very soon returned on
board again, with a quantity of sorrel that we had gathered. We
found this a very improper place to land either people or stores,
it being impracticable to get them further than the beach, and
there was no fresh water near it.

At day-light in the morning of the 3d, I left the Supply, and
went in her boat along with Mr. Cunningham, to examine the
south-west side of the island, which we rowed round, until we
opened Phillip and Nepean Isles off the south point; but it blew
too hard, and there was too great a sea running for us to pull
the boat any farther, so that at two in the afternoon we returned
on board.

There is only one place on this side of the island, where
landing is at all practicable, and that is in a small bay just
within the west point: the bottom of it is a fine sandy beach,
but the surf broke on it with such violence, as to put landing
out of the question.

As it blew very fresh all night, I landed the next morning
abreast of the Supply, with the midshipman and surgeon: we walked
across the island to the bay which I had seen the day before.
After ascending a very steep hill, we got to the top of the
island, which we found to be a plain, but every foot of ground
was covered with trees, or the large roots of trees which rose
above the surface of the earth; these were not the only
impediments to our march, as it was impossible for us to walk
four yards, without encountering an almost impenetrable net-work,
composed of a large kind of supple-jack, or vine; which was so
very strong, as to suppress the growth of several trees, by
bending them in every direction; and they so completely stopped
our progress, that we were obliged to cut our way through them.
No grass, or herb of any kind, grew between the roots of these
trees, although the soil every where was extremely rich and good;
but this may be attributed to the total exclusion of the sun, and
the want of air, which doubtless prevent this sort of
vegetation.

The pines, which are numerous, are of an incredible growth:
one of them, which had been blown down, or had fallen by age,
measured 140 feet in length, and several which were measured
standing, were 30 feet in circumference: they grow quite
straight, and have no branches for near 80 feet from the
ground.

We found it impracticable to get into Anson's bay, although we
saw down into it; but the hill over it was a perpendicular cliff,
with a large kind of iris growing on the