Page:Journals of Several Expeditions Made in Western Australia.djvu/31

, we travelled over about twelve miles of country, with generally an undulating grassy surface, thinly covered with trees of various dimensions, and of the same kind as those on the coast. About six miles from the place we landed, we passed to the southward of a lagoon of fresh water; and where we bivouaced for the night there was another extensive lake, and we pitched our tents on the rising ground near its S.E. extremity.

June 27th.—At 8, a.m. resumed our journey, and after we had advanced about two miles, we passed to the southward of a deep and rather extensive swamp; and about the same distance further on, we passed through another, which was neither so deep nor extensive as the first. Continued on again three miles, and then we crossed a stream about six or seven feet wide; and a mile further another, about the same width, both running to the southward in a parallel direction. Nine miles from the lake we left in the morning, an agreeable and sudden change took place in the scenery; we had almost imperceptibly ascended an eminence commanding an extensive view of a vast plain, bounded to the eastward by a range of majestic mountains, an opening in which being observed, we crossed the plain a little to the eastward of our destined course, and in a distance of about ten miles we entered between two ranges, and discovered the Canning River, rushing over its rocky bed with considerable impetuosity and running to the northward. We bivouaced on a small island formed by a stream from the river curving to the eastward and re-uniting a little lower down. Respecting the nature and quality of the soil, &c. passed through to day, the first particular change was observed soon after we entered the plain, when we found a yellow