114 POINT CUNNINGHAM. 



career of such a man should not be without a last- 

 ing and appropriate monument ! 



February 13. — It blew a violent gale the whole 

 of this day from W.S.W., coming on quite unex- 

 pectedly, for neither the state nor appearance of the 

 atmosphere gave us the least indication of its 

 approach. Exposed on a lee-shore, it may be ima- 

 gined that we were by no means displeased to see it 

 as rapidly and inexplicably depart, as it had sud- 

 denly and mysteriously appeared. 



February 14. — - Leaving this anchorage we 

 found another in a bay on the mainland, 12 

 miles S. from Point Swan, and 11 N.W. from a 

 remarkable headland named by Captain King, 

 Point Cunningham, in honour of that distinguished 

 botanist, whose zealous exertions have added so 

 much to the Flora of Australia. I well remember 

 when we were preparing to sail from Sydney, in May 

 1839, the scientific veteran seemed to enter with the 

 utmost interest into all the details of the coming 

 adventure. And even, though the natural force of 

 that frame which had so often set danger at defi- 

 ance, while engaged in the ennobling pursuits to 

 which his honourable career had been devoted, was 

 too palpably failing the mind whose dictates it had 

 so long obeyed ; the fire of the spirit that had 

 burned throughout so brightly, seemed to leap up in 

 yet more glowing flame, ere quenched for ever by 

 the ashes of the grave! — alas! within the brief 



