Nov. 8, 1858.] GASCOYNE RIVERS, IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA. 37 



of its termination, runs east for about 20 miles at the distance of 6 ' 

 or 7 miles from the north bank of the river. 



To the eastward an elevated range, w^ith two conspicuous summits 

 which were respectively named Mount Matthew and Mount Hale, 

 terminated the view in that direction, while to the south only a few 

 detached peaks were visible. 



To-day we first observed a very beautiful convolvulus, which we 

 afterwards found to bear roots like a sweet potato, some of them more 

 than a pound weight and well flavoured, forming a very important 

 article of food to the natives. The flowers are numerous, and mea- 

 sure from 2 to 3 inches in diameter, their outer edges of a dark lilac, 

 deepening to a rich purple at the centre, with a pale-green convolute 

 ribbing on the outside, the stem and leaf of the plant resembling the 

 canidia. Mr. Drummond, to whom I have described it, considers it 

 an important discovery, as by cultivation it might become a valuable 

 addition to our Australian esculents. 



A small species of rock-melon was also found in great abundance, 

 about the size of a pigeon's egg, somewhat bitter to the taste, but 

 they were not ripe ; in other respects it much resembles the cul- 

 tivated varieties. 



The bed of the river at this night's bivouac had attained an eleva- 

 tion of 1 240 feet above the sea. 



30^^ April. — Finding that the Murchison was leading us too much 

 to the eastward, the object of the expedition being to reach the 

 Gascoyne with as little delay as possible, we quitted the river on a 

 N.N.E. course for about 8 miles over a tolerably grassy plain, in 

 some parts open, with atriplex and samphire, and in others rather 

 thickly studded with acacia and melaleuca. Ascending a granite 

 hill of 150 feet elevation, the plain was observed to the eastward to 

 extend to the horizon, only broken by one remarkable bold trap hill 

 at the distance of 20 miles, which was eventually named Mount 

 Gould, the main Murchison flowing round its southern base, while a 

 considerable tributary from the north-east passed close under it to 

 the north-west. To the north of our position the country rose into 

 a succession of stony ridges thinly grassed and nearly destitute of 

 trees ; in the vallej^s the kangaroo grass was tolerably plentiful and 

 quite green, a sufficient evidence that we had now arrived within 

 the influence of the rains that had produced the recent inundation, 

 which gave us every hope of being able to push across the country 

 intervening between this and the Gascoyne. We accordingly 

 altered our course to north-west for the remainder of this and the 

 following day, crossing several tributaries to the Murchison, in 

 which we found plenty of water, and on their banks an abundant 



