moonlight, but the temperature so low as to render the protection of some of our warmer sea-clothing, very agreeable. About midnight, we came upon some shoals, on which the boat was often aground; but after shoving her backward and forward, she was at length got into deeper water. The recollection, that we were now on the utmost verge of that part of the British dominions, inhabited by its white subjects, and that these were the very outcasts of civilized society, and that we were surrounded by uncivilized tribes of Blacks, often passed my mind, with a feeling I can hardly describe. But believing we were here in the allotment of religious duty, I could not desire to be in any other place; and though deeply sensible of my own unworthiness of the least of the mercies of the Most High, I had a sense of his power sustaining me, such as is to be accounted among the greatest of blessings.

29th. About two o'clock in the morning, the moon having set, and the tide being against us, we landed on one of the islands, on which the Mangroves were thick. Small Oysters were attached to the branches and trunks of those that were within the high-water-mark. This is commonly the case within the mouths of rivers, on this coast. Here we rested, on a little elevation, scarcely above the reach of highwater, and lighted a fire; by the side of which, our boat's crew refreshed themselves with their homely fare, of maizemeal-bread, and water; to which some of them added a smoke of tobacco. They were very attentive, carrying us from and to the boat, and in other ways showing their good-will. After some of them had taken a nap on the ground, and we had amused ourselves, by listening to the voices of Grasshoppers, and of Red-bills and other birds that cry in the night, one of which almost said "Cuckoo," we re-embarked, and proceeded up the river, twelve miles, to the Settlement, where we landed, early in the morning, on a wooden-jetty, near to the quarters of the Commandant, Captain Foster Fyans; who received us with much kindness, and afforded us all the attention and accommodation that our circumstances required.

CHAPTER XXXII.

Moreton Bay. Brisbane Town.— Gardens.—Tread-mill.-Swearing.—Plants, &c.-Natives.-Prisoners.-Family Worship.-Trees, &c.-Plants, and Animals.-Female Prisoners.-Wood.-Destruction of Spirits.-Teredo.-Kangaroos, &c.-Birds.-Want of Bibles.-Absconders.-Aborigines.

3rd mo. 29th. AFTER making a hearty breakfast, we set out to inspect the settlement, which is called Brisbane Town it consists of the houses of the Commandant, and other officers, the barracks for the military, and those for the male prisoners, a penetentiary for the female prisoners, a treadmill, stores, &c. It is prettily situated, on the rising, north bank of the Brisbane River, which is navigable fifty miles further up, for small sloops, and has some fine cleared, and cultivated land, on the south bank, opposite the town. Adjacent to the Government-house, are the Commandant's garden, and twenty-two acres of Government-garden, for the growth of Sweet-potatoes, Pumpkins, Cabbages, and other vegetables, for the prisoners. Bananas, Grapes, Guavas, Pine-apples, Citrons, Lemons, Shaddocks, &c. thrive luxuriantly in the open ground, the climate being nearly tropical. Sugar-cane is grown for fencing, and there are a few thriving Coffee-plants, not old enough to bear fruit. The Bamboo, and Spanish Reed have been introduced. The former, attains to about seventy feet in height, and bears numerous branches, with short, grassy leaves, the upper twenty feet bending down with a graceful curve. It is one of the most elegant objects, in the vegetable world. Coffee and sugar, will probably at some period, be cultivated here, as crops. The surrounding country is undulating, and covered with trees. To the west, there is

a range of high, woody hills, distant, in a direct line, five miles.

The tread-mill, is generally worked by twenty-five prisoners at a time; but when it is used as a special punishment, sixteen are kept upon it, for fourteen hours, with only the interval of release, afforded, by four being off at a time, in succession. They feel this extremely irksome, at first; but notwithstanding the warmth of the climate, they become so far accustomed to the labour, by long practice, as to leave the tread-mill, with comparatively little disgust, after working upon it, for a considerable number of days. Many of the prisoners were occupied, in landing cargoes of Maize, or Indian-corn, from a field down the river; and others, in divesting it of the husk. To our regret, we heard an officer swearing at the men, and using other improper, and exasperating language. This practice is forbidden by the Commandant; but it is not uncommon, and in its effects, is perhaps equally hardening to those, who are guilty of it, and to those who are under them.

Whilst walking a few miles down the river, toward a brook, called Breakfast Creek, the waters of which are generally brackish, at high tide, we saw a number of remarkable plants, &c. On the margins of the brook, Acrosticum fraxinifolium, a large, ash-leaved fern, was growing, along with Crinum pedunculatum, a great bulbous-rooted plant, with white, tubular, lily-like flowers. Hellenia cærulea, a reedy-looking plant, with broad leaves, and blue berries, and a species of Phytolacca, with pretty, pink blossoms, were among the brushwood. By the sides of fresh-water ditches there were a Jussieua, resembling an Evening Primrose, with small yellow blossoms, and a blue-flowered plant, in figure like a Pentstemon. On the grassy slope of the hills, near the river, Hibiscus Fraseri, with yellow blossoms, like those of the Hollyhock, but having a deep purple eye, was in flower. Among the Mangroves, the Moschettos were so numerous, that we could not proceed many yards for them, notwithstanding we wiped them continually, off our hands and faces. Several striking butterflies were fluttering from flower to flower; some of them having