not towards the sea. On the second day we struck a beautiful fresh-water river, with a very strong current, and luxuriant feed on its banks, and tracing it to the ocean, passed its mouth in three feet of water, quite fresh at the bar, by the impetuous force of the current which mingled its hue with the deep sea wave. I am of opinion, that when the passage is properly known, boats of considerable burthen may pass the bar of this fine river, and penetrate into the interior for a considerable distance. Exploring the country further on our route, we ascertained the fact, that Broke's Inlet (so called on the map, after a person whom nobody in this colony knows, but so dubbed by some fanciful Government officer, who only heard of it by report) is an inland water, about twenty-five miles in length, by ten broad, in several places, and receives a large river from the interior, which circumstances prevented me from examining or even seeing, except through a prospect glass. I can only state, that it employed us a whole day and a half to walk along the south-west shore of this large lake, which has an opening to the sea during the rainy season, and that its banks and surrounding hills more than realised our expectations as a cattle and sheep country, which we never had been led previously to expect, from the supineness of discovery hitherto exhibited in this part of the colony. Travelling between Broke's Inlet and the Deep River, in a straight course, with some deviations into which I was tempted by the beauty of the scenery, I cannot give my opinion regarding the actual extent of sheep pasture, but as there was several hours' walk by corn grass, and the same character of country extending itself right and left, and far into the interior, as I could judge from the top of a hill, it must form a space of no inconsiderable magnitude, well worthy the attention of large flock-holders. I speak of sheep merely as for cattle, they may luxuriate everywhere throughout all these extensive runs. the above remarks, I beg leave to add the following observations :

:

To

1st. That stock may either be imported by sea into this newly discovered district of country by means of the two harbours, or driven from the port of King George's Sound by land.

2nd. The timber referred to in this narrative is most valuable for ship-building, and other purposes. Some years ago the Board of Admiralty gave an order to Sir James Stirling, the late Governor of the colony, for two hundred tons of Swan River mahogany (very inferior), which order has never been complied with.

3rd. Whales abound in the various bays. The fur seal fre

quents the islands, and the rivers and estuaries are full of fish, thus opening a noble field for future enterprise.

4th. There is abundance of surface fresh water in all directions. 5th. I am firmly of opinion that this fine country connects itself with the much praised district of Leschenault or Australind, and it possesses better harbours.

6th. A poisonous plant has been lately discovered in the Swan River districts, which is destructive to cattle and sheep, as tried by various experiments. Knowing this plant well, I carefully inspected the new country, and never found a blade of it to the westward of King George's Sound; nor is it to be seen at Leschenault, which I have visited twice in Her Majesty's Colonial schooner Champion.

I have the honour to be, &c. To Capt. Parker, barque " Charles."

WM. N. CLARK.

I, at first, doubted whether I could with strict propriety quote the foregoing in a book that was not on Australia generally; but the enterprising spirit of the person whose exertions, unrewarded save by the exertions themselves, recorded in it; and the mention of some immense trees which he met with, even larger than those mentioned by me growing on Watt's River; this corroboratory evidence, and other, and deep interest in the paper itself, overcame my scruples. By such notices as these, it is made most evident what a great deal may be effected in the way of discovery by individual energy and enterprise. Major Mitchell, who accomplished so much for Australia by his inland expeditions, was knighted, and otherwise rewarded, very judiciously, by his country. Count Streleski, who discovered and explored the splendid range of country to the east of the Port Phillip Bay, beyond Western Port, a land of fine rivers, lakes, and glorious champaigne country, who only just escaped with his life,-I wonder if he was rewarded by the English government? for Sir George Gipps did not reward him, although he called the new region Gippsland! It would have been more fittingly denominated by the Polish discoverer, in accordance with Sir George's munificence, "Chipsland." The Colonial Legislative Council proposed to explore the northern country, and make a communication overland to Port Essington, Sir Thomas Mitchell offering his services to that end, but Sir George postponed the enterprise. Alas, that he who, by exciting a speculative spirit, has evinced so immense a capacity for mischief, should be powerless for any good! How different from Sir Richard Bourke, the previous Governor! under whose auspices

X

most of Mitchell's discoveries were made! How grovelling compared with our great national interest in the enlargement of geographical knowledge. Our country is, I am proud to say it, not niggardly in its expenditure, even where the results are less important than the exploration and revelation of all that yet shrouds itself mysteriously in the immensity of Central Australia! Then wherefore such torpidity in the colony? Not only ought the Government to prosecute discoveries, but wherever there is a really serviceable exertion of individual energy, it ought to be rewarded, and will, no doubt, when our British heart and intellect are represented in New South Wales by a new and enlightened Governor. What a field will then open itself for Natural Science! The Mineralogist, the Geologist, and the Botanist, will be active; and in the department of Zoology much, I am convinced, has yet to be done. New, animals there are, and new birds. As an evidence of this, I may mention that in Gippsland has been found a kind of sloth, called by the working people "the Gippsland Monkey." Also, the natives talk about a kind of animal that burrows underground like a mole, leaving its haunts only in the night. At Mr. Thomas's request a native made a drawing of it with a pen, and were the creature anything like the representation of it, once brought to the Zoological Gardens it would excite the interest of all Europe. Birds were shown to me, which I was assured had not been seen by any naturalist from Europe; and this I can believe, for, until within a month of my quitting Australia, fresh birds, entirely new to me, attracted my notice.

EXTENT OF AUSTRALIA FELIX.

Westward the Glenelg is the boundary: but the river does not so exactly define it as is necessary, consequently there are disputes about some of the squatting stations, whether South Australian or Austral-Felician. Northward, the desert is the demarkation; eastward, the snowy-mountains. Looking at the map, the country seems to be from two to three hundred miles in length, and is occupied northward, in some directions, for two hundred miles. It is not, to say the least of it, less than England. The principal rivers are the Murray, in the north-west; the Goulburn to the north, the Hume and the Ovens; and the Yarra, eastward; to the south-west the Barwon. It has many smaller rivers, such as the Ex, the Weirebee, the Morable, the Plenty; Watt's River; lakes, chains of ponds, salt lakes; and of creeks flowing only in the winter, an incalculable number.

BAYS AND PORTS.

Port Fairy is small and dangerous. Many vessels are compelled to slip their cables, and stand out to sea in rough weather. Captains trading thither are recommended to take with them good store of anchors. Many vessels have there been wrecked.

Portland Bay is more capacious. It "is exposed to a heavy swell during four months of the year, which renders landing in it dangerous; but during the remaining eight months the winds blow off the land, when it is perfectly safe."

The soil in these districts is, to a great extent, of the richest quality. Belfast, in Port Fairy, and Portland in the other, are rising townships.

Of Port Phillip Bay we have said enough elsewhere; and will give, from the Port Phillip Patriot, communicated by a contributor, an account of the other ports.

Yet

Is situated in longitude 145° 30', latitude 38° 15', and is but a few hours' sail from the heads of Port Phillip. Although the soil and pasturage in the neighbourhood is such as to hold out abundant inducement to the intending settler, it has excited but little attention, and has attracted but few residents. Western Port may be said to possess in itself many of the constituent elements of greatness; the land is of the finest quality for purposes of grazing, the bay abounding with fish of the choicest description; in the vicinity, coal of an excellent quality, fuller's earth, and various other minerals, are abundant. The fact, however, of its capabilities being but little known, and its resources remaining yet to be opened up, is before us: and the cause or causes of this neglect may perhaps hereafter form an interesting subject of inquiry.

"In 1827 a penal settlement was formed at Western Port by Mr. Hovell, under the auspices of the Government, but proving a failure after a few months' trial, it was abandoned. Alluding to this, Mr. Hovell writes as follows ::

"Western Port affords safe anchorage for vessels of any draught of water. The settlement lately formed by the Government, but since abandoned, was situate on the eastern side of the bay. This was supplied scantily, but with good water. The country from this spot to Bass's River, consists principally of a rich alluvial soil, interspersed here and there with patches of heath. The amount of good land in this part of the country seems to be about seven or eight thousand acres.'

"The following is extracted from Cunningham's 'Two Years in New South Wales' :

"From Wilson's Promontory to Western Port the coast stretches along in a westerly direction round Cape Liptrap, about sixty or seventy miles, bounding an extent of country described as the finest ever beheld, and reaching apparently about forty miles to the foot of a very lofty range of mountains running parallel with the coast. In parts it resembles the park of a country seat in England, the trees standing in picturesque groups to ornament the landscape. The timber is mostly the same as in this island, but some of the species in that genial climate attain greater size and beauty. In other parts the eye wanders over tracts of meadow land, waving with a heavy crop of grass, which being annually burned down by the natives is re-produced every season. In these situations large farms might be cultivated without a tree to interrupt the plough. Various freshwater lagoons lie scattered on the surface, and about eight miles up the Western River a branch-stream intersects it. A second tributary stream falls by a cascade into this latter about five or six miles up, navigable for small vessels, where there is an eligible situation for a town. The mouth of the port is about thirty miles wide. An island, called Phillip's Island, occupies the centre, stretching about thirteen miles, leaving an entrance at each extremity. From the headland of the eastern main, a reef runs toward the island, leaving a narrow entrance for ships, but hazardous to one unacquainted with the passage. The western entrance is, however, safe and commodious for vessels of any burden. The best course is to keep within half a mile of the island on the starboard side, which has a sandy beach, called Grant's Rock, at the western extremity. This is more necessary, as a reef runs out some distance from the main.'

"An extract from the Notes made of the recent journey of Messrs. Morris and Kersopp, will also be found interesting :"Phillip Island, lying east and west across the opening of Western Port, is generally low, covered with thick scrub. The scrub is composed of several varieties of beautiful shrubs. The mangrove is apparently identical with the mangrove of the tropics; the leaf resembles the olive, and, if the plant were not associated with the deadly malaria, might be considered handsome. The anchorage is excellent, and is well protected from the south and west. The largest ship can run from the westward into Western Port, by keeping along Phillip Island, and anchor with safety in from five to twelve fathoms water. The entrance is open and easy of approach, The anchorage off the