237 



[TAB. LI. LII. LIII. LIV.] 



JOURNAL OF A TWO MONTHS' RESIDENCE 

 ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVERS BRISBANE 

 AND LOGAN, ON THE EAST COAST OF NEW 

 HOLLAND. By C. Fkaser, Colonial Botanist. 



To which are added, Figures and Descriptions of a feiv of the 



most Interesting Plants. 



MoRETON Bay, situated in latitude 27^ South, was so named, 

 if I mistake not, by Capt. Cook, surveyed by Capt. Flinders, 

 and farther explored by Mr. Oxley, who discovered a fine 

 fresh-water river flowing into the Bay, and which, " from 

 respect to his Excellency the Governor, under whose orders 

 the Bay was examined, was honoured with the name of 

 Brisbane River." * A settlement was subsequently formed 

 there, bearing the name of Brisbane Town. It is to Sir 

 Thomas Brisbane that I am indebted for some information 

 relative to this country, which may be considered prefatory 

 to the remarks of Mr. Eraser. Sir Thomas's letter is dated 

 Mackerstane Castle, 3d Nov. 1829. 



" I visited," he says, " Moreton Bay in 1824. It is situ- 

 ated about 600 miles north of Sydney, and forms one of three 

 Penal Settlements, viz. Port Macquarrie, 165 miles north of 

 Sydney, that already named, and Norfolk Island, nearly 1000 

 miles E. N. E. of Sydney. The Penal Settlements are for the 

 purpose of receiving and trying to reclaim convicts who have 

 committed crimes after their transportation ; and according 

 to the nature of the offence they are sent — for the slighter 

 ones to Port Macquarrie; for those of a graver natui'e to 

 Moreton Bay; and, finally, on committing those of the deepest 

 dye, to Norfolk Island, which last is occupied with the most 

 desperate characters, and are either capital respites, or re- 

 corded sentences of death. These unfortunate individuals 



* Mr. Oxley's Report, published in Mr. Barron Field's Memoirs of New 

 South Wales. 



VOL. I. B 



