ds at Perth, was,
together with several private telegrams, forwarded free of charge by the
South Australian Government, which also provided us with fresh horses and
everything we required for our journey to Adelaide.

We left the Peake on the 4th of October, greatly refreshed by the rest
and the kind treatment we had received from Mr. and Mrs. Blood, and Mr.
Bagot, the owner of the cattle station.

Before I record the details of our journey and the receptions given us at
every place on the route, I will quote the concluding remarks of my
journal relative to the expedition:--

THE COUNTRY TRAVERSED.

I now beg to make a few remarks with reference to the character and
capability of the country traversed; and through the kindness and
courtesy of Baron Von Mueller, C.M.G., etc., Government Botanist of
Victoria, and of Mr. R. Brough Smyth, Secretary for Mines of Victoria, I
am enabled to annex reports upon the botanical and geological specimens
collected on our journey.

The whole of the country, from the settled districts near Champion Bay to
the head of the Murchison, is admirably suited for pastoral settlement,
and in a very short time will be taken up and stocked; indeed, some
already has been occupied.

From the head of the Murchison to the 129th meridian, the boundary of our
colony, I do not think will ever be settled. Of course there are many
grassy patches, such as at Windich Springs, the Weld Springs, all round
Mount Moore, and other places; but they are so isolated, and of such
extent, that it would never pay to stock them. The general character of
this immense tract is a gently undulating spinifex desert--Festuca
(Triodia) irritans, the spinifex of the desert explorers, but not the
spinifex of science. It is lightly wooded with acacia and other small
trees, and, except in a few creeks, there is a great absence of any large
timber.

The prevailing rock, which crops out on the rises and often forms low
cliffs, in which are receptacles for holding water, is LIGHT RED
SANDSTONE (desert sandstone, tertiary). The only game found in the
spinifex is a kangaroo rat, commonly called the wirrup; but in the grassy
openings there are many kangaroos, and often emus, also a rat known as
the wurrung. These animals are very good eating, and formed a valuable
addition to our store department. At the permanent waters there were
always myriads of bronze-winged pigeons, and also the white cockatoo with
scarlet crest, called t