Page:Journals of Several Expeditions Made in Western Australia.djvu/199

 first passed when I had the pleasure of accompanying Mr. Roe on a short exploring excursion a few weeks since; then traversed a small flat, encircled by an elevated terrace similar to the flat where we bivouaced, but distinguished from it at present by the remains of a native Hut in a good state of preservation; some time after, and at a mile's computed distance from our bivouac, we passed the gorge of a deep gully with a dry channel in its middle and in a few yards more the Kalgan, at a place where its waters flow over the projecting rocks of its bed. These rocks are an ironstone or flinty slate, but the banks, which rise above the river, are clay ironstone, or a ferruginous and reddish freestone. The soil passed over from the lower boat stoppage is very sandy, but producing a good proportion of grasses and other herbage, and thickly wooded, for the most part with the marree or red gum. We ascended the left bank of the river, and after half a mile came to a valley and plain of fine soil and feed, having a small channel, partly dry, in which the water had flowed to the Kalgan. We ascended a moderate elevation, and continued pursuing a N. by E. course for two miles, to a swampy valley then one mile and three-quarters N. by W., and one quarter of a mile N.E. to a valley of tolerable soil, and a good deal of pasturage, where there was a moderate stream, and on its banks, at a common crossing place, a cheveaux-de-frise of wooden spikes, finely pointed, covered thinly with the resin of the grass-tree, and directed to each other and to the bank opposite to that in which they were fixed. They formed an angle with the plane of the horizon of about 50° or 55°, and no doubt were intended for staking kangaroo, which, being pursued on one side of the stream, would select their accustomed