1827.] Terra Incognita. 255 



composed of free emigrants and reclaimed convicts, which already -rivals, in 

 commerce and arts, the oldest establishments in Europe. The sea-breezes 

 which, forty years ago, had never filled a sail, now daily waft, from all 

 parts of the world, ships of all sizes, and of every nation. The bright 

 waters of Sydney harbour had then never reflected but the fragile bark 

 canoe of the native, with the black naked figures of himself and his 

 degraded mate; now the Cove is filled with ships some bearing the pro- 

 ducts of Europe and India, and others lading with the products of the 

 colony, and the seas and islands about it, to reciprocate by return. 



Eighteen years ago, the settlement had just attained its majority; and 

 then stood in the mid-distance of its original and present state. Fabrics, 

 which were then of wood, are now of stone ; gardens and orchards of 

 that time are now occupied by the busier haunts of men ; hospitals, 

 churches, barracks for military and convicts, public and private buildings, 

 of all descriptions, now appear on every side ; dirty lanes, with irregularly- 

 built hovels, have been changed into well-built streets ; at that time, 

 roads were made by cutting away the trees, and leaving the carts to mark 

 the track on the green turf; now, stage-coaches run over turnpike-roads ! 

 Eighteen years ago, the arrival of a ship from England was an era ; now, 

 not a week passes without arrivals and departures from, and for, all parts of 

 the world. Then, almost every ship bore an unhappy expatriated freight; 

 and now, there is not more than one so laden, to two or three which bear 

 merchandize, and willing emigrants, seeking to ameliorate their fortunes in 

 the sunny clime of Australia. Hundreds of colonial vessels, too, of various 

 burden, manned and conducted by Austral- Europeans, carry on an exten- 

 sive trade between the various parts of the colony, and between the two 

 colonies of New South Wales and Van Diemen'sLand among the islands 

 of the South Seas to China India the Indian Archipelago to the 

 Cape of Good Hope South America both in the Atlantic and Pacific 

 and, indeed, some, I believe, have reached even to England ! 



When we arrived in New South Wales, the means of education were 

 necessarily very scant ; now, there are public schools, and asylums for 

 the poor and the orphan, and schools of every degree for the richer part of 

 the community. At that time, our miserable little quarter-sheet issued 

 from the press once a week, with government orders, and a few advertise 

 raents, and year-old intelligence from Europe; now, the " Sydney 

 Gazette " is a full sheet, well and closely printed, published twice a week, 

 and containing all the colonial intelligence of interest and news from 

 England, which may be read in England again, within eight months of its 

 first publication. The "Australian." a journal of the same description, 

 published also twice a- week, has been established now between two and 

 three years, and has met with deserved success : indeed, it is fully equal 

 in merit to any provincial newspaper in England. The " Monitor," 

 lately established, cannot fail of success, from the acknowledged talent of 

 its editor. But, indeed, time and space would fail me to tell of the wonder- 

 ful changes that not only forty years, but the last eighteen of them, have 

 wrought on the shores of Australia. The corrobera of the naked savage 

 by the light of the moon, on the green sod, to the beating of sticks, and the 

 monotonous drawl of a few old withered hags (their women do not join in 

 the dance), has given place to quadrilles and waltzes, in bright saloons to 

 the music of military bands, and danced by the sons and daughters of 

 Albion. 



However, it was nearer the pristine state at the time I refer to. The 



