316 BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCH OF THK * 



Strangers on the banks of the Brisbane River, and their 

 friendly dispositions towards his countrymen. 



In the progress of the expedition northerly, it was remark- 

 ed, that the plants of those portions of the interior lying be- 

 tween the parallels of 32= and 28^ S., differ but little from the 

 characteristic vegetation of the temperate parts of the colony 

 generally — the many unpublished species, which were discov- 

 ered in the course of the journey belonging for the most part 

 to genera characterizing the Flora of the colony and coun- 

 try immediately adjacent.* Upon gaining the parallel of 

 28= S., however, under the meridian of 152° E., a very de- 

 cided cliange takes place in the vegetable productions. The 

 brushes which densely invest the sides of the lateral ranges, 

 were, on examination, found to be plants more usually to be 

 observed in the intertropical parts of Austi'alia. 



Mr Cunningham, on the 16th of June, resumed his journey 

 to the southward ; for, notwithstanding the benefit his horses 

 had derived from rest and good pasture during the stay of 

 the party in Logan's Vale, they were all exceedingly weak, 

 and his provisions so considerably reduced, that he was 

 reluctantly compelled to relinquish the tour he had origi- 

 nally contemplated towards the western marshes into which 

 the Macquarie River drains, and the more particularly as the 

 appearances of the weather at the change of the moon had 

 led him to apprehend that a period of heavy rain was about 

 to succeed the protracted season of drought. On quitting 

 Logan's Vale, they commenced their journey through a fine 

 open forest countr}', abounding in excellent pasture, and 

 tolerable timber, and watered by a reedy creek running to 

 the westward. In about nine miles they reached the north- 

 eastern skirts of Canning Downs, which, in pursuing their 

 course, they crossed at a part where their breadth did not 

 exceed two miles. After passing through a heavily timber- 



* The genus Acacia appears to have been found most abundant, for 

 not less than thirty species of this elegant race were found during the ex- 

 pedition. 



