Page:Journals of Several Expeditions Made in Western Australia.djvu/177

 of the King. This hollow extends to some distance N.N.W., and contains fresh feed, even at this period of the year. After observing the considerable salt meadows on both sides of the lower part of the King, on which there is an abundant produce of rushy and now dried vegetation, that might have made tolerable fodder, I proceeded up its northern or left bank in a westerly direction, without following its windings, for three miles, to a crossing place, by means of accidental tree bridges over two nearly equal streams, which, by joining a few yards below, form the main river. The ground thus passed over is chiefly sandy, with several portions of a gravelly light brown loam, intersected with several streamlets of fresh water. The trees are mostly mahogany, of slender girth, with shrubs, and the surface is free of grass.

We breakfasted on the south side of the south branch, and Mokare informed us that the ground was named Tan-num-bang-i-war. A hundred yards further up there were numerous channels leading to this branch, but all at about that distance dry. The chief of them seems to come from Willyungup through a slightly excavated valley, containing little shrub, and no trees larger than the Kingia Australis, similar io the grass tree, which very appropriately shades and adorns the head of its fraternal river.

In returning from the head of the King in a tolerably direct line to the settlement, I soon came to the same conspicuous granite rocks, in a watery hollow, leaving a grassy and open plain of about ten acres, and I should infer, good soil on our right. I also passed a hollow of tolerable soil N. by E. two miles from Mount Melville, besides considerably rushy and green low grounds, adapted to pasturing