THE LATE ALLAN CUNNINGHAM, ESQ. 275 
my letters, where I met a batch of old acquaintances, 
and learnt all the news of the shore. On Monday I an- 
nounced myself at Government House, and had an audience 
of a quarter of an hour with Sir R. Bourke. ‘He was glad,’ 
he said, ‘to see me; having read much, and heard more 
about me? He bad been looking for me during the last two 
months, and hoped I should get on shore, and enter on my 
duties immediately. Regarding the state of the garden, I 
have to say that Anderson, the Assistant Superintendent, has 
been very active; and I have been working the Government 
about my cottage in the garden, which is in a sadly dilapi- 
dated state. Iam in hopes His Excellency will allow me to 
rent a cottage for so long a time as may elapse between this 
period and the completion of such repairs and alterations as 
are necessary. I sawa house (a verandahed cottage) this 
day, which I have partly taken, the rent is extremely high, 
90/. per annum, but it is just the thing I want for size, with 
a splendid aquatic view before me of the port and shipping, 
and about 150 feet above the lower part of the town. My 
two cabins of plants from Loddiges’ were landed in fine con- 
dition, and I am gradually adapting them to the high dry 
temperature of the colony at this season. "The heat I find 
excessive, because I have not felt what I do now these six 
years, yet c: thermometer has not a higher range than 85? 
in the shade. 
Mr. Cunningham commenced the duties of his office with 
the same zeal and activity that had always distinguished his 
labours in the colony, and great improvements were pro- 
jected by him for the benefit of the Botanic Garden in parti- 
cular; but he very soon discovered that various and onerous ` 
services were expected from him, that had but little to do 
with the presumed duties of “Colonial Botanist, and Super- 
intendent of the Botanic Garden," for so runs his style and 
title in the New South Wales Government Gazette of March 
lst, 1837, which announces his appointment. For besides 
the varied duties of attending to a botanic garden—corre- 
sponding with other colonial establishments of a similar na- 
x 2 
