as 1812 by Mrs. Macquarie, and formed out of the wild bush, under the superintendence of Mr. Alexander Fraser, botanist. In 1832, James Busby, Esq. introduced into the colony a great variety of vines, which were planted in this garden; and it has since occasionally continued to receive fresh accessions of flowers and trees from many countries. This garden is known by the magnificent specimen of the Norfolk Island pine which adorns its middle walk.

The lower, and more extensive and beautiful garden, separated from the upper by the walk leading from the fort along the Government bathing house, and occupying the circular sweep of the head of Farm Cove, was not in existence when Lieut.-Gen. Sir Ralph Darling assumed the government of the colony in December 1825. The spot which now smiles in all the loveliness of a highly cultivated garden was then nothing but thick bush, and bare, barren rocks. But by the direction of the governor, and the persevering skill of Mr. Fraser and his botanical successor, Mr. Richard Cunningham, (who was lost in the bush in one of Sir Thomas Mitchell's exploring excursions,) this desert and solitary place was soon made to rejoice and blossom with shrubs and flowers of the richest hues. Both the Upper and Lower Gardens were much extended and beautified,

from 1833 to the present year, under the able superintendence of the late Mr. James Anderson, botanist, who effected greater improvements on them than all the former botanists together.

Through another part of the Domain is formed a most excellent drive, and several beautiful walks, in extent more than three miles; these are cut through the bush, (or, as we should call it in England, the wood,) and delightful peeps of the town and harbour, with its beautiful islands, are constantly recurring. And here are seen an immense variety of the most elegant wild flowers peeping out from the beautifully broken ground, birds of lovely plumage seeking for food, and multitudes of those exquisite insects which are so highly valued by the entomologists at home..

The climate is very delightful. The heat is certainly greater than it is in England, but it is of a different kind, and never causes that depressing and suffocating sensation so frequently experienced there. It is, on the contrary, what has been aptly called an “exhilarating heat.”

A branch of the harbour of Port Jackson, called the Paramatta River, is navigable for something like twenty miles, and affords to the Sydney "cockneys" their "Battersea," "Putney," and "Richmond," although under different names.

Along the banks of the river from Sydney, to the town of Paramatta, a distance of about fifteen miles, and particularly in the vicinity of Kissing Point, almost equidistant from either, there are numerous orchards, orangeries, vineyards, and vegetable gardens, which give a pleasing variety to the wilder parts of the

PARAMATTA RIVER, AND COCKATOO ISLAND.

natural scenery, and supply the Sydney markets with a multiplicity of their rare productions. In the town of Paramatta there is little of the

bustle and stir of business, that give such life to the metropolis; but the traffic on the river is very considerable. Besides the number of boats and vessels of small burden employed in the conveyance of produce, fire-wood, and other marketable commodities, there are several steam-boats that ply daily between the towns. Paramatta is more a place of retirement than of business. Its distance, too, from Sydney being so easy, the scenery all the way so delightful and refreshing, and such facility and rapidity of conveyance being afforded by the steamers, it is not surprising that a trip to it by water should form an agreeable recreation on Sundays, to those who are confined to sedentary and unhealthy occupations during the week.

The above view is taken from the high grounds of Balmain, overlooking Paramatta River, near the road through the bush to Sydney, round the head of Darling Harbour, and not far distant from Birch Grove, the delightful seat of Captain McLean, Principal Superintendent of Hyde Park Barracks. The spectator is supposed to be looking north-east. In the foreground of the picture we have a specimen of the Bush scenery that prevails along the banks of Paramatta River, and Port Jackson. The eucalyptus, or gum-tree, is the most common production of the soil; but it is

found associated with many others, such as the acacia, in great variety, the iron and stringy barks, the apple-tree, the tea-tree, the native oak, the cedar, the grass-tree, and a great diversity of flowering shrubs. In the neighbourhood of Sydney the wood is generally of stunted growth, but in many parts of the colony it flourishes in much greater perfection, and rises to gigantic size. The sketch given will convey some idea of the soil and native productions of Balmain, and of the amount of labour that must have been required with such materials, to form the large, populous, and thriving village, or rather town, which now rises amidst the rocks and brush of this once wild region.

The little singularly-shaped islet, floating on the water to the left, swelling out at the extremities, and depressed towards the centre, is called Spectacle Island, from its faint resemblance, or rather its want of resemblance, to a huge pair of spectacles, and the point of land on the opposite shore is denominated Pulpit Point, from its equally fanciful resemblance to a pulpit. This species of nomenclature has been very fashionable in the colony ever since its establishment. It has been practised by our discoverers of districts and rivers, for the purpose of gratifying the vanity of the governors,