Page:Historical records of Port Phillip.djvu/31

 in about two miles; it began to rain. I returned to the boat and after dinner we all got on board and arrived on board the vessel at dusk. Saw a canoe and two native huts.

Saturday, 5th.—Early in the morning the captain went with some casks for water to the place we were at the preceding day; they returned in the evening. Mr. Grimes and the doctor were on shore but returned in about an hour.

Sunday, 6th.—The captain, Mr. Grimes, and self went up the river opposite to the place that the survey was left off on the 2nd. The Captain sounded the mouth of the river; the other party along the shore. I went up a creek about a mile and a half; it was salt, and ended in a swamp; a run from the plains comes into it in wet weather. There is a few trees by the sea side; behind, a level plain to the mountains. Soil six inches deep of stiff black earth, white clay at bottom, and many large stones. The country appears the same for fifteen or twenty miles.

Monday, 7th.—Early in the morning the party that went up the river before with the doctor went up to the little hill we had been at on the 4th, when we stopped to breakfast; proceeded on to a creek, where we dined. Saw some natives. The land in general is a fine black soil, ten to eighteen inches deep. Timber; gum, Banksia, oak, and mimosa of sorts, but not large except the gum. The river appears to rise to the height of eight or ten feet at times by wreck on the trees. Went alternately into the land on both sides the river; it continued nearly of the same quality. The greatest part of the land is above the floods. Proceeded on till sunset; stopped the night.

Tuesday, 8th.—Sowed some seeds by the natives' hut, where we slept. Continued our course up the river; the land high; rocks by side of the river; it is a freestone, the strata on edge. Came to a fall, where we could not get the boat over. We went inland a little way. It is stony, about six inches black stiff soil, white clay at bottom. Mr. Bobbins got up a tree; saw it to be gently rising hills, clothed with trees, for ten or fifteen miles. A little above the fall there is a small island, and the river divides in two. The timber in general is gum, oak, and Banksia; the two latter are small; the gum two to four feet diameter, and from ten to thirty feet high; on some of the low ground they are something larger. We were not more than half a mile from the river. Returned back, and crossed a neck of land 330 paces over Whilst the boat went round. Came to our old station at the large lagoon. I went about two miles inland and fell in with seven natives. I saw Messrs. Bobbins, Grimes, and McCallum, at the lagoon. From the hill saw the vessel; returned to the river, and after dinner set out for the vessel, where we arrived about seven o'clock; the land at two miles inland is of a better quality than the specimen.

Wednesday, 9th.—Continued the survey from the mouth of the river. The land for two or three miles is a gentle rise from the beach, which is muddy, with large stones; the land stiff clay, the stone appearing at top; a little further, near the beach, a swamp light black sand, white