[Illustration: _From a Sketch by G. Bennett._ _Pub: by R. Bentley, London, 1834._ _T. Clark, sc._ _Bugong Mountain_] WANDERINGS IN NEW SOUTH WALES, BATAVIA, PEDIR COAST, SINGAPORE, AND CHINA; BEING THE JOURNAL OF A NATURALIST IN THOSE COUNTRIES, DURING 1832, 1833, AND 1834. BY GEORGE BENNETT, ESQ. F.L.S. FELLOW OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS, &c. IN TWO VOLUMES. VOL. I. LONDON: RICHARD BENTLEY, NEW BURLINGTON STREET. Publisher in Ordinary to his Majesty. 1834. LONDON: IBOTSON AND PALMER, PRINTERS, SAVOY STREET, STRAND. PREFACE. The Work now given to the Public is the result of a series of recent excursions into the interior of the Colony of New South Wales, at intervals of disengagement from professional duties, and at periods of the year best calculated for observations in natural history. To this are added a detail of such incidents as appeared to the Author worthy of notice, while visiting Batavia, Singapore, China, &c. on his return to England. The writer in his narrative has limited himself principally, if not entirely, to the notes taken at the instant of observation, his object being to relate facts in the order they occurred; and, without regard to studied composition, to impart the information he has been enabled to collect in simple and unadorned language, avoiding, as much as possible, the technicalities of science. LONDON, JUNE, 1834. CONTENTS OF THE FIRST VOLUME. CHAPTER I. Island of Porto Santo—Madeira—The Desertas Islands—Town of Funchal—The Physalia, or Portuguese man of war—Description of that animal—An experiment—Effects of the Physalia’s sting—Method of preserving the animal—Land in sight—Approach to the Cape Verd Islands—Islands of Mayo and St. Jago—Anchor at Porto Praya—The town—Famine—Novel method of Fishing—Tropical trees and other plants—Valley of St. Trinidad—The monkey bread-tree—Springs of water—Severe drought—Negro Huts—Plantations—The gigantic boabab-tree—Residence of Don F. Melo—The Orchilla weed—Date palms—Leave the island 1 CHAPTER II. Enter the tropics—Flying fish—Luminosity of the ocean—Magnificent scene—Phosphoric light—Interesting facts in elucidation of that phenomenon—Albicores and Bonitos—A colossal whale—Sea birds—Gigantic species of Albatross—Description of those birds—Their manner of flight 28