56 THE DARLING RANGE. 



to be obtained, as it might have helped to clear 

 an interesting subject from doubt. 



The change in ascending this range, from the 

 alluvium near its base, to the primitive formation of 

 which it is itself composed, is very remarkable. 

 Shells still common on the adjacent coasts were met 

 with 14 feet below the surface, near the foot of the 

 range, by one of the colonists when sinking a well. 

 In the same locality deposits of sand may be seen, 

 having that particular wavy appearance which is 

 always noticed upon the sea beach. These appear- 

 ances, as well as the general aspect of the adja- 

 cent country, seem to justify the conclusion I 

 arrived at while on the spot, that the land which 

 now intervenes between the mountains and the 

 shore, is a comparatively recent conquest from the 

 sea. The character of this land may be thus 

 described : — The first three miles from the coast is 

 occupied with ridges of hills, from 100 to 200 feet 

 high, of calcareous limestone formation, cropping 

 out in such innumerable points and odd shapes as 

 to be almost impassable. Some of these lumps 

 resemble a large barnacle ; both lumps and points 

 are covered with long, coarse grass, and thus con- 

 cealed, become a great hindrance to the pedestrian, 

 who is constantly wounded by them. To these 

 ridges succeed sandy forest land and low hills, except 

 on the banks of the rivulets, where a belt of alluvial 

 soil is to be found. The Darling range traverses 

 the whole of Western Australia in a direction, 



