31£ Account of the New Colony of Western Australia. [Oct. 



to the mucous membranes ; on the contrary, I have known them occa- 

 sionally affect the serous membranes, and also the solid viscera, but I 

 conceive this to be the tissue generally attacked, and in which disease 

 mostly commences ; this, however, is only thrown out as a hint to 

 future inquirers, which I do not much insist upon, my object being to 

 record facts, rather than form hypotheses. 



The exportable commodities which the soil and climate are capable 

 of producing, are woods of various kinds, for cabinet use and for ship* 

 building, and shingles ; the barks of several of the indigenous trees, 

 especially that of the mimosa, containing tannin in a highly concentrated 

 state ; gums of various species and qualities, particularly gum arabic ; 

 salt of an excellent quality is found in Rottenest Island; salt-fish has 

 been already exported to the Isle of France and India ; seals, of the 

 kind from which the fur is obtained, are very plentiful on the coast ; 

 — the seal fishery will open two sources of wealth to the colonists ; 

 the first being a trade in skins, the second in seal oil. The sperm and 

 black whale fishery will afford articles of profitable export, and tend, 

 also, to make the settlement important for the refitting and victualling 

 of vessels engaged in the trade. Wheat and flour find a ready sale 

 in the Isle of France ; it is more favourably situated for that market 

 than either Van Dieman's Land or Sydney. Fine wool has been already 

 exported and approved of in the London market— hides, tallow, and 

 horns ; tobacco, wine, flax and hemp ; cotton, almonds, aniseed, bees 

 wax, and honey ; barrilla, cheese for India and China, carraways, 

 cochineal, coriander 5 dried fruit, such as figs, currants, raisins, and 

 prunes ; hops, vegetable oils, olives, citrons, oranges, lemons, &c. &c. 

 to which may be added the very important article, silk. 



Of the Aborigines or natives, I shall only say so much as occasional 

 intercourse with them has enabled me to become personally acquaint- 

 ed with. 



On the first meeting of the settlers with the natives, the latter 

 seemed alarmed, and withdrew ; after a little time, however, 

 they gained more confidence, and a friendly intercourse became esta- 

 blished ; this continued for some months, during which time the natives 

 occasionally rendered a little assistance in labour, for which they were 

 rewarded with food, particularly bread, of which they became very 

 fond. The propensity to thieving, inherent among the Swan River, as 

 well as all other, savages, soon began to display itself; whenever an 

 opportunity offered food and implements belonging to the settler were 

 carried off j the lower classes would make no allowance for their large 



