(Footnote.  The latitude of the Port office I found to be 41 degrees 26 minutes 5 seconds South longitude 4 degrees 42 minutes 24 seconds West of Sydney.  High water 3 hours 35 minutes; springs rise 12 feet.  During the winter, after rains, the stream sets down for days together at the rate of from one to three knots.)

The valley, through which the Tamar winds, is narrow, with sides generally steep and densely wooded; in some places, the reaches are wide, and the hills recede; on their lower slopes, near Launceston, are situated many pretty villas, peeping through garden shrubberies; whilst further down are the straggling habitations of the more recent settlers, surrounded by clear patches, with difficulty won from the forest by the axe and the firebrand.  On the whole, therefore, it may be said that art and nature combine to render beautiful the scenery on the banks of this important stream.

The first view of Launceston, the second town in Tasmania, is very pretty.  The valley of the river expands as you approach, and over a low tract of land on the east bank, the straggling mass of buildings forming the town is descried.  Though very healthy it lies on a kind of flat, backed with open woodland undulations at the junction of the North and South Esks; and, during the winter, is subject to fogs so dense that many persons well acquainted with the town frequently lose themselves.  Where the streams unite, they become the Tamar, one of the principal rivers in Tasmania.  At the distance of half a mile from the confluence, the North Esk makes a by no means insignificant waterfall.  This forms one of the first sights to which strangers arriving at Launceston are conducted, by a path which, winding along the face of a precipice, suddenly brings the cataract in sight, tumbling and roaring over the rocks into the pool, which seethes like a cauldron below, and sends up a steaming mist into the air.  From the waters of the South Esk, the country around Launceston derives its fertility; and perhaps there is no part of our southern colonies that more resembles England.  The number of gentlemen’s seats, before alluded to, thickly scattered over an undulating country cleared of all timber, save a few monumental trees, and well cultivated, strongly suggested thoughts of home.

GEORGE TOWN.

When the weather permitted, the boats were employed in continuing the survey of Port Dalrymple.  Observations were made at the flagstaff in George Town,* which we found to be in latitude 41 degrees 6 minutes 20 seconds South and longitude 4 degrees 23 minutes 44 seconds West of Sydney; variation 9 3/4 East.  This place is only a straggling village, situated on the east bank, about three miles and a half from the mouth of the Tamar, upon a flat, forming the north side of a snug cove at the western foot of a group of conical hills; on one of them is a signal station, by means of which, with another intervening, communication is kept up with Launceston.