NEW SOUTH WALES. 263 



and on that next the inlet it was wet and 

 salt. 



The country on the back of the bay is 

 formed of round stoney hills hardly fit for pas- 

 turage, but covered with timber, and patches of 

 short brush- wood. 



On the South side, they found another shal- 

 low inlet, larger than the other, running in by 

 the end of a beach, and winding along to the 

 S.S.W. with little low ground on its borders, 

 but the returning tide did not allow them time 

 to proceed to its head. 



On the East side, the hills not being either 

 steep or prominent, several large slopes of good 

 though sandy soil, were discovered to have 

 been formed. Some of which extended to the 

 water, well covered with grass, and thinly set 

 with timber, which formed a beautiful appear- 

 ance from the bay. Speaking of the land round 

 the bay, these Gentlemen observed, it might be 

 said it was more barren than productive ; that 

 there were several spots of tolerable good, and 

 some of excellent soil ; but the greater part 

 incapable of cultivation, and fit only for pas- 

 turage. 



The most common timber they saw was a 

 species of gum tree, the bark of which on the 

 trunk is that of the iron bark of Port Jackson ; 

 and its leaf, that of the gum tree; its branches 

 near the head are of a yellow colour, smooth, 

 and resembling the barked limbs of trees. The 

 wood longer grained, and tougher, splitting 

 with more truth than any other kinds of the 

 gum tree. 



