222 Hems ley . — The Flora of 
Phillip’s book, and also a view of the very curious rock, 
called Ball’s Pyramid, which is situated ten miles south-east 
of the main island. ‘ They found no fresh water on the 
island, but it abounds with Cabbage-Palms, Mangrove and 
Manchineal trees, even up to the summits of the mountains. 5 
Before proceeding to the history of the botanical explora- 
tion of the island, it may be well to give some particulars 
of its size, conformation, climate, and geology, for which I am 
mainly indebted to a report by the Hon. J. Bowie Wilson, 
issued in 1882. 
The island is somewhat crescent-shaped, and about seven 
miles long, with an average width of one mile. On the west 
side, within the crescent, there is a coral reef, enclosing 
a lagoon, in which small vessels can safely anchor. There 
are several adjacent islets, the principal of which are, Mutton 
Bird Isle, on the east side of the main island ; Gower Isle, at 
the south end ; Goat Isle, in the lagoon, and the Admiralty 
Isles, a small group to the north ; not to be confused with the 
Admiralty Islands in the New Britain archipelago, to the east 
of New Guinea. 
The main island consists of three elevated basaltic masses, 
connected by low-lying ground of blown coral-sand formation. 
At the southern end are two circular, steep, flat-topped hills, 
called Mount Gower and Mount Lidgbird, respectively 2,840 
and 2,504 feet high. The central and northern masses of 
basalt are very much smaller and less elevated, being in 
the highest parts only 400 to 700 feet high. There is no 
lack of fresh water in the island ; and the soil is sufficiently 
fertile to support a luxuriant vegetation, even to the summits 
of the hills. On the low-lying lands the soil is described 
as exceedingly rich, especially where it has been derived from 
decomposed basalt, mingled with calcareous sand and decayed 
vegetable matter. The climate, too, is said to be delicious 
and equable, with sufficient rainfall ; and the vegetation is 
quite tropical in character. 
When first discovered, Lord Howe Island was uninhabited, 
but thenceforward numerous whaling-ships resorted there for 
