#6 VAN DIFMEN'S LAND [CHAP. xix. 



scattered all over the country. I was told of a trial between a party of 

 Englishmen and a native, who was to stand in full view on the side of 

 a bare hill ; if the Englishmen closed their eyes for less than a minute, 

 he would squat down, and then they were never able to distinguish 

 him from the surrounding stumps. But to return to the hunting- 

 match ; the natives, understanding this kind of warfare, were terribly 

 alarmed, for they at once perceived the power and numbers of the 

 whites. Shortly afterwards a party of thirteen belonging to two tribes 

 came in, and, conscious of their unprotected condition, delivered them- 

 selves up in their despair. Subsequently by the intrepid exertions of 

 Mr. Robinson, an active and benevolent man, who fearlessly visited by 

 himself the most hostile of the natives, the whole were induced to act 

 in a similar manner. They were then removed to an island, where food 

 and clothes were provided them. Count Strzelecki states, * that " at 

 the epoch of their deportation in 1835, the number of natives amounted 

 to two hundred and ten. In 1842, that is, after the interval of seven 

 years, they mustered only fifty-four individuals ; and, while each family 

 of the interior of New South Wales, uncontaminated by contact with 

 the whites, swarms with children, those of Flinders' Island had during 

 eight years, an accession of only fourteen in number I " 



The Beagle stayed here ten days, and in this time I made several 

 pleasant little excursions, chiefly with the object of examining the 

 geological structure of the immediate neighbourhood. The main 

 points of interest consist, first, in some highly fossiliferous strata, 

 belonging to the Devonian or Carboniferous period ; secondly, in 

 proofs of a late small rise of the land ; and lastly, in a solitary and 

 superficial patch of yellowish limestone or travertin, which contains 

 numerous impressions of leaves of trees, together with land-shells, not 

 now existing. It is not improbable that this one small quarry includes 

 the only remaining record of the vegetation of Van Diemen's Land 

 during one former epoch. 



The climate here is damper than in New South Wales, and hence 

 the land is more fertile. Agriculture flourishes ; the cultivated fields 

 look well, and the gardens abound with thriving vegetables and fruit- 

 trees. Some of the farmhouses, situated in retired spots, had a very 

 attractive appearance. The general aspect of the vegetation is similar 

 to that of Australia ; perhaps it is a little more green and cheerful ; 

 and the pasture between the trees rather more abundant. One day I 

 took a long walk on the side of the bay opposite to the town ; I 

 crossed in a steamboat, two of which are constantly plying backwards 

 and forwards. The machinery of one of these vessels was entirely 

 manufactured in this colony, which, from its very foundation, then 

 numbered only three-and-thirty years 1 Another day I ascended 

 Mount Wellington ; I took with me a guide, for I failed in a first 

 attempt, from the thickness of the wood. Our guide, however, was a 

 stupid fellow, and conducted us to the southern and damp side of the 

 mountain, \vhere the vegetation was very luxuriant ; and where the 



* " Physical Description of New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land," 

 P. 354- 



