llowing one for Perth.

RETURN TO PERTH. RIVER ABSORBED IN SANDY PLAINS.

January 26.

Mr. Elliott this day joined us on our route to Perth, which was attended
with no circumstance worthy of notice until our arrival at Pinjarra. We
travelled over extensive plains which in the rainy season of the year
must be completely flooded, but in vain looked for the Harvey River and
the other stream which flowed from the hills to the sea. I could find no
watercourse in which they might probably flow, yet we had left them both
running strongly at not more than ten miles from the point where we then
stood. The truth was that they were absorbed in these marshy plains
before they came within several miles of the sea; and what threw a still
further light upon the subject was that, although these marshes were
perfectly dried up and had a hard-baked appearance at the surface, yet if
a hole about two or three feet deep was scraped in them water directly
came pouring into it.

On the morning of the 29th we reached Pinjarra; on the 30th Mr. Elliott
and myself rode as far as the Canning; and early on the 31st we had the
pleasure of entering Perth together.

CHAPTER 14. FROM SWAN RIVER TO THE SHORES OF SHARK BAY.

PLAN OF EXPEDITION.

At length, in the middle of February, after a mortifying delay of nearly
five months, an opportunity occurred which held out every prospect of
enabling me to complete the examination of the most interesting portion
of the north coast, together with the country lying behind it.

Three whale-boats having been procured, an engagement was made with
Captain Long of the American whaler Russel, of New Bedford, to convey my
party and the boats to some point to the northward of Shark Bay, and
there land us, together with a supply of provisions sufficient for five
months. My intention was to form a provision depot in some island, and
from that point to commence operations by the examination of the
undiscovered portions of the bay; and, should circumstances occasionally
render it desirable, I proposed to explore more minutely parts of the
country as we coasted along, or to make excursions to such a distance
inland as we might be able to penetrate.

Having completed the examination of the bay as far as we could with the
provisions we carried from the depot, I intended to return to it and,
after recruiting our stock, to make my way along the coast in the
direction of North-West Cape; making excursions inland as be