ater. The country until near the
bank of the river at this point was of the same sandy nature as that
about the beach: there however it improves; and from the circumstance of
my finding a regular haunt of the natives I feel sure that there is
plenty of fresh water in the neighbourhood. This place of their sojourn
resembled one before described, and many others I had seen. An extensive
circle was formed by laying a large flat stone upon the ground, and on
each of these a smaller one; between the two they evidently crushed the
shellfish and nuts which formed their food. Near some of the stones were
laid huge shells for the purpose of drinking from; and in the centre of
the circle were the marks of frequent fires. We heard the natives calling
to one another in the woods, but saw none of them; and in the evening
returned to our encampment.

ISTHMUS NEAR HANOVER BAY.

January 6.

I made an excursion this day for the purpose of examining the land lying
between Port George the Fourth and Hanover Bay: it consists of a low neck
which connects the peninsula terminating in High Bluff Point with the
main. Thus it is bounded on two sides by the sea, and on the other two by
rocky hills which are perfectly precipitous, both towards the main and
the peninsula; but a natural terrace runs along under the cliff in the
direction of Camden Sound, which I believe would form a good road to that
harbour. The tract thus enclosed appears to be very fertile. Porphyry and
basalt are the common rocks. The soil is rich vegetable mould, mixed with
gravel and covered with the most luxuriant grass. The trees were in
general small. We only found three springs here; these however were
sufficient to prove that it was well supplied in this respect. A species
of plant was observed here, which in appearance and smell exactly
resembled the jasmine of England: and it would be difficult to give any
adequate impression of the singular sensation of pleasure derived from
the sight of this simple emblem of home. Here were regular beaten tracks
of the natives, as completely pathways as those we find in England
leading from a village to a farmhouse.

HILL OF SHELLS.

Near the sea we also came upon a complete hill of broken shells, which it
must have taken some centuries to form, for it covered nearly, if not
quite, half an acre of ground, and in some places was ten feet high: it
was situated just over a bed of cockles, and was evidently formed from
the remains