SETTLEMENT 01' NORFOLK ISLAND. 



exploring: the shores in a boat, but everywhere baffled by the 

 inaccessible cliffs or the thundering surf of the ocean swell on 

 the rocky beaches. At last, after five days' search, and when 

 they had almost despaired of success, they found a beach in a 

 bay on the south side of the island, protected by a long reef 

 extending parallel with the shore and about 150 yards distant 

 from it. At the end of the reef was an opening, little more 

 than sufficient to allow two boats to pass each other, which 

 gave access to the smooth water inside. Here King got his 

 little party landed with their stores, and soon had a small patch 

 °f ground cleared and tents pitched. Having settled his 

 colony, King now proceeded to explore his new domain. He 

 describes the island as six miles long and four broad, and 

 estimated it to contain about 11,000 acres. The ground was 

 everywhere covered with an almost impervious forest, through 

 which he forced his way with great difficulty. The principal 

 tree was the pine, which grew everywhere. These great trees 

 were often 140 to 200 feet high, 30 feet round at the base, and 

 80 feet to the first branch. The roots sometimes ran two feet 

 above the ground twisted in all directions. In this forest grew 

 a sort of supplejack as thick as a man's leg, hanging in festoons 

 from tree to tree, and forming a. network which was well nigh 

 impenetrable. From the highest point of the island, 1200 feet 

 above the sea-level, which he named Mount Pitt, he had 

 a view of a continuous forest without a break, for in its natural 

 ftate there was not a yard square of clear ground on the whole 

 island. The soil was deep and rich, but not a blade of grass 

 grew anywhere. Pigeons and parrots were in great numbers: 

 the pigeons so tame that they could be knocked over with a 

 stick. These explorations were made with great difficulty, and 

 the explorers often returned with their clothes torn to shreds. 

 *o conquer the virgin forest King had only 12 men, and one 

 of these was an old man of 72, another a boy of 15. Small as 

 the company was it was a difficult one to manage. Before a 

 month passed the boy, having been caught stealing rum, was 

 punished with 100 lashes, which King in his diary remarks 

 he hoped would have a good effect; and later on we hear of a 

 woman being punished in a similar way. To add to the Com- 

 mandant's troubles all his people were ill with scurvy from 

 their salt diet, and his first attention was given to obtaining 

 fresh provisions. At first they got turtle, but these were soon 

 scared away. The fish supply was precarious, as fishing 

 Was only possible in calm weather. Their chief resource was 

 the pigeons, and the birds which abounded on Mount Pitt gave 

 them many a good meal. A few banana trees were found 

 growing not far from the settlement, but for vegetables they 

 Were chiefly dependent on nikau-palm, the crown of which 

 turnished a good vegetable not unlike a cabbage. 



