204 REMARKABLE TREE. 



a safe anchorage, except with S.W. winds, having 

 a small islet in its centre. We ascended the 

 height on the lee side, and as the sun was now ap- 

 proaching the zenith the heat became very oppres- 

 sive ; but the air was quite perfumed with the rich 

 fragrance of different gums. This warm aromatic 

 odour we always experienced in a slighter degree 

 on first landing in North-western Australia. I 

 noticed a tree quite new^ to me, it was of stunted 

 growth, bearing a fruit resembling a small russet 

 apple, which hung in clusters at the extremity of 

 small branches ; the skin was rough, covering a 

 pulp that had an acid flavour, inside of which 

 was a large stone, and I observed a white fluid 

 exuded from the branches when broken. Although 

 this was almost a solitary tree, I have since learnt 

 it grows in the southern parts of the continent. 

 As the woodcut and description given in page 82, 

 Vol. I. of Sir Thomas Mitchell's work on Australia, 

 is almost identical with this fruit, it must be 

 indigenous to a great extent of country, since Sir 

 Thomas Mitchell found it in latitude 29° 50' S. 

 whilst by us it was discovered in 15° 40' S. We 

 did not observe anv other chan^^e in the veofetation 

 on this point ; of birds we saw but few, chiefly 

 parrots, some of which we shot. A coast range of 

 brown grassy hills prevented our seeing any thing 

 of the interior. To seaward there was neither islet 

 nor reef to interrupt the blue surface of water that 

 bounded our view in the far north-west. 



