Page:Journals of Several Expeditions Made in Western Australia.djvu/155

 resembling a fine park in England, with excellent timber, five or six to an acre. It is my opinion that the plain crossed yesterday afternoon and this morning is a continuation of Henty's Plains. Making the estuary gave us all fresh spirits, and we commenced our journey along its banks at a good rate, walking until half-past three, having crossed two rivers since leaving the last, and passing over some superior land. Had an interview with seven natives, who appeared to remember me well; they seemed less friendly than when I saw them last; knowing them to be numerous, and the men wishing to walk for a day on the beach, their feet being lacerated, after rounding the estuary, steered for it, and halted at half-past 3; men very tired; found fresh water by scratching in the sand on the beach*

May 4th.—Breakfasted, and started at 4 a.m. in great hopes of reaching Port Leschenault in the evening; walked two hours on the beach, and were then obliged to turn inland, in consequence of the sand being so very soft. Steering about a point from the sea, for the purpose of ascertaining the nature of the country, which repaid us, as the country was good, and certainly, in my opinion, passed the finest land I had yet seen in the colony. Settlers near this country can never want hay and food for their stock; I should say, that, on a moderate calculation, this description of country extended for more than twenty miles round. The grass was thick, from three to four feet high. A farming-man from Augusta, named Jenkins, giving his opinion, said, "he had never seen better in his life, and indeed he passed very little bad land since he left the Blackwood." After crossing the plain the land was of a more sandy nature, with fine