NEW SOUTH WALES. 997 



twenty-two yards by seventeen; its depth twen- 

 ty. And the sides were both rather smooth and 

 perpendicular. Alittle surf that washed up within 

 it proved a communication with the river, by a 

 narrow subterraneous passage of from ten to 

 sixteen feet in height, and according to the 

 distance of the hole from the edge of the cliff, 

 about thirty five yards in length ; proceeding 

 on the West side from Point William to Shoal 

 Point, the land is too stony on the hills for 

 cultivation, but proper for pasturage. The ral- 

 lies are certainly adapted to grain. 



The land round Prince of Wales Cove is level, 

 and often clayey. About three hundred acres 

 of open ground, called King George's Plains, 

 seem well calculated for the purpose of rearing 

 grape vines. 



The land at the head of Risdon creek, on the 

 East side, seems preferable to any other on the 

 banks of the Derwent. 



Herdsman's Cove, above ttisdon Creek, has a 

 large tract of good land lying at its head. The 

 country, which is thin of timber, rounds in- 

 to grassy hills of gentle ascent. The soil con- 

 sists of more brown earth than black mould ; on 

 the sides and tops of the hills, it is stoney. A 

 chain of ponds intersecting the hills afford a con- 

 tinual stream of fresh water to the head of the 

 Cove. 



Not supposing the sloop could proceed above 

 Herdsman's Cove, they went up the river in her 

 boat, under the idea that one tide would enable 

 them to reach its source ; but they were mi,sta~ 



