Page:Journals of Several Expeditions Made in Western Australia.djvu/188

 our horses sufficient rest, we left the settlement to examine the country, according to my instructions, for 50 miles to the N.W. This line for 18 miles from Mount Bakewell, conducted us, at some distance from the Avon, over a good pasture country, and afterwards for twelve miles along its banks, when its valley became more contracted and the hills more precipitous, though the soil still retained the same character. The river here turning abruptly to the N.N.W., we crossed it, and continued our line over a rocky country, gradually rising into Table Land, and descended into a rich valley; on proceeding one mile further, we came to an extensive swamp, containing a large body of water, and having several marks of cattle on its margin. From this swamp we traversed a sandy and level plain, in which we observed numerous pools of fresh water; it was bounded on the E. by high hills, which appeared to us to be a continuation of the Darling Range; and on the W. by hills of more moderate elevation.

Estimating our distance now to be fifty miles from Mount Bakewell, we altered our course to due W., and passing over a sandy district of fourteen miles, we arrived within sight of the plain, which extends from the Darling Mountains to the sea coast, between fifty and sixty miles to the N. of Perth.

Proceeding from this, in a southerly direction, along the base of the range, we crossed several small streams issuing from fertile-looking valleys,. and at the distance of nine miles arrived at a river, which, from its direction, and the body of water it contained, seemed likely to be where the Avon discharges itself upon the plain. Having ascended for four miles before we could ford it, we found