Chapter 4

A gale. Anchor in Simon's Bay. H.M.S. Thalia. Captain Harris, and his Adventures in Southern Africa. Proceedings of the Land Party. Leave Simon's Bay. An overloaded ship. Heavy weather and wet decks. Island of Amsterdam. Its true longitude. St. Paul's. Water. Westerly variation. Rottnest Island. Gage's Road. Swan River Settlement. Fremantle. An inland lake. Plans for the future. Illness of Captain Wickham. Tidal Phenomena. Perth. Approach to it. Narrow escape of the first settlers. The Darling Range. Abundant Harvest. Singular flight of strange birds. Curious Cliff near Swan River. Bald Head. Mr. Darwin's Theory. The Natives. Miago. Anecdotes of Natives. Their Superstitions. Barbarous traditions, their uses and their lessons.