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Narrative of a Survey of the Intertropical and Western Coasts of Australia] [Volume 2 of 2]
by Phillip Parker King
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South-west bay of GOULBURN'S SOUTH ISLAND, two hundred and fifty miles west of the Gulf of Carpentaria (Narrative 1). Coarse-grained reddish quartzose conglomerate and sandstone; resembling the older sandstones of England and Wales, and especially the mill-stone grit beneath the coal formation. Fine greyish-white pipe-clay; of which about thirty feet in thickness were visible, apparently above the sandstone last mentioned. Coarse-grained, ferruginous sandstone, containing fragments of quartz, from above the pipe-clay. The appearance of the cliff from which these specimens were taken, is represented in the view of the bay on the south of Goulburn Island (volume 1); and a distant head in the view consists of the same materials.

SIMMS ISLAND, on the west of Goulburn's south Island (Narrative 1) is composed of a reddish conglomerate, nearly identical with some of the specimens above-mentioned.

The western side of LETHBRIDGE BAY, on the north of MELVILLE ISLAND, consists of a range of cliffs like those at Goulburn's Island; the upper part being red, the lower white and composed of pipe-clay. The western extremity of BATHURST ISLAND, between CAPE HELVETIUS and CAPE FOURCROY, is also formed of cliffs of a very dark red colour.

LACROSSE ISLAND, at the mouth of CAMBRIDGE GULF, about one hundred miles from Port Keats. Reddish, very quartzose sandstone; from a stratum which dips to the south-east, at an angle of about ten or fifteen degrees. Micaceous and argillaceous fissile sandstone, of purplish and greenish hues, in patches, or occasionally intermixed; precisely resembling the rock of Brecon, in South Wales, and, generally, the old red sandstone of the vicinity of Bristol and the confines of England and Wales. Fine-grained thin-slaty sandstone, resembling certain beds of the coal formation, or of the millstone grit, is found in large masses, under an argillaceous cliff, on the north side of Lacrosse Island.

The specimens from the interior of Cambridge Gulf are from ADOLPHUS ISLAND, and consist of reddish and grey sandstone, more or less decomposed.

VANSITTART BAY, about one hundred and forty miles north-west of Cambridge Gulf. Reddish quartzose sandstone, or quartz-rock. Indistinct specimens of greenstone, with adhering quartz; apparently a primitive rock.

PORT WARRENDER, at the bottom of Admiralty Gulf, about forty miles south-west of Vansittart Bay (Narrative volume 1). Epidote and quartz, in small crystals confusedly interlaced; apparently from veins, or nests, but unaccompanied by any portion of the adjacent rock. The structure in one of these specimens approaches to the amygdaloidal. A compact greenish stone, with disseminated crystalline spots of epidote, and of quartz, and apparently consisting of an intimate mixture of those minerals, is also among the specimens from Port Warrender.

All these specimens are from detached water-worn masses at the foot of Crystal Head, on the south-west of the port. The summit of the head is flat and tabular, and the rocks in the vicinity are described by Captain King as consisting of siliceous sandstone. Chalcedony, apparently from amygdaloid of the trap formation, was also found at Port Warrender.

The epidote of this place is in general of a pale-greenish colour, but is mixed with, and sometimes appears to pass into, spots of a rich purplish-brown. The specimens resemble generally the epidote of Dauphiny and Siberia; but Mr. Levy, who has been so good as to examine them, informs me that the crystals exhibit some modifications not described either by Hauy, or by Mr. Haidinger in his paper on this mineral, and which are probably peculiar to this locality.

WATER ISLAND, on the west side of CAPE VOLTAIRE, at the south-west entrance of Port Warrender, is described (volume 1) as consisting of quartzose sandstone; as is also KATER ISLAND, in Montagu Sound. And the same rock appears to occur throughout the islands on this part of the coast. (Narrative 1.)

MONTAGU SOUND, about five-and-twenty miles south-west of ADMIRALTY GULF (Narrative 1). Greyish granular quartz; like that of the Lickey Hill, in Worcestershire. Fine-grained quartzose sandstone, of a purplish hue, resembling a rock on the banks of the Severn, near Bridgenorth. Grey and reddish sandstone; apparently composed of the debris of granite, and very nearly resembling that of Simms Island above-mentioned.

HUNTER'S RIVER, falling into YORK SOUND, on the north-east side. Somewhat coarse reddish-white sandstone; like that of the coal formation, and some varieties of millstone grit. Fine-grained, reddish-grey quartzose sandstone, having the appearance of stratification, and resembling the rocks of Cambridge Gulf.

ROE'S RIVER, at the eastern termination of York Sound (Narrative 1) runs between precipitous banks of sandstone, in nearly horizontal strata, which rise to the height of three hundred feet.

CAREENING BAY, between York Sound and Prince Regent's River (Narrative volume 1. See the plate volume 1). Crystalline epidote, and whitish quartz, apparently from a vein. Purplish-brown epidote, with small nests or concretions of green epidote and quartz; forming a sort of amygdaloid. Conglomerate, containing angular fragments of yellowish-grey quartz-rock, in a base of compact epidote. A nearly uniform greenish compound of epidote intimately mixed with quartz, also occurs at this place. Flat lamellar chalcedony. Very fine-grained reddish-grey quartzose sandstone, with traces of a slaty structure, resembling that of York Sound, and Cambridge Gulf, was found in the north-east end of this bay; and fine-grained greenstone, on the summit of the adjacent hills.

Several of these specimens are almost identical with those of Port Warrender; from which place Careening Bay is distant about sixty miles.

BAT ISLAND (Narrative volume 1) western entrance of Careening Bay. Quartz from thin veins, with particles of an adhering rock, probably chlorite-slate. Quartz, containing disseminated hematitic iron-ore and copper pyrites. Quartz crystals, with chalcedony, from nodules in amygdaloid. Quartz with specular iron ore. Greenstone, with chalcedony and copper pyrites. A decomposed stone, probably consisting of wacke. The specimens of trap-rocks from this place are from a cavern.

GREVILLE ISLAND, near the entrance of Prince Regent's River. Reddish, coarsely granular, siliceous sandstone; in horizontal strata, intersected by veins of crystallized quartz.*

(*Footnote. Narrative volume 2.)

HALF-WAY BAY, within Prince Regent's River on the west of the entrance, near Greville Island. Hornblende rock ? nearly agreeing with that of Pobassoo's Island, on the north-west of the Gulf of Carpentaria (see above). Calcedony, apparently from nodules in amygdaloid. Greenish quartz, approaching to heliotrope. Red, somewhat slaty jasper, mixed with quartz and chalcedony, and containing specular iron ore.

The specimens from this place much resemble some of those from Sotto i Sassi, in the Val di Fassa in the Tyrol, which I have seen in the collection of Mr. Herschel; and which consist of reddish jasper with chalcedony, and a greenish flinty stone, like heliotrope, the whole belonging to the trap-formation.

POINT CUNNINGHAM, east of south from Cape Leveque, and about one hundred and fifty miles south-west of Prince Regent's River. Very compact and fine-grained reddish granular quartz, with a glistening lustre, and flat conchoidal fracture. This stone, though so compact in the recent fracture, has distinct traces of stratification on the decomposed surface, which is of a dull reddish hue. Bright red ferruginous granular quartz (Eisen-kiesel ?) with a glistening lustre, and a somewhat porous texture. A specimen of the soil of the hills at Cygnet Bay, consists of very fine reddish-yellow quartzose sand. A large rounded pebble, consisting of ferruginous granular quartz, of a dark purplish-brown colour, and considerable density, was found here; near a fireplace of the natives, by whom it is used for making their hatchets; with a fragment of a calcareous incrustation, like that of the west coast hereafter mentioned.

The next specimens in Captain King's collection—a space of more than three hundred miles on this coast not having been examined by him—are from MALUS ISLAND, in Dampier's Archipelago (see Narrative volume 1) they consist of fine-grained greenstone, and what appears to be a basaltic rock, of amygdaloidal structure.

DIRK HARTOG'S ISLAND, west of Shark's Bay. A compound of rather fine-grained translucent quartzose sand, cemented by carbonate of lime, of various shades of reddish and yellowish grey. This stone has in some places the structure of a breccia; the angles of the imbedded fragments, which are from half an inch to two inches in diameter, being very distinct—but in other parts, the fracture exhibits the appearance of roundish nodules, composed of concentric shells—or bags as it were, of calcareous matter, which vary in colour, and are filled with a mixture of the same substance and quartzose sand: and the spaces between these nodules are likewise occupied by a similar compound.*

(*Footnote. The following description given by the French naturalists of the rocks at Bernier's Islands, was probably taken from a large suite of specimens; and M. Peron states (1 page 204) that it is strictly applicable to all the adjacent parts of the continent, and of the islands that were examined by the French voyagers:

Le sable du rivage (de l'ile Bernier) est quartzeux, mele d'une grande proportion de debris calcaires fortement attenues. La substance de l'ile meme se compose, dans ses couches inferieures, d'un gres calcaire coquillier, tantot blanchatre, tantot rougeatre, depose par couches horizontales, dont l'epaisseur varie de 2 a 8 decimetres (7 a 11 pouces) et qui toutes etant tres uniformes dans leur prolongement, pourroient offrir a la maconnerie des pierres de construction naturellement taillees.

Les coquilles incrustees dans ces massifs des roches sont presque toutes univalves; elles apartiennent plus particulierement au genre Natice de M. de Lamarck, et ont les plus grands rapports avec l'espece de Natice qui se trouve vivante au pied de ces rochers. Elles sont sans doute petrifiees depuis bien des siecles, car, outre qu'il est tres difficile de les retirer intactes du milieu de ces gres, tant leur adhesion avec eux est intime, on les observe encore a plus de 50 metres (150 pieds) au dessus du niveau actuel de la mer.

Quelque regularite que ces bancs puissent affecter dans leur disposition generale, ils ne sont cependant pas tous homogenes dans leur substance; il est sur-tout une variete de ces roches plus remarquable par sa structure. Ce sont des galets calcaires, agreges dans une terre sablonneuse ocracee, qui leur est tellement adherente, qu'on ne sauroit detruire cette espece de gangue sans les briser eux memes. Tous ces galets affectent la forme globlueuse, et se composent d'un grand nombre de zones concentriques, qui se developpent autour d'un noyau central d'un gres scintillant et brunatre. Ces diverses couches ont a peine quelques millimitres d'epaisseur, et affectent des nuances agreables, qui varient depuis le rouge-fonce jusqu'au jaune-clair. La disposition generale de cette breche lui donne donc quelques rapports grossiers avec le granit globuleux de l'ile de Corse; et, par ses couches rubanees, concentriques, elle a quelque chose de l'aspect des Agathes-Onyx...Les bancs de gres divers dont je viens de parler, constituent, a bien dire, la masse entiere du pays qui nous occupe, etc. (Volume 1 page 110. See also Freycinet page 187.)

The cementing limestone in the rock of this island, is very like some of the more compact portions of the stone of Guadaloupe, which contains the human skeletons, the hardness and fracture being nearly the same in both. The chief difference of these rocks seems to arise from the nature of the cemented substances; which, in the Guadaloupe stone, being themselves calcareous, are incorporated, or melted as it were, into the cement, by insensible gradation;* while the quartzose sand, in that of Dirk Hartog's Island, is strongly contrasted with the calcareous matter that surrounds it.** But, wherever the imbedded fragments in the latter consist of limestone, their union with the cement is complete.

(*Footnote. See Mr. Koenig's Paper. Philosophical Transactions volume 104 1814 page 107 etc.)

(**Footnote. Captain King informs me that the soundings in this part of the coast bring up a very fine quartzose-sand like that cemented in the breccia.)

ROTTNEST ISLAND, about four hundred and fifty miles south of Dirk Hartog's Island. Indistinct specimens containing numerous fragments of shells, in a calcareous cement; the substance of these shells has at first sight the appearance of chalcedony, and is harder than ordinary carbonate of lime.

The characters of the shells in Captain King's specimens from this place are indistinct; but the specimens at the Jardin du Roi, which, there is reason to suppose, have come from this part of the coast, contain shells of several species, belonging among others to the genera, corbula, chama, cardium, porcellanea, turbo, cerithium. M. Prevost, to whom I am indebted for this account, observes that notwithstanding the recent appearance of the shells, the beds which contain them are stated to occur at a considerable height above the sea: and he remarks that the aspect of the rock is very like that of the shelly deposits of St. Hospice, near Nice.

KING GEORGE'S SOUND, on the south coast, east of south from Cape Leeuwin. Beautifully white and fine quartzose sand, from the sea-beach. Yellowish grey granite, from Bald-head. Two varieties of a calcareous rock, of the same nature with that of Dirk Hartog's Island; consisting of particles of translucent quartzose sand, united by a cement of yellowish or cream-coloured carbonate of lime, which has a flat conchoidal and splintery fracture, and is so hard as to yield with difficulty to the knife. In this compound, there are not any distinct angular fragments, as in the stone of Dirk Hartog's Islands; but the calcareous matter is very unequally diffused.

A third form in which this recent calcareous matter appears, is that of irregular, somewhat tortuous, stem-like bodies, with a rugged sandy surface, and from half an inch to an inch in diameter; the cross fracture of which shows that they are composed of sand, cemented by carbonate of lime, either uniformly mixed throughout, or forming a crust around calcareous matter of a spongy texture; in which latter case they have some resemblance to the trunks or roots of trees. A mass, which seems to have been of this description, is stated to have come from a height of about two hundred and fifty feet above the sea, at Bald-head, on the South Coast of Australia. These specimens, however, do not really exhibit any traces of organic structure; and so nearly resemble the irregular stalactitical concretions produced by the passage of calcareous or ferruginous solutions through sand* that they are probably of the same origin; indeed the central cavity of the stalactite still remains open in some of the specimens of this kind from Sweer's Island in the Gulf of Carpentaria. The specimens from Madeira, presented to the Geological Society by Mr. Bowdich, and described in his notes on that island,** appear upon examination to be of the same character. But there is no reason to suppose that the trunks of trees, as well as other foreign substances, may not be thus incrusted, since various foreign bodies, even of artificial production, have been so found. Professor Buckland has mentioned a specimen of concreted limestone from St. Helena, which contains the recent shell of a bird's egg;*** and M. Peron states that, in the concretional limestone rock of the South Coast of New Holland, the trunks of trees occur, with the vegetable structure so distinct as to leave no doubt as to their nature.****

(*Footnote. Tubular concretions of ferruginous matter, irregularly ramifying through sand, like the roots of trees, are described by Captain Lyon as occurring in Africa. Lyon's Travels Appendix page 65.)

(**Footnote. Excursions in Madeira 1825 page 139, 140; and Bull. des Sciences Naturelles volume 4 page 322.)

(***Footnote. Geological Transactions volume 5 page 479.)

(****Footnote. Peron 2 page 75.)

INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLLECTING GEOLOGICAL SPECIMENS.

It so often happens that specimens sent from distant places, by persons unpractised in geology, fail to give the instruction which is intended, from the want of attention to a few necessary precautions, that the following directions may perhaps be useful to some of those, into whose hands these pages are likely to fall. It will be sufficient to premise, that two of the principal objects of geological inquiry, are, to determine, first, the nature of the MATERIALS of which the earth is composed; and, secondly, the relative ORDER in which these materials are disposed with respect to each other.

1. Specimens of rocks ought not, in general, to be taken from loose pieces, but from large masses in their native place, or which have recently fallen from their natural situation.

2. The specimens should consist of the stone unchanged by exposure to the elements, which sometimes alter the characters to a considerable distance from the surface. Petrifactions, however, are often best distinguishable in masses somewhat decomposed; and are thus even rendered visible, in many cases, where no trace of any organized body can be discerned in the recent fracture.

3. The specimens ought not to be too small. A convenient size is about three inches square, and about three-quarters of an inch, or less, in thickness.

4. It seldom happens that large masses, even of the same kind of rock, are uniform throughout any considerable space; so that the general character is collected, by geologists who examine rocks in their native places, from the average of an extensive surface: a collection ought therefore to furnish specimens of the most characteristic varieties; and THE MOST SPLENDID SPECIMENS ARE, IN GENERAL, NOT THE MOST INSTRUCTIVE. Where several specimens are taken in the same place, a series of numbers should be added to the note of their locality.

5. One of the most advantageous situations for obtaining specimens, and examining the relations of rocks, is in the sections afforded by cliffs on the seashore; especially after recent falls of large masses. It commonly happens that the beds thus exposed are more or less inclined; and in this case, if any of them be inaccessible at a particular point, the decline of the strata will frequently enable the collector to supply himself with the specimens he wishes for, within a short distance. Thus, in Sketch 4, which may be supposed to represent a cliff of considerable height, the observer being situated at a, the beds b, c, d, though inaccessible at that place, may be examined with ease and security, where they successively come down to the shore, at b prime, c prime, and d prime.

6. To examine the interior of an unknown country, more skill and practice are required: the rocks being generally concealed by the soil, accumulations of sand, gravel, etc., and by the vegetation of the surface. But the strata are commonly disclosed in the sides of ravines, in the beds of rivers and mountain-streams; and these, especially where they cross the direction of the strata, and be made, by careful examination, to afford instructive sections.

7. Among the distinctive circumstances of the strata, the remains of organized bodies, shells, corals, and other zoophytes, the bones and teeth of animals, fossil wood, and the impressions of vegetable stems, roots, or leaves, etc., are of the greatest importance; affording generally the most marked characters of the strata in which they occur. These should, therefore, be particularly sought after, and their relative abundance or rarity in different situations noticed. The petrified bodies should, if possible, be kept united with portions of the rock or matrix in which they are found; and where they are numerous, in sand, clay, or any moist or friable matrix, it is in general better to retain a large portion of the whole mass, to be examined afterwards, than to attempt their separation at the time of collecting.

8. The loose materials which are found above the solid rocks, in the form of gravel, silt, rolled pebbles, etc., should be carefully distinguished from the solid strata upon which they repose. And the more ancient of these loose materials, found on the sides or summits of hills, etc., should be distinguished from the recent mud, sand, and gravel, brought down by land-floods, or rivers. The bones and teeth of animals are not unfrequently found in gravel of the former description; and the collection of these remains from distant quarters of the globe, is an object of the greatest interest to geology.

9. Besides a note of the locality, there ought, if possible, to accompany every specimen, a short notice of its geological circumstances; as:

Whether it be found in large shapeless masses, or in strata?

If in strata, what are the thickness, inclination to the horizon, and direction with respect to the compass, of the beds? [If these cannot be measured, an estimate should always be recorded, while the objects are in view.] Are they uniform in dip and direction? curved, or contorted? continuous, or interrupted by fissures or veins?

Is the whole cliff, or mass of strata in sight, of uniform composition? or does it consist of different kinds of stone?

If the strata be different, what is the order in which they are placed above each other successively?

10. A label, distinctly written, should accompany every specimen, stating its native place, its relative situation, etc., etc. And these labels should be connected with the specimens immediately, on the spot where they are found. This injunction may appear to be superfluous; but so much valuable information has been lost to geology from the neglect of it, that every observer of experience will acknowledge its necessity; and it is, perhaps, in practice one of the most difficult to adhere to.

11. A sketch of a coast or cliff, however slight, frequently conveys more information respecting the disposition and relations of rocks, than the longest memorandum. If numbers, denoting the situation of the specimens collected, be marked upon such sketches, much time may be saved at the moment of collecting. But in all such cases, the memorandum should be looked over soon afterwards, and labels distinctly explaining their situation, etc., be attached to the specimens themselves.

12. The specimens should be so packed, that the surfaces may be defended from exposure to air, moisture, and friction: for which purpose, if strong paper cannot be obtained, dry moss, or straw, or leaves, may be used with advantage. Where paper is used for wrapping the specimens, they are best secured by fastening the envelope with sealing-wax.

Lastly, The collector must not be discouraged, nor be prevented from collecting, by finding that the place which he may chance to visit in a remote situation, has not a striking appearance, or the rocks within his view a very interesting character; since it frequently, and even commonly, happens, that facts and specimens, in themselves of very little importance, become valuable by subsequent comparison; so that scarcely any observation, if recorded with accuracy, will be thrown away.

...

The Instruments required by the geological traveller will vary, according to the acquirements and specific objects of the individual. The most essential are:

The Hammer (Sketch 5); which, for general purposes, may be of the form here represented:

The head should be of steel well tempered, about 4 inches from the face to the edge, and 1 1/4 inch square in the middle; the face flat, and square, or nearly so; the edge placed in the direction of the handle. The orifice for the insertion of the handle oval, a very little wider on the outer side than within; its diameters, about 1 inch vertically, and 0.7 across; the centre somewhat more than 1 1/2 inch from the face. The handle should be of ash, or other tough wood; not less than 16 inches long; fitting tight into the head at its insertion, without a shoulder; and increasing a little in size towards the end remote from the head, to prevent its slipping. It should be fixed in the head by means of a thin, barbed iron wedge.

For trimming specimens, smaller hammers may be employed (Sketch 6): The form of the head, recommended for this purpose by Dr. MacCulloch,* is rectangular. The dimensions of the face may be 1 inch by 3/4; the height 2 1/4.

(*Footnote. On the forms of Mineralogical Hammers, Quarterly Journal Royal Institution volume 11 1821 page 1 etc.)

It will be expedient to have always some hammers, of different sizes, in reserve.

A small miner's pick is useful for cutting out, and splitting portions of slaty rocks; or for obtaining specimens of clays, etc.

A small stone-cutter's chisel. A chisel with a handle, of the form here represented, will often save the hand of an inexpert collector, and better enable him to direct his blow.

For packing the specimens. A stock of strong paper. Sealing-wax. Writing-paper, cut into labels. Thick gum-water, to cement the labels to the specimens.

For the Conveyance of specimens. A large bag of leather, with straps for the shoulders. Strong canvas bags, of smaller size, are very convenient for subdivision and arrangement. For the protection of crystals, or delicate petrifactions, etc., wool or cotton are necessary; and small wooden boxes (like those used for holding wafers) are sometimes required. For distant carriage, strong wooden boxes, casks, or baskets.

The following are either essential, or useful in various degrees, for obtaining and recording observations.

Pocket Memorandum-Books, of sufficient size to admit sketches. A Pocket Compass. A Measuring-Tape, of fifty feet, or more. A Telescope. A Camera Lucida. A Box of Colours.

The best maps should always be sought for: And, the true economy to the traveller being that which saves time, it is best to mark, or even colour the map, in the field. Notes inserted on imperfect maps, or deduced afterwards from memoranda, are less authentic; and the process is frequently neglected.

PORTABLE-BAROMETERS, with detached thermometers, are desirable; and the best instruments are ultimately the cheapest. But, unfortunately, barometers of every construction are very easily damaged or deranged. The accurate determination of heights, however, though very interesting to physical geography, is comparatively of little importance to the geologist.

If the collector be a surveyor, he will know best to what purpose a Pocket Sextant, or small Theodolite, is applicable: the measurement of distances, of heights, and of the inclination of strata, etc.

...

CONTENTS OF APPENDIX C.

GENERAL SKETCH OF THE COAST.

GEOLOGICAL REMARKS. 1. List of Rocks. 2. Rocks identical with those of Europe. 3. Aspect of the Shores. 4. Information wanting respecting Diluvial deposits: no Specimens of Limestone: no Volcanoes. 5. Recent calcareous breccia. 6. Range of the Coastlines.

DETAILED LIST OF SPECIMENS.

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INSTRUCTIONS FOR COLLECTING GEOLOGICAL SPECIMENS.

...

APPENDIX D.

COMPARATIVE TABLE OF THE LANGUAGES OF THE NATIVES, WITH SOME GENERAL REMARKS.

COLUMN 1: ENGLISH WORD. COLUMN 2: CALEDON BAY, GULF OF CARPENTARIA. FROM CAPTAIN FLINDERS. COLUMN 3: ENDEAVOUR RIVER, NORTH-EAST COAST. PARTLY FROM CAPTAIN COOK AND MR. FORSTER. COLUMN 4: KING GEORGE THE THIRD'S SOUND, SOUTH-WEST COAST. COLUMN 5: PORT JACKSON. COLUMN 6: BURRAH BURRAH TRIBE. FROM MR. SCOTT. COLUMN 7: LIMESTONE CREEK. FROM MR. OXLEY. COLUMN 8: PORT MACQUARIE. FROM MR. HUNTER. COLUMN 9: MACQUARIE HARBOUR, VAN DIEMEN'S LAND.

Eye : Ma-il : Me-ul : Me-al : Mi, or Me, Mego : Miki-laja : Milla : Me'-e : Nam'-mur-uck.

Nose : Ur-ro, or Hurro : Emer-da, or Poteer, Bon-joo (Cook) : Tarmul, Moil (Flinders) : Nogro : - : Mor-ro : Na'-ag : Me-oun.

Lips : Ta-a : Yem-be (Cook) : Tar : Willing : - : - : - : -.

Teeth : Lir-ra : Mol-ear : Orlock : Era, or Da-ra : Yerrah : Er-ra : Te'-lah : Kouk.

Tongue : Mat-ta : Unjar : Darlin, or Thalil : Tal-lang : - : - : Mal'-way : Mim.

Cheeks : Tac-cal : - : Ny-a-luck : Yarrin : - : - : - : -.

Chin : Na-ing : - : - : Wal-lo : - : - : - : -.

Ears : Pon-doo-roo, or Po-door-roo : Mil-kah, Melea (Cook) : Duong : Co-roo, Goray, or Benne : Binning-huiy : Wha-da :Mo'-ko : Goun-reek.

Hair of the head : Marra : Morye : Ka-at : Kewarra, Dewarra, or Gewarroo : Mundar : Bulla-ye-ga : Wo'l-lack : Pipe, or Bipipe.

Neck : Mo-i-ang : Doom-boo, Forster : - : Ganga, Cadlear, or Cadleang : - : Oro- : - : Treek, or Lan-gar-ree.

Breast : Gum-mur : Coy-or (Forster) : - : Nabung : - : Be-ning : Nam-bang : -.

Belly : Goor-ro : Melmal (Forster) : Cop-bull, or Kopul : Barrong, or Bende : Binda : Bur-bing : War'rah : -.

Arm : Wan-na, or War-na : Aco, or Acol : Wor-nuck : Tarrang : - : Bar-gar : Co-pah : Yir-ra-wig.

Hand : Gong : - : - : Tam-mir-ra : Morrewalla : - : - : -.

Fingers : Mingel : Mun-gal-bah : Mai (singular), Maih (plural) : Ber-ril-le : Maranga : Nar-ra : Mah-tra : War-ra-nook.

Elbow : Le-kal, or Le-kan : Ye-er-we : - : O-nur : - : - : - : Nam-me-rick.

Posteriors : Lam-me : Booca (Forster) : Wa'l-la-kah : Bo-ong, or Bayley : - : - : - : -.

Leg : Bacca : Peegoorga (Forster) : - : Dar-ra : - : - : Woo'lo-loo : -.

Foot : Locko, or Nocka : Edamal (feet) : Ja-an, or Bangul : Manoe : Janna : Dhee-nany : - : -.

Toe : Mangel-locko : Eb-e-rah : Kea (singular) Kean (plural) : - : - : - : Teel-nah : Pe-une.

Sun : Laran-gai, or Car-ran-ghie : Gallan (Forster) : Djaat : Goona, Coing, or Con-do-in : Bun-nail, or Mo-mat : - : Too-nigh, or Win-gin : -.

Water : Lucka, or Lucko : Poorai (Forster) : - : Ba-doo : Ajung- : - : Bah-do : -.

Stone : Punda : Wal-bah : - : Keba : Wy-juck : - : - : -.

Kangaroo : Loi-tyo : Men-u-ah, Kan-goo-roo (Cook) : Beango : Tungo, Patagorang, Bag-gar-ray, Wal-li-bah, Wal-lar-roo, Bou-rou, Barro-melon, Betong, Wy-rung, Pademalion : - : - : Womboy, Pool-cot (tame), Mah-koke (the Pademalion of Port Jackson) : Raguar.

Throwing-stick : Kail lepo : Melpairo, or Melpier (Forster) : Me-a-ra : Wo-me-rah : - : - : - : -.

Nipples (of a man) : - : Coy-o-ber-rah, Cayo (Cook) : Be-ep : Mou-tral : - : - : - : Nerrinook.

Dog : - : Cotta, or Kota : Tiara : Teingo, Dingo, Worregal : Med-di-gen, War-ri-gal : - : - : -.

Nails : - : Kolke : Pera : Currungal, or Car-rung-un : - : - : - : -.

Beard : - : Wol-lar : Nyanuck : Chinis, or Wallo : - : Anany : - : Ru-ing.

Mouth : - : - : Tatah : Karga : - : Chuang : Wel'-leck : -.

Fire : - : - : - : Gwee-yong, or Too-yong : Canby : Warrenur : Cor-yal : Lope.

Membrum virile : - : - : Yaw-de-wit : - : - : - : Cool-kah : Lune.

Head : - : Wageegee (Forster) : - : Cob-bra : Ulangar, or Nattang : Cah-brah : - : -.

The preceding brief collection, of words used by the natives in various parts of the Coasts of Australia and Van Diemen's Land, has been inserted to show the great dissimilarity that exists in the languages of the several tribes: and it may be remarked, that of thirty-three objects, one only, the Eye, is expressed by nearly the same term at each place. In this list, it is true, there is a striking resemblance between the terms used to signify the hair at Port Jackson, namely, dewarra, or kewarra, or gewarroo, and those which denote the same thing in the language of some of the islands of the Eastern Seas; such, for instance, as arouroo or hooroo-hooroo of the Society Islands; lo-ooroo of the Friendly Islands; hooroo of New Zealand; and, perhaps, oouho of the Marquesas:* but at New Caledonia, which is situated between these places and Port Jackson, the same thing is expressed by poon, a sound totally distinct. And to render the anomaly still more decisive, it is only necessary to remark, that, within two hundred miles of Port Jackson, the natives of three tribes, Port Macquarie. Burrah-Burrah, and Limestone Creek, signify the hair, by the words wollack, mundar, and bulla-ye-ga.

(*Footnote. Forster Observations page 283.)

The aboriginal connexion of Australia with other lands must be proved, as far as language is concerned, by a general resemblance of the words, and not merely by a few examples of coincidence, which can only be considered as accidental: and as our knowledge of the Australian languages, except in the vicinity of Port Jackson, does not yet exceed thirty or forty words, no comparison, derived from such limited information, can be employed with any certainty to determine the question. The connexion must be sought for, probably, where the continent, at its north-eastern extremity, most nearly approaches other lands; but even then the chain will remain imperfect until New Guinea and its neighbouring islands are explored, and correct and extensive vocabularies of their languages obtained. Forster,* who has paid considerable attention to this subject, and whose opinions are the more valuable from their being the result of personal observation, seems to be convinced that the New Hollanders are not an original race, but have derived their origin from New Guinea. It is therefore to be hoped, that this subject will not be forgotten by our trans-Atlantic and Australian colonists; more particularly by those of the new settlement on the north coast at Melville Island, who, from their vicinity to New Guinea, have the best opportunities of throwing light upon the question.

(*Footnote. Ibid.)

...

SITUATIONS OF THE PLACES MENTIONED IN THE PRECEDING LIST WITH RESPECT TO PORT JACKSON.

King George the Third's Sound is on the South-west Coast, 1660 miles from Port Jackson.

Caledon Bay is near the north-west extremity of the Gulf of Carpentaria, 1500 miles from Port Jackson.

Endeavour River, in latitude about 15 degrees South, is on the North-east Coast, about 1180 miles from Port Jackson.

Burrah-Burrah, about 90 miles in the interior, west of Port Jackson.

Limestone Creek, about 140 miles in the interior, west of Port Jackson.

Port Macquarie, on the East Coast, 168 miles north of Port Jackson.

Macquarie Harbour, on the West Coast of Van Diemen's Land.

Bruny Island, at the south-east extremity of Van Diemen's Land.



END OF VOLUME 2.

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