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rushes in the open air? I was occupied with the workings of my own brain, and thinking "murders sleep." On the ensuing morning we went to Guildford; waited on the Governor; presented our report, and then proceeded to Perth under a drenching rain; thus terminated our expedition. Just think, although it took place during what is supposed to be part of our winter or beginning of spring; it never interrupted our sleeping in the bush and remaining in the open air for so many weeks without suffering even from a cold in the head; the fact is, the weather, with the exception of the two or three first days, was very pleasant, like May or June in the old country. Several observations occurred to me at different times, on the particular nature and character of the country, the trees and shrubs, flowers, grass, &c., which I intended to have thrown together in this letter; but I shall refrain, and sum up the results of my exploration in a few brief and general remarks. Of flowers there is a great profusion in all directions; the ground in some places is covered with them, but the variety is not great, at least so it occurred to me; we had not leisure to examine large quantities of chrysanthemum, daisies, geraniums, a green tendril with a pink flower, and another splendid flower, growing like bunches of violets close to the ground. There are many flowering shrubs. Of birds we saw no great variety; mocking birds, paroquets, larks, and warblers, but none very beautiful. I have mentioned already all the other animals which we obtained sight of, except some reptiles—viz., three or four snakes. As to the nature of the soil, the salt district may at some future period become valuable, but it is not useful for present purpose; there is a great deal of light sandy land, and also of stiff clayey soil, which requires, in the language of holy writ, to be subdued, before it becomes in a state to receive seed.
Upon a former occasion, Mr. Dale had been fifty miles farther into the interior, which he describes to be similar
