TO PORT ESSINGTON. 359 
tree, and two species of Terminalia, yielded a fine supply of 
edible gum, and the fruit of a species of the latter genus 
was tolerably good to eat. 
The native nutmeg of Port Essington Myristica sp. is of 
an oblong form, and not so large as that cultivated by the 
Dutch, but strongly aromatic. From the blossoms of the 
drooping tea-tree Melaleuca Leucodendron Linn, they pro- 
cured a large quantity of honey. The native marjoram, 
belonging to the genus Anisomeles R. Br. was used for tea, 
and for flavouring soup. On one occasion an edible mush- 
room was found in the scrubs west of Darling Downs. 
In their endeavours to find substitutes for tea, they were 
once severely punished from using the seeds of a species of 
Acacia, which produced violent sickness, and bowel com- 
plaints in several of the party. Mention has been made of 
the blistering qualities of the lugula, still more remarkable 
Was that of the glutinous juice which exuded from the seed 
Vessels of a species of Grevillea on the banks of the Mac- 
arthur, The pulpy substance which separated the seeds of 
an arborescent species of Cassia, had an acidulous taste, and 
was a mild and very effective medicine. | 
Dr. Leichardt considers that a very large proportion of the 
_ ‘Country he travelled over will be available for colonisation, 
_ Ing only the scrubs of the east coast of Australia, the moun- 
tain gorges of the Upper Lynd, and the tea-tree scrubs of 
ne west coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria.. But even here 
broad belts of fine country extend along both sides of the 
. "Ager rivers, and will very probably be found quite as good 
35 the country of the Roper. Horses and cattle will do well 
nd on the plains at its head. The rapid increase of the 
oe on the Coburg Peninsula, and the excellent con- 
“tion of the herd of cattle which they keep at Port Essing- 
w; shows that the north-west coast of Australia, is no less 
and that the greatest part is fit for pastoral purposes, except- 
i DE the whole extent, particularly at Expedition Range, = 
along the Isaacks, the Burdekin, the east coast of the gulf, 
