Page:Journals of Several Expeditions Made in Western Australia.djvu/84

 banks sloping down to a small rivulet, gave it exactly the appearance of a lawn. Three-quarters of a mile further brought us to a brook running easterly; the soil and grass continuing good here; on the bank of this we bivouaced.

August 7th.—Thermometer this morning at sunrise, 44°. Shortly after quitting our bivouac, still pursuing an easterly course, we ascended a hill, and at its base again fell in with the brook on the banks of which we rested last night, and which here intersected our course owing to its turning abruptly to the northward. It being too rapid, and also too deep to attempt to ford it, we constructed a bridge by cutting several long poles, and placing them across a tree that was growing in the stream. Over this we carried the baggage to the opposite shore: having with some danger crossed our horses, we picquetted them, and pitched our tent on a small rich alluvial flat that skirts the margin of the brook. Mr. Brockman and myself proceeded in the mean time to examine an elevated hill bearing E.S.E. about a mile distant. On arriving at the summit, we were gratified by obtaining an extensive prospect over a comparatively level country to the eastward, through which we observed, at the apparent distance of two miles, a considerable stream. On the summit of this hill were two remarkable peaks, the valleys between them forming at their union an irregular basin; the highest of these we estimated to be about 1,000. I named this hill Mount Mackie, in compliment to the Chairman of the Court of Quarter Session.

August 8th.—Thermometer this morning at sunrise, 31½°, with every indication of a severe hoar frost. In order to avoid passing over the hill we ascended yesterday, which we found too much sa-