331 PUMICE STONE. 



Australia, from whence it drifted, as it has been 

 found on all parts of the coast, to the southern 

 portion of which it has doubtless been carried by 

 the current. Captain Wickham did not remark any 

 above the entrance of the river he explored, on the 

 western side of the bay, which bears out the opinion I 

 have above expressed. A curious fact, mentioned by 

 Mr. Clarke is, that one piece, perfectly water- worn, 

 was found upon a high mountain, full twenty-five 

 miles inland from the mouth of Clarence River. 

 Was this carried thither by one of the natives, or 

 does it indicate that pumice drifted to this part of 

 the continent at a time w^hen, if ever, it was on a 

 level with the ocean ? 1 further remarked in this 

 place, many of the land shells common to this and 

 other parts of the coast. 



There was great difficulty in attaining the loftiest 

 point of the Cape, which I found to be two thousand 

 feet high. From thence our party commanded a view 

 of the whole of the bay, and discovered that w^e w^ere, 

 strictly speaking, standing upon an island, a small 

 creek winding round the southern foot of the high 

 land, and connecting the bays on the eastern and 

 western side of Cape Upstart. 



The break in the hills seen by Captain King, and 

 supposed to indicate an opening, has been already 

 alluded to. On reaching the summit I found that 

 this was merely a valley, containing the head of the 

 plain which stretched from the shores of the bay. 

 On its southern side rose Mount Abbott ; but one 



