The spear was of very rude form and seemed to be a branch of the mangrove-tree, made straight by the effect of fire: it did not appear that they used the throwing-stick.
The soil of the hills of Cape Clinton is of good quality but the country at the back of the port appears to be chiefly marshy land. Mr. Hunter sowed orange and lemon seeds in various places in the neighbourhood of the cape; the climate of this part is so well adapted for those trees that, if it were possible to protect them from the fires of the natives, they would soon grow up, and prove a valuable refreshment to voyagers.
Captain Flinders describes the soil at the northern part of the port to be "either sandy or stony, and unfit for cultivation."* The country around Mount Westall is also formed of a shallow soil, but the low lands are covered with grass and trees, and the ravines and sides of the hills are covered with stunted pine-trees which were thought to be the Araucaria excelsa.
(*Footnote. Flinders volume 2 page 38.)
The country between Port Bowen and Shoalwater Bay is low and overrun with mangroves; but Captain Flinders* speaks more favourably of the land about the latter bay, particularly in the vicinity of his Pine Mount, where he describes the soil as being fit for cultivation. At Upper Head in Broad Sound the country appears to be still better;** in addition to which the great rise of tides might be of considerable importance to that place, should a settlement there ever be contemplated.
(*Footnote. Flinders volume 2 page 51.)
(**Footnote. Idem volume 2 page 71.)
Having obtained sights on the beach at Cape Clinton for the time-keepers we sailed out of this port by the same track that we entered; and held our course to the northward towards the Northumberland Islands.
At midnight we were abreast of the Percy Islands.
July 23.