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[Page 169]

165
Some account of New Zealand

no bounds. the River Thames is indeed in every respect the properest place  We have yet seen for establishing a Colony; a ship as large as Ours might be carried several miles up the river, where she would be moord to the trees as safe as alongside a wharf in London river, a safe & sure retreat in case of an attack from the natives, as she might even be laid on the mud & a abridge built to her; the Noble timber, of which there is such abundance, would furnish abundance plenty of materials; either for the building defences, houses, or Vessels: the River would furnish plenty of Fish, & the Soil make ample returns of any European Vegetables sown in it. I have some reason to think from observations made upon the Vegetables etc that the Winters here are extreemly mild, much more so than in England: the Summers we have found to be scarce at all hotter, tho more Equably Warm.

The South part, which is much more hilly & barren than the North; I firmly beleive to abound with minerals in a very high degree: this however is only conjecture; as I had not, to my great regret, an opportunity of Landing in any place where the signs of them were promising, except the last; nor indeed in any one, where from the ship the Countrey appeard likely for to produce them: which it did to the Southward in a very

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