I u 1 7 9 1 , C ap ta iu V a n c o u v e r ’s e x p e d it io n , c o u s is t in g o f tw o s iiip s, th e ‘ D is e o v c r y ’ and ‘ C h a th
am ,’ w h en oil th e ir v o y a g e to n o r th -w e s t A m e r ic a , d isc o v e r ed K in g G eo rg e ’s S o u n d . 'Dlio e x p ed itio n
w as a c com p a n ied b y M r . A . M e n z ie s , a z ea lo u s b o ta n ist, w h o fo rm ed a g o o d c o lle c tio n a t th is port,
s om e o f th e p la n ts o f w h ich appear in B r ow n ’s ' P ro d r om u s.’
I n 1 8 0 1 , C a p ta in F lin d e r s ’s v o y a g e , u n d e r ta k en to c om p le t e t lie d isc o v e r y o f T erra A u s tr a lis , was
e om m e n c c d ; a n d it w as c o n tin u e d d u r in g th e tw o su c c e ed in g y e a r s in t lie ' In v e s t ig a to r ’ ‘ P o rp o ise ’
an d 'C um b e r la n d .’ O w in g to th e la t e R o b e r t B r ow n h a v in g a e eom p a n ied tliis v o y a g e , i t pro v ed , a’s
far a s b o ta n y is c o n c e rn ed , th e m o s t im p o r ta n t in it s r e su lts ev e r u n d e r ta k en , an d h e n c e m a rk s an
ep o ch in th e h is to r y o f th a t s c ien c e . B r ow n u n ite d a th o r o u g h k n ow led g e o f th e b o ta n y o f Ids day,
w ith e x c e lle n t powei-s o f ob se r v a tio n , c o n sum m a te sa g a c ity , a n u n e r r in g m em o r y , au d in d e fa tig a b le
z ea l an d in d u s tr y a s a c o lle c to r an d in v e s t ig a t o r ; h o h ad fu r th e r t lie a d v a n ta g e o f b e in g ac com p an ied
b y a b o tam ea l d r a u g h tsm a n , F e rd in a n d B a u e r , w h o proved n o le s s d is t in g u ish e d a s a m ic ro sco p ic
o b se r v e r th a n a s a n a r t is t ; an d h e h ad a g a rd en e r , M r . P e t e r G o o d , to a s s is t in th e m a n u a l
o p e r a tio n s o f c o lle c t in g an d p r e se rv in g . H e n c e , w lien w e r eg a rd th e in t e r e s t a n d n o v e lty o f th e field
o f r e sea r ch , th e rare com b in a tio n o f q u a litie s in th e b o ta n ist, an d th e a d v a n ta g e s an d fa c ilitie s w liieh
h e en jo y ed , w e c a n e a s ily tm d e r stan d w h y th e b o ta n ic a l r e su lts sh o u ld h a v e b e en so in com p a rab ly
g r ea te r , n o t m e r e ly th a n th o s e o f a n y p r e v io u s v o y a g e , h u t th a n th o s e o f aU s im ila r v o y a g e s pu t
to g e th e r . T h e ‘ I n v e s t ig a to r ’ r ea ch ed K in g G e o r g e ’s S o u n d in 1 8 0 2 , w h e r e B r ow n c o lle c te d 5 0 0
sp e c ie s, an d afterwards c o a s te d a lo n g th r o u g h B a s s ’s S tr a it s to P o r t J a ck so n . I n J u ly , 1 8 0 2 , th e
n o r th e rn su r v e y w a s c om m en c ed , a n d th a t o f th e G u lf o f Carpentar ia, wh e r e th e rotte'n s ta t e o f
th e sh ip o b lig e d h e r c a p ta in to r u n to T im o r , w h en c e th e y r e tu rn ed b y th e w e s t an d so u th c o a st
a g a in t o P o r t J a ck so n . T h e ‘ In v e s t ig a to r ’ w a s h e r e c o n d em n ed , au d C ap ta in F lin d e r s h ir ed an o th e r
sh ip t o sa il for E n g la n d , in w h ic h h e to o k th e d u p lic a te s o f B r ow n ’s coU e e tiou s. U n fo r tu n a te ly th is
v e s s e l was w r e ck ed o n th e C a to R e e f, in la t. 23» S ., b n t th e Cap tain , an d e v en tu a lly th e w h o le crew,
r e a ch ed P o r t J a c k so n ; th e d u p lica te c oU e c tio n s w e r e o f co u r se lo s t . B r ow n an d B a n e r h ad m ea n -
w h d e b e en le f t in N ew S o u th W a le s , w h e r e th e y e xp lo r ed th e B lu e M o u n ta in s ; a n d B r ow n a lso
v is it e d th e is la n d s o f B a s s ’s S t r a its an d T a sm an ia , wh e r e lie r e sid ed for som e m o n th s , a t R isd o n , on
th e D e rw e n t .
B r ow n a n d B a u e r fin a lly r e tu rn ed to E n g la n d in th e ‘ In v e s tig a to r ,’ a r r iv in g in 1 8 0 5 w ith a
c om p le te s e t o f a ll th e ir c o lle c tio n s . O n h is r e tu rn B r ow n w as d ir e c ted b y tb e B o a rd o f A dm ir a lty
to p u b lish h is p la n ts , and th e c om m e n c em e n t appeared in 1 8 1 0 , a s th e ‘ P r o d r om u s Floras Novas-
HoUandia;,’ an d a n o th e r co n tr ib u tio n in 1 8 1 4 , as th e A p p en d ix to C ap ta in F lin d e r s ’s V o y a g e . T h e
first o f t h e s e w o rk s, th o u g h a f r a gm en t, h a s fo r h a lf a c e n tu r y m a in ta in e d it s r ep u ta tio n n n im p n g n ed ,
o f b e in g th e g r e a te s t b o ta n ic a l work th a t h a s ev e r appeared.
C ap ta in K in g ’s v o y a g e s c om e n e x t u n d e r r ev iew , an d ow in g to th a t a b le officer’s ow n lo v e o f
n a tu r a l h is to r y , an d t h e e n c o u r a g em en t h e c o n s e q u e n tly g a v e t o th e b o ta n is t, A lla n C u n n in g h am , w h o
a c com p an ied h im , h is su r v e y s h a v e b e e n th e m e a n s o f a d d in g v e ry la r g e ly to o u r k n ow le d g e o f th e
v e g e ta tio n e sp e c ia lly o f t r o p ic a l A u s tr a lia . A s h ow ev e r th e b o ta n ic a l in te r e s t o f h is ex p ed itio n s
c e n tr e s m M r . C u n n in g h am , w h o w a s ev en m o r e ce leb ra ted a s an in la n d e x p lo r e r a n d C o lo n ia l
b o ta n is t th a n as th e c om p a n io n o f C ap ta in K in g , I sh a ll in c lu d e a n o tic e o f th e p r in c ip a l p o in ts
to u ch ed a t b y C ap ta in K in g in th e foU ow in g b r ie f sk e tch o f C u n n in g h am ’s ca r e e r ,*
A lla n C u n n in g h am (born 1 7 9 1 ) wa s, w h en a y o u n g m a n , en g a g ed a t K ew in th e p r ep a ra tio n o f
• Extracted from the interesting biographical memoir o f Allan Cunningham, by R. Hcwnrd, Esq., F.L.S.,
and published in the Journal o f B otany, vol. iv. p. 231, and Lond. Joiira. Bot. vol. i. p. 107,
A lto n ’s ‘ I lo r tu s K ow en s is ,’ an d w a s th e n c e , in 1 8 1 4 , d esp a tch ed , th r o u g h th e in s tr um e n ta lity o f S ir
J . B a n k s an d M r . A ito n (K in g ’s G a rd en e r a t K ew ), o n a b o ta n ic a l m is s io n to th e B r a z ils , and
th e n c e , in 1 8 1 6 , to N ew S o u th W a le s . I n 1 8 1 7 h e a c com p an ied L ie u te n a n t O x le y ’s * e x p ed itio n to
e x p lo r e th e L a ch la n an d Maeq u a r r ie rive rs. T h is jo u rn e y , a to ilsom e and p a in fu l o n e o f 1 ,2 0 0 m ile s,
e x ten d ed ac ro ss th e B lu e M o u n ta in s, w ith in th e pa ra lle ls o f 34» 3 0 ' an d 32» S . la t ., a n d 1 4 9 “ 4 3 ' and
1 4 3 » 4 0 ' E . lo n g ., an d p roduc ed a b o u t 4 5 0 sp e c ie s o f p lan ts.
A ft e r h is re tu rn to S y d n e y , M r . C u n n in g h am w as e n g a g ed a s b o ta n is t t o C ap ta in K in g ’s su r v
e y in g v o y a g e , an d a rr ived in th e ' M e rm a id ’ a t K in g G eo rg e ’s S o u n d , ea r ly in 1 8 1 8 : h e r e tra c e s o f
V an c o u v e r ’s g a rd en w e r e s e a r ch ed for in v a in . T h en c e th e y p ro c e ed ed to th e is la n d s and w e s t c o a st
n e a r D am p ie r ’s A r ch ip e la g o , th e G ou lb u rn is la n d s, a n d v is ited T im o r b e fo r e r e tu r n in g to P o r t
J a ck so n . T h is v o y a g e s e em s to h a v e y ie ld ed v e r y few n o v e ltie s , for in a le t te r to M r . H ew a rd he
s a y s th a t th e a g g r e g a te o f h is c o lle c tio n s m a d e on th e c o a sts o f A u str a lia , d o e s n o t e x c e ed 3 0 0
sp e c ie s.
S u b s e q u e n tly Mr. C u n n in g h am v is ited th e Illaw a r r a d istr ic t, p e rh ap s th e r ich e s t b o ta n ica l
p ro v in c e in A u str a h a , a n d in 1 8 1 8 a c com p a n ied C ap ta in K in g to H o b a r to u an d Maeq u a r r ie H a rb ou r .
'The su r v e y o f th e n o r th an d w e s t c o a sts w a s c om m en c ed b y K in g in th e ' M e rm a id ,’ in M a y ,
w h en P o r t M aeq u a r r ie an d th e H a s t in g s R iv e r w e r e v is ited , an d th e fo llow in g p la c e s w e r e su c c e ssiv e ly
to u ch ed a t,— R o d d ’s B a y , P e r c y I s le s , C lev e la n d B a y , H a lifa x an d R o ck in g h am B a y s , tb e E n d ea v ou r
R iv e r : a fte r p a s s in g th r o u g h T o r r e s S tr a its , th e y sto o d a cro ss th e G u lf o f C arp en taria t o L iv e rp o o l
R iv e r an d G o u lb u rn I s la n d s for th e se c o n d tim e , V e r n o n I s la n d s , C am b r id g e G u lf, an d P o r t W a r -
r en d e r, w h en c e th e y a g a in v is ited T im o r b e fo r e r e tu rn in g to P o r t J a ck so n .
T h e th ird v o y a g e o f th e ' M e rm a id ’ w a s u n d e r ta k en in J u n e , 1 8 1 9 , w h en C u n n in g h am v isited
P o r t B ow en , th e E n d e a v o u r R iv e r , L iz a rd Is la n d , Cap e F lin d e r s , P e lic a n , H a g g e r s to n , an d Cairncross
I s la n d s , G o u lb u rn an d S im ’s I s la n d s , M o n ta g u e an d Y o rk S o u n d s, P o r t N e ls o n , B ru n sw ick B a y ,
and r e tu rn ed to P o r t J a c k so n in D e c em b e r .
I n 1 8 2 1 , th e su r v e y w a s co n tin u ed , w h en C u n n in g h am v is ited P e r c y I s la n d s , Cape Grafton,
L iz a rd I s la n d , Cape F lin d e r s , Clark’s Is la n d , and for th e th ird tim e , G ou lb u rn an d S im ’s Is la n d s ,
C a r e en in g B a y , P r in c e R e g e n t’s R iv e r , an d H a n o v e r B a y , w h en c e th e y pro c e ed ed t o th e M a u r itiu s
to refit. T h e n c e th e y sa iled to K in g G e o r g e ’s S o u n d , w h e r e C u n n in g h am fo u n d n o tr a c e s o f h is own
ga rd en , form ed (in ’ l 8 1 8 ) w ith g r e a t lab ou r. T h e n c e th e y proc eed ed np th e w e s t co a s t to D ir k H a r -
to g ’s I s la n d s an d C y g n e t Co v e, w h en c e th e y sa iled fo r P o r t J a ck so n , w h e r e t e rm in a ted C u n n in g h
am ’s c o n n e c tio n w ith th e co a s t su rv ey .
I n 1 8 2 2 , C u n n in g h am a g a in v isited Illaw a r ra , an d afterwai-ds c ro ssed th e B lu e M o u n ta in s , to
th e w a te r -h ead s o f th e M a cq u a r ie . O n h is r e tu rn to S y d n e y in J a n u a r y , 1 8 2 8 , h e prepared for a
m o r e ex ten d ed ex p ed itio n , in w h ic h lie op en ed up som e o f th e m o s t fe r tile d is tr ic ts o f N ew S o u th
W a le s . S ta r tin g fr om B a th u r s t h e p roce ed ed to th e L iv e rp o o l P la in s , to w h ich h e d e sc en d ed from
th e P a n d o ra ’s P a ss, disco v e r ed b y h im s e lf, o u th e B lu e M o u n ta in s , an d r is ited th e v a lle y s b eyon d
H aw k sb n ry V a l c .f I n N o v em b e r , 1 8 2 3 , h e a g a in le ft S y d n e y to ex p lo r e an o th e r pass’ th a t had
b e en disco v e r ed le a d in g to th e H aw k sb n ry .
I n 1 8 2 4 , C u n n in g h am v is ite d t lic so u th e rn p a r ts o f th e C o lon y , b y Camden, A r g jd l, L a k e s
G eo rg e an d B a th u r s t, th e sou r c e o f th e M u r rum b id g e e , B r isb a n e D ow n s , au d S h o a lh a v en G u llie s .
* See Journals o f Two Expeditions into the Interior of New Soutli Wales, by John Oxlev Lieut R N 4to
1820. - • .
t An Account of this journey will be found in Field’s ‘New South Wales,’ p. 133.