Volume I Part 5 (1/2)

Great then was my joy when all my preparations were completed and I felt the vessel gliding swiftly from Table Bay into that vast ocean at the other extremity of which lay the land I so longed to see, and to which I was now bound with the ardent hope of opening the way for the conversion of a barren wilderness into a fertile garden.

Part of my plan was not only to introduce all useful animals that I possibly could into this part of Australia, but also the most valuable plants of every description. For this purpose, a collection had been made at Tenerife by Mr. Walker, under my direction, and another in South America,* including the seeds of the cotton plant. From the Cape and from England I had also procured other useful plants, and had planned that the vessel, on quitting Timor with the horses, should be filled in every vacant s.p.a.ce with young cocoa-nut trees and other fruits, together with useful animals such as goats and sheep, in addition to the stock we conveyed from the Cape.

(*Footnote. We had been able to introduce several useful plants into the Cape; amongst others the South American Yam, which, owing to the quality of the potatoes and their great fluctuations in price, will eventually be very serviceable to the colonists, more especially for the use of whalers.)

CHAPTER 3. FROM THE CAPE OF GOOD HOPE TO HANOVER BAY.

NATURAL HISTORY.

FORSTER'S PACHYPTILA (Pachyptila vittata.)

October 16.

I shot a female petrel; it had a nail planted in the heel, but no thumb; the bill was hooked at the end, the extremity of which seemed to consist of a distinct piece, articulated with the remainder; the nostrils were united, and formed a tube laid on the back of the upper mandible, hence it belonged to the family of Petrels (Procellariae.)

Its temperature was 94 degrees.

Length from tip to tip of wing, 2 feet 3 inches.

Length from tip of beak to tip of tail, 1 foot 2.4 inches.

Length from root to tip of tail, 4 inches.

Length of beak, 1.45 inches.

Length of foot, 1.55 inches.

Breadth across body, 2.3 inches.

Colour of beak and legs black; body white underneath; general colour above, a light bluish slate, which grows darker in the head and wing covers; tail tipped with black; the four first wing feathers tinged with black.

CAPE PIGEONS.

I also shot this afternoon three Cape pigeons (Procellaria capensis) white underneath, spotted black and white above.

FIRST SPECIMEN--Female.

Temperature, 98 1/2 degrees.

Length from tip to tip of wing, 2 feet 11.3 inches.

Length from tip of tail to tip of beak, 1 foot 6 inches.

Length from tip of beak, 1.5 inches.

Length from root to tip of tail,4.1 inches.

Length of foot, 2.3 inches.

Breadth across body, 3.2 inches.

SECOND SPECIMEN.

Length from tip to tip of wing, 2 feet 5 inches.

Length from tip of tail to tip of beak, 1 foot 5 inches.

Length from tip of beak, 1.5 inches.

Length from root to tip of tail, 4 inches.

Length of foot, 2.3 inches.

Breadth across body, 3 inches.

THIRD SPECIMEN--Female.