On the 20th of March, the 'Supply' arrived from Norfolk Island, after
having safely landed Lieutenant King and his little garrison. The
pine-trees growing there are described to be of a growth and height
superior, perhaps, to any in the world. But the difficulty of bringing
them away will not be easily surmounted, from the badness and danger of
the landing place. After the most exact search not a single plant of the
New Zealand flax could be found, though we had been taught to believe it
abounded there.
Lieutenant Ball, in returning to Port Jackson, touched at a small
island in latitude 31 deg 36 min south, longitude 159 deg 4 min east of
Greenwich, which he had been fortunate enough to discover on his passage
to Norfolk, and to which he gave the name of Lord Howe's Island. It
is entirely without inhabitants, or any traces of any having ever been
there. But it happily abounds in what will be infinitely more important
to the settlers on New South Wales: green turtle of the finest kind
frequent it in the summer season. Of this Mr. Ball gave us some very
handsome and acceptable specimens on his return.
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