Volume I Part 1 (1/2)

Discoveries in Australia

by J Lort Stokes

VOLUME 1

INTRODUCTION

I cannot allow these volu entlemen for assistance, afforded to me in the course of the composition of this work: To Captain Beaufort, RN, FRS, Hydrographer to the Adcharts; to Sir John Richardson, FRS; JE

Gray, Esquire, FRS; E Doubleday, Esquire, FLS, and A White, Esquire, MES, for their valuable contributions on Natural History, to be found in the Appendix; to J Gould, Esquire, FRS, for a list of birds collected during the voyage of the Beagle; to Lieutenants Gore and Fitzmaurice, for many of the sketches which illustrate the work; and to B Bynoe, Esquire, FRCS, for several interesting papers which will be found dispersed in the following pages

Captain Owen Stanley, RN, FRS, also merits my warmest thanks, for the important addition to the work of his visits to the Islands in the Arafura Sea

I have to explain, that when the naes, it is intended to include Tasmania (Van Diemen's Land) and all the islands in the vicinity of the Australian continent

All bearings and courses, unless it is specified to the contrary, arethe period of the Beagle's voyage

The longitudes are generally given from meridians in Australia, as I much question whether any portion of the continent is accurately deterton, and Swan River, have been the meridians selected; and the respective positions of those places, within a minute of the truth, I consider to be as follows:

Swan River (Scott's Jetty, Freton (Governrees 13 rees 16 minutes East

CHAPTER 11 INTRODUCTION

Objects of the Voyage

The Beagle commissioned

Her former career

Her first Corapher

Officers and Crew

Arrival at Plyton's Exploring Party

Chronolance at Ply William the Fourth

For more than half a century, the connection between Great Britain and her Australian possessions has been one of growing interest; and hest eminence have foreseen and foretold the ultimate importance of that vast continent, over which, within the h unquestioned empire

Of the Australian shores, the North-western was the least known, and becaraphical speculation For that the deep bays known to indent a large portion of this coast, received the waters of extensive rivers, the discovery of which would not only open a route to the interior, but afford facilities for colonizing a part of Australia, so near our East Indian territories, as to render its occupation an object of evident importance

His Majesty's Government therefore determined to send out an expedition to explore and survey such portions of the Australian coasts as holly or in part unknown to Captains Flinders and King

HM SLOOP BEAGLE