Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822King, Philip Parker
History
Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia — Vol. 2: Performed between the years 1818 and 1822
King, Philip Parker
Australia -- Description and travel; Natural history -- Australia
We again reached the North-west Coast, in the month of September of the
following year, resuming the survey at its northern extremity, under the
most flattering views, and with a favourable season for the prosecution
of that primary object of the voyage. Between the meridians of 125 and
129 degrees, on the parallel of 14 degrees, although a large proportion
of the vegetation was for the most part destroyed by the long established
droughts, the number of specimens of plants bearing fructification,
gathered at Port Keats, Vansittart Bay, Port Warrender, and especially in
Cambridge Gulf (where we spent ten days) was nevertheless considerable
and highly interesting, belonging, however, almost wholly to established
genera of which Grevillea and Acacia were the most striking. The breaking
up of the monsoon at length again obliged Captain King to close his
examination of the coast for that season, to which we, however, returned
in September, 1820, continuing the survey westerly from the point at
which we had left those shores the preceding year. I had very eligible
opportunities of landing upon the shores of Montagu Sound, Capstan
Island, Cape Pond, York Sound, especially at the head of Hunter's River,
at Brunswick Bay, and in Careening Bay, Port Nelson; at which several
parts the collections formed were very important, but not extensive.
Our encampment on the shore of the latter bay, during the repair of the
vessel, enabled me to examine the country around, to the distance of four
or five miles; but it being at the height of the dry season,
comparatively few flowering plants were detected, and no herbaceous
plants of importance. Our prolonged stay there also enabled me to form
some idea of the Flora of its shores and neighbouring country, from which
I gathered materials for comparison with the vegetation of Endeavour
River, situated at the eastern extreme of its parallel on the opposite
shore of the continent: the identity of certain species on either coast,
together with the inference drawn therefrom, will appear stated, towards
the close of this general notice. Very few new genera were the fruits of
this third voyage, but many undescribed plants of old genera were
discovered, and with those that are frequent on the North Coast, and
tropical shores of New South Wales, some were remarked that were
originally discovered on the South Coast. The period again arrived, that
rendered it necessary to depart from the coast, independent of the leaky
state of our vessel, which materially hastened our return to Port
Jackson, when the cutter was considered wholly unfit for a fourth voyage,
in which the complete survey of the north-west, and the examination of
the line of west coasts were contemplated. To effect this important
service, the colonial government purchased a brig, subsequently named the
Bathurst, and I again accompanied Captain King from Port Jackson, in May,
1821, to those parts of the coasts then remaining unexplored, at which we
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