1948 Archbold Cape York Expedition Journal of G. H. H. Tate. December1, 1947-October27, 1948
Page 101
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Transcription
Passed bare, isolated Lookout Point at 9. a.m. rose bad dunes beyond but less developed, giving way to fringe of margoves. Rounded, bare Peak ahead. Turtle Bay passed at 9.50. Passed inside Newton Isl. at 2. p.m. Saddle Hill clst 1.30 pm. Mt Stickey Range; Saddle Hill Ranges (1400-1500) and the range NW of Jeannie R., 1300 to 2000 feet all appear to be horizontally bedded sandstone. Noble Island, N. south of Jeannie R., has produced tin. A stop has been made in Warson Isl. to test for Wolfram (Cr.god). Never prominent features are Abbey Peak, North Bay Point, and Cape Helvills (no altitude given on 17 m.p.i. map.) Boy pilot says to wait in truck this year from Corktown to Starks. Road had a good deal of down tinta. Creeks fairly numerous but dry quickly. Starks has some salt pans. It is a cattle station. In late afternoon we stopped by a temporarily abandoned foot which had run aground on Schweitzer's Bay, a "dead" reef between the outer Barrier and the mainland. The water (a little after low tide) was about a foot deep, dotted with masses of green seaweed. We four rowed over to it -- spent half an hour wading about. "Scrub clams" were common. They were probably from 6" to 12" long. Bass also many butter-stars, black sea cucumbers, deep blue starfish, ten starfish with red spots, a variety of bivalves and univalves, including Trochus-like shells. Collected a few shells as souvenirs. Sunap. 18. We must have rounded Cape Helvills at about 10-11 p.m. as we ran into quite a chop of sea. At 12.15 the motor stopped for a few I looked out to see dim hills due south, which may have been Cape Helvills still. At 4.30 the motor stopped a few minutes I again went to deck. Then saw again hills to S., which were either the Thinders Isles or the Bathurst Ranges. All night we held a westerly course.