NORFOLK I SL AN D. 117 



^'=- rifon. From the fame plant, by another preparation, they 

 *' draw long flender fibres, which fliine like lilk, and are as 

 " V, hite as fnow ; of thefe, which are alfo fii'rprifingly ftrong, 

 " the finer cloths are made ; and of the leaves, without any 

 " other preparation than fplitting them into proper breadths 

 " and tying the ftrips together, they make their filhing nets ; 

 " fome of which, as 1 have before remarked, are of an enor- 

 *' mous fize." 



Norfolk IJland is peculiarly happy in its climate : the air is Climate. 

 pure, falubrious, and delicious, freed from exceflive heat by the 

 conftant breezes from the fea ; and of io mild a temperature 

 throughout the winter, that there is a perpetual vegetation ; 

 crop fucceeds crop, and the refrefliing fliowers maintain a con- 

 ftant verdure : fometimes there are great droughts. From Fe- 

 bruary to Augujl may be called the rainy feafon ; not that it is 

 regular, for there is fometimes fine weather for a fortnight to- 

 gether, but when the rain does fall, it is in torrents. 



About midway between Norfolk IJland and New Holland is Lord Howe 

 Lord Howe IJland, difcovered in 1788 by Lieutenant Henry Lidg- 

 bird Ball-, a fon of the late George Ball., of Irby, in Che^/hire^ 

 Efquire. This ille is fmall in extent, in length only {^vtvi 

 leagues, and in form of a. crefcent. In fome parts it rifes into 

 lofty craggy hills, that called BaWs Pyramid is very fingular, 

 formed on one fide oi Bajaltlc columns; and fo lofty as to be 

 feen at the diftance of twelve leagues. Another rock is circular 

 at top, fo as to look like a fpread fan ; the reft fo low as to give 

 thefe rocks the form of iflands. Mr. Ball fays that it abounds in 

 cabbage-palms, qx Areca Sapida^ with mangrove-trees, and Man- 



chlneely 



