At eleven o'clock, we crossed a mountain stream, running to the southward, through a valley where the land assumed a more fertile appearance than that which we had hitherto passed over, which was either barren scrub, or swampy ground.
At six o'clock, P.M. we arrived at another stream, running also to the south-westward, where we took up our quarters for the night Some were employed in making a fire and cooking supper, and others, who went in search of game, succeeded in shooting several black cockatoos. Mr. Kent and myself took a walk for some distance along the banks of this pleasant stream: we observed that its banks were covered with luxuriant grass, sprinkled with the yellow buttercup, which put us in mind of home.
The alluvial soil, however, extends no great distance; but the gently-swelling, lightly-wooded adjacent hills are well adapted for sheep-walks, and this is the more desirable, as, in all my excursions, in the vicinity of Swan River, I saw very little pasturable land.
On Friday morning, we directed our course N.W. by W., passing through a tract of land, diversified by moderately elevated hills, and fertile and well-watered valleys.
About nine o'clock, we turned to the eastward, to gain the summit of a hill perceived in that direction, for the purpose of getting a few bearings, and obtaining a view of the surrounding landscape. Having left this
