NEW SOUTH WALES. Q$5 



In the evening of the 2 1 st they entered the 

 mouth of the Derwent. 



In passing between two islands, the heads of 

 the sea- weed, named from its size, (Gigantic,) 

 were shewing themselves above the surface in 

 six or eight fathoms water. 



After a very slow course of about twenty-six 

 miles to N. W. the Derwent river falls into 

 Frederick Henry Bay, at which place its breadth 

 is two miles and a quarter, and ten fathoms deep. 

 Several hundred yards above the mouth, it is 

 joined by the Storm- Bay-Passage, which union 

 makes an island of that land which is Adventure 

 Bay. This island, the Derwent river, and the 

 Storm- Bay-Passage, were the discovery of Mr. 

 Hayes, of which he made only an incorrect 

 chart. 



That dull river the Derwent, not being affect- 

 ed by the tides, its navigation is tedious, parti- 

 cularly with a foul wind. It winds through a 

 country of hills and mountains. The hills on 

 the East rise directly from the banks; but the 

 mountains to the Westward -are at the distance 

 of some miles from the water side and have hilly 

 land before them. The hills are thinly set with 

 light timber principally short oaks; but are co- 

 vered with thick grass, free from brush-wood or 

 patches of shrubs. The soil is a black mould, 

 deep in the vallies, very shallow, and occasion- 

 ally a mixture of sand and small stones. As the 

 hills descend with gentle slopes, the vallies be- 

 tween are extensive and flat 



