Page:The Visit of Charles Fraser to the Swan River in 1827.djvu/17

 two species of Grevillea, a species of Lepiospermum, and a beautiful dwarf species of Calytris. Here we came to great abundance of fresh water on the beach, by scratching the sand with our fingers, within 2 inches of low-water mark. The beach at Garden Point is of the same character, and I doubt not but within the heads will be found of the same description. This was afterwards found to be the case, not only on the river, but on the beaches of the islands of Buáche and of Berthollet.

"The view from Pelican Point is exceedingly grand. The contrast between the dark blue of the distant mountains and the vivid green of the surrounding forests is such as must in a peculiar manner strike the attention of a person long accustomed to the monotonous brown of the vegetation of Port Jackson. It is, indeed, materially different from anything I have yet seen in New South Wales.

"From Point Heathcote to the islands the country seems to improve, as far as I could judge from the immense quantity of herbage it produced.

"Point Belches on the opposite shore, the only spot on that shore examined, was found to produce Banksias and Eucalyptus. The shrubs consisted of a beautiful Isopogon, a species of Acacia, and a Jacksonia with crimson flowers, together with the general productions of the opposite shore. The soil is sandy. The cliffs —of very considerable elevation—on the northern shore, are formed of fossil-limestone and sandstone. The view from this point of the meanderings of the river and the Moreau , with the