Doubtless the surroundings were somewhat sad and sombre, and, even had they been brighter and more exhilarating to the unscientific, there is not, much that is interesting in a collection of mineral and specimens.

We know that a very enthralling discourse has been delivered with regard to a lump of red sand-stone, nevertheless geology is essentially a subject on which it is impossible for the unscientific to work up any degree of enthusiasm. Nevertheless it has been obvious to everybody in the old Prison Chapel last Wednesday afternoon who listened to the remarks of the Governor and Premier that the formal establishment and opening of this museum is a matter of no small importance.

As the Governor pointed out, Western Australia is already a gold-producing country and a place of great mineral possibilities. The specimens on view at the museum now open to the public include rich, gold-bearing quartz from Kimberley in the north to Plantagenet in the south, besides lead, copper, tin and coal and other valuable minerals too numerous to mention. These will demonstrate, to those anxious to enquire into our wealth and prospects that Western Australia offers a large field for mineral research.

The placing of the museum the charge of a paid curator will be a great advantage, although the Rev. Mr. Nicolay deserves great credit for his valuable and gratuitous attention to the geological collection, in the past. It will be the duty of the curator to add to that collection and to do all that lies in his power for its enlargement, and we believe that Mr. Woodward is well fitted in all respects for the position he, occupies. The present day is one of small things, but there is no foretelling the extent to which the humble little museum will grow, and maybe it is the nucleus of a school of mines, and of an institution which will bear comparison with those so well established and housed in the sister provinces.

It must at once be affirmed that the sooner the museum is removed from its present temporary lodgings the better. It is somewhat remotely situated in the first instance, and in the next the prison surroundings are gloomy to a degree, and must cause an impression the reverse of favourable in the minds of visitors, and indeed induce uncomfortable comment. Gloomy as is the exterior the interior is worse, and the visitor has to pass whitewashed cells and mount iron stairs in order to reach the sombre apartment in which the specimens and exhibits are located. This lodgment should not be allowed any longer than can be possibly helped, and it may be hoped that when next the Government come before parliament they will be prepared with proposals for the erection of a museum in a central or conveniently situated portion of the city.

This museum should be devoted not merely to the housing of geological specimens, but should be for exhibits of a general character. No doubt it would be possible, by offering a reasonable sum of money in payment therefore, to obtain the highly heterogeneous collection at present jumbled together in the Mechanics' Institute, and which are palpably suffering from the effects of the dust and moth which corrupt. Well arranged and displayed the collection would be very interesting but at present it is almost an impossibility to view them properly.

It is little short of discreditable to the colony that after an existence of 60 years there is not in Perth even the nucleus of a collection of our flora and fauna. Few countries offer such opportunities to the botanist, the entomologist and zoologist as Western Australia, and without going outside our borders for exhibits a truly magnificent and unique collection of natural objects might be made and displayed in this fair city.

As it is at present we have nothing whatever of the kind to show the stranger within our gates. It is high time this reproach was removed. The Premier, Sir John Forrest, though he would scarcely pose as a scientific man, has displayed a large amount of highly intelligent interest in the collection of botanical and other specimens when engaged in his exploring expeditions, and judging by his remarks at the opening of the Geological Museum he recognizes that the colony is unduly backward, and has not done justice to itself in failing to establish ere [sic] this a [sic] Museum in Perth.

It may therefore be hoped that his Government will be the first [missing original text] … was thickly strewn with [missing original text] … and so densely covered with heavy grasses to completely [missing original text] … both sides of the soil and stones from [missing original text] … making it very difficult for horse or man to set his foot evenly on the ground, and much stumbling and many loosened horseshoes. The river contained a fine volume of fresh water, running in a broad shallow bed, with a firm bottom of sand and basalt boulders. Papyrus trees and groups of palms occupied little mounds of soil that just showed above the water, giving the whole scene a very picturesque appearance.

A CURIOUS SPOT AND A VAST PANORAMA.

The camp having been pitched early in the afternoon, Mr. Allen and I took fresh horses and rode several miles to the south-west. We saw a large pool of water at the bottom of a beautiful valley, contiguous to which was a large and nearly horizontal slab of sandstone rock, probably 900 square yards in extent. In the centre of this the aborigines had formed a circle of large stones, 12ft. in diameter. At the centre of this circle was an oblong stone structure. about 5 ft. long and 3ft. wide, and nearly 2ft. high, which, from the burnt appearance of the stones and quantity of ashes and cinders in the vicinity, was evidently used from time to time as an oven, or perhaps an altar. Passing this curious spot, we rode for about a
mile further up a very steep incline, and finding the rise of the country becoming too precipitous for horse-travelling, we secured our nags under a group of box trees, and proceeded to ascend the mountain in front of us on foot. Half an hour's climbing brought us to the summit, where we were rewarded by a splendid view of the surrounding, country.

The aneroid showed this mount to be 1,550 ft. above sea-level. On every side of us huge boulders of black volcanic stone rose up through the deep, dense covering of succulent green grass which clothed the mountain from base to apex. Miles away from us in various directions we could trace out the courses of creeks and lagoons by the masses of papyrus and palm trees that fringed their banks ; while further still to the west and north the prospect was bounded by terraces of rugged mountains, furrowed by numerous gaps and valleys.

The principal timber on the mountain where we stood, and apparently on the surrounding hills, was a rather small species of eucalyptus, which, for want of another appellation, our party generally called the “grey box.” The “feather-tree” also appeared in considerable numbers, and many small species of acacia, and a stunted palm with fan- shaped leaves, which seemed to grow only on the higher altitudes. We were so interested in the varied beauties of the vast panorama spread around us that we did not for some time notice the sun was getting near to the horizon ; an observation from my companion to the effect that we had but little more than half an hour of daylight, made us hurriedly return to our horses and steer for the camp. It was considerably after dark when we sighted our own fires and felt ourselves within the safety of the camp, where we sat down with vigorous appetites to devour a feast of bream that had in the meantime been caught in some of the pools of the river. These fish were very numerous, and some of them were estimated to weigh 8lb.

A DEEP RIVER AND A THUNDERING CREEK.

The following day we travelled along the western bank of the river in a northerly direction for about 15 miles, until the channel cut into an impassable barrier of sandstone rock, which lay at right angles to the course of the river and extended for several miles both to the east and west.

Before entering into this barrier the river becomes very wide at various places. One of its reaches, besides which we subsequently pitched our depot camp, was about 50 chains long, three chains wide, apparently of great depth, and containing clear fresh water, which to the eye seemed to be still and motionless, but an inspection of the rocky bars which crossed the river bed at irregular intervals showed a rapid current. It was computed that over 11,000,000 gallons per hour flowed past a given point in the stream.

Turning away from the river, we travelled along the base of the before mentioned sandstone barrier for four miles, till we came to a large creek which poured its waters in a great chasm cutting right through the barrier. The cataract thus formed by the creek on entering the chasm was carefully measured by Mr. Allen, and showed a perpendicular depth of 95ft. A strong current flow in the creek, and the noise it made in leaping from the cliffs into the troubled cauldron, nearly a hundred feet below, was something deafening. These falls forcibly reminded me of nearly similar ones described by Captain King about 40 miles northwest of where we are.

A HANDSOME TREE.

A very handsome tree, with leaves resembling a large mulberry leaf, and containing a heavy foliage, was observed growing here in considerable numbers. Our Palmerston blacks called it “Lilirimir!,” but said it was now almost extinct in their territory. I had never seen it growing on the Fitzroy or Meda rivers of West Kimberley, or anywhere in the neighbourhood of Cambridge Gulf in East Kimberley. The wood is of a bright orange colour, and is easily worked.

A REMARKABLE WALL.

Nearly half the following day was wasted in getting our train across the sandstone range, although it was not more than half a mile wide at the greatest breadth. A little valley issuing out of the range on the lower side had its outlet obstructed by an artificial stone wall, that had evidently been in existence for many years, as large trees had grown round it. It was about two chains long, reaching from one bank of the valley to the other, and originally had been between 4ft. and 5ft. high. Some of its lower stones would weigh fully a hundred weight. I could form no conjecture as to what purpose it had bean intended for. It was not nearly high enough to be of service as a kan- [end of clipping].