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102. We walked across it, and found the soil tolerably good, and abounding with grass. Skirting the eastern and southern boundaries of this plain, there is a lagoon of considerable width, containing water as clear as crystal. We walked some distance into this, but the water becoming too deep, and the reeds very high, we were obliged to retrace our steps, which we found some difficulty in doing.

Having at length got out of the lagoon, we took a detour southerly, and ascending a rising spot of ground, we had a commanding view of the plain, which Captain Barker named Laws's Plains: this tract, by a rough computation, contains about 5000 acres of land, the half of which may safely be said to be fit for, and would reward the labour and expense of, cultivation. It is probable that part of it may be overflowed during the rainy season; but this would be rather advantageous for the growth of rice,—at all events, it could be easily drained.

Leaving this spot, we proceeded in a south-westerly direction, and after a fatiguing walk, we came to mangroves, and experienced much difficulty in penetrating through the almost impervious jungle. Arriving at length at a creek, we crossed it by a native bridge of rather a fragile texture. Issuing out of the mangroves, we came to a circular sandy spot of some extent, on which we perceived numerous and recent marks of children, as if they had been in play. We looked around on all sides, and called out, but did not meet any of them.