking sound. The natives fear them on this account and say a DebbilDebbil dwells there. Black Mountain is also the home of numerous rock pythons which prey on the small rock wallabies that infest the mountain
-I arrived in Cooktown as the sun was setting and camped in what was once the park. It had now reverted to wilderness. There was a strong wind which blows continually for weeks on end around this time
-of the year. In its heyday Cooktown was quite a large town, kept
-going by the gold and tin that were found in the area. One can still see signs of the large Radio and Eerodrome Station that were here during the last War. The bank and hospital are two fine buildings that give a hint of its former glory. There is a fine monument to Captain Cook who landed here, also one to Kennedy, the ill-fated explorer who lost his life exploring the Peninsula.
 I returned to Sydney via the Mulligan Highway, but that is another story.