state; for preserving, that is, in the colony the attributes of society and civilization: thirdly, the natural circumstances of the country about to be colonized.

Since, however, the attractiveness of the colony to persons of all classes, by which alone persons of all classes would be induced to settle there, must depend upon measures for preserving in the colony the attributes of society and civilization, and these again must in part, depend upon the fitness of the country for the purposes of colonization, it has been thought best, in considering separately the three parts of the subject, to reverse the order in which they have been stated above; beginning with the natural features of the country, proceeding to the mode of colonizing that waste region, and concluding with the inducements to the removal of persons of all classes. Besides these three divisions of the subject, there will be a chapter on the position of the colony with relation to other parts of the world, one on the government of the new Province, and some concluding remarks and suggestions of a practical nature.

9

CHAPTER I.

NATURAL FEATURES OF SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

Advantage of introductory remarks—Natural features of extratropical Australia-Difference of temperature between the northern and southern hemispheres-Sterility of the sea-coast -The richest land not preferred, in Australia-The ma nagement of water totally neglected-Vulgar error as to the unfitness of Australia for agricultural purposes-Means of water-communication in the new colony-Description of the south coast of Australia—Opinions on that subject.

THE information obtained upon this subject consists of the evidence of a number of persons who have visited the country. For two reasons, it requires some introductory remarks: first, because it is composed, for the most part, of naked statements of fact, from which no very satisfactory conclusion could be drawn without the aid of some guiding principles in the examination of them; secondly, because in order to prevent the English enquirer from applying some of those facts to wrong conclusions, it is necessary to lay before him other facts which may assist his judgment by means of analogy and comparison. A few mere hints, however, is all that can be offered in this little work.

1. Every known part of extra-tropical Australia presents some features which are peculiar to that part of the world; such as evergreen forests, animals never

seen elsewhere, and the total want of animals which are numerous in other countries. But the most striking, perhaps, of Australian peculiarities is the sameness of those natural features on every part, that has yet been visited, of a line of coast some thousand miles in extent. In North America, and still more in Europe, a difference of latitude, or even of longitude, is generally attended with remarkable differences of soil, climate, and natural productions: whereas throughout Australia, south of the tropic, the climate, allowing for differences of mere temperature in different latitudes, appears to be every where the same; and the soil presents every where the same peculiar features, supporting every where the same peculiar vegetation and the same peculiar animals; from Moreton Bay near the tropic on the East, through Port Jackson, Port Philip, the Tamar, Nepean Bay, Port Lincoln, King George's Sound, and the Swan River, to Shark's Bay near the tropic on the West. From the extent to which this peculiarity of sameness is known, we may infer that it will be more fully established. In other words, from the perfect sameness of all the known parts of this vast region, we may conclude that such sameness extends to the parts which are still unknown. The discovery of a part of the coast differing materially in its natural circumstances from the other parts, would astonish those who are acquainted with all that is known at present. Such persons will take for granted that South Australia enjoys the great natural fertilizing power which arises from rainy and dry seasons, because they know that New South Wales does. Without multiplying such examples it will be seen, that in forming conjectural

opinions concerning natural circumstances, this is the country, beyond all others, in which we may trust to the guide of analogy. Amongst the most useful means of forming a correct judgment as to South Australia, are the published accounts of New South Wales and Van Diemen's Land; and indeed it may be said that he who is not familiarly acquainted with the general features of Australia, is hardly qualified to form a confident opinion, one way or the other, as to the natural circumstances of the southern coast*.

2. In the southern hemisphere, owing to the large proportion which sea bears to land, the temperature does not agree with that of corresponding latitudes in the northern hemisphere, but is generally found to be .cooler by two or three degrees. Thus the temperature of Port Lincoln in 35°, South, may be expected to agree with that of places on the sea-coast between 37° and 38° of North latitude.

3. Except where the land is gaining on the sea by the deposits of great rivers, land close to the sea is generally less fertile than land some way removed from it. This is peculiarly the case in every known part of extra-tropical Australia. Here, it seems, the sea is almost universally separated from land of superior fertility by a stripe of very poor land, commonly of sand, bearing only stunted brushwood, and varying in breadth from two or three, to twenty or thirty miles. Very fine land close to the sea, where the sea is not touched by a range of high land, is a rare exception to the general rule of sameness already noticed. Hence we are never to presume from the known ste*For a List of Publications relating to Australia, see the end of the volume.