24:4 JOUHNKY OF UISCOVKKY INTO 



Mount Barren bore from it N. 87 



miles 



Traces of kangaroo were everywhere abundant, together with some of 

 emu, and the bones of both were plentifully scattered around two large 

 and xery recent huts of natives, near our camp, which seemed to have 

 been occupied by them within the last two days, for the branches which 

 had been used in their construction were still green and fresh. Like 

 most of the huts or shelters we had seen scattered over several hundred 

 miles of country, these were of very rude and primitive construction, 

 having been formed by merely placing broken-off branches in a semi- 

 circle, and resting their broken ends in a strong forked support, sloping 

 towards them in front. The fire, which always forms part of a native's 

 encampment, is invariably small^ and without flame, and is made within 

 ojr without the support in front, according to the size of the hut, or to 

 the number of persons it is intended to shelter. Near rivers or swaraps 

 which produce the Tea-tree (Melaleuca), its paper-like bark is used to 

 cover in the huts, and is very loosely and carelessly thrown across 

 straight sticks stripped of their leaves, stuck in the ground, and arched 

 over to a general interlocking at the top. 



Having seen the camp established, and the worst of our horses feed- 

 ing on the choicest spots of soft green grass, which had been selected for 

 them, I started with Messrs, Gregory and Ridley, and the native, at four 

 o'clock, mounted on the best of our steeds, to reconnoitre the country 

 in advance, and prepare for a more full examination of the estuary on 

 the morrow. In less than two miles it came in view, about a mile to 

 the E.S.E., presenting a fine sheet of open water, into which projected 

 several prominent headlands, promising well for deep navigation 5 but 

 no opening could yet be seen to the sea. In the upper part it received 

 some open reaches of our river, near which were also some open lakes. 



and, further eastward, two of a sandy salt character, seemingly at this 

 time quite dry. Beyond these we came out, at the end of a mile, upon 

 the low swampy north-west shore of the estuary, abreast of the river s 

 mouth, and worked our way south-eastward, to examine a lofty, bold 

 projection of yellow and reddish clifls, which formed a prominent and 

 not unpleasing object on the estuary's northern shore, three or four miles 

 further on. As we got into its neighbourhood, the land became exceed- 

 ingly rocky, broken, and rough; deep, precipitous ravines, which would 

 have required a long time to examine, were found deeply to indent the 

 shore, and the projecting abutments between them were overhanging 



