inhabitants-to the handsome stone dwellings of the wealthy colonists, which would be no disgrace to the finest streets of London. Georgestreet is a fine, open, bustling street of business -the shops quite English in their appearance, and in many instances equally splendid in their fittings-up: indeed, were it not for the drays drawn by six or eight bullocks occasionally met with, and for now and then seeing a little group of natives fantastically rigged out in such leftoff finery as they may have been enabled to procure from the townsfolk, it would be difficult to imagine ourselves out of Old England.

It is quite impossible to observe the number of first-class vessels, from all parts of the world, entering and leaving the harbour, the consequent bustle at the various quays and wharves, the business-like appearance of the people, and the lively character of the streets, lighted in the evening by gas, without feeling assured that you are in a place where prosperity and the comforts of this life are largely participated in by its inhabitants. Although apparel is expensive, the people generally speaking dress remarkably well, and it is extremely rare to meet with anything which would remind you of the poverty and distress so commonly and extensively experienced in the land we have left behind us.

The style of the modern built houses, and of those which are daily springing up around, is essentially English; and the ground is so very valuable that gardens are exceedingly scarce. This value of the ground, and the high wages paid to all kinds of mechanics, causes house rent to appear exorbitantly high to the newcomer. A first-rate shop, independently of the house above it, will command from 150l. to 300l. per annum, according to its style and situation; while there is scarcely a decent house occupied by the poorest class at less than 50l. per annum. A house we ourselves occupied in a retired and respectable street, containing six rooms, kitchen, and cellar, the front parlour about twelve feet square, the drawingroom about sixteen feet, and other rooms in proportion, was considered cheap at 1907. per annum. This large annual outlay is startling at first sight; but when we find that mechanics are earning their ten shillings per day, and that other classes of society are remunerated on something like the same scale, we become reconciled to the expenditure, and the more so when we find that there are no tax-gatherers to knock at the door.

As regards bathing, there is no English watering place which can surpass Sydney. Baths are erected, at which, for the payment of

fifteen shillings per quarter, the most timid can enjoy that luxury without fear; while for those whose nerves are a "leetle " stronger, there is a beautiful cove, overhung with a profusion of trees, where on a gently shelving bed of sand we can encourage an intimacy between

ourselves and the liquid element; and for those who are accomplished in the art of swimming, there are rocks from which they can fearlessly plunge into the refreshing flood.

The above illustration will convey to those

who are strangers an idea of the general characteristics of the metropolis of Australia. We were about to enlarge our observations upon this important and "capital" feature of Australasia, when we happened to come across Mr. Mossman's entertaining book upon the Gold Regions; and his description of the city is so graphic and correct, that we may well be excused for transferring a portion of it to our own pages:—

"Stepping into a skiff alongside the vessel, about ten in the morning, we thread our way amongst a busy mass of shipping, from the small coasting cutter to the square-rigged vessel of a thousand tons, all employed lading and unlading, with ever and anon the cheerful Yeo heave ho' of the sailors. We land on a massive stone-built quay, where there are ships moored drawing twelve and fourteen feet water, and proceed to a compact looking custom-house, where we meet with a civility and attention unknown in the old country ports. Pursuing our course into the city, we pass along spacious and well-paved streets, all built of white hewn stone, with elegant shops and warehouses, while at intervals some handsome public building peers out from the mass of buildings. At every

man.

"The Gold Regions of Australia." By Samuel MossOrr & Co.

step we elbow a bustling throng of people, dressed much in the same fashion as ourselves, only a little lighter in their habiliments. The carriage-way is thronged with carriages, cabs, horsemen, omnibuses, and carts. Through this crowd we pass, scarcely observable as strangers, while each face seems anxiously looking forward to its individual pursuit in the coming business of the day. Here are bakers in their carts distributing the daily bread; there, butchers trotting on with their baskets of meat; here, an omnibus conductor, with his finger up, is calling out, 'Paddington,' 'Surrey Hills;' there, a jarvey from the stand hails us with the familiar 'Cab, sir?' whilst the cockney drawl of the hucksters, selling fish and fruit, sounds so refreshing on the ear, so thoroughly English, that we stop in amazement. In fact, here is an every-day scene before us which at once stamps the community. There is no mistaking it. The same may be seen at a corresponding time of the day in the High-street, Islington, London; North Bridge-street, Edinburgh; Piccadilly, Manchester; New-street, Birmingham; or Bold-street, Liverpool. Instead of thinking ourselves fifteen thousand miles away from these localities, we could imagine a railway station close by, where the next train would take us in a few hours to any one of them. To the