two horses died from exhaustion, and the men were in little better plight. Natives finally lent them a kindly aid, and showed them a native path along the coast to the Sound, where they arrived on the 4th February, nearly exhausted.
The pleasure felt by the explorers when they first sighted the settlement at King George's Sound was keen and relieving. Captain Barker (the commandant), the officers of the settlement, Dr. Davies (of the 89th), and Mr. Kent (of the Commissariat), received them with strong expressions of kindness and friendship, and extended the utmost hospitality to them while they rested from their labours and recovered their strength. Captain Bannister was much impressed with the country traversed from first to last, and wrote that even their disasters were conducive to good, since they travelled over country which otherwise would not have been explored for years to come. Consequently, "the fact of there being good land, even among these hills, wouldn't have been known to exist." He concluded his report with a very glowing panegyric. Thus-"From what I have written it will be concluded, and justly so, that there is a body of available land, with certain extensive tracts of the richest description, fit for the plough, sheep, or cattle, or indeed any cultivation, in the interior, commencing about twenty-five or thirty miles from King George's Sound, which, under a judicious system of colonisation, the main roads being made in the first instance by forced labour, would, in the course of a few years, become inhabited by thousands of industrious men, sent out by the parishes of England, Scotland, or Ireland, or brought out by individuals, bettering their condition as well as relieving their country. I have been induced to make this remark from the conviction that we can do nothing without the powerful aid of Government in our infancy. Like every young community, we must be nursed at first, which, though perhaps a little costly, will give rise to a good feeling towards our country, in those who follow us, which will last for ages."
Within a few weeks Bannister, accompanied by his companions, returned to Fremantle, where he was heartily welcomed, and where his report was eagerly read. The known estate of Western Australia was greatly enriched, but no immediate use could be made of the lands he visited owing to the insuperable difficulties of transport to so small a community. The settlement at King George's Sound changed hands a few weeks later. Towards the end of 1880 it was decided that the military and convict station should be replaced by men who should follow the peaceful pastoral and agricultural arts. The people of the Swan River Settlement prided themselves on being free by their constitution from that convictism which tainted the other Australian settlements, and they did not enjoy the thought that a band of convicts breathed the air of their untrammelled country. In consequence of this the military and convicts were withdrawn from King George's Sound by the New South Wales Government, and the settlement there was finally taken over by the Western Australian Government. According to Mr. H. Egerton Warburton, traces of military occupation remained at the Sound for many years. The "humble thatched buildings which formed the post were clustered about the neighbourhood of the present cricket ground." In front of the long low building occupied by the commandant, stood the flag-stall and "a pair o stocks—an institution which seems in those days to have accompanied the British in all their migrations." Other stocks were used in the town, and remained there as weatherbeaten, useless memorials, until a few years ago. Offices and buildings for the accommodation of the soldiers were gathered round. Near Strawberry Hill the convicts cleared some rich land of timber, and The Farm on the middle part of the hill, afterwards known as Strawberry Hill House, was erected by prison labour. The convicts performed other useful work at King George's Sound. But now free men went there, and, it must be said, eked out a precarious existence for some years.
A private expedition left the Swan River on 24th January, 1831, to further explore the Collie River. Mr. W. K. Shenton was the leader, and he was accompanied by such notable settlers as Messrs. Bryant, S. Henry, and Camfield. The party made the distance in a boat, and while passing down was nearly suffocated by smoke arising from huge bush-fires on Garden Island. Mr. Shenton described the conflagration as "grand" and "awful." Nothing new was discovered by this party, and their report of the immediate value of the Collie apparently retarded settlement there for some time.
Shortly after the celebrated exploits of Captain Bannister and party, the country between Augusta, Leschenault, and Swan River was traversed by pathfinders. John Dewar and Andrew Smith performed this feat with the least possible expense, and in a manner which suggests that they had a thorough acquaintance with bushcraft. They did not burden themselves with provisions, nor did they even possess a compass. Starting on the 15th March with 10lbs. of bread, 4lbs. of beef, one canteen of water (half a gallon), 4lbs. of sugar, ½lb. of tea, they crossed over the Conical Hills to the north, and then held to the sea throughout the whole distance. Each had a gun and ammunition. On the first day they marched some twenty-five miles, and camped at night by a fresh-water lake, surrounded by inferior land. They did not spare themselves in any way, but pushed onward as rapidly as their apparently vigorous strength would allow them. Before sunrise each morning they were pursuing their way, and sometimes they travelled even in the moonlight. On the second day they walked over a good class of land that had recently been burnt, probably by native fires. "Burns, or brooks," containing excellent water, were observed running to the sea. During the next two days they walked on the beach, and occasionally killed some sea-birds. The head with part of the body of a "sea-horse" was found on the beach, as also was a stranded whale. Projecting points blocked their progress on the third day whereupon they struck inland, only to return to the sea a little later. A deep bay was made, upon whose shore a heavy surge roared and beat over dark rocks. Here the explorers saw the jolly-boat and other parts of a ship named the Cumberland, which, evidently a whaler, had been wrecked in those parts. The land near the coast was observed to be superior, undulating into fine valleys, covered with a silky grass, and watered by capital springs. They considered this country to contain excellently-situated meadows, suitable for farms. About three miles from the Cumberland wreck a river, some 30 or 40 feet wide, obstructed their path; inland, it was wider still. Near the mouth, about forty yards from the sea, was a bar of naked sand, over which they walked. The prospect on the way was relieved by the rather picturesque blackboy, but the country soon became rough and rocky. On the sixth day out (Sunday) they reached and passed Cape Nauraliste. A single native accosted them, and after leading them to a spring of brackish water in a swamp, appeared not to wish to sever company with them. His subsequent attentions did not please the explorers, for he tried to elbow them off the rocks, an even to steal from them. Parallel with the coast from the Conical Hills to Cape Naturaliste was a low ridge of hills, which rose from a deep extensive valley, leading to in the east to a gentle ascent. Lofty fresh-looking gum and mahogany trees grew in the valley.
When by Cape Naturaliste the hardy men found that their provisions were finished, even though they had been on short allowance for two previous days. Until they reached Leschenault on
