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SKETCHES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
CHAPTER XIII.
Names upon shore-line of West Australia in three different languages—Legend of Great Java—Spanish admiral invents name of Australia—Pioneers of West Australia exclusively Dutch—Discovery of Swan River—Finding of inscription on Dirk Hartog's Island—Dampier's shark—M. de Bougainville—Reasons of Admiral D'Entrecasteax's voyage being undertaken—Captain Baudin's ideas about names—Tale invented by colonial John Bull—Naturalists lose their way—Captain Baudin's inhumanity—Pewter plate carried to Paris—Captain Stirling sails to Swan River—His favourable reports of it—Cockburn Sound—Garden Island—Plans for colonization—No convicts to be admitted—Large grants of land—Deplorable condition of first immigrants—Scurvy—Early cutting of cabbages—Governor Stirling's activity—Unsuitability of goods and furniture—Travelling carriages turned to good account—Deal packing-cases found useful—Harp re-shipped—Tents blow loose in windy weather—Boys fasten ropes—Vessel on sand-bank—Boat capsized—Merits of twins not recognized by Colonial Government—Australind projected—Repetition of disappointment—Western Australia acquires a bad name—Discovery of mineral districts.
Anyone who looks at a map of Western Australia cannot fail to observe that the names upon its shore-line belong to three different languages. French, Dutch, and English names occur amongst the appellations of its capes, bays, and headlands, and, like the bricks in the chimney built by Jack Cade's father, "testify" to the nationality of the adventurous seamen who at distant intervals surveyed the coast. There seems, however, to be a probability that the existence of Australia was first surmised by the Portuguese, who established colonies in India and the Spice Islands at a very early period, and a story goes that one John Rotz, of the Portuguese service, dedicated a hydro-
