off the barb
and withdraw the shaft. The Governor, notwithstanding his wound,
continued to direct the party, and although the natives made many
attempts to approach close enough to reach us with their spears, we were
enabled, by keeping on the most open ground, and checking them by an
occasional shot, to avoid their attacks in crossing the gullies. They
followed us closely for seven miles, after which they were only seen
occasionally, following in our track. Having reached the beach, we were
enabled to travel more rapidly, and although one of the ponies knocked
up, we reached Champion Bay at 3.30 p.m., and got the party and horses on
board the Champion by 5.0, where we were gladly welcomed by Lieutenant
Helpman. About sunset the natives came down to the beach, concealing
themselves behind the bushes, whilst a single unarmed native stood on the
beach, and called to us to come on shore, no doubt in the hope of making
a sudden attack on the boat should we venture to do so.

A.C. Gregory,

Assistant Surveyor.

***

THE MURCHISON RIVER.

1857.

THE UPPER MURCHISON RIVER.

In the month of March, 1857, Mr. Surveyor F.T. Gregory, while engaged on
the survey of the lower part of the Murchison, observed that the river
came down in flood, though there had been no rain for several months near
the coast, and taking advantage of such a favourable opportunity of
extending the exploration of the country beyond the point at which
previous explorers had been driven back for want of water and grass, he
proceeded up the Murchison, accompanied by his assistant, Mr. S. Trigg,
following the course of the river for 180 miles. For the last fifty miles
the condition of the vegetation showed that there had been heavy rains
which had caused the floods in the lower part of the river.

The following is an abstract of Mr. Gregory's report to the
Surveyor-General, as published at the time in the Perth Gazette:--

We last week intimated that an exploratory trip had lately been made into
the interior eastward of the Geraldine Mine. We have now the pleasure and
satisfaction of laying before our readers some details of one of the most
unassuming explorations, yet important in its results, which has ever
been undertaken in this colony. In the latter end of March last, Mr.
Assistant Surveyor F. Gregory and Mr. S. Trigg started from the Geraldine
Mine with two horses and sixteen pounds of flour, to trace the Murchison
to its source, and return