Port Phillip.'] TERRA AUSTRALIA 219 
there being mostly sandy, and the vegetation in many places, little iso2. 
better than brush-wood. Indented Head, at the northern part of the 
western peninsula, had an appearance particularly agreeable ; the 
grass had been burned not long before, and had sprung up green 
and tender ; the wood was so thinly scattered that one might see to 
a considerable distance ; and the hills rose one over the other to a 
moderate elevation, but so gently, that a plough might every where 
be used. The vegetable soil is a little mixed with sand, but good, 
though probably not deep, as I judged by the small size of the trees. 
The most common kinds of wood are the casuarina and 
eucalyptus, to which Mr. Grimes adds the banksia, mimosa, and some 
others ; but the timber is rarely sound, and is not large. 
Were a settlement to be made at Port Phillip, as doubtless 
there will be some time hereafter, the entrance could be easily 
defended ; and it would not be difficult to establish a friendly inter- 
course with the natives, for they are acquainted with the effect. of fire 
arms, and desirous of possessing many of our conveniences. I thought 
them more muscular than the men of King George's Sound ; but, 
generally speaking, they differ in no essential particular from the 
other inhabitants of the South and East Coasts, except in language, 
which is dissimilar, if not altogether different to that of Port Jack- 
son, and seemingly of King George's Sound also. I am not certain 
whether they have canoes, but none were seen. 
In the woods are the kanguroo, the emu or cassowary, paro- 
quets, and a variety of small birds ; the mud banks are frequented 
by ducks and some black swans, and the shores by the usual sea 
fowl common in New South Wales. The range of the thermometer 
was between 6V and 67 0 ; and the climate appeared to be as good 
and as agreeable as could well be desired in the month answering 
to November. In 1803, colonel Collins of the marines was sent out 
from England to make a new settlement in this country ; but he 
quitted Port Phillip for the south end of Van Diemen's Land, pro- 
