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JAMES BACKHOUSE, 53
Dr. Hooker writes as follows in his history of the exploration of tlie
island:— "Mr. James Backhouse visited Australia in 1832, and spent
there six years. The journey was undertaken, as his narrative informs
us, ' solely for the purpose of discharging a religious duty,' but owing
to his knowledge of botany, his connection with a fine horticultural
establishment (The Nursery, York), and his love of observing and col-
lecting, the results of his journey have proved extremely valuable, in
a scientific point of view, and added much to our familiarity with
Australian vegetation. Mr. Backhouse first landed at Hobarton, and
then, and on two future occasions, visited numerous parts of Tasmania,
on the Derwent and Clyde, Macquarie Harbour, Port Arthur, Spring
Bay, various stations on the north coast, and in the mountainous interior.
He also twice visited New South "Wales, and made excursions to the
Blue Mountains, Bathurst, Moreton Bay, Newcastle, Maitland, Port
Macquarie, lllawarra, and Goulburn j and afterwards went to Port
Phillip, Adelaide,^ing George's Sound, and Swan River. The journals
of these various extensive journeys are extremely good, and though
specially devoted to philanthropic objects, they omit no observations
on natural history, and especially on botany, that their talented author
considered might be worthy of such a record. Mr. Backhouse formed
a considerable herbarium, and made copious manuscript notes (now in
the Hookerian library) which he liberally gave where he thought they
would be most useful."—Introductory Essay, ' Flora Tasmauica,' p.
cxxv-vi.
The following is a memorandum attached to a specimen of Blaiid-
fordia grandijlora ,
gathered by Mr. Gunn, now in the Hookerian her-
barium :— " Very abundant at Eocky Cape, Avhere I collected it in full
flower, December 16, 1836, and in fruit in February and 1st of March,
1S37. Soil very poor, quartz sand, but it appears to like moisture to
a moderate degree. I had hoped, and, indeed, do still, that this may
be found difl'erent to the B. nobilis, and that you will confer the name
of our friend James Backhouse on it. It could not bear a worthier.
It is also intimately connected with my first acquaintance with that
truly good and amiable man. In January, 1883, I first met Mr.
Backhouse and his worthy companion and fellow-labourer, George W.
Walker, at a farm of my brother's, about thirty-five miles west from
Launceston. They were then on their way from the Hampshire and
Surrey hills, with one horse between them, and asked me how far it