iculars respecting it
Description of a palm-nut tree
Enters Glass-House Bay
Lieutenant Flinders meets some natives
Has an interview with them
Particulars
Point Skirmish
Proceeds to a river in Glass-House Bay

August.] In the beginning of this month the governor spent some days in
an excursion from Prospect-Hill to the settlement which he had
established on the banks of George's river. Having before examined the
country between Parramatta and that river, he now traced it in another
direction, and had the gratification of finding it equally favourable to
cultivation with what he had before observed. The distance from the hill
was about five miles, over excellent ground, well adapted both for
cultivation and pasturage, and equal to any on the banks of the Nile of
New South Wales. The settlers whom he had placed there were all doing
well, had not any complaints to make, and had not been molested lately by
the natives. On quitting them he proceeded down the river to Botany Bay,
and thence walked overland to Sydney, between which places there was
nothing but barren and uneven ground, but every where covered with the
most beautiful flowering heath.

Shortly after his return, the _Norfolk_ sloop came in from the
northward, having been absent about six weeks upon a particular service,
the following account of which is taken from the Journal of Lieutenant
Flinders, which he delivered to the governor after his arrival.

The governor being very desirous of gaining some information respecting
the coast to the Northward of Port Jackson, particularly of two large
openings marked by Captain Cook, the Northernmost of which he named
Hervey Bay, and appeared to lie about the latitude of 24 degrees 36
minutes south, he directed Lieutenant Flinders, who had been employed
before with Mr. Bass in the circumnavigation of Van Diemen's Island, to
proceed in the _Norfolk_ sloop to the northward, and examine them
with as much accuracy as the limited time of six weeks would admit. He
was also directed, if on his return he should find that he had some time
to spare, to enter Hunter's river, there to make what observations he
could relative to its extent, the quantity of coal to be found there, and
the nature of the country.

The vessel was manned with volunteers from the two king's ships, and
Lieutenant Flinders was accompanied by Bong-ree, a native of the
north side of Broken Bay, who had been noted for his good disposition, and
open and