Page:Extracts from the letters and journals of George Fletcher Moore.djvu/140

 114 like bunches of violets close to the ground. There are many flowering shrubs. Of birds we saw no great variety; mocking birds, paroquets, larks, and warblers, but none very beautiful. I have mentioned already all the other animals which we obtained sight of, except some reptiles—viz., three or four snakes. As to the nature of the soil, the salt district may at some future period become valuable, but it is not useful for present purpose; there is a great deal of light sandy land, and also of stiff clayey soil, which requires, in the language of holy writ, to be subdued, before it becomes in a state to receive seed.

Upon a former occasion, Mr. Dale had been fifty miles farther into the interior, which he describes to be similar to what we passed, undulating and grassy, in such a direction as would seem to indicate a continuation of the saltish land, which we observed in an E.S.E. direction. Some time hence it may afford an interesting excursion to follow the river down from whence we left it, and identify it with Lennard's brook (if it be the same), and trace it to the sea; this brook has been on several occasions visited by persons looking for stray cattle, and on one occasion by Messrs. Dale and Lennard, who never dreamed of it being the Avon; but thinking the land good, Mr. Lennard applied for a grant in that district, and it has been called by his name ever since. A singularity was observed there, which is not