Chapter 18

The French Expedition--Buonaparte's lavish outfitting--Baudin in the Géographe--Coast casualties--Sterile and barren appearance--Privations of the crew--Sails for Timor--Hamelin in the Naturaliste--Explores North-Western coast--Swan River--Isle of Rottnest--Joins her consort at Coepang--Sails for Van Dieman's Land--Examination of the South-East coast of Australia--Flinders' prior visit ignored--French names substituted--Discontent among crew--Baudin's unpopularity--Bad food--Port Jackson--Captain King's Voyages--Adventures in the Mermaid--An extensive commission--Allan Cunningham, botanist--Search at Seal Islands for memorial of Flinders' visit--Seed sowing--Jeopardy to voyage--Giant anthills--An aboriginal Stoic--Cape Arnhem and west coast exploration--Macquarie Strait--Audacity of natives--Botanical results satisfactory--Malay Fleet--Raffles Bay--Port Essington--Attack by natives--Cape Van Dieman--Malay Teachings--Timor and its Rajah--Return to Port--Second Voyage--Mermaid and Lady Nelson--East Coast--Cleveland Bay--Cocoa-nuts and pumice stones--Endeavour River--Thieving natives--Geological formation of adjacent country--Remarkable coincidences--Across Gulf of Carpentaria--Inland excursion--Cambridge Gulf--Ophthalmia amongst crew--Mermaid returns to port.