Latitude 31 degrees 14 minutes 19 seconds; longitude 116 degrees 34
minutes.

CAPTAIN GREY'S REPORT OF GOOD COUNTRY CONFIRMED.

22nd September.

This morning an hour's ride brought us to Bolgart Spring, after an
absence of forty-seven days, during which we had travelled 953 miles,
traversing three degrees of latitude and nearly four and a half of
longitude.

The discovery of coal and country available for settlement on the coast
to the north of Swan River was deemed to be of such importance that the
Government dispatched Lieutenant Helpman in the colonial schooner
Champion to procure a sufficient quantity of the coal to admit of its
being practically tested as to quality, and also to ascertain what
facilities existed for its conveyance to a port for shipment. A volunteer
party, consisting of Lieutenant Irby, Dr. Meekleham, Messrs. Gregory and
Hazlewood, accompanied Lieutenant Helpman to Champion Bay, now the site
of Geraldton, and thence by land to the coal-seam on the Irwin River, a
distance of ninety miles, and brought down about half a ton of coal to
the vessel. This coal, though of fair quality and suitable for steam
purposes, proved, however, to be so remote from any suitable port for
shipment that it has hitherto not been available for commercial purposes.

The primary object of the voyage having been attained, it was considered
desirable to avail of the opportunity to examine the country to the
northward and ascertain its capabilities for settlement; for though
Captain, now Sir George Grey, had seen some good country on his journey