Page:Journals of Several Expeditions Made in Western Australia.djvu/62

 steered south a short distance, as we supposed we were in the vicinity of a lake, on account of hearing a noise resembling swans; after proceeding about a quarter of a mile in the direction, without arriving at the end of the swamp, we returned homewards, our course for two miles being W.N.W.; from this point we obtained a view of the high hill before mentioned, bearing W. by S., towards which we accordingly steered, in the interim crossing two swamps, the first one being dry, and the direction of it S. by E. and N.; and that of the second, which had the bed of a stream and several pools of water in it, lying W.S.W. and E.S.E. a short distance from the latter one; the country, which had generally been pretty flat, changed and became more hilly, and the walking more difficult. In about twelve miles from our bivouac we arrived at the bed of a stream without any apparent current, its direction lying about S.S.E.; shortly after we commenced the ascent of the hill for which we had been steering; we found it very steep, and rising apparently to the height of 1,400 feet from its base. On arriving at its summit we had a most extensive view of the country in every direction, especially to the eastward, where a range of mountains could be distinctly traced, the most distant of which appeared to be about twenty-five miles, and was barely discernible; we could also see the smoke of numerous fires made by the natives, generally extending close to their base. Towards the N.W. we thought we could discover the plain, but as evening was closing we were not able to distinguish it clearly; halted at a quarter to 8 near a stream running from E. by S., our course from the hill being W.N.W. The early part of our walk to day was mostly over a level country, but it after-