occasion, when lost in the bush, he was driven by hunger, to eat a species of Teredo, or Augur-worm, called by the Blacks, Cobra, which he found very palatable. In this part of the country, within the reach of the salt water, this animal is abundant in logs, which it perforates, till they resemble honeycomb.

8th. We visited the Hospital, which is in a dilapidated state. There being some prospect of opening this fine country to settlers, and the penal establishment being, consequently, reduced, many of the buildings have been suffered to get a little out of repair. The prevailing diseases here are Ophthalmia, Chronic Rheumatism and Dysentery; forformerly Ague was frequent, but it has rarely occurred since the prisoners were properly fed, clothed and lodged. The surgeon, is an intelligent man, who has paid great attention to the anatomy of the curious tribe of animals, that inhabit this part of the world, and which, in Australia, generally, with the exception of the Native Dog, and a few others, are marsupial. They rear their young, from a very minute size, in pouches. Some species of Kangaroos, are met with here, that we have not seen before; also many birds, that are new to us; among them, are several splendid Parrots.

9th. On the way to Eagle Farm, we noticed a beautiful Pavonia, with a rosy, purple blossom, shaded deeply toward the centre. Here also, growing parasitically upon the climbers, was a splendid Loranthus, with foliage like that of a Lemon, and clusters of crimson, tubular blossoms, tipped with yellow. Several other fine species of this genus, grow on the branches of the Eucalypti and other trees, in the various parts of Australia. At Eagle Farm, we again visited the female prisoners, for whom a selection of tracts was left, with their Superintendent; they expressed thankfulness for them, being very destitue of books, even of Bibles, which the prisoners generally, have not access to, even on First-days.

On the way back to Brisbane Town, a prisoner constable was our guide. He gave us some account of his sufferings, when, on one occasion, he absconded, and was

in the bush for three months.

His companion died from In one place they found

the hardships he met with. the remains of two men, and in another of three, who were supposed to have run away from Port Macquarie, and to have been unable to sustain the fatigues and privations to which they had subjected themselves. Instances have occurred, in which men have run away, and lived for some years among the Natives; but at length, they have become so tired of savage life, as to return and give themselves up. In general, the Blacks bring back runaways, but a few are supposed still to be out among them, to the northward. Absconding is not now common among the prisoners. This is attributable to the encouragement given to good conduct, by relaxation of sentence, and to the regulation, which requires the time spent in the bush, to be made up, before any indulgence, or freedom, by expiration of sentence, is allowed.

10th. We again had religious interviews with the prisoners and officers. Sixteen Blacks came to the Settlement, and we presented them with some cotton handkerchiefs, with which they seemed much pleased, and not less so, with some Bananas, given them by the Commandant. The Blacks here show less value for articles of European manufacture, than those of some other parts of the Colony; and though less contaminated by intercourse with white people, they are evidently less civilized; they, however, find Sweet-potatoes, Maize, and other food, such as they obtain from the military and officers, so much superior to the roots they generally feed upon, in their native haunts, that some of the males visit the settlement daily, to obtain them.

CHAPTER XXXIII.

Departure from Brisbane Town.-Plumbago.-Fishes and Birds.-Dugong.Stradbroke Island.-Amity Point.-Aborigines.-Penal Regulations.-Moreton Island.-Trees.-Crabs.-Amusements.-Huts.-Native Dogs.-Fish.Manufacture.-Mangroves, &c.-Animals.-Fight of Natives.-Mistake in the name of Biscuit.-Departure from Moreton Bay.-Storms.--Arrival at Newcastle.-Native Guides. Ebenezer.-Aborigines. - Amusement. -Missionary Labours.-Civilization of the Blacks.-Amount of Native Population. -Forest.-Remarkable Spring.-Gregarious Caterpillars.-Wages of Blacks.

4th mo. 11th. We took a final leave of the Officers of the Penal Settlement, and embarked on board the Commandant's gig, a fine boat of eight oars, to return to the Isabella.

At the Lower Wharf, we took in two military officers, one of whom was returning to Sydney. While waiting for them, I went on shore, and saw, in the bush, a beautiful, blue Plumbago, possibly P. capensis, which I believe is not known as a native of N. S. Wales. As we crossed the Bay, we saw great numbers of Pelicans, standing in a line, at the water's edge, on a sand-bank. One was also fishing among shoals of Mullet, a migratory fish, probably not the Mullet of the Northern Hemisphere, that is just coming in from the sea, so thick, as to darken the water; out of which, they are so continually jumping, as to give the idea, of a dance among the fishes! but it is probably a dance of terror, to elude the pursuit of their enemies, the Porpoises and Sharks. The Blacks do not kill the Porpoises, because they shew where there are fish to be caught; but they value the flesh of another cetaceous animal, called here Youngon, the Dugong of India, Halicore Dugong. This animal feeds on marine vegetables; and is

taken when it goes up narrow creeks, by means of nets, skilfully made of the bark of various species of Hibiscus.

Moreton Bay is shut in from the sea, by three islands, the northermost of which, is called Moreton Island, and the middle one, Amity or Stradbroke Island. On the north point of the latter is the Pilot's station. The forest about this point, is formed of some species of Eucalyptus, Melaleuca, and Banksia, with the Cypress-Pine, Callitris arenosa, which forms a spreading tree, forty feet high, and eight feet round. On the sandy flats, by the shore, Ipomoea maritima, sends out long, straight shoots, to the extent of many yards: it has large, pink, convolvulus-like blossoms, and curious, two-lobed leaves. It helps to bind the sand together, as do also, the large, yellow-flowered Hibbertia volubilis, and several maritime grasses. Although H. volubilis is offensively fetid, in English green-houses, I could never perceive that it had any smell, either here, or at Sydney. Some of the smaller species of the genus, are offensive in Tasmania. Many interesting shells are found upon the shores of this bay; among them, the Crowned Melon Shell is much esteemed for its beauty. The Blacks watch for it, and take it as the tide ebbs, before it has time to bury itself in the sand, or they probe for it, with a bone skewer, in the places where its track is seen.

The Blacks on Stradbroke Island, like those resorting to Brisbane Town, are fine-personed, in comparison with those about Sydney. Some of them can speak a little English. Their intercourse with the white people, at this station, has not increased their virtue, but it has evidently advanced them a few steps towards civilization, beyond those of Brisbane Town. Pride produces its painful effects among these people, as well as among those who profess civilization and Christianity, among whom it is less tolerable. The males of this tribe of Aborigines, ornament themselves, by cutting their flesh, and keeping it from healing, till it forms elevated marks. They cut nineteen ridges, that look like ribs, right across their breasts, from the line of their armpits, downwards. One man, about six feet high, had them as wide as my thumb, and half as much elevated. Their

A A

backs and thighs are thickly marked, with lighter, zigzag lines, of great regularity. The right shoulder is marked with lines, like epaulettes, and the left with irregular scars, received in combat with stone-knives; with which, on such occasions, they wound one another on the left shoulder, left thigh, or left leg; considering it a point of honour not to deface the ornamented portions of the frame! Some of them have curly hair, but others have it, lank, and wear it tied up, often forming a knot at the top of the head, and decorated with feathers. In this knot they stick their bone skewers, and other implements; for being without clothing, this is the only place in which they can carry an implement not in the hand, except under the strips of skin that they occasionally wear round their arms and loins.

12th. The wind not favouring our departure, we went on shore, and had a religious interview with the White people. We met them in the boat shed, which afforded good accommodation, and was pleasantly cool for this almost tropical climate, in which the heat is still great, notwithstanding the summer is past. A considerable number of Blacks came also into the boat-shed, and as we could not convey to them our sentiments of Christian good-will, in words, we presented them with a few handkerchiefs. Some of these useful articles were also given to the boat's crew, as an acknowledgment of their attentive services. Though prisoners, they may be allowed to wipe the perspiration from their faces with them; but so strict is the discipline, that they would not be allowed to tie them round their necks! They are not allowed to wear any thing but the slop clothing, provided by the Government. Perhaps this may be a good regulation, tending both to keep up the feeling that they are prisoners, in consequence of their crimes, and to prevent their stealing. Some of the soldiers and prisoners, applied for tracts, which they received gratefully, along with a few few books, including a testament. They are very destitute of books, the only Bible I heard of, at the station, belonged to the pilot.

The wind continuing adverse, I accompanied a party from the Isabella, to Moreton Island, with a view of