s_.--The spring is very visible in August, but the
trees on many parts of the island are in a constant succession of
flowering and seeding the whole year round. The summer is very
hot: I had no thermometer to determine the degree of heat, but it
is excessive. From the 23d of September, 1789, to the 22d of
February, 1790, not one drop of rain fell, excepting on two days
in December; but it should be remarked, that we had no drought in
the former year. All the grain, and the European plants seeded in
December. From February to August may be called the rainy season;
not that I think there is any regular time of rains during these
months, as the weather is sometimes very fine for a fortnight
together; but when the rain does fall, it pours in torrents. I do
not recollect more than three claps of thunder, or lightning,
during the time I remained on the island. The winter, (which may
be said to commence in April, and end in July,) is very pleasant;
there is never any frost; but when the south-west winds blow,
which are very frequent and violent in these months, the air is
raw and cold. It is very remarkable, that during some days in
December and January, the weather has been much colder than in
the winter months. The south-east, and east winds are very
parching and dry, as no dew falls when those winds prevail.

-Winds_.--During the winter months, the wind is mostly
from south to west, blowing with great violence for a week
together; afterwards it veers round to the southward and
south-east, which brings fine weather for a few days, then it
veers to east, north-east, and north-west, blowing in heavy
gales, and generally accompanied with violent torrents of rain:
after which it shifts to south-west: indeed, I do not remember
one instance of the wind coming to the north-east, round by west.
The south-east wind blows during the summer with very little
variation, and sometimes very strong.

-Coasts of the island_.--The coasts of the island are in
general steep to, and (excepting Sydney, Anson, Ball, and Cascade
Bays,) are inaccessible; being surrounded by steep cliffs, which
rise perpendicularly from the sea. A number of large rocks lie
scattered about close to the shore, on which a continual surf
breaks with great force.

SYDNEY-BAY, (which was so named after Lord Viscount Sydney,)
lies on the south side of the island, and here the settlement was
formed: this bay is formed by Point Hunter and Point Ross, which
lie east half