to open a new market, pushed as far to the westward as
Denial Bay; but the journey to King George's Sound seemed so vast an
undertaking that although such a scheme was often contemplated the hazard
and risk of property appeared, even to a daring Overlander, to be too
great.

Yet although none ventured, many an eager heart turned that way, and many
a thoughtful face lighted up when a promising plan was unfolded.

Whilst the Overlanders were thus speculating upon the possibility of
connecting the Eastern and Western portions of Australia by one great
line of communication, the new settlements of South Australia and Port
Phillip were making such rapid advances in prosperity as almost exceed
belief.

The settlements of Swan River and King George's Sound, which had now been
established nearly ten years, were truly in a most miserable condition.
So late as the month of September 1839, when I landed at King George's
Sound to assume the situation of Government Resident there, the
population had been in a state bordering upon want.

But in the lapse of years the mismanagement and other causes which had
weighed down the settlers in Western Australia had been swept away; and
in 1839 an ameliorated system began to be introduced, the energies and
resources of the colony were allowed to unfold and develop themselves,
and a period of colonial prosperity commenced which bids fair, if not
again checked, to run as rapid and astonishing a career as it has done in
South Australia and Port Phillip.

IMPORT STOCK TO WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

These changes were not unmarked by the Overlanders. Those symptoms of
uneasiness which always precede new eras of events began to exhibit
themselves at both ends of the proposed line of communication. My
official situation enabled me greatly to forward these, and all persons
who landed at the Sound on their passage to South Australia recognised
the advantages to be derived from shipping stock to it from Adelaide, and
thus avoiding the passage to Swan River round Cape Leeuwin; these persons
carried numerous representations to this effect to some of the principal
stock-proprietors of South Australia; and at the same time Dr. Harris,
one of the oldest and most adventurous of the Swan River settlers, drove
a flock of sheep overland from King George's Sound to the inland
districts of the Swan River, thus demonstrating the feasibility of this
part of the plan. The news of his safe arrival at Swan River had on