NEW SOUTH WALES. 349 



stream, formed two very low islands, leaving the 

 Glass- Houses at some distance on the left hand. 

 Between nine and ten o'clock he left the hoat, 

 taking with him two seamen and the native. 

 Steering N. W. by W. through a low swampy 

 country, till they came to the side of a creek, 

 the banks of which were low, muddy, and co- 

 vered with mangroves. This creek carried them 

 by the head of it, where the stream, passing 

 through a rocky swamp, permitted them to wade 

 over it. From here they steered till they ob- 

 tained a sight of the flat-topped peak, which 

 appeared to be nearer than the highest G lass- 

 House, which was that he first meant to visit; 

 but finding one of the mounts with sloping sides 

 considerably nearer, he altered his course for it; 

 and, after walking nine miles from the boat, 

 reached its top. 



The country they passed through was low 

 and swampy, and towards the end of their jour- 

 ney the way was somewhat uneven. In those 

 swampy parts the surface was full of holes, where 

 the water lodging, walking was both difficult 

 and tiresome. The higher places were either 

 sandy or stoney, and in these the grass tree or 

 gum rush abounded. 



The mount itself was a pile of stones. The 

 vegetable matter that lodged in the cavities 

 produced a covering of long grass, very fit 

 for thatch: the trees on the mount were like 

 those on the level ground, but much taller. 



From the summit they viewed the bay and 

 surrounding country which was very extensive* 



