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white flower, but not of the same shape—I believe it to be of the Mespilus species. It is called here, generally, by the English appellative, the May-thorn. The third division has a shrubby covering, and produces the red-gum, white-gum, broom, wattle, and grass trees.
I have acquired some knowledge of the indications of soil: mahogany is indicative of sandy land; red gum, of stiff cold clay; wattle, of moisture; and the broom and dwarf grass tree, of what we term shrubby herbage.
The next question you ask is about "water."—I have only found one spring good for any purpose, except washing—this water is found two feet under the surface, on a level with the river: plenty of water could be had by digging for it, but none of my people understand this, and I was anxious to avoid the expense of sinking a well. The river water is brackish here only about two months in the year, in April and May, as you may see by my journals. I have thought it worth while to get some water from a fine gushing spring on the other side, for washing.
Your next observations apply to my grant on the Avon, and recommend King George's Sound, or Geograph Bay, where you observe there are said to be "valleys of the richest soil imaginable." I will not quarrel with this description, not having seen the place; but from what I have seen, and from all I can collect from those who have been there, and read from those who have described it, I fear there cannot be any great extent of good land on the coast. A rich spot or two there may be; but as far as observation has gone, the general opinion seems to be that there is no extensive tract of good land till you have receded some distance from the coast. Mr. Peel's lot on the Murray is, I believe, an exception to this rule, as it is reported to continue good to the sea-side. Probably you will see published by Governor Stirling the journal of an expedition undertaken by Captain Bannister from this to King George's Sound, when he
