Page:The Visit of Charles Fraser to the Swan River in 1827.djvu/18

 surrounding country and distant mountains, is particularly grand. This seems to be the extreme easterly boundary of the lime-stone.

"The islands on the flats are composed of a rich deposit carried down by the floods. Their margins are covered with Metrosideros and Casuarina, and their interior with seaside succulent plants. On one side of these islands I caught sight of a plant with an arborescent habit, which, on examination, proved to be a species of Zamia with spiral fruit, differing only from Z. spiralis in habit. Here the equatorial Goodenia, formerly alluded to, disappears. The difficulty which the party now experienced from having mistaken the channel, and in having, consequently, to drag the boats over the mud, were great, but by perseverance were overcome. From the extensive beds of oyster shells which lie a foot deep in the soft mud, our feet became dreadfully lacerated. These flats are extensive, but by employing flat-bottomed boats they may be easily crossed.

"At Point Fraser the bank may be said to terminate, and the channel appears to be that of a beautiful inland river. From the entrance to this spot it may more properly be called an estuary. The flats, or levels, at this spot are very fertile, composed of a rich alluvial deposit, but evidently occasionally flooded, drift timber having been seen 5 feet above the surface. Here are extensive salt-marshes,