Nov. 8, 1858.] GASCOYNE KIVERS, IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 39 



east and south-west, and a few miles farther, coming in contact with 

 the south-east foot of Momit Puckford, it doubles back round its 

 north-east base, and there takes a general north-west course to lati- 

 tude 24° 36' and longitude 116° E., which we reached by noon of 

 the 7th, a considerable tributary joining at this point from the 

 northward. A compact sandstone range resting on a granite base 

 (which was named the Lockier Eange, after Mr. Lockier Surges, 

 one of the principal promoters of the expedition) here diverts the 

 course of the river to the left, which, by sundown, we found was 

 running nearly south. The country, for the last 50 miles, varies 

 but little in character; extensive open plains alternating with low 

 granite ridges, the banks of the river, which here has acquired a 

 width of 100 yards, with a depth of 40 feet, being, in many places, 

 stony and cut down by deep muddy creeks, rendering travelling 

 both slow and laborious. Several tributaries join from the north 

 and south, all of which had very recently ceased to run. 



To the north and east were several prominent peaks and ranges of 

 trap hills clothed with short herbage ; to the highest of the former, 

 a single conical peak, with deeply serrated sides, was given the 

 name of Mount James, after my friend and fellow traveller Mr. 

 James Eoe ; while two lofty summits, far to the northward, were 

 called Mount Samuel and Mount Phillips. 



The principal feed was found near the banks of the rivers, the 

 back country still yielding only a scanty supply of a red coloured 

 silky grass of little value except when quite fresh. A tree resem- 

 bling the sycamore of the Murchison, but with the leaves arranged 

 in triplets, and the seed-pods in the form of a large bean, grows near 

 the river, and attains a diameter of 2 feet, wdth a height of 40 feet ; 

 the wood is light and spongy, something resembling the Nuytsia 

 floribunda, but not gummy. It is formed by the natives into 

 shields, and near the coast into canoes. We also found on some of 

 the rocky hills a tree with fruit and flowers, resembling a small fig, 

 the leaves like a lemon, but yielding an acrid milky juice. 



Several new species of crested quail and dark brown pigeons were 

 first observed here; the beautiful small doves, common in the 

 northern districts, were also seen by thousands ; Gallinule and the 

 elegant Geophaps plumifera (crested pigeon of the marshes) w^ere 

 also very numerous. 



Sth May. — Pursuing our course down the left bank, we crossed 

 several stream beds w^hich drain a large tract of country, between 

 this and the Murchison. The Gascoyne here divides into several 

 broad sandy channels, sometimes as much as a mile apart. Towards 

 evening we came upon a native encampment : few of the men appeared 



