Account of Peron's Peninsula. 253 



curious cut, (coupure,) and the French think that the unknown 

 parts of Shark's Bay contain similar openings. 



The surface of the peninsula, with the exception of the wood 

 near Point Guichenot, as viewed from the top of one of the hills at 

 Point Shoals, presents an immense tract of level ground, sandy and 

 barren, only broken by Montbazin Haven, which extends in the 

 direction of the coast. The whole peninsula is seen from the above 

 hill. Of five lakes passed by the French in their excursions, three 

 were dried up. The ground was every where sandy, red in some 

 places, covered with shells, and encumbered with parasitical bram- 

 bles. The footsteps of some unknown animals were noticed, but 

 they only saw one kangaroo. In returning to their camp, they saw 

 a prodigious number of seals, which contended no doubt with 

 clouds of pelicans, assembled at the south point of the core in 

 Seal's Bay, for the sovereignty of the place. 



Thus far the description of the peninsula. Its naked sandy 

 soil, which is expressly said to be " not contrary to vegetation,", 

 and its want of fresh water, are disadvantages which may in my 

 opinion be overcome by degrees, by the perseverance of a party 

 stationed there on board ship, whose first business should be to sink 

 one or two wells, and cut a tank or cistern ; for as it is well known 

 that no trees (except the cocoa-nut and mangrove) will vegetate in 

 a soil saturated with salt ^vater, we may confidently rely on com- 

 ing to plenty of fresh water, by digging in the vicinity of the trees 

 above Point Guichenot, a spot so fertile in vegetables of large 

 growth. Neither would the party be in want of manure, where 

 the waters teem with such an abundance of fish of various descrip- 

 tions, which make the best manure. Shells also, and all sorts of 

 rubbish thrown up by the sea, when burnt, aiford good manure. 

 It would be best at first to import timber for the roofs and other 

 portions of buildings, instead of cutting down the wood of the 



Elace, which, with other trees to be planted, it would be good po- 

 cy to preserve. 



It appears singular to me, that it never struck the minds of the 

 French, that possibly the absence of the natives, which was often 

 remarked for long periods, Avas occasioned by their journies to the 

 mainland for fresh water. They might also carry supplies of water 

 in bladders with them in their visits to the peninsula ; for I should 

 myself consider that their residence there was only occasional and 

 temporary, during their fishing seasons, or in the absence of other 

 food elsewhere ; and that they would be found in greater numbers 

 in the interior of the mainland, perhaps settled in the vicinity of 

 some fresh water streamlet. 



But be the peninsula never so sterile, it is amply compensated 

 by nature in the profuse productions of its surrounding waters, 

 which abound in prodigious quantities of fish, and especially in large 

 whales of the profitable kind. 



Captain Freycinet states, that Dampier's Bay offers good holding 



