Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia | Page 4

in approaching the
mouth of the river. Owing to this reef there are no breakers on the bar,
but its mouth is very narrow and so shoal that I doubt if a boat could be

got in at any other time than high water: some of the sailors with me
however thought otherwise; but there is at all events convenient landing
at this point under the shelter of the reef.
FERTILE COUNTRY.
April 2.
The men not having quite completed their preparations for starting, I
moved off at dawn to resume the survey of Gantheaume Bay and its
vicinity. The estuary appeared this morning even more lovely than
yesterday, and as the heavy morning mists arose, unfolding its beauties
to our view, all those feelings came thrilling through my mind which
explorers alone can know; flowering shrubs and trees, drooping foliage,
a wide and placid expanse of water met the view; trickling springs and
fertile flats were passed over by us; there was much barren land visible
in the distance, though many a sign and token might lead the practical
explorer to hope that he was about to enter upon a tract of an extent and
fertility yet unknown in south-west Australia. A total change had taken
place in the geological formation of the land: a rock as yet unobserved
in the south-west portion of the continent occupied the principal place
here; and with this rock was associated limestone; the springs had a
strong sulphureous smell, and the lofty broken character of the distant
mountains had an almost grand appearance to those who had so long
wandered through low and level countries.
Each step I took rendered my spirits more buoyant and elastic, and each
hill, the position of which I fixed, gave me, from its appearance,
renewed hopes. Under such agreeable circumstances the morning wore
rapidly away, and, having rendered my survey as complete as I could,
we returned to the boats.
COMMENCE THE MARCH TO PERTH. PROVISIONS DIVIDED.
We were now all ready to commence our toilsome journey; the
provisions had been shared out; twenty pounds of flour and one pound
of salt provisions per man, being all that was left. What I have here
designated by the name of flour was quite unworthy of being so called.
It was of a dark yellowish brown colour, and had such a sour fermented
taste that nothing but absolute necessity could induce anyone to eat it.
The party however were in high spirits; they talked of a walk of three
hundred miles in a direct line through the country (without taking hills,
valleys, and necessary deviations into account) as a trifle, and in

imagination were already feasting at home and taking their ease after
the toils they had undergone.
I gave them all warning of the many difficulties they had yet to
encounter, and did this not with the intention of damping their ardour
but in the hope of inducing them to abandon some portion of the loads
they intended to carry. I entrusted a small pocket chronometer to Mr.
Walker, and another to Corporals Coles and Auger; and to Ruston I
gave charge of a pocket-sextant which belonged to the
Surveyor-General at Perth. Coles and Auger also undertook to carry a
large sextant, turn about; all my own papers, such charts as I thought
necessary, and some smaller instruments I bore myself; but Kaiber, in
order to relieve me, took charge of my gun and some other articles. Mr.
Smith carried his sketchbook and box of colours. I ought here to state
that, in all the difficulties which beset those individuals to whom I
entrusted anything, they never, except on one occasion, and by my
orders, abandoned it: indeed I do not believe that there is a stronger
instance of fidelity and perseverance than was evinced by some of the
party in retaining, under every difficulty, possession of that which they
had promised to preserve for me.
PICTURESQUE HALTING-PLACE.
Our loads having been hoisted on our shoulders away we moved. I had
before chosen my line of route, and the plan I had resolved to adopt
was to walk on slowly but continuously for an hour, and then to halt for
ten minutes; during which interval of time the men could rest and
relieve themselves from the weight of their burdens whilst I could enter
what notes and bearings I had taken during the preceding hour.
We were embarrassed for the first portion of our journey this afternoon
by a thick scrub, through which we could only make our way with great
difficulty, but on coming to a watercourse running into the southern
part of Gantheaume Bay from the south-east I turned up its bed, and we
were then able to move along with tolerable facility. This watercourse
ran at the