e district,
from whom however no information whatever could be obtained respecting
the objects of our search. Inferring from these circumstances that they
could not yet have reached so far south, and that they might probably
have quitted the beach for the purpose of seeking fresh water inland, we
lost no time in pushing on to the northward, and at sunset of the 11th
took up our bivouac at Barrumbur on the Moore River, seventeen miles in
advance, where excellent water was found in deep pools and our horses
revelled in luxuriant pasturage. Between the two rivers there is a great
extent of level country, so much under water in wet weather as to be then
totally impassable with horses or carts, and the beds of the rivers (near
which there is generally good cattle feed) assume the form of deep sandy
pools, a few yards apart and grooved to the depth of 25 or 30 feet below
the level of the banks.

Being desirous of penetrating the country further to the north before we
again visited the beach, which was computed to be about fifteen miles
distant with no water or feed for our horses in the intermediate space,
we buried half our provisions, etc., in a hole beneath our temporary
shelter, which was then fired in order to lull the suspicion of the
natives; and our sable companions having secreted the pannier-baskets and
packsaddles among the adjoining bushes in such a way as to defy
discovery, we trusted to Providence for the result, and next morning
resumed our northern route. Leaving the extensive shallow lakes of
Garbanup, at this time quite dry, about two miles on our left, we
traversed a more hilly and dry sandy district than before, and had an
elevated mountainous country fifteen or twenty miles to the eastward. We
had now entered upon the inhospitable tract in which Mr. Grey and his
party had been so much distressed for water on the homeward journey, and
their feet-marks were distinctly recognised by our natives around a
swampy space in search of some. At the end of sixteen miles we reached
Nowergup, a small rushy lake, at this time quite dry and dusty at the
surface, but having at its north end a small well, seven feet deep,
containing about a gallon of stinking water. Although this proved very
palatable after a dry day's journey, it was by no means adapted to the
wants of five horses, and we gladly accepted the services of one of the
natives of the district to conduct us to a larger quantity. Our way to it
led over a mile a