Kov. 8, 1858.] GASCOYNE RIVERS, IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 49 



this locality. The air was fortunately very clear, enabling us to 

 take bearings to almost every remarkable summit within 80 miles, 

 and in two instances to hills more than 100 miles distant. 



From this commanding position I was enabled to sketch in the 

 courses of the rivers for more than 20 miles, some of them probably 

 taking their rise from 60 to 100 miles still farther to the eastward. 

 To the N.E. the country continued to improve in appearance until 

 the view was intercepted by bold ranges of trap and granite, one of 

 which, bearing N. 30° E. magnetic, distant nearly 100 miles, having 

 a sharp volcanic outline, reared its summit above all the rest. To 

 the S.E. the country was not quite so promising, the ridges pre- 

 senting naked stony outlines, upon which was only a little scanty 

 grass or a few bushes ; to the south it was almost an uninterrupted 

 plain, extending almost as far as the Murchison River, over which 

 lay our homeward course. Descending the Mount, we encamped at 

 a spring, in some fine feed, close at its foot. 



4:th June. — As we had now been out fifty-one days, and as our 

 provisions were only calculated to last twenty-four days longer, 

 although we had reduced our allowance shortly after quitting the 

 Geraldine Mine, we were reluctantly compelled to turn our steps 

 homeward, as we were still 360 miles from the settled districts. 

 Passing, therefore, over the eastern foot of Mount Augustus, we 

 pursued a S.S.E. course for 20 miles, over alternating grassy plains 

 and stony ridges ; we encamped on a river with a sandy bed, in 

 which were a few shallow pools, its trend bearing N.N.W., and 

 probably joins the Gascoyne near the Lockier Eange. The feed on 

 this river, as well as on those between this and the Murchison, was 

 principally kangaroo grass of strong growth; the course of the 

 stream being easily traceable from a distance by the flooded gum- 

 trees that invariably lined their margins. 



bth June. — A south course of 10 miles over a poor stony country 

 brought us to the head of a stream, which following in the same 

 direction to lat. 24° 51' 52", we found plenty of grass on its banks 

 and pools of water in its bed, which was here 30 yards wide ; the 

 principal features of the adjacent country being low granite ridges, 

 intersected by occasional quartz dykes, alternating with chlorite 

 schist. 



Qth June. — Sunday. 



1th /wne.— Following a S.S.E. course, at 6 miles the stream turned 

 to the S.W. Passing over several miles of stony country, in lat. 

 24° 59' 32", wo crossed another stream-bed, 40 yards wide, running 

 to the westward, and forming a junction with the last at some miles 

 distant. Towards sundown we came upon a recently inundated 



VOL. III. E 



