Nov. 8, 1858.] GASCOYNE RIVERS, IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 45 



space between the Lyons and the great southern bend of the Gas- 

 coyne, while to the south, with the exception of a few very distant 

 peaks, it appeared, as far as the eye could reach, to be an uniform 

 plain of open but almost grassless scrub. 



Having completed our round of angles, we struck south-east to a 

 patch of forest on the banks of the river, which we did not reach 

 until some time after dark. 



2bth May. — From this point to lat. 23^ 56', the Lyons maintains 

 a general course of N.N.E. The country passed over during to- 

 day had evidently been tolerably grassy, but the floods had been 

 quite as destructive here as on the Gascoyne, the bed of the river 

 and flats for half a mile on each side being mostly choked up or 

 buried under fields of fine white sand, which had been brought down 

 by the inundations. In several places we observed beds of gypsum 

 and fossil shells, with other strong indications of the existence of 

 coal in the vicinity. Bivouac in lat. 24° 41' 18". 



2Qth May. — A few miles along the river brought us to a gorge in 

 the eastern edge of the sandstones, to the east of which it opened 

 out into extensive plains, in some parts well grassed and in others 

 much washed by the river. Several trap and granite hills were 

 visible at some distance to the northward and eastward. Our 

 bivouac was in lat. 24° ST 05", about 3 miles south of a bold trap 

 range, the summit of which was named Mount Sandiman. 



21th May. — The country still maintained its variable character, 

 travelling near the river being exceedingly heavy on account of 

 the sand. The morning had been calm and sultry, but towards 

 noon a strong breeze set in from the north, bringing with it a dense 

 cloud of fine red dust, against which it was no easy matter to make 

 head with our horses. Towards evening the flats began to improve, 

 and we halted for the night among fine grass ; melons and tobacco 

 also growing very luxuriantly. To-night it rained for about two 

 hours, clearing the atmosphere of its load of dust. 



2'^th May. — Eesuming our course up the river, at 4 miles w^e 

 crossed a stream-bed 40 yards wide, coming in from the N.N.W., 

 and in the course of the day passed over several thin beds of 

 opaque white lava resting upon the sandstone. At our camp, which 

 was in lat. 24° 3' 08", gi'anite began to make its appearance in the 

 bed of the river. 



2'^th May.—OvLY packhorses having now been much lightened of 

 their loads, we were to-day, for the first time, able to trot for several 

 hours, and as the countr}^ still improved, several fine grassy valleys 

 coming in from the eastward, wo made considerable progress. 



At our noon halt, Mr. Moore and myself ascended a hill of red 



