Page:An account of a voyage to establish a colony at Port Philip in Bass's Strait.djvu/184

( 159 ) vegetable than heath and fern. The bases of the hills consist of very coarse granite, which is here found in every stage of formation, from grains, scarcely adhering, and crumbling into sand between the fingers, to the perfect stone which almost defies the chisselchisel [sic].

The great scarcity of water is one of the greatest disadvantages the port labours under. In the narrow glens between the hills, the marks of watercourses are visible, but at this time (October) they are mostly dried up; pools of fresh water are found scattered about the port, but they are merely drains from swamps, and from their stagnation are strongly impregnated with decayed vegetable substances.