t'79r. A DESCRIPTIOK OF NORFOLK ISLAND. 23^ 



KoRFOLK Ifland is fituated in the latitude 29° 00', and 

 in the longitude of 168° oo' eaft : Its form is nearly 

 an oblof.2;, and contains from twelve to fourteen thou- 

 fand acres. 



The face of the country is hilly, and fome of the 

 Vallies are tolerably large for the fize of the ifland ; ma- 

 ny of the hills are very fleep, and fome few fo very 

 perpendicular, that they cannot be cultivated ; but 

 where fuch lituations are, they will do very well for 

 fuel ; on the tops of the hills, are fome extenfive flats. 



Mount Pitt is the only remarkable high hill in the 

 ifland, and is about one hundred and fifty fathoms higho 

 The cliffs which furround the ifland, are about forty 

 fathoms high, and perpendicular ; the bafis of the ifl- 

 and is a hard firm clay. The whole ifland , is covered 

 with a thick wood, choaked up with underwood. 



The ifland is well fupplied with many flreams of ve- 

 jry fine water ; many of which are fufficiently large to 

 turn any number of mills. Thefe fprings are full of 

 very large eels. 



From the coaft, to the fummit of mount Pitt, is a 

 continuation of the richeft and deepeft foil in the world, 

 •which varies from a rich black mould to a fat red earth; 

 we have dug down forty feet, and found the fame foil j 

 the air is very wllolefoine, and the climate may be call- 

 ed a very healthy one ; there has been no ficknefs fince 

 I firft landed on the ifland. 



Tliere are five kind of trees on the ifland, which are 

 good timber, viz. the pine, live oak, a yellow woocBf 

 a hard black wood, and a wood not unlike the Englifli 

 "beech. The pine trees are of a great fize, many of 

 which are from 18^ to 220 feet in height, and from 6 

 to nine feet in diameter. Thofe trefes which are from 

 "icc to i8o feet in height are in general found ; from 

 "the root to the lower branches there is from 80 to 90 

 feet of found timber, the refl; is too hard and knotty 

 for ufe ; it fometimes happens, that after cutting off 



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