ber is to be accounted for, partly, no doubt, from the less favorable season in which this part of the coast was examined; but it appeared to depend also in a considerable degree on its greater sterility, and especially that of its islands.
Of New South Wales, or the East Coast of New Holland, scarcely any part beyond the tropic was examined in the voyage; our first landing after leaving Port Jackson being at Sandy Cape, in nearly 25° S. lat. Between this and 21° S. lat. we had many, and upon the whole, favorable opportunities for observation, especially at Port Curtis, Keppel Bay, Port Bowen, Strong-tide Passage, Shoal- [535 water Bay, and Broad Sound, the survey of which was completed; we landed also on two of the Northumberland and on one of the Cumberland Isles.
On the North Coast we landed on Good's Island, one of the Prince of Wales' Isles of Captain Cook; for a few hours at Coen River on the east side of the Gulf of Carpentaria; and in more favorable circumstances on many of the islands and some points of the mainland on the west side of this Gulf. Several of the group called the Company's Islands in the chart, the shores of Melville Bay, of Caledon Bay, and a small part of Arnhem Bay were also examined.
We then left the coast, owing to the decayed state of the ship, which, on our return to Port Jackson, was surveyed and pronounced unfit for the prosecution of the voyage.
Captain Flinders having, in consequence of this, determined to repair immediately to England, for the purpose of obtaining another vessel to complete the objects of the expedition, Mr. Bauer and myself agreed to remain in the colony of New South Wales until his return, or, if that should not take place, for a period not exceeding eighteen months. During this time we added very considerably to our collections of plants, within the limits of the Colony of Port Jackson and its dependent settlements; the banks of the principal rivers and some part of the mountains bounding the colony were examined; I visited also the north and south extremities of Van Diemen's Land, remaining several months in the vicinity of the river Derwent; and repeatedly
