Explorations of Australia. 151 



basaltic country, highly adapted for cattle runs, not only on 

 account of its luxuriant meadows, but also as being within 

 reach of three harbours, and enjoying likewise a climate quite 

 salubrious. He also examined the elevated watershed between 

 the Glenelg and Prince Regent's River, (the latter previously 

 revealed by the late Admiral King), and the occurrence of 

 a species of Araucaria (probably distinct from any other kind), 

 could not fail to attract the attention of such a keen observer 

 as Captain Grey. His and Lushington's journey terminated 

 in a cheerless sandstone country, similar to that in which most 

 of the rivers rise in North Australia. 



He landed in February, 1839, in Shark's Bay, with whale- 

 boats only, discovered the Gascoigne, a river, perhaps already 

 known to Fleming, who visited the same locality in 1667. 

 The alluvium in the neighbourhood of that river was fertile, 

 and fresh water lagoons existed in undulating ground near the 

 Gascoigne. This observation will be valued, when we learn, 

 that south of Shark's Bay water can only be obtained as far as 

 known, at a distance of forty miles from a native well. Rising 

 land however, was nowhere observed, to cheer the travellers 

 on towards the east. His party's return to the settlements of 

 Western Australia was effected by a foot journey from Gan- 

 theaume Bay, attended with the severest hardships and priva- 

 tions, under which, one of the bravest of their companions 

 sunk. 



To this harrassmg journey we owe also our first knowledge 

 of the Eiver Murchison, which forms at present the most 

 northern limit of the colonisation of western Australia. Its 

 upper course is yet unknown, and may, according to Mr. 

 Gregory's opinion, afford yet, in a favourable season the means 

 for examining the north-western interior of that colony, to our 

 knowledge of which district the last labours of Mr. Austin have 

 added also in a slight degree. 



Instead, however, of detailing the results of Captain Grey's 

 labours south of Shark's Bay, I insert gladly a comprehensive 

 unpublished account of the physical geography of Western 

 Australia, from the pen of my excellent and generous com- 

 mander in North Australia, to whom also geography is in- 

 debted for the greatest amount of inland discovery in South 

 West Australia. 



" The general character of the known portion of Western 

 Australia is that of a moderately elevated tableland, rising 

 about 1200 or 1400 feet above the sea ; the rocks are almost 

 wholy granite, covered with a thin stratum of sandstone, the 

 surface of which, by its decomposition produces barren sandy 



