racters, a failure in those personal qualities and political virtues which are necessary to enable them to make a resolute and successful stand against the interests and prejudices by which they are beset; and we much fear that to these prevailing deficiencies and errors, the well-being of the State will, as in former instances, and most grossly in the case of our Colonial connexions, be again and again sacrificed. Perhaps there is not a transaction on record in which the conduct of a parent country towards its colonies, has been entirely free from imputation; but we shall incur no hazard in affirming that, in this respect, Great Britain is entitled to a melancholy pre-eminence in absurdity, obstinacy, and disaster. Her behaviour towards her American colonists, was, we verily believe, perfectly unrivalled in its gratuitous and incredible impolicy; and its result has materially contributed to the exhausted and doubtful condition in which we now find ourselves. Yet we seem, by a conduct which, though not precisely parallel, may be traced to the same principles, to be preparing for a repetition of similar scenes. Whether we colonize our distant possessions, or hold them on the yet weaker tenure of military occupancy, our negligence and apathy take no account of the future: après nous le deluge, seems to be the national motto, and it is to be apprehended that we are indeed bequeathing to our posterity, even if we ourselves escape the storm, an inundation of evils. The defects of our Indian system are radical, and the very foundations of our Eastern empire, rotten: the army which secures it to us, is mainly native; and a race of half-casts, the offspring of the English sojourners and Hindoo women, is formidably increasing, who will, probably, like the creoles and mestizos of South America, be the future masters of the land. The colonies of New South Wales, though at present necessarily dependent on the mother-country, already claim a more special notice and a far wiser legislation than have yet been deemed necessary by listless and procrastinating statesmen. A strong case for inquiry has been made out by Mr. Wentworth, whose allegations, though rather vehement and altogether ex parte, yet bear on their general aspect, the appearance of accuracy and fairness. His statements and documents establish the facts, that our Australian settlements are without a fixed and settled system of administration; that the principles on which they are governed are vague, and in their operation, though not in their intention, oppressive; and that, how desirable soever it may be to encourage the enterprises of free settlers, yet, the impolitic restrictions imposed on commerce, and the want of a sounder scheme of government, must have a decidedly counteractive effect.

The first discovery of New Holland, erroneously ascribed by

Mr. O'Hara to de Quiros, is in reality due to Torres, his second in command, who having been separated from his admiral, accomplished the difficult navigation of the straits since distinguished by his name, and during his passage saw some of the northern projections of that continent. The Dutch, however, were the principal discoverers, since they coasted, at different periods, nearly the whole of the southern, western, and northern limits, including the gulf of Carpentaria. Captain Cook first sailed along the eastern shore, and ascertained the insularity of this immense tract. No serious intention of forming a settlement seems to have been entertained by any of the European nations, until, in 1786, the British Government determined on taking possession of part of the coast discovered by Cook, as an eligible situation for the disposal of convicts sentenced to exile. The spot selected for that purpose, lies on the banks of a spacious inlet, to which, from the profusion and variety of the floral productions which surrounded it, that great navigator had given the name of Botany Bay; but it was soon ascertained that, captivating as might be the appearance that the adjacent country presented to the naturalist, neither the bay nor the landafforded shelter to commerce, or hope to the agriculturist. Another opening, a very few miles northward, had, from some misconception of its nature, been passed by with a superficial survey when Captain Cook explored the coast: it was inserted in his charts as an open bay, and named Port Jackson. This magnificent harbour was now examined by Governor Phillip. The boats under his command entered with no anticipations of any thing more than a common inlet; but the men were astonished by the discovery of a capacious haven, completely landlocked, of depth and extent sufficient to contain all the navies of the world, and most advantageously adapted to commerce, by its innumerable branches, coves, creeks, and islands. Here, then, was made the first and principal settlement, which received the name of Sidney; and wise and vigorous measures were adopted for the regulation of the colony. An establishment was at the same time made on Norfolk Island, chiefly for the purpose of securing a supply of the flax plant, described as growing there spontaneously; but the various disadvantages connected with this settlement, among which the want of a good port was conspicuous, ultimately led to its abandonment. It will be readily conceived that the difficulties encountered by the colonists were for several years multiplied and urgent, and that the successive governors had no easy task in the control and direction of the indolent and immoral association at the head of which they were placed. Generally speaking, they were men of worth and talent: the names of Phillip, Hunter, and King, are to be mentioned with honour; and the affairs of

the colony were administered with skill and integrity until the unfortunate measure was adopted of committing them to the management of Capt. Bligh, whose formerly proved violence of character pointed him out as precisely the most unfit person imaginable for a post requiring extraordinary self-command.

Previously to the extension of agriculture, the resources of the Settlement for food were dependent on supplies which were sometimes delayed so long that the apprehension of absolute want reached a formidable height; but this danger was speedily removed by the increase of cultivation, and the enlightened efforts of some of the settlers to enlarge the stock and improve the breed of domestic cattle. The soil in the range of country round Port Jackson is of various quality: a breadth of five or six miles from the coast, consists of a barren sand, mingled with rocks, on which grow, in the more productive portions, trees and underwood of dwarf proportions and stunted growth; but the greater portion is covered with a various and unprofitable herbage, whose infinite diversity,' in the words of Mr. Wentworth, and extraordinary beauty, render this wild heath the most interesting part of the country for the botanist, and make even the less scientific beholder forget the nakedness and sterility of the scene.' The tract beyond this, to the distance of about ten miles, changes for the better: it is covered by a thin layer of vegetable mould, and is shaded by trees, whose gigantic elevation leaves far behind the feebler growth of the English forests. Still, there is no soil which can properly be considered as fertile until this belt be passed, when the interior country appears in all the variety of hill and dale, and all the glow and richness of exuberant fruitfulness. The most productive tracts lie along the banks of the Nepean and Hawkesbury rivers, or more properly, river: a great portion of these are frequently flooded, and the fertilizing deposites are a sufficient manure. But this grand stream, which was not discovered till some time after the settlement was made, is subject to such tremendous inundations as to place all the property on its banks in a state of perpetual insecurity. Two of its principal feeders issue directly from the mountains which skirt the colony, and its main originating branch, the Nepean, runs along their base for a considerable distance, serving as a drain to all the torrents which rush from them in rainy seasons. When, in addition to this, we state that the rivers of the Colony have very little fall, and consequently are languid in their current, our readers will be already aware that the swellings of the Hawkesbury are sudden and destructive. The average height of its banks above the usual level of the current, may be about thirty feet, but the rise is not unfrequently seventy or eighty, and in one appalling instance, it rose ninety-three feet

above low water mark. The climate is described as healthy, but during part of the summer months of December, January, and February, the heat is excessive, though tempered by the north-easterly sea breeze.

Van Diemen's Land is a large island south of the main, and was always supposed to form part of New Holland, until the adventurous explorations of Messrs. Bass and Flinders ascertained its insularity. It is in all respects highly distinguished by its natural advantages: it contains several noble harbours; its climate is much more steady than that of Port Jackson; and it is well supplied with rivers whose inundations are sufficient to fertilize their banks without attaining an alarming elevation. The facilities of communication are very great: it is a sufficient illustration of this, that Lieut. Jeffreys traversed nearly the whole extent of the Island, from Hobart town to Launceston and Port Dalrymple on the Tamar, a distance of one hundred and twenty-five miles, in a barouche, with three, and sometimes four, horses in hand, and yet had not more than twenty miles of what could possibly be called a road; the whole being a beautiful level pasture, with but few trees to obstruct the view or the passage.' The Island, as well as the continent, is infested by venomous reptiles, and, in addition, is liable to the predatory ravages of the bush-rangers; a banditti consisting of such of the colonists as prefer a lawless, unsheltered, and roving life to the quiet comforts of social and civilized existence. Of these, Michael Howe seems to have been the most atrocious. They are, however, said to be now subdued.

In New Holland and its dependencies, nature seems to take pleasure in deserting her usual track, and, if the following statement be correct, has been unusually magnificent in the formation of a grand spring-head for several of the principal rivers of Van Diemen's Land.

The great lake, on the summit of the Western Mountains, which are supposed to be somewhere about four thousand feet above the level of the sea, and sixty-five miles west of Hobart Town, is said to be upwards of fifty miles in circumference, but its depth has not yet been fathomed: it is described as a most beautiful sheet of water, of an oval form; abounding with variety of fish; the banks moderately covered with wood, and the opposite sides but indistinctly seen from any part. The accounts of its dimensions do not agree: some state that it is much larger than here mentioned. It is much to be lamented that no person whose representations can be perfectly relied upon, has hitherto found time to visit this great wonder of nature......Those who have seen it, inform us, that at all times there are great overflowings of water from different parts of this lake, but, that in wet weather, the flood is tremendous. It has been already stated that the rivers Derwent, and those emptying themselves into

Macquarrie's Harbour and Port Davey are supposed to have their respective sources in this lake.' (Jeffrey.)

This origination of rivers, however, is not without a parallel ; | but in many of the animal productions of New Holland, there appears to be an apparently capricious blending of the peculiarities of distinct species. Capt. Hunter had already described birds with the head, form, and plumage of the parrot, and the long slender legs of the sea-gull; and others with 'the legs and feet of a parrot, the head and neck made and coloured like the common sea-gull, and the wings and tail of < a hawk.' He also states himself to have seen trees bearing three different kinds of leaves;' and to have frequently found others, bearing the leaf of the gum-tree with the gum exuding, • and covered with bark of a different kind.'

Nature may be said to have in this country indulged in whim. She sometimes mimicks herself in giving to smaller animals, such as the native rat, the general form and characteristics of the kangaroo ; she gives to a great variety of species, the false belly of that animal; in numerous instances, animals were discovered which might at first sight be considered as monstrous productions, such as an aquatic quadruped, about the size of a rabbit, with the eyes, colour, and skin of a mole, and the bill and web-feet of a duck, a parrot with the slender legs of a sea-gull, a skate with a head like that of a shark. The whole animal creation appeared to be different from that of every other region: nor less so the vegetable; every tree and shrub, perhaps without exception, was of a species peculiar to the soil, and another Flora diffused an endless variety of unknown tints and forms.' (O'Hara.)

We feel exceedingly disinclined to enter upon the question of emigration in its application to the different regions of our Australian possessions. Its correct solution depends on so many and sometimes so minute peculiarities, so much is to be allowed for partiality, and so large deductions or additions are to be made for personal circumstances, that we feel ourselves treading on ground too uncertain and insecure to admit of our adventuring ourselves as the guides of others. Lieut. Jeffreys draws a very attractive picture of Van Diemen's Land. His book is by no means uninteresting; it is well printed, and low in price, and it contains much useful information on various matters connected with emigration and settling. Mr. Wentworth's volume is, in great part, written for the information of settlers: although composed in a very loose and wordy sort of style, and capable of great and advantageous compression, it is altogether creditable to the Author's talents. He strongly points out the necessity of many salutary reforms in the administration of the Colony, dwelling with great force on the want of security arising from the irregular and uncertain administration of the law, and on