206 FERTILE COUNTRY. 



Our again meeting rocks of transition origin, 

 led us to infer that the soil in the neighbourhood 

 was of a better quality, as the decomposition of 

 rocks of this class furnishes a much more fertile soil 

 than sandstone of recent formation. 



Leaving the Slate Islands, we reached Entrance 

 Isle, in Brecknock Harbour, in time to secure ob- 

 servations for the rates of the chronometers, which 

 we found had been performing admirably ; they 

 placed the sandy bay on the east side of Entrance 

 Isle, in longitude 124° 30' E. ; the latitude as 

 before given, 15" ^7^' S. At this place Mr. Help- 

 man rejoined us, having completed the examination 

 of the south shore of the harbour ; from a high hill 

 over it he discovered some fine country, bearing 

 E.S.E. about eight miles. In speaking of it, he 

 says, " I was invited to the top of this hill by 

 the certainty of a good view of the interior over 

 the low land forming the south-eastern shore of the 

 harbour, and most amply was I repaid for the toil of 

 ascending it, by feasting my eyes on a most luxuriant 

 well-watered country, lying at the eastern foot of 

 a remarkable peak, visible from Port George the 

 Fourth. To the N.E. there lay a range of hills,* 

 apparently of no great elevation. Part of this 

 rich land extended to within five miles of the south- 

 eastern part of Brecknock Harbour." The prox- 

 imity of such fertile land to this fine port was of 



* Macdonald Range of Lieut. Grey, considered by him 1400 

 feet high. 



