most settlers in this colony. It is fronted by a good garden, separated from a field adjoining the sea bank, by a lagoon. On this bank there are grass, bushes, and small trees. One of the trees, a She-Oak, in a state of decay, is depicted standing by a post and rail fence, such as is common in this country. The woody, basaltic hills in the back ground form a general feature in a Tasmanian landscape. The sandstone of the coal formation occurs here between the hills and the sea.
In a gully among the Rocky Hills behind Kelvedon, Gunnia australis was growing upon a variety of trees and shrubs. This is the most southerly locality in which I have met with an epiphyte of the orchis tribe, growing upon the trunks of trees. Gastrodium sesamoides, supposed to grow from the decaying roots of Stringy-bark trees, is found near Hobart Town.
We remained at Kelvedon till the 26th, having, in the mean time, religious interviews with the family and assigned servants, and with some of the neighbouring settlers, and a meeting at Waterloo Point, a village where there are a jail, military barracks, and a few cottages.
We set out on the 26th, to visit the settlers at the head of Great Swan Port.—In a religious opportunity with the family of one of these, Francis Cotton, who accompanied us, made some observations, under much feeling: this proved the commencement of his ministerial labours, which were very comforting to us, and helpful in promoting the great object for which we left our native land,—that of spreading the knowledge of Christ and of his Gospel.
Several of the estates in this part of the country, contain above an average quantity of good land, nevertheless a settler does not find it easy to obtain much return for his labour in less than four years.—On receding from the sea, the wheat becomes liable to be blighted by summer frost.—Some of the best native pasture will keep more than an average of one sheep to an acre ; but in many parts of the island that is esteemed good land which will maintain one sheep to three acres, throughout the year. This does not, however, arise altogether from defect in the quality of the
