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aborigines. A short vocabulary of the native language was prepared and information collected as to their habits. Their manners he describes as "quick and vehement and their conversation vociferous, like that of most uncivilized people. They seemed to have no idea of any superiority we possessed over them. On the contrary, they left us, after the first interview, with some appearance of contempt for our pusillanimity, which was probably inferred from the desire we showed to be friendly with them."

Before leaving the spot a search was made for the record bottles left by Vancouver in 1791. This was unsuccessful; but in a garden on the east side of Oyster Harbour a piece of sheet-copper was found inscribed—"August 27, 1800, Chr. Dixon; ship 'Elligood,' " from which it was surmised that the bottles had been previously discovered and removed.

On January 5 Flinders again got under way and directed his course to the east and north, passing the Recherche Archipelago and afterwards discoving much of the hitherto unknown south coast. On board the "Investigator" with him were Robert Brown, well known as a botanist, and William Westall, the famous painter; while one of his officers was (Sir) John Franklin, afterwards Governor of Tasmania and a famous explorer, who ended his career amid Arctic snows.

For one thing Flinders will always be remembered—that he gave to Australia her present name. Various appellations had been bestowed upon her —Magellanica, Jave la Grande, Terra Australis, and Great South Land. After Tasman's voyage in 1644 the western portion was called New Holland, the eastern still retaining the name Terra Australis. Subsequent to Cook's discoveries the eastern part received the name of New South Wales, the remainder being still New Holland. The meridian dividing the two, according to the patent to the first Governor of New South Wales, was 135° eastern longitude, almost identical with the old line of separation laid down after Tasman's voyage. Flinders readopted the name Terra Australis for the whole continent, including New South Wales, New Holland, and Van Diemen Land, as he had proved the east and west to be parts of one continent. At a later date, in 1814, he suggested—and his suggestion was adopted—the name Australia, "as being more agreeable to the ear, and an assimilation to the names of the other great portions of the earth."

The fate of La Pérouse being still unknown, a further French expedition was dispatched in 1801. This consisted of three vessels—the "Géographe," under Commodore Nicolas Baudin; the "Naturaliste," of which Captain Hamelin was the commander; and a small 30-ton ship, the "Casuarina," under Lieut. Louis de Freycinet. After a brief preliminary visit to the western coast they went on to Timor, afterwards returning southward for closer examination of the Western Australian shore. In June, 1801, they anchored off the mouth of the Swan River and devoted some days to its exploration, with the intention of tracing its source. They seem to have reached the junction of the Helena with the Swan when the leader, M. Heirisson, felt compelled to return, as the provisions were running short. The name of a member of the party being Moreau, the title Moreau Inlet was bestowed upon the Canning River, while the islands upon which the present Perth Causeway stands were called the Heirisson Islands. The view from the top of Mount Eliza was described as particularly striking and beautiful and the fertile nature of the soil about Guildford commented upon. At the point where they abandoned their journey up the river, about 60 miles from the mouth, the river was narrow, only about 8 ft. deep, and the water salt. Having made