Page:Journals of Several Expeditions Made in Western Australia.djvu/178

 cattle, more advantageously perhaps in the summer than winter, where they may be too swampy. On the 17'th' May I had an opportunity of ascending King River in a boat; towards its mouth it is shallow, and most so about three-quarters of a mile up, where the natives generally wade across. The least water we had was three feet at nearly high water, but the rise and fall seemed to be very little. Above this the depth is sufficient for boating; and the only obstructions are, scattered rocks in two or three places narrowing the channel, and making it intricate (but leaving sufficient water), and fallen trees, which can easily be avoided, or might be removed with facility, until the boat reaches the point of division into twin branches, which I have mentioned to be close to where the accidental tree bridges afford a passage across. From the boat I observed no decided indications of rich soil nor much pasture, except the salt meadows towards the mouth of the river. The first fresh water creek that I noticed is on the right bank, about two miles up (in a direct line), but fresh water abounds in the plain between this river and Mount Clarence, and a very short way farther up I found the river itself fresh.

The banks, a little way above the native's wading place, presents an inclination and height well suited to a horse-path for dragging boats; and for the purpose of landing and shipping goods, the head of King River, at the foot of Willyung-up, will afford the greatest convenience to the population of the interior.

On June 4th, I took advantage of a boat going to Coffin Island to look for seals, mutton birds (sooty petrel, procellaria fuliginosa), to obtain a conveyance thither. It is an elliptical and rather low