All the hills in this part of the country, showed singular sloping sides
to the South-West, whilst on the opposite, they were almost
perpendicular; old red sandstone is generally found on their sides, and
granite on their summit. On the Allyn, I noticed the same kind of rich
limestone, that I found on the west bank of the Karuah, two miles within
the entrance. These two spots are about thirty miles apart. The rocks in
the valley of the Karuah belong to the transition series, and on the
shore of Port Stephens, they consist of porphyry, basalt, and greenstone.

An instance here came under my own observation of the beneficial results
which sometimes arise from the punishment of transportation; knowing the
difficulty of getting good servants, I was curious to learn how Mr.
Boydell had procured his excellent butler, and on inquiry was surprised
to learn that he had been sent out for robbing Madame Vestris of her
jewels.

CULTIVATION OF TOBACCO.

Mr. Boydell was cultivating tobacco to some considerable extent, with the
hope of being able to supply the colony; others who speculated on a
larger scale were ruined; for it soon turned out that it was impossible
to compete in cheapness with American tobacco. This was in consequence of
the extensive establishment required on the estate--the large drying
sheds that had to be erected, the number of coopers necessary, and the
general high price of labour.

Mr. Boydell was also cultivating the vine, of which he made a light kind
of wine, a very excellent species of hock. The Messrs. McArthurs have
been at great expense in promoting this branch of cultivation, and are
entitled to their share of credit. But to Mr. Bushby the colony owes the
first introduction of the grape, which will hereafter prove of
inestimable benefit, from the great commerce to which it must give rise.
I may here mention that the same gentleman has deserved highly of his
fellow-colonists, by having been the means of bringing good water from
some distance into Sydney. The importance of this to the town was very
apparent even to us transient visitors, from the crowd of water carts we
constantly saw during the severe drought, patiently waiting their turn to
fill from the pump in Hyde Park.

I was fortunate enough to find two gentlemen to return with as
companions, from Cam yr Allyn, which we left early, under the guidance of
a native, mounted on one of Mr. Boydell's horses. We were to have made a
short cut by cross