A recent visit to Norfolk Island

The Bishop of Tasmania read an interesting paper entitled " Notes on a Recent Visit to Norfolk Island." He stated that his visit in August, 1892, was but a hurried one, and his engagements were numerous, but I seized every opportunity that presented itself to me to discover all I could of the characteristics of this little spot so unique in its history from many points of view. My chief informant was Dr. P. H. Metcalfe, the medical officer of the island, indefatigable alike in the discharge of his professional duties and in the promotion of many branches of science. The first view obtained from the deck of a vessel reveals a larger island with two satellites.
The largest of the latter is Phillip Island, a precipitous mass of red basalt set in the bluest of seas, and forming a striking feature in the landscape.
Close to the shore of Norfolk Island is the little Nepean Island.
The basalt of Phillip Island is remarkable for the brilliance of its colouring.
A close examination shows that the rock, where disintegrated, has taken numberless delicate and vivid hues. As my informant defined it, " it is like mottled soap." There was a time when Phillip Island was covered in many places with grass and herbage, and the pines were numerous. Sad havoc has been caused amongst the vegetation by the introduction of rabbits.
These little pests ate up every green thing, the grass died, and then the heavy rains washed the soil away. The rabbits themselves are now perishing, but a few are still to be found