Part 10 (1/2)

As our object was to explore as far to the northward as circumstances would alloe left the river on a north-east course; but two hours'

ride across an open plain, through which several channels ran to the north-west, brought us to dry barren scrubs, in which it appeared hopeless we should find either feed or water; we accordingly altered our course to south-east, and ain about sundown

RETURN UP THE RIVER

20th to 23rd May

Was occupied in tracing up the north bank of the river in the hope of finding a tributary co in from the northward; but, with the exception of one se, not a single tributary was met with until we arrived at the Lyons River, a distance of e Island The country on the north bank differs but little fro was somewhat easier

THE LYONS RIVER ALMA RIVER

24th May

Our horses having had a rest, the previous day being Sunday, we made an early start, and by noon halted on the Lyons River, a short distance above its confluence with the Gascoyne; its channel here was equal in nitude and similar in appearance to the h the wide sandy bed, and gradually increased in voluhty miles up the river Three miles to the north of our midday halt Mr Roe and myself ascended a deep sandstone peak, froe, the nearest part of which lay about sixfor nearly thirty miles to the northward; the eastern face presents an almost unbroken line of nearly perpendicular sandstone, of probably 500 or 600 feet elevation To the north a few remarkable peaks served as valuable points to carry on our triangulation, which had been continued almost uninterruptedly from Mount Hope, on the Murchison

To the east were several ranges of flat-topped hills, filling in the space between the Lyons and the great southern bend of the Gascoyne; while to the south, with the exception of a few very distant peaks, it appeared, as far as the eye could reach, to be an unifor coles, we struck south-east to a patch of forest on the banks of the river, which we did not reach until sometime after dark

25th May

Frorees 56 eneral course of north-north-east The country passed over during to-day had evidently been tolerably grassy, but the floods had been quite as destructive here as on the Gascoyne, the bed of the river and flats for half amostly choked up or buried under fields of fine white sand, which had been brought down by the inundations In several places we observed beds of gypsu indications of the existence of coal in the vicinity Bivouac in latitude 24 degrees 41the river brought us to a gorge in the eastern edge of the sandstones, to the east of which it opened out into extensive plains in sorassed, and in others ranite hills were visible at some distance to the northward and eastward Our bivouac was in latitude 24 degrees 31 minutes 05 seconds, about three e, the summit of which was named Mount Sandiman

27th May

The country stillnear the river being exceedingly heavy on account of the sand Thebreeze set in fro with it a dense cloud of fine red dust, against which it was no easythe flats began to irass; ht it rained for about two hours, clearing the at our course up the river, at fourin from the north-north-west, and in the course of the day passed over several thin beds of opaque opalline rock resting upon the sandstone At our carees 03 an to make its appearance in the bed of the river

29th May

Our pack-horses having now been htened of their loads, ere to-day for the first time able to trot for several hours; and as the country still i in froress

ALMA RIVER

At our noon halt Mr Moore and myself ascended a hill of red schist of 300 or 400 feet elevation, in latitude 23 degrees 57 minutes 15 seconds, which had been named Mount Thompson Fro country; close to the northern foot the river divided into two nearly equal parts--one co from the north-north-east we nae of the tropic, lay a coh which there was apparently but one break, and that was on the line of the Ale, which extends nearly forty miles to the eastward, numerous streams take their rise and flow southward into the Lyons, which had altered its course and was now co from the east-south-east Our intention had been to keep our course until we had touched upon the tropic; but as the Al the ly adopted an easterly course for the re about six miles to the east of Mount Thompson The river here wasu the Eucalyptus piperita of the flats of the Swan, but not possessing the saent leaf

30th May (Sunday)

Found our latitude to be 23 degrees 58 rees east by account

31st May

NATIVE TOBACCO