238 BIOGRAPHICAL SKKTCH OF THE 



already many valuable coliections from thence, sent home by 

 you, which do credit to your expeditions, and honour to liie 

 Royal Gardens, especially among the Epidendrums, Tilland- 

 sias, c5"c., such as were sent home in boxes ; your bulbs also 

 have produced some splendid flowers." 



Their journeyings in Brazil now approached a termina- 

 tion. In the month of August, instructions were received 

 from Sir Joseph Banks, directing Mr Bowie to embark for 

 the Cape of Good Hope, and Mr Cunningham for New 

 South Wales ; and on the 28tli of September, the two trav- 

 ellers separated, both leaving the harbour of Rio on the 

 same day for their respective destinations; the vessel Mr 

 Cunningham took his passage in {the Surry, convict ship, 

 Captain Raine), reached Sydney Cove, on the *20th De- 

 cember, after a pleasant voyage of ninety-five days. On the 

 following day Mr Cunningham landed, and proceeded to 

 Paramatta to report himself to the Governor, Major Gene- 

 ral Macquarie, by whom he was very kindly and hospitably 

 received. Siiortly after his arrival, he took a cottage at 

 Paramatta, at which place he resided during his stay in Aus- 

 tralia, in the intervals of his numerous and varied journeys. 



Early in the year 1817, Mr Cunningham was made 

 acquainted with the intentions of the Colonial government 

 to send an expedition, under the command of the late sur- 

 veyor-general Oxley, to explore and trace the courses of 

 the Lachlan and Macquarie rivers, and he was advised 

 by the governor to attach himself to an expedition, the 

 results of which were likely to prove most interesting in 

 a botanical point of view ; from the circumstance of the 

 parties having to traverse a country at that period entirely 

 unknown. 



On the 4th of April, Mr Cunningham left Paramatta m 

 company with Mr Evans, assistant-surgeon, for Bathurst. 

 The roads at that period being in a very indifferent state, 

 their cattle could make but little progress in a day's march, 

 and a want of bridges occasioned also detentions, so that the 

 party which was overtaken on the road by Mr Oxley, did 



