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least so think they of the Beagle. These rivers were out of the limits of the colony—no great loss. There are still 300 miles of our North Western shore not examined. They are about to go there, and also, on their way, to examine the Abrolhos. It is astonishing how much persons may be deceived as to the nature of the country, or rather how little they may know about it, by a mere examination or view from a ship. It happens very singularly that the very part of the coast which I have returned from seeing—the flat-topped range which first Capt. Grey spoke of as an extensive grassy or fertile country is marked in my old map thus: "The shore here is steep and very barren;" and, again, on the same map, just about the place where the lakes are, that so many are now looking after, there is this observation—"The land here is very high." It is true of what you would see from the deck of a ship, certainly; you see little else but sandy hills. I have brought home new specimens of coral and other formations. The water in some places near the Abrolhos was smooth and very clear. The view of the growing coral—especially the groves, shrubberies, coppice—what shall I call them—of branch coral was very interesting and very beautiful. I often thought of the mermaid's song, "Come with me and we will go, where the rocks of coral grow." I was rather disappointed at not finding turtle. We found plenty of seals, and to my surprise a great number of an animal called here wallaby—about the size of a hare. How did they get there? It is 45 miles from land.
Feb. 7th.—Returned from Perth. Dined with the Governor yesterday, with Capt. Wickham and Lieut. Stokes, both of H.M.S. Beagle. They speak of enormous bats, in multitudes among the bamboos lining Adelaide river. They described the expanse of their wings as perhaps two feet. They saw also indigenous fruits which we have not here. We are soon to have another sitting of the Legislative Council, when I shall be busied with laws and amendments and such like things.
