In One Of The Excursions To The Country, It
Was Observed, That As They Receded From The Sea, The Mountains
Became
much higher, and were more steep and barren, and that the trees
dwindled in size, so as to resemble
Shrubs, circumstances rather the
reverse of what is usually noticed in other countries. The climate of
Dusky Bay is spoken unfavourably of, as its greatest inconvenience,
and to this must be added its being deficient in celery, scurvy-grass,
and other antiscorbutics. But with all its defects, Mr G.F. admits,
that Dusky Bay is one of the finest places in New Zealand, for a crew
to touch at in such a situation as that of his companions. The land
about Cape Traveller appeared low and sandy near the shore, but rising
into high snow-capt mountains interiorly. In one respect, according to
this gentleman, Queen Charlotte's Sound has greatly the advantage of
Dusky Bay, viz. its abounding in salutary vegetables. This it no doubt
owes to the superior mildness of the climate, which is represented as
highly favourable to botanical pursuits. The tea-tree and spruce, as
they were called, were found here in great plenty, as well as at Dusky
Bay; besides several species of plants in flower, which had not been
seen before. The hills consisted chiefly of argillaceous stone,
running in oblique strata, commonly dipping a little towards the
south, of a greenish-grey, or bluish, or yellowish-brown colour,
sometimes containing veins of white quartz, and sometimes a green
talcous or nephritic stone, which, as it was capable of a good polish
from its hardness, the natives used for chissels, &c. Mr F. specifies
several other mineral substances found in this neighbourhood,
particularly argillaceous strata of a rusty colour, which is inferred
to contain iron, and a black compact and ponderous basalt, of which
the natives form their pattoo-pattoos.
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