BOTANY OF TERRA AUSTRAJ.IS. 5 



ber is to be accounted for, partly, no doubt, from the less 

 favorable season in which this part of the coast was ex- 

 amined; but it appeared to de])end also in a considerable 

 degree on its greater sterility, and especially that of its 

 islands. 



Of New South Wales, or the East Coast of New Hol- 

 land, scarcely any part beyond the tro})ic was examined in 

 the voyage ; our first landing after leaving Port Jackson 

 being at Sandy Cape, in nearly 25° S. lat. Between this 

 and 21° S. lat. we had many, and upon the whole, favor- 

 able opportunities for observation, especially at Port Curtis, 

 Keppel Bay, Port Bowen, Strong-tide Passage, Shoal- [535 

 Avater Bay, and Broad Sound, the survey of which was 

 completed ; we landed also on two of the Northumberland 

 and on one of the Cumberland Isles. 



On the North Coast we landed on Good's Island, one of 

 the Prince of Wales' Isles of Captain Cook ; for a few hours 

 at Coen River on the east side of the Gulf of Carpentaria ; 

 and in more favorable circumstances on many of the islands 

 and some points of the mainland on the west side of this 

 Gulf. Several of the group called the Company's Islands 

 in the chart, the shores of Melville Bay, of Caledon Bay, 

 and a small part of Arnhem Bay were also examined. 



We then left the coast, owing to the decayed state of the 

 ship, which, on our return to Port Jackson, was surveyed 

 and pronounced unfit for the prosecution of the voyage. 



Captain Flinders having, in consequence of this, deter- 

 mined to repair immediately to England, for the purpose 

 of obtaining another vessel to complete the objects of the 

 expedition, Mr. Bauer and myself agreed to remain in the 

 colony of New South Wales until his return, or, if that 

 should not take place, for a period not exceeding eighteen 

 months. During this time we added very considerably to 

 our collections of plants, within the limits of the Colony of 

 Port Jackson and its dependent settlements ; the banks of 

 the principal rivers and some part of the mountains bound- 

 ing the colony were examined ; I visited also the north and 

 south extremities of Van Diemen's Land, remaining several 

 months in the vicinity of the river Derwent ; and repeatedly 



