24 



EXPLORATION IN WKSTERN AUSTRALIA 



once I saw the fire disappear, and I became aware that what I 

 had taken for my camp fire, was a black's firestick. I fired a 

 shot, when the blacks shouted and cleared. They must 

 have seen me going down the creek, and went travelling oif. 

 I confess this gave me a start, for, as I had seen their fires in the 

 gorge, I certainly never suspected they would be so close to our 

 camp. My boys hearing my shot fired a shot or two in reply. 

 I was glad to get in with a whole skin, and decided that it 

 would not do to go travelling about alone in the dark, with 

 such numbers of apparently noctivagous blacks in the 

 neighbourhood. 



This is such a very interesting country that I could write a 

 book on it. It was a perfect revelation to me, and certainly will 

 be to others, especially in the eastern colonies, who believe West 

 Australia to consist mainly of sandy deserts, tireless spinifex 

 plains and salt" swamps and lakes. I much regret that Inspector 

 Ord was not with me to see this magnificent country and report on 

 it. I think when it is surveyed, ray descriptions and bearings 

 will be found fairly correct, as I have a good idea of surveying 

 and of the country I write about. 



On both sides of the Phillips Range there are some very 

 fine pine trees, as well as other useful timber. 



I now travelled south-east by south, and after covering ten 

 miles, I struck a splendid running creek or river (I am inclined 

 to call it a river). The divide between the two rivers is quite 

 unnoticeable and consists of open forest country, and small 

 plains splendidly grassed ; there I saw the first iron-bark trees I 

 had seen in West Australia. 



The river (which I have called the Barnett, after Mr. 

 Barnett, of the Lennard) runs along the base of a huge 

 mountain which I have also named Mt. Barnett, a branch of the 

 Phillips Range. It runs north and south, and I ran it down for 

 eight miles south-east, and then camped. Leaving the camp in 

 charge of the boys, I went on four miles along the mountain, 

 following the Barnett till it joined the Phillips, which forms here 

 a fine river, running very strong. It appears to come out of a 

 gorge between Mt. Barnett and another big mountain I have 

 called Mt. Harris, after Mr. Harris, of Broome. 



One mile below the junction, there is a large creek, coming 

 from the south-east, with clear running water. This I have also 

 named the Harris. A mile further down, the Phillips seeks the 

 inevitable gorge, which appears to have been cut through the 

 solid rock. I think this is the strangest country in Australia for 



