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TUB INTEKTOR OP WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 343 



also through its whole extent ; the neighbourhood being likewise strewed 

 mth quartz, ironstone^ and all the conglomerates and rubbish heretofore 

 observed to be associated with the shales. 



The land continuing to dip as we proceeded south-westward along a 

 small watercourse, with the shales occasionally visible at the surface, 

 we came at the end of three miles to a very abrupt descent^ almost 

 amounting to a cUff, of red sandstone, overlooking a river at its base 

 winding to the south-eastward. Much good grass was in and about 

 its bed, the main branch of which seemed to come from the south-west 

 and westward, and to be joined immediately beneath us by a grassy 

 tributary from the N.W. Descending carefully and without accident. 



amon 



the tributary, and found the water in one of the large deep pools per- 

 fectly fit for use, though slightly brackish or sw^eet. Grass was in the 

 greatest abundance, and of the best descriptions, fit at this time for 

 making many tons of excellent hay, the kangaroo-grass in particular 

 being in its prime, with heavy seed-tops, and young green shoots 

 below. 



This day's rough travelling again forced upon me the necessity for 

 sparing the horses as much as possible in such a country, and indeed 

 ourselves also ; for not only were the shoes of the former lamentably on 

 the decline, and their feet very sore, but some of the bipeds of our 

 party were likewise nearly unshod, and neither nails, leather, nor tacks 

 remained to effect any more repairs. It w^as therefore with some con- 

 cern I learnt from our native that this river came through a very rough 

 and rugged country ; though the disagreeable information was somewhat 

 qualified by the assurance that the good grassy land upon it extended 

 only a short distance further upwards, and was then replaced by thick 

 scrub. This changed my first intention of tracing it up, and induced 

 me to proceed next day in the opposite direction, for the purpose 

 chiefly of examining the river's estuary, the mouth of which I remem- 

 bered to have passed some years ago, on the western shore of Doubtful 



Island Bay- 

 Observing the latitude of our camp to be 34° 14' 5" S,, and West 

 Mount Barren to bear N. 21° E., three miles distant; we proceeded 

 E.S.B. down the river in the morning, Messrs. Gregory and Bidlcy 

 tracing the bed as far as the termination of the cliffs, half a mile lower 

 down, with the chances of falling in with an outcrop of coal ; none 



