22 
Account of 
a degree of cleanliness and comfort, which their interior, 
when viewed, did not always confirm. The green appear¬ 
ance of the northern extremity, covered with grass and 
clover, intersected by serpentine walks, formed a grateful 
relief to the sight from the glare of the white buildings. 
Why Sarah Island should have been selected as the 
site of the establishment, we cannot conceive : it was at the 
time thickly wooded, no part appeared susceptible of cul¬ 
tivation ; and, worse than all, there was no water to be 
obtained. Probably it was chosen for its insulated situ¬ 
ation, rendering the probabilities of escape more pre¬ 
carious. Be that as it may, when we first visited the 
settlement, only two inconveniences arising from its 
situation were felt—the want of wood and water. These 
two essential articles were daily brought to the set¬ 
tlement by men selected for that purpose. The soil 
of the settlement, cold and gravelly, was converted into 
vegetable growing land, by importations of soil from the 
main, and by burning the fern roots. Ultimately, as fine 
vegetables were grown at Macquarie Harbour as in any 
other part of the Colony. 
The island, as has just been stated, was thickly 
wooded when first occupied ; and to a person who had 
seen it at that period, and at the time of its evacuation, 
the change would appear surprising : save one venerable 
fern tree near the new saw-pits, and a few small trees, 
not a vestige remained of the dense forest which once 
covered its surface. 
On the south extremity Captain Butler had, after re¬ 
covering a considerable area from the sea, formed a spa¬ 
cious dock-yard, fronted to the east by substantial log- 
built quays, and protected from the north-west gales by 
a high lath fence. These fences, covering the rear of 
the settlement, although appearing at first sight to he 
formed of slight materials, and not likely to withstand 
