January 14.

The next morning the brig was anchored off the north-east end of the island in thirteen fathoms gravelly sand; and in the afternoon I went on shore in a bay on the east or leeward side, where we found the water smooth and the landing more practicable than upon the north side where a tremendous surf was rolling in upon the beach.  We disturbed a great many seals but only killed three; and were much disappointed in finding that these animals were not of the fur species, as in M. de Freycinet’s account of the island they are said to be; they were evidently the same description as those noticed at King George’s Sound.  The traces of a small kangaroo were everywhere abundant but the animals were not seen.  We walked to the easternmost of the lakes which the French named Etangs Duvaildaily and which M. de Freycinet remarks as being surrounded by an extensive beach, composed entirely of bivalve shells, a species of cardium:  the quantity was indeed extraordinary.  The banks were frequented by gulls and sandpipers, of which many were shot.  The water was found to be perfectly salt and from the circumstance of its rising and falling with the tide it must have some communication with the sea.  The rocks of the island are principally calcareous and in a very advanced state of decomposition.  The beaches were covered with dead shells of the genera buccinum, bulla, murex, trochus, and haliotis; but we found none with the living animal in them.  Of the feathered tribe a hawk and a pigeon were the only land-birds seen; but boobies, terns, and sandpipers were very numerous about the shores.  Mr. Cunningham was fully employed during the short time that we were on shore, and excepting the pleasing interest created in our minds by landing on an island which has been so seldom before seen, and which from Vlaming’s account bears a prominent place in the history of this part of the coast, he was the only one of the party that derived any advantage from our visit.  Of the productions of this island he makes the following brief remarks:  “It is surprising that an island, situated at so short a distance from the south-west coast, should bear so small a feature of the characteristic vegetation of King George’s Sound as not to furnish a plant of its several genera of Proteaceae or Mimoseae, and but a solitary plant of Leguminosae.  It would therefore seem that these families are confined to the shores of the main, particularly about King George’s Sound, where we have just left them in the greatest luxuriance and profusion.  Among the botanical productions of this island there is no plant of so striking a feature as the callitris, a tree of about twenty-five feet high, with a short stem of three feet in diameter; it much resembles the Pinus cedrus, or cedar of Lebanon, in its robust horizontal growth; it is found abundantly over the island, and within a few yards of the sea-beach.  The island is formed by a succession of small hills and intervening valleys; and although the soil is very