ploy it in endeavouring to
extend my knowledge of the native character and language, as well as of
the general position and prospects of the colony.

At this time, the death of Sir Robert Spencer, the Government Resident at
King George's Sound, having caused a vacancy in that appointment, I was
induced, at the offer of Mr. Hutt, to assume the temporary duties, with a
two-fold desire of rendering what public services I could during my
unavoidable period of inaction in the country, as well as of enlarging my
opportunities of observation on the aboriginal race.

In these occupations I remained, until the receipt of a reply from the
Secretary of State, which, after speaking in terms of flattering
approbation of my past exertions, notified that, for the present, Her
Majesty's Ministers did not think it desirable that the researches in the
north-west should be prosecuted further.

PREPARE TO RETURN TO ENGLAND.

On the receipt of this I made preparations for returning to England, but,
no favourable opportunity offering from the western settlements, as soon
as I was relieved from my duties as Resident, I embarked for South
Australia in the hope of obtaining from thence a more speedy passage than
the other colony seemed likely to afford.

After a short stay at Adelaide I finally sailed for England on the 11th
April 1840, and reached this country in September following.

NATURAL HISTORY.

The leisure of the voyage afforded me the means of making some additions
to my former observations on the Natural History of the seas we
traversed, the chief results of which will be briefly given in this
chapter, together with some casual observations which I was enabled to
make on the Geology of St. Helena in consequence of the vessel touching
there.

June 2 1840. At sea: south latitude 20 degrees 0 minutes; east longitude
58 degrees 47 minutes 15 seconds.

I caught a species of shrimp (Penaeus) of a delicate prussian blue
colour, which was more brilliant at the extremities, and gradually paled
towards the centre of the animal. There was not the slightest shade of
any other colour about it, but it turned pink in some places directly it
was put into spirits; it had four anterior and four posterior legs on
each side.

Total length 1.45 inches.
Length of apparatus on head 0.17 inches.
Length of tail 0.25 inches.
Head and connected apparatus 0.52 inches.
Tail and body to commencement of first ring 0.48 inches.

June 13. South latit