RIVER ABSORBED IN SANDY PLAINS.
January 26.
Mr.Elliott this day joined us on our route to Perth, which was attended with no circumstance worthy of notice until our arrival at Pinjarra.

We travelled over extensive plains which in the rainy season of the year must be completely flooded, but in vain looked for the Harvey River and the other stream which flowed from the hills to the sea.

I could find no watercourse in which they might probably flow, yet we had left them both running strongly at not more than ten miles from the point where we then stood.

The truth was that they were absorbed in these marshy plains before they came within several miles of the sea; and what threw a still further light upon the subject was that, although these marshes were perfectly dried up and had a hard-baked appearance at the surface, yet if a hole about two or three feet deep was scraped in them water directly came pouring into it.
On the morning of the 29th we reached Pinjarra; on the 30th Mr.Elliott and myself rode as far as the Canning; and early on the 31st we had the pleasure of entering Perth together..