BOTANICAL INFORMATION. 659 



north-west, to travel down to Swan River, keeping parallel 

 with the coast. Oh that my friend Durando could accom- 

 pany me ! 



It is much pleasure to me to hear that my collection of 

 woods gave satisfaction to M. Adolphe Brongniart, and I am 

 now almost sorry that I asked anything for it; but at the 

 time, I had not a single farthing in my possession, having 

 expended my entire means on the expedition, and I started 

 absolutely without funds, and therefore thought the thousand 

 francs would serve as a derniere ressource in the event of my 

 living to return. The colonists, however, have now given me 

 most liberal help, and I am projecting various excursions. I 

 should prefer to wait till the result of Sir Thomas Mitchell's 

 journey of discovery is known ; he is now prosecuting it, and 

 as he travels admirably equipped and with every facility, I 

 cannot doubt that he will add largely to our geographical 

 knowledge of that part of the country lying north-west of my 

 line of route. When I come home, I trust to be laden like a 

 bee ; for the north-west is the district in which to look for a 

 remarkable Flora, where the Australian types are blended 

 with those of India, and such is much the case with the vege- 

 tation of the Gulf of Carpentaria and Arnheim Land. The 

 Indian forms of plants rose to view, one after the other, like 

 the stars of the Northern Hemisphere, as I advanced into the 

 basin of the Gulf; Nelumbium, NympJuBa y Villarsia lutea, 

 Cochlospermum, Zuccarinia (?), Stravadium, Cycas, Eugenia 

 (about five species), Anacardium, and the Bamboo, all these 

 proclaimed the productions of Asia, and a close examination 

 of the less conspicuous plants would probably give a still 

 more decisive result. 



As I shall not be in Sydney when your next letters arrive, 

 I will request that they should be addressed to the care of my 

 dear friend, Mr. Lynd, Military Barrack-master, who has 

 been like father and brother to me, and is so still. He is, at 

 present, Secretary of the Committee of the Botanic Garden 

 and of the Museum, at Sydney. 



