EXPLORATION IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 45, 7 January 1862, Page 2

EXPLORATION IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

(From the Perth Inquirer,' Nov. 20.)

The'most important event since the depar-: tuve of the List mail is the return of Mr. Gregory anil his party, who came buck on Saturday, 9th hist., all in good health, the only casualty having been the loss of several horses —six,1 we believe. The Dolphin did not leave Nicol Bay, and the exact route suggested by the Geographical Society could not, from unavoidable circumstances, be followed ,• but Mr. Gregory perfectly succeeded in performing that portion of the exploration which is of more especial interest to this colony. He has, in doing this, discovered a vast amount of good country available for the purposes of pasture and agriculture, which must eventually become of great service to Western Australia, either, as an outlet for her. superabundant flocks and herds, or by, in the shape of a new settlement, offering a market, within easy distance, for her supplies and products. Mr. Gregory's report has not yet been published ; but that gentleman kindly read to us, as far as it was completed, an outline "sketch of his exploration, and from his various memoranda gave us such information with respect to the proceedings of the party as enabled us to publish from the notes we then took a very brief summary of the trip, which appeared in our issue of the 13te inst., to which we refer our English readers. It may be added, that the party suffered but little or no inconvenience from the natives. It was only necessary to fire at them twice, and then withont taking life, or with the intention of so doing. By showing a firm front on all occasions a collision •.ras avoided, for when the natives saw that the party were determined to advance, notwithstanding their threats, they as resolutely determined to retire. The natives in the neighbourhood of Nicol Bay assisted in watering and wooding the ship. A number of pearl*, some of high value, were procured in Nicol Bay arid brought down, as well as several tons of mother-of-pearl shells, and there.is little doubt but that a good trade in the latter will spring up. The spot where they landed with the horses, and which was thought at ; first to be a promontory, afterwards proved to be an island at high water, and as the rise and fall of tide is twenty feet, it becomes an island Ito all'intents and purposes. The only mishap j which occurred was to one of the mates of the ship, who was accidentally shot in the hips, the charge passing through his body. Mr. Gregory supplied the remedies at his command, and gave him the benefit of such medical skill as.liv possessed, the result being that (he man completely recovered.

DintAiiiuTV of- AusniAuisTnrnuß.—A remarkable proof'of tlia .durable properties of the colonial hardwood has .been presented in some specimens of black butt, sent within the Jast day or two, by Mr. A. Dean, of Liverpool-street, to be forwarded with the other specimens of. timber to ihc International Exhibition. The .specimens were taken from one of the ceiling joists of the house in Pitt-street known as that of the late ■■ Hainuel Terry, built by him about the year 1800 ; Hie timber lias consequently been in use for sixty yours. A large quantity of the wood obtained in taking down the old house will be used in that to be1 erected- on its site. Mr. Dean further mentioned, in forwarding the samples, that 'he has just finished a large villa at Uewtow.n, for Mr. J. •'- ---8. .Toscphson, upon the site of his old residence,.-' iiud'that upon taking down the old building lie had found all the timbers sound, more especially the blue gum ; the house having been built upwards of forty year.-s. What has often been no--1 iced by other builders is testified to by Mr. Dean, I'iafc in taking down^old buildings, the1 colonial . Umber was always found sound and good, while tiie deals and other foreign1 woods were generally ■ (Uiite rotten. —6*. M. Herald. The "Hobart Town Advertiser," of Dec. 5". 18(51 may possibly be at some future date as consciously valuable in its way as the celebrated. '• breeches Bible." Our contemporary heads an -..' article on the arrival of the new Governor of *. Tasmania, Col. Gore Browne, C.8., after the following fashion : —"ColonialßrowneC.il." • The Bkst Yet.- —The ways and fortunes of siinkes scoih to be among the most curious of the caiiositics of- Natural -History: . Lately a para-''. graph . bus been going the round of the press, mentioning-the discovery of a snake in a hen's ; '■ c.'ljj. Yesterday morniag a half grown fowl, be-. ■. louring to Mr. John Adams, High-street, having >;-. liiedsaddcnry, a post mortem examination wasiu-.'. ; f-tituted, when, partly in the gizzard and partly protruding through a rupture in that organ, was found a young brown snake, fully a foot in length., , Tho snake appeared to have eaten its way through' the gizzard, but probably died iv the attempt, the head and the neck for three or four inches appearing ground very much by the milling process (if the gisizard, and twisted once' round like a" corkscrew. The bird must have swallowed the snake, and ! then began the struggle for life,; and.... death, which ended in tho destruction of both,—•' '^Maryborough Advertiser, Dec. 13. : '-'..■■■ ■'..■■■„ ■'■?'?

A iSTiou Couyi.K.— 'H'ne Wadiington Globe re- I l.vtcs a rather novel story in connection with an. ' cpbode in New York litb. The young and lovely: ; daughter, an only child just turned-' sixteen, of - 'Mr.: A., a .wealthy gentleman upon whom his fondest aiid warmest affections were centered as the: companion and solace of his widowed life, " Having (luring the vacation1 from school met at Ihe house of a friend, Mr. 15., with a gentleman,,, ?.Irj C, of the city, fascinated him so lUiichwitli her beauty that he naturally fell in love with lier/> without, of course, asking her father's permission. '■■: The friends, however/apprized him of, tlie: circumstances.. He immediately. hastenedi|to the 0 city, and, seeking an interview with theS^ming 'man, forbade any further attentions to his duughter,! which,-'after.some habitation, Sir. C. prqmiseil : to observe, upon the receipt of 1000 dollars^- :.;The • sum was promptly paid him, and for a few: weeks | ■;■ the I matter was apparently disposed of; . ;It i; ; was > only apparently, for: the 'young lady astonished* liGrlfriendsoneliioriiing !'7 calling herself a wife,- ■■-'.': and that the ceremony had been psrforihed'.at the. residence: of a fashionable clergyman,1 hut that ~ si>e:had not seen her .-h.usMnd since they left^ the altar. Tlie father, waowas in tlie south, yrasHin-j. nieliately telegriiphed'fSi:. On his return heliatl ",j. an interview with the young man, which satisfied., him that it- was useless So appeal to his1 heart or ,:> his head, and he therefore appealed' to his pocket, ■■■'■■' denianding how much money would induce him to sign a release of his. marital rights, and'V.reliiiquish for ever all clahns to the yqimg lady. Th^ young' gentleman■ ask<;d .the old" 'gentlemaii whaf lie would.giye, an:l he rep] ini 4000 dollars—r.addt , iuglthat the thousand ..'Us v.ras a] ready, paid would" V make "tlie. sum 5000 dollars.1 The' 'thing was" set 4. tied ; the, husband ,uj£:ii"cud ; and the money Aviis* : 'paid, the; young gtati^inan piedging his1 honour' Z to sign a release.: The .■parties' were to meet; at- , ton I' o'clock next: moruliig, and the parchtrie'rit'sI'l'." were to be signed ; but at nine o'clocklthe. next Tiioriiing r.lr G. drove,to the door ot* -Mr 8.. enquired for f.!.r A. and .laniandoJ his \v:ife !.'., She v hsaiing of his being there,1 entered the room, and" in the face .of the1 violated'-agreement, the payment ~-■ of tiie-heavy. &rfisit, the agony of her desolate •: -f. liitiier, iuid't!ic,vrarning ofhar tViaiuls, went snvay . ■ with her husband. ... '~;,:': ~ ,': ;' '■" ".V' ....'''>, The 'iipsatttng- of a gig >vas"' the o«casion of .'.',. \v"aihiii*itu:i's being born in;thc United" States, and tiic subsequent'1 establishment of- our nntiqiiivV independence ; tin: error of the miner in';.sinking a :,: well-led to.the discovery of HprcuUiiieiii.ii with Tall ; its inagniiicanti-treasures of'ancient; art •and1 at ? '::f blunder of, nautical adventurers; resulted in "tlid ■ ',' discovery of the;island- of Madeu-ai—with1 all thbsb ■ ■ :j delicious yc'incs.—American 2>aPer- .':" i ';-./.'' '■'■. .''' --^ '■"!'}■