Geographical Collections. 6T 
explored the river to its source, and the surrounding country, which is, according 
to his report, very picturesque and.fertile. Captain Stirling’s first interview with 
the natives, whom he met in ascending the river, had an hostile character, but 
they soon established the best understanding, which was not afterwards troubled. 
These natives were quite savage, carrying no other clothing than the skin of the 
kangaroo or the opossum: they are armed with lances pointed by bones or stone. 
Their only utensils were hatchets of stone, hooks made with scales, and fishing- 
lines made with the bark of trees. During the summer months, they come in 
great numbers upon the coasts, feeding on fish, which they kill with their lances. 
They have no nets, and do not even know how to construct a boat or a raft. 
At the approach of winter, they retire into the interior, where they hunt opos- 
sums, kangaroos, land-turtles, and the different birds with, which the country is 
abundantly provided. They also feed on plants and roots. Their appearance is 
repulsive and wild: they are irritated by the slightest provocation, and come sud- 
denly to hostilities. They are capricious and vindictive: their heads are very 
large, and disproportionate with the remainder of the body. They give proof of 
much agility, and their sight is remarkably piercing. 
The climate of Swan River appears to be very healthy. The heat, which is 
great towards the middle of the day, is tempered by frequent rains and breezes 
that come from the mountains: the mornings and evenings offer suflicient time 
for labour, and the nights are fine and serene. It is probable that the heat is 
more intense on the shores of the sea than in the interior ; nevertheless, not one 
of Captain Stirling’s crew suffered the least inconvenience from it. The soil ap- 
pears particularly well adapted to agriculture ; springs issue from all points ; ve- 
getation is very vigorous ; ferns and thistles attain a height of twelve feet. Tha 
principal birds of the country are the emu or cassowary, the swan, several species 
of ducks, quails, pigeons, parrots, falcons, and several singing birds. Seals, sharks, 
and whales, are frequently seen on the coast. Fish are very abundant, and of the 
best quality. é 
Captain Stirling has been named governor of the new establishment. Lieute- 
nant Rose, who accompanied Captain King in his expedition to New Holland, 
will fill the office of general inspector of the colony, and many gentlemen have 
joined the expedition with very large grants of land. At a meeting of the Lin- 
nzan Society, (May 5. 1829,) part of a paper, entitled “ Remarks on the Bota- 
ny and Geology of the banks of Swan River, Isle of Buache, Geographe Bay, 
and Cape Naturaliste ; by Mr. Frazer, colonial botanist, of Sidney in New Hol- 
land,” was read, and excited considerable interest. Mr. Frazer accompanied Cap- 
tain Stirling during his survey of that part of New Holland. As the remarks of 
a scientific man must always be of the greatest use, we shall give them here in 
his own words. 
“* In giving my opinion of the land seen on the banks of the Swan River, I 
hesitate not in pronouncing it superior to any I ever saw in New South Wales, 
east of the Blue Mountains, not only in its local character, but in the many ex- 
isting advantages which it holds out to settlers. These advantages I consider 
to be, 
“ First, The evident superiority of soil. 
** Secondly, The facility with which a settler can bring the farm into a state 
of immediate culture, resting upon the open state of the country,—a state which 
allows not of a greater average than ten trees to an acre. 
““ Thirdly, The general abundance of springs, producing water of the best 
quality, and the consequent permanent humidity of the soil: two advantages not 
existing on the eastern coast. 
““ Fourthly, The advantages of water coming to the door, and the non-exist- 
ence of any impediment to land carriage.” 
We find, in Captain King’s observations on New South Wales, that Mr. Fra- 
zer has brought from the environs of the Swan River, specimens of granite, 
quartz, hornblende rock, limestone, and new red sandstone. The facts which 
we are thus enabled to draw from our knowledge of the mineral structure and hy- 
