Acacia were the most striking.  The breaking up of the monsoon at length again obliged Captain King to close his examination of the coast for that season, to which we, however, returned in September, 1820, continuing the survey westerly from the point at which we had left those shores the preceding year.  I had very eligible opportunities of landing upon the shores of Montagu Sound, Capstan Island, Cape Pond, York Sound, especially at the head of Hunter’s River, at Brunswick Bay, and in Careening Bay, Port Nelson; at which several parts the collections formed were very important, but not extensive.

Our encampment on the shore of the latter bay, during the repair of the vessel, enabled me to examine the country around, to the distance of four or five miles; but it being at the height of the dry season, comparatively few flowering plants were detected, and no herbaceous plants of importance.  Our prolonged stay there also enabled me to form some idea of the Flora of its shores and neighbouring country, from which I gathered materials for comparison with the vegetation of Endeavour River, situated at the eastern extreme of its parallel on the opposite shore of the continent:  the identity of certain species on either coast, together with the inference drawn therefrom, will appear stated, towards the close of this general notice.  Very few new genera were the fruits of this third voyage, but many undescribed plants of old genera were discovered, and with those that are frequent on the North Coast, and tropical shores of New South Wales, some were remarked that were originally discovered on the South Coast.  The period again arrived, that rendered it necessary to depart from the coast, independent of the leaky state of our vessel, which materially hastened our return to Port Jackson, when the cutter was considered wholly unfit for a fourth voyage, in which the complete survey of the north-west, and the examination of the line of west coasts were contemplated.  To effect this important service, the colonial government purchased a brig, subsequently named the Bathurst, and I again accompanied Captain King from Port Jackson, in May, 1821, to those parts of the coasts then remaining unexplored, at which we arrived at the close of July.  Our very limited stay on those shores, however, was at that season wherein all vegetation was suffering under the excess of drought; I had nevertheless the means afforded me of ascertaining the general identity of the plants of Prince Regent’s River, Hanover Bay, and Port George the Fourth (portions of the coast explored in the voyage) and other parts in the vicinity, that were examined the preceding year, at a like season, but under circumstances much more favourable.  Upon our return to the North-west Coast from the Mauritius, early in 1822, the only part visited was Cygnet Bay, situate about 2 1/2 degrees to the south-west of the last-mentioned sound, and it happening at a season when some rain had fallen, I met with several plants in an abundant flowering state, of species, however, in part originally discovered upon other coasts, and described by Mr. Brown, during the Investigator’s voyage.