its Character and Productions. 199 



Nepearij situated within the former, is ahout 400 yards 

 from the beach of Norfolk Island. It is a rugged, rocky islet, 

 a quarter of a mile long, and of a horse-shoe form, open to 

 the east. Formed entirely of marine limestone, it rises 

 about 50 feet above the level of the sea, and serves as a 

 habitation to birds, and to them alone. 



Eocks, chiefly basaltic, which are separated from the 

 northern coast of Norfolk Island by rapid currents, and 

 worn into caverns by their waves, constitute the Bird 

 Islands. 



The briefest history is alone necessary. When first dis- 

 covered, Norfolk Island was uninhabited. No human foot 

 had previously touched its shores. Colonized from Sydney, 

 in the hope of making it a granary, and subsequently 

 abandoned, it has, chiefly on account of its isolated posi- 

 tion and its inaccessibility, been used for many years past 

 as a penal station. 



From the cessation of transportation to these colonies, 

 Norfolk Island is now once more deserted, and will shortly 

 be given up to the Pitcairners, a patriarchal people, 

 numbering about 200, descended from the mutineers of the 

 Bounty. These particulars, which are of course well known, 

 are adduced merely to show that sufficient time and oppor- 

 tunity have been afforded for observation as to the capa- 

 bilities of Norfolk and the adjacent islands for the habitation 

 of man, and what have hitherto been made of them. Nepean 

 and Phillip Islands have never been inhabited, except for 

 brief periods by runaway convicts. 



The Settlement is situated, as I previously intimated, at 

 the south side of the island, on a level flat of limestone. 

 It consists of the Government-house, convict and military 

 barracks, commissariat stores, a large lumber yard, gaol 

 and hospital, with the private dwellings of the officials. 



