THE INTERIOR OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 79 



around our station did not present a very encouraging appearance, the 

 principal objects visible being sand-plains and thickets. The latitude 

 of our camp was 33^ 18' 14'' S. On the 30th we pushed on to the 

 N.E. 12 miles, over sand-plains and through much close thicket, in- 

 cluding the stubborn burnt sticks of last year, 6 to 8 feet high, which 

 much impeded our progress, and tore our clothes and packs. After 

 searching many clumps of trees in vain, we at length found good rain- 

 water and excellent grass among some burnt thicket, and encamped for 

 the night. 



Towards sunset of next day, after a fatiguing march of 23 miles 

 through much thick country, partially wooded, we were again greatly 

 favoured by coming most opportunely to a small shallow lake, the 

 water in w^hich, although highly coloured by the clay bed, was quite 

 fresh; a little grass being scattered along the margin, we encamped 

 for the night; the latitude by two stars 32^ 55' 20'' S. On quitting 

 this lake, we entered immediately on a low level bed connected with it 

 and trending to the eastward, about 600 yards in width, its well-de- 

 iined banks being evidently waterworn, and flanked by thickets and 

 dense shrubs. Our hopes of a river were however disappointed, for 

 at the end of a mile the unimportance of this channel was evident, and 

 we quitted it, while it took a S.E. and S. direction towards some 

 extensive salt lakes, which we afterwards saw within twenty miles of 

 the spot. Red and white sandstone cliiTs, 15 feet in height, were here 

 seen and examined, but no dip or inclination could be perceived in 

 them, nor did they again appear as we proceeded N.E. Our distance 

 at this time of eighty miles from the sea-coast, with a very intricate 

 country intervening, would have rendered coal itself of little value, had 

 that mineral appeared. On extricating ourselves from the thick 

 country in this neighbourhood, and rising the open sand-plains beyond, 

 we obtained the first glimpse of a lofty, bare, granite peak, 45 miles to 

 the eastward, appearing over the intervening scrubby, wooded land, 

 like the top of a huge sugar-loaf. A range of wooded hills of less ele- 

 vation was also seen 25 miles in the N.E., and to them we first bent 

 our way, as lying nearer our intended route; but the further we ad- 

 vanced, the w orse became the countiy : the scrubs and thickets were 

 more dense, the sandy soil more stony, appearances of grass less pro- 

 mising, and, after a fatiguing march of 18 miles, there was nothing 

 better for our horses than coarse rushes and scnib, without water. 



