Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 1.djvu/284

 Mo. boat could penetrate. From Mr. Rae's .report, ' J &' the oountry was low and of unpromising appear- ance. The river took its course by a very tor- tuous chnel, through a low country; for two or three miles from the entrance its bankin are over-, run with dense forests of mnoves; but beyond. this they am superseded .by red earthy cliffs, on which was growing abundance of the t//csu. Further back the country is open and grassy, upon which a stunted sucal/pt is com- mon; here Mr. CUnningham found two species of grville, a, and the sago palm (�a moda,) which also grows near the mouth of the river, above which, the seafort/d e. legan cccasionlly raised its towering head, d with its picturesque foliage served to vm'y and enrich the scene. Mr. Cunningham, in return for the plants he collected, sowed peach and apricot stones in many parts near the banks. The river is generally very shallow, but, nine miles from the mouth, the water is fresh. At the phw. e where the party turned back, the width was not more than six yards. On their return, they examined another arm on the north side, which proving inconsiderable, and the evening being far advanced, they did not dely to examine it. io. On the loth, our boat was launched, and pre

�