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1802 Aug. Boat excursion in No. 2, port. discovered [upon the east coast. - Pine trees]

General remarks continued
      Fish seem to be more numerous here than in any port we have yet visited, Amongst these, sharks mullet and flying fish were most frequently seen. +
The shoals, and the bottom in most parts of the port, are of sand, and rather hard; but in the deep channel along this inner south head the bottom is soft. + Some turtle were seen, but could not be taken.
   We saw no natives, but the country on the south side of the port was on fire. They appear to visit the islets, there being marks of them upon Entrance Islet, but not recent. -
   The pines which grow upon Entrance Island, and the parts nearest to its neighbourhood, are perhaps the most valuable part of the produce of this port. There are trees of sufficient size and form to make topmasts for ships, or spars of any smaller size. The branches of the trees are very brittle, but it was our Carpenters opinion, that that the trunks were tough wood, and superior to the Norway pine either for spars or for cutting into plank. His judgesment from the trees holding till they are nearly cut through before they fall, and from the chips; but I suspect that like the Norfolk Island wood it will not prove to be durable. Turpentine exudes out of them in considerable quan-