292 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THE 



The singular limestone caverns, at the Shoalhaven gullies, 

 appear from the short visit Mr Cunningham paid them, as one 

 of the most interesting points of his excursion, and he much 

 regretted, that time and proper facilities alone prevented 

 his bestowing a more lengthened investigation of those appa- 

 rently very extensive natural excavations. The distance 

 travelled over in this journey was about four hundred and 

 twenty miles. They returned the first week in May to 

 Paramatta. 



The months of July and August were spent at Mr Cun- 

 ningham's favourite botanizing ground Illawarra, from whence 

 a very valuable and extensive collection of living plants were 

 brought to Paramatta, and planted in small boxes or pots, to 

 establish them previous to their removal to this country. 

 One among the remarkable plants collected on this occasion 

 was, the lofty tree-nettle of that district, (Urtica gigas, A. 

 Cunn.), a tree measuring occasionally eighty or ninety feet in 

 height, with a diameter of three feet, and also having violent 

 stinging propensities, producing great irritation in the part af- 

 fected for twenty-four hours. While on this journey, Mr 

 Cunningham received intimation of the intention of Mr 

 Oxley to proceed to Moreton Bay for the purpose of examin- 

 ing the shores of the Brisbane, as to their capabilities of sup- 

 porting a colony on their banks ; and, as it was very much his 

 wish to join this expedition, he hurried his return to Para- 

 matta for that purpose, and having made the necessary ar- 

 rangements for the employment of his people during his 

 absence, he embarked with one servant, on board the Amity 

 brig, and sailed from Port Jackson on the 1st of September. 

 The party reached Moreton Bay on the 11th, having touch- 

 ed at Port Macquarie on their passage. A boat expedition 

 to survey the river Brisbane was projected soon after their 

 arrival, in which Mr Cunningham accompanied Mr Oxley; 

 they prosecuted their researches to the termination of boat 

 navigation on the river ; and although disappointed in their 

 expectations relative to its length, they were rewarded by tlie 

 discovery of a most valuable tract of country well fitted foi' 



