The Forest Was Principally Composed
Of Stringy-Bark, The Leguminous Ironbark, Melaleuca-Gum, With Underwood
Of Acacias, Coniogeton, Pachynemas, Pultenaeas?
And Careya?
A tree very
much resembling the real Ironbark (Eucalyptus resinifera) was observed at
the Warvi; but I expect it will be found entirely different. The
stringy-bark and the drooping tea-tree were the only useful timber near
the settlement. The Cypress-pine (Callitris) could, however, be obtained
without any great difficulty from Mount Morris Bay, or Van Diemen's Gulf.
On the Vollir, we came on a cart road which wound round the foot of a
high hill; and, having passed the garden, with its fine Cocoa-nut palms,
the white houses, and a row of snug thatched cottages burst suddenly upon
us; the house of the Commandant being to the right and separate from the
rest. We were most kindly received by Captain Macarthur, the Commandant
of Port Essington, and by the other officers, who, with the greatest
kindness and attention, supplied us with every thing we wanted. I was
deeply affected in finding myself again in civilized society, and could
scarcely speak, the words growing big with tears and emotion; and, even
now, when considering with what small means the Almighty had enabled me
to perform such a long journey, my heart thrills in grateful
acknowledgement of his infinite kindness.
After a month's stay at Port Essington, the schooner Heroine, Captain
Mackenzie, arrived from Bally, on her voyage to Sydney, via Torres Strait
and the Inner Barrier, a route only once before attempted with success.
We embarked in this vessel, and arrived safely in Sydney, on the 29th of
March.
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