A NEW VINE.

We found here the gouty-stem tree of large size, bearing fruit; and also a vine, which, from all the information I have since been able to collect, appears to be quite a new specimen;* it bore a small but well-tasted black berry, similar in shape and general appearance to the grape sometimes seen climbing over the cottage doors in England.  Each fruit contained three large seeds, in shape and size resembling the coffee berry.  It was growing in a light sandy soil, and the temperature to which it was exposed varies from 76 to 110 degrees.  It is a matter of great regret that I was not able to introduce this new species of vine into England; the seeds and specimens of it having been unfortunately destroyed by mice and insects.  I was, however, more fortunate at Sydney and Swan River.

(Footnote.  From the description I gave of this vine to Sir W. Hooker he thought it quite new.)

COMPASS HILL.

We at length gained the top of Compass Hill, which we found to be a slight mound on a platform of coarse sandstone formation, with fragments of quartz; the sandstone was tinged with red, and appeared to be crumbling away; a straggling growth of white eucalypti covered the crest of this height, which rather spoilt the view we had promised ourselves; however, by climbing several of them, I managed to see all round.

West, six and a half miles, there was a snug cove fronted by a small island, from whence the coast appeared to take a more northerly direction.  The extremes of a large sheet of water bore North by West and West by North, which we afterwards found to be connected with the above-mentioned cove.  A succession of heights, similar to the one we were on, bounded our view between North and North-East.  Twenty-one miles, in a South-East by East direction, were some detached, round hills, apparently the termination of the high land on which we stood; these appeared to rise out of a plain of such an extent, in a South-East and easterly direction, that I conceived it possible it may have extended to the rear of Collier Bay, which damped the interest we had previously looked forward to, in the exploration of that part of the coast, as it tended materially to weaken the probability of finding any large opening there.  In crossing one of the valleys in our descent to the boats, Mr. Bynoe wounded a large kangaroo; we gave chase; but notwithstanding all our efforts, and at the expense of many a bruise, stumbling over the rugged ground, the prize, almost within our grasp, escaped, and, to add to our misfortune, one of the small compasses was found missing, the strap that suspended it having given way; from this accident the hill received its name.

PORT USBORNE.

On our return to the ship, we found Mr. Usborne had discovered good anchorage in the cove we had seen from the hill, which in commemoration of his providential recovery was called after him Port Usborne.