Page:Journals of Several Expeditions Made in Western Australia.djvu/208

 rock (granite) abounded in extensive fields; the country was hilly, though it afforded no elevation of sufficient height to enable us to overlook the trees. After about a mile and a half of such a country, we came to a large flat, abounding in banksia, grass trees, and a swampy vegetation; this flat was a black sand, with, however, a considerable admixture of soil. Beyond this, bearing W., we now observed rising ground, but before we began to ascend we came upon a brook surrounded with most magnificent white gum-trees; the scenery here was very beautiful, and on the banks that sloped down to the water we dined, with the prospect of steep acclivities before us, and rivers branching out in every direction. The men supposed we had marched about eight miles, and taking into the consideration the difficulties of travelling, it perhaps was no more, though we had walked from seven till half-past one.

After dinner, half-past three, we again moved on, and ascended a steep hill for three quarters of an hour, without intermission. The whole of this tract was exceeding fertile, but greatly encumbered with timber of stupendous size, all white gums. I say the soil was fertile, judging of it from the bush, taking into consideration the species and luxuriance; the mimsta and red creeper abounded; though the trees were very large, and on that account, perhaps, appeared numerous, the ground was not shaded to the extent that might have been supposed, owing to the nature of the foliage of that sort of tree; rock was every where visible, when a fallen tree had turned up the soil, a lime-stone, without organic impression, as far as the short space I could devote to such inquiry permitted me to observe.