Page:Journals of Several Expeditions Made in Western Australia.djvu/91

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62

JOURNAL OF ANOTHER EXPEDITION to the Eastward if the Darling Range, under the direction of Ensign Dale; commenced on the 25th of October, and concluded on the 7th of November, 1830.

Having accompanied the Lieutenant-Governor on an expedition into the interior as far as Mount Bakewell (situated on the eastern side of Darling's Range, and described in my report of a former excursion) I took a temporary leave of his Excellency, who was thence bound homewards, after receiving a supply of provisions for ten days, to enable us to prosecute our journey further inland, with the intention of penetrating as far to the eastward as circumstances would admit of, and from thence, after proceeding to the southward for one day, to prevent our crossing on our return in the same tract, and also to intersect any river that might exist in that quarter, to return to Darling's Range in a westerly course.

Passing in the afternoon of the 28th of October with my party, consisting of six volunteers, with five horses to carry our baggage, along the northern base of the Dyott Hills for a mile and a half, where we found an excellent loamy soil, well clothed with grass, we arrived at the Avon river, which washes their base; which we crossed, and proceeded in our course S.1 E. over an undulating country, which had a most gratifying appearance, the soil being a rich red loam of good quality, and lightly timbered with gum, wattle, and a tree pronounced by some competent judges to resemble sandal wood; and