166 NEW SOUTH WALES. 



brought into a high state of cultivation by its occupants. The drive 

 in this direction may challenge comparison for beauty with any part 

 of the world. It presents innumerable and picturesque views of the 

 noble bay, and of the promontories that jut into it, occupied by man- 

 sions and ornamental grounds. On reaching the South Head, a view 

 of great beauty is also seen. The point thus named, is a bold head- 

 land, about two hundred and fifty-four feet in height, on which stands 

 the light-house, a fine tower, with a brilliant revolving light. 



The public grounds are in part occupied by a Botanical Garden, 

 which was laid out by Mr. Cunningham, the botanist of the colony, 

 to whose memory a monument is about to be erected in the garden, 

 which is itself a memorial of his fine taste, and his successful cultiva- 

 tion of the science he professed. Mr. Cunningham perished by a 

 melancholy death, which is still spoken of with regret. He had, in 

 his capacity of botanist, accompanied Major Mitchell, the Surveyor- 

 General of the colony, on a tour of exploration in 1835. In the 

 pursuit of his researches, he wandered from the party, and did not 

 return. As soon as he was missed, the native guides were sent in 

 search of him, but returned without having succeeded in finding his 

 traces. Major Mitchell then instituted a fresh search, in which the 

 tracks of Mr. Cunningham's horse were found, and followed for ninety 

 miles. Within this space three places were seen where he had stopped 

 and encamped. From the last of these, the tracks of the horse were 

 again followed, until the carcass of the animal was found dead through 

 fatigue and starvation, with the whip tied to the bridle, and all his 

 accoutrements about him. Retracing their steps to his last encamp- 

 ment, they ascertained, on close examination, that he had there killed 

 his dog for food, and his footsteps were seen as if making rapid strides 

 for the bed of a river, which he had followed to a pool, into which he 

 had plunged. Farther down the river, some shells were found near the 

 remains of a fire, which had evidently been kindled by a white man. 

 Here all further traces of him were lost, and the search abandoned in 

 despair. 



Some months afterwards, a second search was made by Lieutenant 

 Vouch. In the course of this, some natives were taken near the 

 Brogan river, in whose possession a part of Mr. Cunningham's 

 clothing was found. They stated that a white man had come to them 

 in a state of great exhaustion : that he was hungry, and they fed him, 

 but that during the night they had become afraid, and killed him. 

 The body was never found. 



Lieutenant Vouch inferred that Mr. Cunningham had become de- 

 ranged by the severity of his sufferings, and that this had caused him 



