towards the coaſt on account of the difficulties that obſtructed my paſſage, which was not only impeded by the underwood, but often rendered impracticable by the ſtems of large trees thrown down by the wind. The direction in which they lay upon the ground, which was generally from ſouth-weſt to north-eaſt, proves that they were torn from their roots by violent ſouth-weſt winds. As theſe trees ſhoot out their roots in an almoſt horizontal direction, they are eaſily torn from the ground by the force of the wind, and frequently carry with them a great quantity of earth, which at a diſtance appears like a wall raiſed by the hands of men.
The fineſt trees in this country are the different ſpecies of eucalyptus. Their ordinary thickneſs is about eighteen feet: I have meaſured ſome that were twenty-five in circumference. The ſpongy bark of the eucalyptus reſinifera, becoming ſlippery in conſequence of the moiſture that conſtantly prevails in the heart of theſe thick foreſts, renders it ſtill more difficult to penetrate into them. This bark very readily peels off into pieces that have a great degree of flexibility, and are uſed by the natives for covering their huts. They often find long ſtripes of it about a foot in breadth, which ſpontaneouſly ſhell themſelves off from the lower part of the trunk. They might eaſily peel
it
