peared to be at once
the breeding-place and death-bed of these birds, who, in the hidden
bosom of a quiet lake, in an uninhabited island, had long continued to
extend their race, generation after generation retiring to the same spot
where they were first brought to light, and there ending their days in
tranquillity. In this part of the island kangaroos were less plentiful
than in the other, but the soil appeared equally promising, and in all
likelihood, before many years have flown by, trees, seals, kangaroos,
and pelicans will all be forced to give up their old domains, and be
destroyed before the pressing wants and daring spirit of the British
emigrant. One important hindrance is noticed by Flinders,--the scarcity
of water,--but the presence of so many animals shows that there is an
abundance somewhere, though he could find but a scanty supply in one
single spot. In Kangaroo Island only one accident occurred which showed
any disposition or power on the part of its old inhabitants to wage war
with the intruders. One of the sailors having attacked a large seal
without proper caution, was so severely bitten in the leg, that he was
not merely laid up in consequence of this hurt, but was obliged to be
discharged, three months afterwards, when the ship was refitted at
Sydney.

In addition to the numerous barren rocks and the few tolerably large
wooded islands, which encircle the shores of Australia, there is a third
description of isles or rocks, which must not be passed over altogether
without notice. The substance called _coral_ is well known in Europe,
but with us the name connects itself with very different objects from
those to which it is related in Australia. _Here_ female ornaments and
toys for infants are almost the only objects to be seen that are formed
of coral; _there_ it forms the most stupendous rocks or reefs, which
serve frequently for a foundation to islands of no mean size; indeed, in
one part of the north-eastern coast of Australia, the coral reefs are
known to extend not less than 350 miles in a straight line, without a
single opening of any magnitude occurring in them.

Among these, surrounded by dangers, did Captain Flinders sail, during
fourteen days, for more than 500 miles before he could escape into less
perilous seas. Upon landing on one of these reefs, when the water was
clear, the view underneath, from the edge of the rocks, was extremely
beautiful. Quite a new creation, but still not unlike t