Page:Journals of Several Expeditions Made in Western Australia.djvu/206

 surface of clayey sand, producing rushes, cypress grass, and similar tough and hard vegetation. We crossed no streams or channels, but the water evidently stands for a great part of the year in the hollows. The ferruginous claystone lay upon the heights nearest the river, but we saw little of it further west.

Continuing our return on the 12th, we went one mile and a quarter W., then S. by W. two miles and three-quarters, when we came to a tolerably fertile slope leading down to the river, and S.W three-quarters of a mile, arrived in a valley having patches of good soil and a dry channel, beyond which, one mile and one-eighth S.S.W., we crossed a considerable stream (the Napier) in one of the deepest valleys we had yet passed, supposed to be a continuation of the stream on which I bivouaced on a former excursion on the 2nd May, 1831.

One mile south from the above stream I observed Mount Gardener bearing 136° 45', and in one-sixth of a mile more S. by W. came to a moderately sized running-stream, supposed to be that lately passed by Mr. Roe when farthest north. One eighth of a mile S.½ E. from this the eastern summit of Porrongurup Gorge bore 349° 30'; the western peak of Mount Manypeak 303° 30'; and one sixth of a mile south Mount Gardener was seen bearing 134° 20'; one mile more S.E. brought us upon the banks of the river, where we found a native path, and in about one hundred yards crossed a ravine and dry channel; and in one-quarter of a mile south came to Hut flat, mentioned on the morning of the 10th.—{see page 170.)