ch, of its having risen two feet higher than ever
it did in the course of his experiments.

[1] According to Mr G.F. the sufferings of the crew, for want of
proper nourishment, were exceedingly distressing, and some of the
officers who had made several voyages round the world acknowledged,
that they had never before so thoroughly loathed a salt diet. It was
owing, he says, to their having such an excellent preservative as
sour-krout on board, that the scurvy did not at this time make any
considerable progress among them; but their situation was indeed
wretched enough, without the horrors of that disease.--E.

[2] "Several large broken rocks project into the sea from the island,
on all sides. A heap of large stones formed a kind of beach, beyond
which the shore rose very steep, and in some parts perpendicular. The
rocks of this island consisted of the common yellowish clayey stone,
which we found at New Zealand; and in some places we met with small
bits of porous reddish lava, which seemed to be decaying, but made us
suspect this island to have had a volcano. The vegetables which we
found upon it, throve with great luxuriance in a rich stratum of black
mould, accumulated during ages past, from decaying trees and plants.
The greatest number of species we met with were well known to us, as
belonging to the flora of New Zealand, but this appeared with all the
advantages which a milder climate, and an exuberant soil could give
them, and they were united with the productions of New Caledonia, and
the New Hebrides. Altogether this little deserted spot was very
pleasing, and were it larger would be unexceptionable for an European
settlement."--G.F.

Notwithstanding the diminutive size of this island, the advantages it
presented, especially as to the cultivation of the flax-plant, were
sufficient to induce the British government to erect a settlement on
it, which was effected by a detachment from Port Jackson under the
command of Lieutenant King in 1788. The reader who desires particular
information respecting its progress, will be amply supplied with it in
Collins's account of New South Wales. It may perhaps be sufficient to
inform him, that though in 1790 the colony consisted of 498 persons,
and in 1796, of 889, and though very great expence and pains were
employed to ensure its prosperity,