intricate: this gentleman also procured us the loan of a No. of the Quarterly Review, containing an article on Swan River. In the boat we were provided with an azimuth compass, a lead line, the French account of the river, the Quarterly Review, and various remarks which we had gleaned from the newspapers.
At 10.45, A.M., we entered the mouth of the river, and had soundings—only half a fathom on the bar; this was considerably lower than we had anticipated, and not likely to afford convenient egress or ingress, even for moderately laden boats. After having passed the bar, we observed several tents pitched in a low sandy neck of land, which we understood was the site of Freemantle, so named in compliment to Captain Freemantle, of H.M.S. Challenger, from the circumstance of his having taken possession of it, some time before the arrival of Captain Stirling.
We proceeded up the river, sounding and making other observations as we went along. Passing the military cantonment, situated on the left bank, about a mile from Freemantle, we noticed several straggling huts, apparently belonging to sawyers and boat-builders. On the right bank, on a picturesque projection of land, we saw a tent belonging to Captain Curry, R.N., the harbour-master.
The first view of Melville Water is very pretty. After passing Mount Eliza, a hill considerably elevated above the adjacent eminences, we came into view of Perth, situated about a mile higher up, on the same
