bulbs, "did
credit to the expedition and honour to the Royal Gardens." He was
nominated for service in New South Wales, and landed at Port Jackson on
the 21st of December, 1816.* He first started collecting about the
present suburb of Woolloomooloo in Sydney, which we may infer therefrom
presented a very different appearance from that which it now presents. He
next went with Oxley on his Lachlan expedition. On his return, he
commenced the first of his five coastal voyages, in which he accompanied
Captain P.P. King around most of the continent of Australia. In the tiny
cutter the Mermaid, of 84 tons, they left Port Jackson on the 22nd of
December, 1817, and sailed round the south coast of Australia to King
George's Sound, the west coast, the north coast, and finally to Timor.
The Mermaid returned by the same route and anchored in Port Jackson on
the 24th of July, 1818. Again on the 24th of December, the Mermaid left
Port Jackson on a short trip to Tasmania, from which they returned in
February, 1819. Once more the busy little Mermaid sailed from Sydney on
the 8th of May, 1819, to make a running survey of the east coast. On this
voyage, many ports hitherto unvisited were examined by King, and amongst
other places, Cunningham paid his first visit to the Endeavour River.
Continuing the survey, she rounded Cape York, crossed the mouth of the
Carpentaria Gulf, and kept along the north coast, where King found
Cambridge Gulf. At Cassini Island, the Mermaid left for Timor, and
eventually returned to Sydney round the west coast of Australia.

*[Footnote.] For the accompanying notes of Allan Cunningham's earlier
lifework I am indebted to the Biographical Notes concerning Allan
Cunningham, compiled by Mr. J.H. Maiden, Director of the Sydney Botanical
Gardens.

On the 14th of June, 1820, the Mermaid was again busy with King and
Cunningham on board, and, sailing up the east coast she re-visited the
Endeavour River. During their stay, Cunningham ascended Mount Cook, where
he made a fine collection of seeds and plants. She coasted north again
and picked up the survey at Cassini Island once more. At Careening Bay,
where they had occasion to stay for some time, Cunningham was again very
fortunate in his collections. Returning homeward by way of the west and
south coasts, the little cutter was almost wrecked off Botany Bay.

The Mermaid was now overhauled and condemned, and in her place H.M.
Storeship Dromedary, re-christened the Bathu