50 EXPLORATION OF THE MURCHISON, LYONS, AND [Nov. 8, 1858. 



plain, and a mile farther struck a grassy channel 30 yards wide, 

 which had barely ceased running, the soil for some distance on 

 either bank being a strong red loam, yielding a fair supply of 

 pasture. This channel we afterwards found to be only one of 

 several which formed the main branch of the Gascoyne. The 

 observed latitude was 25° 6' 30", and elevation 1740 feet above 

 the sea. 



Sth June, — A mile farther we came upon the main channel of the 

 river, with a wide shallow bed, down which a small stream was 

 still running: the flats were well grassed, and the flooded gums 

 growing for more than a mile back from the river. To the eastward 

 the country continued level and grassy as far as the eye could 

 reach ; our time was, however, too limited to admit of our making 

 any further examination of this promising tract. A party of 20 or 

 30 natives were encamped here, and were apparently living upon 

 the roots of the convolvulus, which grows in the vicinity in great 

 abundance. 



For 15 miles to the south-east it continued a level plain of red 

 loam, tolerably well grassed and covered with an open wood of 

 acacia ; the next 8 miles was over a poor, stony ridge of moderate ele- 

 vation, terminating at a large dry stream bed, in latitude 25" 24' 16", 

 with some fine kangaroo grass on its banks. 



9^^ June. — Ten miles south, over a granite country, we struck the 

 head of a water-course, which, after winding about for 16 miles, ran 

 close to the western foot of Mount Gould, where we encamped at its 

 junction with another small stream coming from the northward. 

 The country passed over to-day was generally very stony, until we 

 came within a few miles of Mount Gould. 



10 til June. — Taking our course direct for Mount Hale, the pasture 

 rapidly improved ; at 10 miles the water-course we had been following 

 formed a junction with the main Murchison coming in from the cast- 

 ward. From the appearance of the river at this point, it is probable 

 that it takes its rise nearly another 100 miles farther to the N.E. 

 The next 13 miles down the river was fair average cattle pasture, ex- 

 tending for several miles to the right and left — open flats of atriplex 

 and samphire occurring at intervals. 



nth Jane. — The river soon divided into several channels, shedding 

 its waters over a fine alluvial flat of considerable extent, yielding a 

 rich sward of grass, under flooded gums of large growth. A little 

 after noon we came upon our outward track, and encamped at night 

 near the north-west bend of the Murchison. 



12th to 22nd June was occupied in descending the river to the 

 Geraldine Mine, cutting off several bends of the river, and making 



