BY CLIVE E. LORD. 45 



water. The boat, which was under the command of M. 

 Maui'ouard, included in its complement, M. Boullanger, 

 geographic engineer, and M. Peron, the naturalist and 

 historian. Skirting along the southern coast, the ex- 

 tremity was named Cape Peron, and the granite outcrop 

 ahead of this the Pyramid. Progressing up the east 

 coast, they charted the point at the southern end of the 

 large bay Cape Maurouard, after the cadet in charge of 

 the boat, who also assisted M. Boullanger in his geographic 

 studies. Tlie bay itself was named Riedle, in honour of 

 a naturalist of the expedition, who had died at Timor. 



The explorers landed at Riedle Bay about two o clock, 

 and it was here that Peron found the famous example of 

 the aboriginal tomb. This was a structure of bark, cover- 

 ing the remains of an aboriginal whose bodv had been 

 cremated. 



On the 20th the boat continued its journey, parsing 

 the Cape Mistaken of Cox, and rounding the northern 

 cape, which was named Boullanger, after the hvdrographcr 

 of the expedition. The small island off the north ex- 

 tremity of Maa-ia Island they named Islet du Nord. Along 

 this part of the coast the growth of kelp greatly astonished 

 the explorers, and considerably hampered their progress. 

 On the western side the explorers gaye the name Point 

 Lcseur (20) to the point at the head of Oyster Bay, and 

 Middle Island ('-i' to the island half way between this 

 point and the mainland. 



As it was growing dark, the explorers ])roceeded to 

 land, but at the sight of about thirty aboriginals, thev 

 proceeded further into the bay, and landed without being 

 approached. The next day they surveyed Oyster Bay, and 

 w-ere just leaving when the sound of guns from the ship 

 announced the fact that M. Mauge, the surgeon, was 

 dead. (22) Tlie boat returned to the ships on the evening 

 of the 21st. 



During the following days parties from the ship 

 visit-cd the island, and several interviews with the natives 

 were held. Peron docs not seem to have been impressed 

 with the Maria Island tribe. During the time that the 

 exploration of the island wa.«; in progress, several other 



(20) Now Lons Point. 



(21) Now McLauiihlan's or Lachlan Island. 



,. '22j. "The last of my colleagues. M. Mauge. was certainly no more. 



and his remains had at that moment been committed to the earth 

 ^_He died the day after we left the ship, universally re:rretted by all 



on board both vessels. . . . His body was interred on Isle 

 ^Maria at the foot of a large Eucalyptus, against which a plate of lead 

 _was hxed, whereon was inscribed the sad particulars of his death. 



and the name of Point Mauge was given to the part of the island 



where the remains of our unfortunate companion are deposited " 

 Peron. 



