TheonlylightIcanthrowuponthisenigma，isbyremarkingthatbanksofthemostirregularformsappeartobenowforminginsomeseas，asinpartsoftheWestIndiesandintheRedSea，andthattheirsidesareexceedinglysteep。Suchbanks，Ihavebeenledtosuppose，havebeenformedbysedimentheapedbystrongcurrentsonanirregularbottom。Thatinsomecasesthesea，insteadofspreadingoutsedimentinauniformsheet，heapsitroundsubmarinerocksandislands，itishardlypossibletodoubt，afterexaminingthechartsoftheWestIndies；andthatthewaveshavepowertoformhighandprecipitouscliffs，eveninland-lockedharbours，IhavenoticedinmanypartsofSouthAmerica。ToapplytheseideastothesandstoneplatformsofNewSouthWales，Iimaginethatthestratawereheapedbytheactionofstrongcurrents，andoftheundulationsofanopensea，onanirregularbottom；andthatthevalley-likespacesthusleftunfilledhadtheirsteeplyslopingflankswornintocliffs，duringaslowelevationoftheland；theworn-downsandstonebeingremoved，eitheratthetimewhenthenarrowgorgeswerecutbytheretreatingsea，orsubsequentlybyalluvialaction。
SoonafterleavingtheBlackheath，wedescendedfromthesandstoneplatformbythepassofMountVictoria。Toeffectthispass，anenormousquantityofstonehasbeencutthrough；thedesign，anditsmannerofexecution，beingworthyofanylineofroadinEngland。Wenowentereduponacountrylesselevatedbynearlyathousandfeet，andconsistingofgranite。Withthechangeofrock，thevegetationimproved，thetreeswerebothfinerandstoodfartherapart；andthepasturebetweenthemwasalittlegreenerandmoreplentiful。AtHassan’sWalls，Ileftthehighroad，andmadeashortdetourtoafarmcalledWalerawang；tothesuperintendentofwhichIhadaletterofintroductionfromtheownerinSydney。Mr。Brownehadthekindnesstoaskmetostaytheensuingday，whichIhadmuchpleasureindoing。Thisplaceoffersanexampleofoneofthelargefarming，orrathersheep-grazingestablishmentsofthecolony。Cattleandhorsesare，however，inthiscaserathermorenumerousthanusual，owingtosomeofthevalleysbeingswampyandproducingacoarserpasture。Twoorthreeflatpiecesofgroundnearthehousewereclearedandcultivatedwithcorn，whichtheharvest-menwerenowreaping：butnomorewheatissownthansufficientfortheannualsupportofthelabourersemployedontheestablishment。
Theusualnumberofassignedconvict-servantshereisaboutforty，butatthepresenttimetherewererathermore。Althoughthefarmwaswellstockedwitheverynecessary，therewasanapparentabsenceofcomfort；
andnotonesinglewomanresidedhere。Thesunsetofafinedaywillgenerallycastanairofhappycontentmentonanyscene；buthere，atthisretiredfarm-house，thebrightesttintsonthesurroundingwoodscouldnotmakemeforgetthatfortyhardened，profligatemenwereceasingfromtheirdailylabours，liketheslavesfromAfrica，yetwithouttheirholyclaimforcompassion。
Earlyonthenextmorning，Mr。Archer，thejointsuperintendent，hadthekindnesstotakemeoutkangaroo-hunting。Wecontinuedridingthegreaterpartoftheday，buthadverybadsport，notseeingakangaroo，orevenawilddog。Thegreyhoundspursuedakangarooratintoahollowtree，outofwhichwedraggedit：itisananimalaslargeasarabbit，butwiththefigureofakangaroo。Afewyearssincethiscountryaboundedwithwildanimals；butnowtheemuisbanishedtoalongdistance，andthekangarooisbecomescarce；toboththeEnglishgreyhoundhasbeenhighlydestructive。
Itmaybelongbeforetheseanimalsarealtogetherexterminated，buttheirdoomisfixed。Theaboriginesarealwaysanxioustoborrowthedogsfromthefarm-houses：theuseofthem，theoffalwhenananimaliskilled，andsomemilkfromthecows，arethepeace-offeringsofthesettlers，whopushfartherandfarthertowardstheinterior。Thethoughtlessaboriginal，blindedbythesetriflingadvantages，isdelightedattheapproachofthewhiteman，whoseemspredestinedtoinheritthecountryofhischildren。
Althoughhavingpoorsport，weenjoyedapleasantride。Thewoodlandisgenerallysoopenthatapersononhorsebackcangallopthroughit。
Itistraversedbyafewflat-bottomedvalleys，whicharegreenandfreefromtrees：insuchspotsthescenerywasprettylikethatofapark。InthewholecountryIscarcelysawaplacewithoutthemarksofafire；whetherthesehadbeenmoreorlessrecent——whetherthestumpsweremoreorlessblack，wasthegreatestchangewhichvariedtheuniformity，sowearisometothetraveller’seye。Inthesewoodstherearenotmanybirds；Isaw，however，somelargeflocksofthewhitecockatoofeedinginacorn-field，andafewmostbeautifulparrots；crows，likeourjackdawswerenotuncommon，andanotherbirdsomethinglikethemagpie。IntheduskoftheeveningItookastrollalongachainofponds，whichinthisdrycountryrepresentedthecourseofariver，andhadthegoodfortunetoseeseveralofthefamousOrnithorhynchusparadoxus。Theyweredivingandplayingaboutthesurfaceofthewater，butshowedsolittleoftheirbodies，thattheymighteasilyhavebeenmistakenforwater-rats。Mr。Browneshotone：certainlyitisamostextraordinaryanimal；astuffedspecimendoesnotatallgiveagoodideaoftheappearanceoftheheadandbeakwhenfresh；thelatterbecominghardandcontracted。[5]
20th——Alongday’sridetoBathurst。Beforejoiningthehighroadwefollowedamerepaththroughtheforest；andthecountry，withtheexceptionofafewsquatters’huts，wasverysolitary。Weexperiencedthisdaythesirocco-likewindofAustralia，whichcomesfromtheparcheddesertsoftheinterior。Cloudsofdustweretravellingineverydirection；andthewindfeltasifithadpassedoverafire。Iafterwardsheardthatthethermometeroutofdoorshadstoodat119degs。，andinaclosedroomat96degs。IntheafternoonwecameinviewofthedownsofBathurst。Theseundulatingbutnearlysmoothplainsareveryremarkableinthiscountry，frombeingabsolutelydestituteoftrees。Theysupportonlyathinbrownpasture。Werodesomemilesoverthiscountry，andthenreachedthetownshipofBathurst，seatedinthemiddleofwhatmaybecalledeitheraverybroadvalley，ornarrowplain。IwastoldatSydneynottoformtoobadanopinionofAustraliabyjudgingofthecountryfromtheroadside，nortoogoodaonefromBathurst；inthislatterrespect，Ididnotfeelmyselfintheleastdangerofbeingprejudiced。Theseason，itmustbeowned，hadbeenoneofgreatdrought，andthecountrydidnotwearafavourableaspect；
althoughIunderstanditwasincomparablyworsetwoorthreemonthsbefore。
ThesecretoftherapidlygrowingprosperityofBathurstis，thatthebrownpasturewhichappearstothestranger’seyesowretched，isexcellentforsheep-grazing。Thetownstands，attheheightof2200feetabovethesea，onthebanksoftheMacquarie。Thisisoneoftheriversflowingintothevastandscarcelyknowninterior。Thelineofwatershed，whichdividestheinlandstreamsfromthoseonthecoast，hasaheightofabout3000
feet，andrunsinanorthandsouthdirectionatthedistanceoffromeightytoahundredmilesfromthesea-side。TheMacquariefiguresinthemapasarespectableriver，anditisthelargestofthosedrainingthispartofthewater-shed；yettomysurpriseIfounditamerechainofponds，separatedfromeachotherbyspacesalmostdry。Generallyasmallstreamisrunning；andsometimestherearehighandimpetuousfloods。Scantyasthesupplyofthewateristhroughoutthisdistrict，itbecomesstillscantierfurtherinland。
22nd——Icommencedmyreturn，andfollowedanewroadcalledLockyer’sLine，alongwhichthecountryisrathermorehillyandpicturesque。Thiswasalongday’sride；andthehousewhereIwishedtosleepwassomewayofftheroad，andnoteasilyfound。Imetonthisoccasion，andindeedonallothers，averygeneralandreadycivilityamongthelowerorders，which，whenoneconsiderswhattheyare，andwhattheyhavebeen，wouldscarcelyhavebeenexpected。ThefarmwhereIpassedthenight，wasownedbytwoyoungmenwhohadonlylatelycomeout，andwerebeginningasettler’slife。Thetotalwantofalmosteverycomfortwasnotattractive；butfutureandcertainprosperitywasbeforetheireyes，andthatnotfardistant。
Thenextdaywepassedthroughlargetractsofcountryinflames，volumesofsmokesweepingacrosstheroad。Beforenoonwejoinedourformerroad，andascendedMountVictoria。IsleptattheWeatherboard，andbeforedarktookanotherwalktotheamphitheatre。OntheroadtoSydneyIspentaverypleasanteveningwithCaptainKingatDunheved；andthusendedmylittleexcursioninthecolonyofNewSouthWales。
Beforearrivingherethethreethingswhichinterestedmemostwere——thestateofsocietyamongstthehigherclasses，theconditionoftheconvicts，andthedegreeofattractionsufficienttoinducepersonstoemigrate。Ofcourse，aftersoveryshortavisit，one’sopinionisworthscarcelyanything；butitisasdifficultnottoformsomeopinion，asitistoformacorrectjudgment。Onthewhole，fromwhatIheard，morethanfromwhatIsaw，Iwasdisappointedinthestateofsociety。Thewholecommunityisrancorouslydividedintopartiesonalmosteverysubject。
Amongthosewho，fromtheirstationinlife，oughttobethebest，manyliveinsuchopenprofligacythatrespectablepeoplecannotassociatewiththem。Thereismuchjealousybetweenthechildrenoftherichemancipistandthefreesettlers，theformerbeingpleasedtoconsiderhonestmenasinterlopers。Thewholepopulation，poorandrich，arebentonacquiringwealth：amongstthehigherorders，woolandsheep-grazingformtheconstantsubjectofconversation。Therearemanyseriousdrawbackstothecomfortsofafamily，thechiefofwhich，perhaps，isbeingsurroundedbyconvictservants。Howthoroughlyodioustoeveryfeeling，tobewaitedonbyamanwhothedaybefore，perhaps，wasflogged，fromyourrepresentation，forsometriflingmisdemeanor。Thefemaleservantsareofcourse，muchworse：hencechildrenlearnthevilestexpressions，anditisfortunate，ifnotequallyvileideas。
Ontheotherhand，thecapitalofaperson，withoutanytroubleonhispart，produceshimtrebleinteresttowhatitwillinEngland；andwithcareheissuretogrowrich。Theluxuriesoflifeareinabundance，andverylittledearerthaninEngland，andmostarticlesoffoodarecheaper。
Theclimateissplendid，andperfectlyhealthy；buttomyminditscharmsarelostbytheuninvitingaspectofthecountry。Settlerspossessagreatadvantageinfindingtheirsonsofservicewhenveryyoung。Attheageoffromsixteentotwenty，theyfrequentlytakechargeofdistantfarmingstations。This，however，musthappenattheexpenseoftheirboysassociatingentirelywithconvictservants。Iamnotawarethatthetoneofsocietyhasassumedanypeculiarcharacter；butwithsuchhabits，andwithoutintellectualpursuits，itcanhardlyfailtodeteriorate。Myopinionissuch，thatnothingbutrathersharpnecessityshouldcompelmetoemigrate。
Therapidprosperityandfutureprospectsofthiscolonyaretome，notunderstandingthesesubjects，verypuzzling。Thetwomainexportsarewoolandwhale-oil，andtobothoftheseproductionsthereisalimit。
Thecountryistotallyunfitforcanals，thereforethereisanotverydistantpoint，beyondwhichtheland-carriageofwoolwillnotrepaytheexpenseofshearingandtendingsheep。Pastureeverywhereissothinthatsettlershavealreadypushedfarintotheinterior：moreover，thecountryfurtherinlandbecomesextremelypoor。Agriculture，onaccountofthedroughts，canneversucceedonanextendedscale：therefore，sofarasIcansee，Australiamustultimatelydependuponbeingthecentreofcommerceforthesouthernhemisphere，andperhapsonherfuturemanufactories。Possessingcoal，shealwayshasthemovingpowerathand。Fromthehabitablecountryextendingalongthecoast，andfromherEnglishextraction，sheissuretobeamaritimenation。IformerlyimaginedthatAustraliawouldrisetobeasgrandandpowerfulacountryasNorthAmerica，butnowitappearstomethatsuchfuturegrandeurisratherproblematical。
