THE DISCOVERY OF AUSTRALIA 



rapid torrent, coming from a lofty range of hills, and 

 running, through the lower part of its course, through 

 rich open country." In this rich open country appeared 

 the ideal site for the Mother City of the Southern World. 

 Walking through the forest, along a clean well-shaded 

 road, they came to a native village. Round the huts 

 were many fruit trees, surrounded by intertwined pali- 

 sades, to keep off the multitudinous pigs. In the bush 



MAP OF THE BAY OF ST. PHILIP AND ST. JAMES. 

 (From a facsimile in the Boletin de la Sociedad Geografica de Madrid, 1878.) 



were partridges, doves, ducks, parrots, parroquets, herons, 

 and song-birds, "which in the morning gave us pleasure 

 to hear such gentle and musical notes." They found 

 also cocoa-nuts, plantains, oranges, nutmegs, and almonds 

 and above all yams, which are the chief food. The land 

 yielded so much food that there could not be more. They 

 saw great trees that would furnish very good spars for 

 yards of large and small ships, and these so near the sea 

 that they rose to heaven ready for use. In short, " there 

 is scarcely a tree in all this land that is not of some use." 

 The climate was perfect. It was so cool at night that 



