231 



i may enumerate seven species of Hakea^ a species of Lani^ 

 hertia, four species of Isopogon^ three species of Leptospenrnmiy 

 a species of PetropMla^ and a liliacious plant not seen in 

 flower. Banksia grandis was remarked in a stunted state* 



The base of the mountains, (which was named Darlinfr's 

 Range, in honour of General Darling,) is covered with 

 fragments of quartz and chalcedony ; the soil a red sandy loam. 

 Here I observed a species of Hakea with holly-shaped leaves. 

 Farther up, the soil improves to a light brown loam^ but, 

 from its rocky nature, is incapable of cultivation* I saw a 

 beautiful species of Dryandray a species of Hakea^ and several 

 syngenesious plants. The summit of the mountain is studded 

 with noble Angophoras. Here too I found a beautiful speciea 

 ^f Arthropodium^ with filiform leaves, an arborescent species of 

 Hakea^ a species of Dryandra^ and two species oflsopogon. The 

 view from this summit is extensive, resembling that seen from 

 Princess Charlotte's Valley, which I witnessed in^ 1817, (vide 

 Qxley's Journal,) but divested of the permanent swamps^ 

 The highest part of the range is of ironstone, and it is re- 

 inarkable that there is no underwood. The ranges are of 

 equal height, so that no view could be had to the eastward. 



At the source of the river, I observed thickets of an 

 arborescent species of Acacia^ and gigantic thistles^ eTevetf 

 feet ra height. Here I found a magnificent species of 

 Sihiscus, with brilliant sky-blue flowers, and a species of 

 ^uphorbia. The ridges on the banks are perforated with 

 Immense numbers of deep pits, the origin or cause of which 

 ^e could not at first ascertain. They proved to be made by 

 the natives for the purpose of catching land tortoises, with 

 ^hich those ridges abound. 



'We found the river to be navigable until it almost ceases 

 to be a stream, or where there was not room for a boat to 

 P^ss, The water is fresh sixteen miles below its navigable 

 ^o^rce, and that at thf? end of a very dry season ; what, there- 

 f^J^e, must it be in a wet season ? Mons. Freycinet states 

 Jat he found no fresh water, although he was in the country 

 ^*^ing the rains, a decisive proof that we must fere pene- 

 tJ^ted at least twenfy-five miles highar than he did. We 



