26 MEMOIR OF 



most wonderful colony, whose laws, at once sage 

 and severe, have converted highwaymen and rob- 

 bers into industrious labourers; and where depraved 

 women, without character, have abandoned their 

 vicious courses, and become the respected mothers 

 of thriving families. 



After their departure from Port Jackson, whence 

 Le Naturalist was dispatched to France, another 

 voyage, no less hazardous than the former, was 

 undertaken. Le Geographe proceeded to examine 

 the islands at the western part of Bass Straits, 

 again to explore the coast of New Holland, skirting 

 along it as far as the Gulf of Carpentare. The 

 dangers increased on every hand on these unsur- 

 veyed coasts, and were most severely experienced 

 by the Naturalists, who lost no opportunity of 

 penetrating into the interior. Peron, especially, 

 displayed remarkable courage and activity. He 

 went in quest of the rude savages, without being 

 alarmed at their perfidy or ferocity ; he also col- 

 lected a great number of animals of all kinds ; he 

 seized every opportunity of examining into their 

 habits, to discover any that might be useful to 

 mariners on the desert land, or would be ca- 

 pable of domestication, or might be naturalized in 

 Europe, or, finally, might become objects of com- 

 merce, for their fur, oil, or other products. Of the 

 five Zoologists who had been appointed by govein- 

 ment, two having remained at the Isle of France, 

 and two having died at the commencement of the 

 second voj'age, Peron alone remained for the per- 



