The necessity of using the wood quite green made it also the less likely to prove durable.

The huts of the convicts were still more slight, being composed only of upright posts, wattled with slight twigs, and plaistered up with clay.

Barracks and huts were afterwards formed of materials rather more lasting.

Buildings of stone might easily have been raised, had there been any means of procuring lime for mortar.

The stone which has been found is of three sorts: A fine free stone, reckoned equal in goodness to that of Portland; an indifferent kind of sand stone, or firestone; and a sort which appears to contain a mixture of iron.