COASTS OF AUSTRALIA, 
185 
posite to the Islands of Dorre and Bernier; but I822. 
from the very intricate and shoal nature of its Jan. 24. 
approach, it is very doubtful whether even a 
sight of the land in that direction could be 
procured. 
The rocks of Dirk Hartog’s Island are of a 
very remarkable formation, consisting of a con- 
geries of quartzose sand, united in small circular 
kernels by a calcareous cement, in which some 
shells were found imbedded. The geological 
character of this rock is more fully treated upon 
in the Appendix by my friend Dr. Fitton. 
Upon the summit of the cliffs there are a few 
low shrubs, at this time much parched up, but 
among them Mr. Cunningham found a tolerably 
rich harvest. In his collection were the following 
plants, which were originally brought to Europe 
by Dampier; viz., trichinium incanum, Br. ; diplo- 
Icena Dampieri, Desf. ; solanum, a thorny ferrugi- 
nous species without fructification, ( 8 . Dampieri?) 
Dampiera incana, Br. ; and a cordate melaleuca, 
figured by Dampier a beautiful loranthus 
(teretifolius, Cunn.) grew on the branches of 
an undescribed acacia (a. ligulata, Cunn. MS.):” 
* ^ many were the wrecks of most interest- 
ing plants, and especially those of soft herbace- 
ous duration, which had some time since fallen a 
* Dampier, vol. iii., p. 110 , tab. 3 , !!§■. 4 . 
