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omen.[1] The river above is deep and wide, the banks on either side rich and thickly covered with timber, principally red gum and mahogany. We ascended about twenty-two miles, returned to the same point next morning, and slept at Mr. Russel's. From this we walked to the settlement, about four miles, through thick forest, with a dense luxuriance of underwood, through which a pathway leading to the Vasse river has been recently cut. Most of the colonists here speak of going to settle at the Vasse when they can procure sheep, the land there being described as open and grassy, on a substratum of limestone. If this be so, it must be a fine tract of pasture land, continuing, in all probability, of the same quality to the Murray River. Yet this was thought at first a poor sandy district!
The river is inconsiderable, its mouth blocked up, and without shelter on the bay; but it has many advantages. We had some intention of walking to it from the Blackwood, while the vessel was going round, (she could have picked us up there); but as that part was so recently explored, and so well laid down in charts, it did not possess sufficiently the interest of novelty to induce us to take a step which might have been attended with many inconveniences, if the ship should have been prevented from coming round in time. I did not mention that we brought six natives, at their urgent request, from King George's Sound, to visit Swan River; but as we were preparing to embark, one of them was missing. On searching for him I suddenly found myself among a large body of natives, who, seeing me hesitate, called out "abba," an expression of friendly salutation. I immediately joined them, and found our runaway among the number: he declared his intention of remaining some time on a visit with them, and then going by land to King George's Sound: as they were
- ↑ Mr. Moore probably alludes to this passage:—
"Cycnus in auguriis nautis gratissimus ales."—Doyle, Jun.
