THE BANKSIAX BOTAMCAL COLLECTORS. 
>4,> 
Under date 30th May, 1817, Cunningham records: — 
“ Coming through this thicket, which we have named Euryalean 
iScrub,* after one of the Gorgons, etc.”; and a number of the plants 
procured in this arid area are referred to in the “ Pdora Australiensis,” 
and elsewhere. 
.U [). .IS. — Ye.sterday, being the King's l)irthday (June 4th), Cunningham 
planted under Mount Hrogden. acorns, jieach, and apricot stones and quince 
seeds, with the hope rather than the e.xpectation that they woidd grow, and serve 
to commemorate the day and situation, should the.se desolate plains be ever again 
visited by civilised man, of which, however, I think there is very little probability. 
This planting of useful seeds in out-of-the-way districts was a pleasing 
practice that Cunningham frequently carried out. 
1 now give particulars of the five voyages — four, if the comparatively 
unimportant one to Van Diemen’s Land (Tasmania) be e.xcluded. 
Cunningham’s movements from 22nd December, 1817, to 25th April, 
1822, are thus accounted for. I have taken the particulars from the 
“ Narrative of a Survey of the Inter-tropical and Western Coasts of 
Australia, performed between the years 1818 and 1822, by Captain 
I’liillip P. King, R.X.” The first four voyages were taken in H.M. 
nutter “ Mermaid,” a little tub of 84 tons, or about the size of a small 
ferry-boat. Allan Cunningham was the botanical collector, and it is 
marvellous to find what good surveying work Lieutenant (afterwaids 
Captain) King performed in this little boat, and what e.xcellent botani- 
cal results were achieved by Cunningham, under circumstances which 
would have damped the ardour of most men. He went prolonged 
voyages in this little boat ; the food must have been very poor, and the 
inconveniences for botanical work exasperating. He had little space 
to dry his plants, his papers got wet, and rats and cockroaches ate the 
specimens. Yet the fruits of his indinstry are in the herbaria of Europe 
to-day. 
I have given precise localities of the spots touched by Allan Cunning- 
ham, as they are absolutely necessary in order that we may unde:- 
stand his herbarium labels ; I have given the dates because from 
))ersonal experience, without a connected narrative I have found it 
difhcidt, if not impossible, to follow many fragmentary accounts of 
Cunningham’s wanderings that have been published. 
First Voynije. — H.M. cutter “ Mermaid,” of 84 tons, Lieut. P. P. 
King, R.N. Botanical Collector, Allan Cunningham. Went on 
board on the 21st. and left Port Jackson on 22nd December, 1817. 
* / bout midway between Xarrandcra and HilUton. 
