NAPIER (Francis).
Notes of a Voyage from New South Wales to the North Coast of Australia from the Journal of the late Francis Napier.
A RARE PRESENTATION COPY
Presentation copy from the editor, James R. Napier, to A.G. Macdonald (dated 7th August 1876).
“In 1867 the South Australian Government sent an expedition under Capt. Cadell to the north coast of their territory to discover desireable localities for settlements. The author of these notes joined it. On the 23rd December 1875 while preparing a short account of his voyage he died. This and his journal form the basis of this account and were submitted by members of his family after his death” (Ferguson).
“The expedition departed from Newcastle. From Cape York it crossed the Gulf of Carpentaria to the Liverpool River, and surveyed that river and explored the coast for about 100 miles east and west of it. The expedition then returned to Burke Town on the Albert River, at the head of the Gulf of Carpentaria, and passing through Cadell Strait, and along the west coast of the Gulf, it remained some time at Maria Island… [then] discovered the entrance to the Roper River, from the Roper it returned to the Liverpool river, thence sailing westwards to Mount Norris Bay, Adam’s Bay, and Victoria river, in search of fuel food and water” (Preface). Wantrup, 102; Ferguson, 13058.
