Part 9 (1/2)

30th April

Finding that the Murchison was leading us tooto reach the Gascoyne with as little delay as possible, we quitted the river on a north-north-east course for about eight rassy plain, in some parts open, with atriplex and samphire, and in others rather thickly studded with acacia and ranite 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 twenty miles, which was eventually na 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 valleys 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 re several tributaries to the Murchison, in which we found plenty of water, and on their banks an abundant supply of grass for our horses, the streaes or plains of red sandy loarass

3rd May

Having rested the party the previous day, it being Sunday, in latitude 25 degrees 33 minutes 48 seconds, at a fine pool of fresh water in a strea south, and apparently tributary to the Murchison, we resumed our course for three or four miles up a branch of the streaentle stony ascent; another ht us to its summit, which proved to be the watershed between the Gascoyne and Murchison; its elevation was found to be 1,500 feet above the sea Froe a short descent northward led us to the head of a watercourse, which we followed in the sa to the ard, it for frorees 14 minutes 23 seconds, at an elevation of 1,144 feet above the sea

STONY PLAINS

The country through which we had passed was a nearly level and barren plain, evenly and closely paved with sst which a few stunted acacia found a precarious existence; to this portion of country we gave the characteristic name of Macadam Plains

GASCOYNE RIVER

4th May

The river we had encaht had a level sandy channel thirty-five yards wide, with several shallow pools in its bed; a narrow belt of flooded-gum lined either bank, which also produced abundance of excellent feed; several of the grasses were new to us, yielding a large quantity of seed; further back the pasture was rass, the trees consisting almost entirely of senerally very tame, with the exception of a prominent hill of considerable altitude, nearly twenty ave the nae, of less elevation, a little to the northward of west, distant fifteendecided upon following the left bank of the river, with the view of ascertaining what tributariestook our course for Mount Puckford, touching frequently upon the bends of the river, which soon found a junction with a large channel co from the eastward, which ulti in a shty yards wide, traces of recent heavy floods being plentiful At ten e of opaline rocks, in irregularnorth-east and south-west, and a fewin contact with the south-east foot of Mount Puckford, it doubles back round its north-east base, and there takes a general north-west course to latitude 24 degrees 36 rees east, which we reached by noon of the 7th, a considerable tributary joining at this point froranite base (which was naess, one of the principal promoters of the expedition), here diverts the course of the river to the left, which, by sundoe found was running nearly south The country for the last fifty 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 forty-six feet, being intravelling 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 proes of trap hills clothed with short herbage; to the highest of the foriven the name of Mount James, after my friend and fellow-traveller, Mr James Roe; 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 rese the sycaed in triplets, and the seed pods in the forrows near the river and attains to two feet in diaht and spongy, soummy It is formed by the natives into shi+elds, and near the coast into canoes We also found on so a s an acrid milky juice

Several new species of crested quail and dark-brown pigeons were first observed here; the beautiful small doves, coallinule and the elegant Ochaphaps plueon of the marshes) were also very numerous

SURPRISE A NATIVE CAMP

8th May

Pursuing our course down the left bank, we crossed several streae tract of country between this and the Murchison

The Gascoyne here divides into several broad sandy channels, so we came upon a native encampment; few of the , but we observed upwards of thirty women and children, who ran into the bed of the river to hide, so their children completely under water occasionally to prevent their cry of alarh we had before met with and spoken to several natives, this was the first opportunity we had of exa into their domestic econoed a nu from two to four quarts; these contained a variety of seed and roots; the rain like s wheat, which is very abundant on the alluvial flats, and a root reseer than a pistol bullet, a few rats, which are very nurassy flats, and a s, for's repast

The feeapons left by the hteen barbs cut out of the solid wood, the shaft fro those in use by the natives at Champion Bay, aroo, formed their entire ca as we found it, we passed on about two ht on a low sandy island in the bed of the river, which was here full of flooded-gurass for our horses immediately around our fire By 9 o'clock our supper had been disposed of, and I had just completed my observations for latitude, e heard the shouts of a large party of natives approaching fro Mr Roe with two others to guard the cael to ascertain the object of their visit, which we soon found to be evidently hostile, as they came on rapidly, all well armed to the nu to soe stacks of drift which were abundant in this part of the river When within about forty yards they halted a moment, as we had damped our fire and they could not exactlyhis horse from the front when a fresh fire enabled thestill desirous, if possible, of avoiding a collision, I hesitated to fire upon the with the evident intention of attacking Mr

Roe and his little party in charge of the cae of sat us The effect was instantaneous and most salutary, as they fled with so evidently wounded

We ht, but they did not again venture to attack us

9th May

Being Sunday, we only rass, and again found ourselves in close proximity to the natives In the course of the day several of the the camp, but appeared afraid to s which were evidently of Australian breed