234. A DESCRIPTION OF NORFOLK ISLAND. June 21, 

 twenty feet from the butt, it becomes rotten or (hakey; 

 for which reafon, no dependence can be put in it fo 

 large marts or yards. The timber of the pine is very 

 ufeful in buildings, and is plentiful along the coaft ; its 

 difperfed fituation in the interior parts of the illand is 

 well calculated for eredting fnch buildings as may be 

 recelTary. From what 1 have feen of this wood, I 

 think it is very durable. Two boats have been built 

 of it, and have anfwered the purpofe fully. 



The live oak, yellow wood, black wood, and beech, 

 are all of a clofe grain, and are a durable wood. 



The flax plant of New Zealand grows fpontaneoufly 

 in many parts of the ifland, but moflly abounds on the 

 fea coaft, where there is a very great quantity of it ; 

 the leaves of which the flax is made is, when full 

 grown, fix feet long and fix inches wide; each plant 

 contains feven of thofe leaves ; a ftrong woody flalk 

 rifes from the centre, which bears the flowers ; it 

 feeds annually, and the old leaves are forced out by 

 young ones every year. Every method has been tried 

 to Work it; but I much fear, that until a native of New 

 Z-ealand can be carried to Norfolk Ifland, that the me- 

 thod of dreffing that valuable commodity will not be 

 known ; and could that be obtained, I have no doubt 

 but Norfolk ifland'would very foon cloath the inhabi- 

 tants of New South Wales. 



There are a great quantity of pigeons, parrots, 

 hawks, and other fmaller birds, which are now in a 

 ■wild ftate. 



The ground is much infefled with diflerent kinds of 

 the grub worm, which are very deftruftive to the 

 growth of vegetables ; they are moflly troublefome a- 

 bcatt the fpring. It is to be hoped that when more 

 giound is cleared away, that this evil will ceafe. 



There is no quadruped on the ifland, except the rat 

 which is much fmaller than the Norway rat : Thelc 

 vermiu were very tioublcfome wlien firll we landed 

 but, at prefent, there are but very few. 



