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[Page 23]
either at the [indecipherable] or Arthur's Seat.
Timber
The timber within two miles of the beach is generally small, in the more sandy spots they are close and where the best soil is found they are very thinly scattered; the largest trees have scarce any hold with their roots which never penetrate more than a foot or two in the soil and consequently where exposed to the SW blasts, are blown down in numbers; of those which may afford any timber for ship building, there appear to be three kinds but as I had not time to cut them down, my knowledge on this subject is merely conjecture.
The Honey suckle (of Port Jackson) is the largest tree found here, it grows near the Shore and in the most dry and sandy places; the Shaft seldom exceeds eight feet the branches large and straggling, and if found of a sufficient growth for line of battle Ships knees & timbers the grain of this wood resembles the beech.
The red gum, grows to a large size, and in its grain has a nearer resemblance to pine, than any other timber, the branches are large and straggling, but the
woodÂ
[knee: timber used to reinforce juncture of 2 beams]