I have already stated the incidents that prevented me from following out the first of these plans, as well as those which led me to adopt the project of the voyage to Shark Bay in lieu of an inland journey such as the second; and now that this last expedition was brought to a close I had yet to await, for some time, the answer to my communication from the Mauritius, which was to guide my future proceedings.  The interval between my return to Perth and the period at which a reply might be expected appeared too short to allow of my carrying out any comprehensive plan of exploration, and I therefore resolved to employ it in endeavouring to extend my knowledge of the native character and language, as well as of the general position and prospects of the colony.

At this time, the death of Sir Robert Spencer, the Government Resident at King George’s Sound, having caused a vacancy in that appointment, I was induced, at the offer of Mr. Hutt, to assume the temporary duties, with a two-fold desire of rendering what public services I could during my unavoidable period of inaction in the country, as well as of enlarging my opportunities of observation on the aboriginal race.

In these occupations I remained, until the receipt of a reply from the Secretary of State, which, after speaking in terms of flattering approbation of my past exertions, notified that, for the present, Her Majesty’s Ministers did not think it desirable that the researches in the north-west should be prosecuted further.

Prepare to return to England.

On the receipt of this I made preparations for returning to England, but, no favourable opportunity offering from the western settlements, as soon as I was relieved from my duties as Resident, I embarked for South Australia in the hope of obtaining from thence a more speedy passage than the other colony seemed likely to afford.

After a short stay at Adelaide I finally sailed for England on the 11th April 1840, and reached this country in September following.

Natural history.

The leisure of the voyage afforded me the means of making some additions to my former observations on the Natural History of the seas we traversed, the chief results of which will be briefly given in this chapter, together with some casual observations which I was enabled to make on the Geology of St. Helena in consequence of the vessel touching there.

June 2 1840.  At sea:  south latitude 20 degrees 0 minutes; east longitude 58 degrees 47 minutes 15 seconds.

I caught a species of shrimp (Penaeus) of a delicate prussian blue colour, which was more brilliant at the extremities, and gradually paled towards the centre of the animal.  There was not the slightest shade of any other colour about it, but it turned pink in some places directly it was put into spirits; it had four anterior and four posterior legs on each side.