In 1842, that is after the interval of seven
years, they mustered only fifty-four individuals; and, while each
family of the interior of New South Wales, uncontaminated by
contact with the whites, swarms with children, those of Flinders'
Island had during eight years an accession of only fourteen in
number!" (19/6. "Physical Description of New South Wales and Van
Diemen's Land" page 354.)
The "Beagle" stayed here ten days, and in this time I made several
pleasant little excursions, chiefly with the object of examining
the geological structure of the immediate neighbourhood. The main
points of interest consist, first in some highly fossiliferous
strata belonging to the Devonian or Carboniferous period; secondly,
in proofs of a late small rise of the land; and lastly, in a
solitary and superficial patch of yellowish limestone or travertin,
which contains numerous impressions of leaves of trees, together
with land-shells, not now existing. It is not improbable that this
one small quarry includes the only remaining record of the
vegetation of Van Diemen's Land during one former epoch.
The climate here is damper than in New South Wales, and hence the
land is more fertile.
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