wet seasons it must be a
fine sheet of water. As we approached its banks I observed that the
surface, which was somewhat elevated above the country nearer the river,
consisted of firm red soil with large bushes of atriplex,
mesembryanthemum, and other shrubs peculiar to that kind of surface,
which is so common on the left bank of the Bogan.

TRIGONELLA SUAVISSIMA.

The whole expanse of the lake was at this time covered with the richest
verdure and the perfumed gale which:

fanned the cheek and raised the hair,
Like a meadow breeze in spring,

heightened the charm of a scene so novel to us. I soon discovered that
this fragrance proceeded from the plant resembling clover which we found
so excellent as a vegetable during the former journey.* A young crop of
it grew in scanty patches near the shores of the lake, and I recognised
it with delight, as it seems the most interesting of Australian plants.
The natives here called it Calomba and told us that they eat it. Barney
said it grew abundantly at Murroagin after rain. It seems to spring up
only on the richest of alluvial deposits, in the beds of lagoons during
the limited interval between the recession of the water and the
desiccation of the soil under a warm sun.** Exactly resembling new mown
hay in the perfume which it gives out even when in the freshest state of
verdure, it was indeed sweet to sense and lovely to the eye in the heart
of a desert country. When at sea off Cape Leeuwin in September 1827,
after a three months' voyage and before we made the land, I was sensible
of a perfume from the shore which this plant recalled to my recollection.

(*Footnote. Trigonella suavissima, Volume 1.)

(**Footnote. On leaving Sydney for this expedition I placed in charge of
Mr. McLeay, colonial secretary, the first specimen of this plant produced
by cultivation. It grew luxuriantly in a flower-pot from seeds brought
from the Darling where it was discovered. Volume 1.)

In the bed of Waljeers we again found the Agristis virginica of
Linnaeus,* and an Echinochloa allied to E. crusgalli, two kinds of very
rich grass; but most of the verdure in the middle of the bed consisted of
a dwarf species of Psoralea which grew but thinly.** Hibiscus was also
springing very generally. The bed of this lake had been full of the
freshwater mussel; and under a canoe (which I took away in the carts)
were several large crayfish dead in their holes. Dry and parched as the
bed of the lake then w