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SKETCHES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
CHAPTER III.
Journey through bush to Barladong—Road party—Sympathy of our driver—Runaway sailors—Singular sound of wind passing through shea-oak trees—Crossing Darling Range at Green Mount—Extensive and beautiful view—Inn at Mahogany Creek—Australian magpie—Burning of team of horses and load of sandalwood by bush-fire—"V" hut in bush—Grass-trees or Xanthorrhoeas—Inn at the Lakes—Remain for the night—Sofa bedsteads—Journey resumed—Early start—Great heat—Paper bark-trees—Little inn among zamias, and red gum-trees—Kangaroo dogs and kangaroo breakfast—First sheep seen feeding forty miles from Perth—Poisonous plants—Change in character of forest—White gum-trees—Curious lizard—Descent of Cut Hill—View of Mount Bakewell—Arrive at Barladong—Description of Church and Parsonage—Deaf Clerk's welcome—Early call for sick visiting—Melancholy noise of curlews in the middle of the night.
We were now becoming anxious to turn our steps towards our new home, which was appointed to be at Barladong[1]—"over the hills," as the country eastward of Perth is generally called, on account of the road thither crossing the Darling Range at Green Mount. Our future residence was only sixty miles from Perth; but the journey, when undertaken with one horse, required two days to accomplish. My husband had set out some little time before me, leaving me to follow him with our maid-servant. She and I travelled in a hired dog-cart, driven of course by a convict, though the only circumstance that made me guess what he had been was the pitying manner in which he
- ↑ For reasons which will be readily understood when the limited character of the population of the colony is considered, I have preferred to use the native rather than the colonial name of the district.
