Page:Narrative of a survey of the intertropical and western coasts of Australia, Volume 2.djvu/606

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CsoLoev.] NATURAL HISTORY. ?1 ?bundence the calcareous concretions already mentioned; which seem there to consist in a great measure of the re- mains of recent shells, in considerable variety. The islands of this part of the shore have been described by MM. P?ron and Freycinet � and the coast to the south, down to Cape Leeuwin, the south-western extremity of ?q'ew Holland, having been sufficiently examined by the French voyagers, wes not surveyed by Captain King.. $?an River, (Riviera des Cygues,) upon this part of the coast, latitude 31 � to 32 �s examined by the French expedition, to the distance of about twenty leagues from its mouth; and found still to contain salt water. The rock in its neighbourhood consisted altogether of sandy and calcare- ous incrustations, 'in horizontal beds, enclosing, it is stated, shells, and the roots and even trunks of trees. Between this river and Cape P?ron, a "great bay '* was left unex- plored ?. The prominent mass of land, which stands out from the main, between Cape lqaturaliste and Cape Leeuwin, and runs nearly on the meridian for more than Rfty miles, seenis to have a base of granite, which, at Cape lqatoraliste, is said to be stratlfi?d ?. The same rock also occurs, amon? Captain Kings specimens, from Bald-head in King Cveorge's Sound; but nearly on thesummlt of that hill, which is about five hun- dred feet high, were found the ramified calcareous concre- tions, erro_necusly considered as corals by Vancouver and others ?; but which appear, from Captain King's specimens, - * P?ron, vol. ii. p. 168, ?c. ? P?rou, vol. i. p. lTD. i?re),cinet, p. 5. 170. ? P?ron, vol. i.p. 69. ? Vancouver, i. 49.. D'.Entrec?teaux, ii. 17?;. Freycinet, 105. ]?]inders, i, 63.?See the detailed descriptions, hereafter,.p. 591-!; and Captain King'! Narmtivs, vol. i. p. I?.