EECENT OCCURREXCES IN SYDNEY. 07 



Steam Communication with India and Eno-land, 

 the facilitating- of which was one of the principal 

 objects of the Voyag-e of the Rattlesnake.* Meet- 

 ing's to discuss the practicability of forming- rail- 

 roadsf had also been held. Dr. Leichhardt^ the 

 well-known^ indefatig-able traveller^ had started 

 with a party to attempt to traverse the Continent 

 of Australia^ and reach Swan River^ — and Mr. 

 Kennedy had returned from tracing- the Victoria 

 River of Sir Thomas Mitchell^ Avhich he found to 

 become lost in the stony desert of Sturt^ instead of 

 disembog'uing- into the head of the Gulf of Carjjen- 

 taria^ as some had conjectured. 



During- our stay the 60th anniversary of the 

 foundation of the colony w^as celebrated^ and a large 

 proportion of the 50^000 inhabitants of Sydney and 

 the neig-hbourhood joined in the festivities and 

 amusements commemorating- so g'lorious a day in 

 the annals of their adopted country. When wit- 

 nessing- the g-aieties of the reg-atta^ I could not help 

 reflecting- on the simple narrative of the first founder 

 of what may hereafter become a g-reat empire^ a 

 mig'ht}' monument of the g-enius of the Ang'lo-Saxon 

 race. '^The spot chosen for our encampment/^ 

 says Colonel Collins^ '^ was at the head of the cove 



* This project, I regret to add, has not yet been carried into 

 effect, nor does there appear to be any reasonable prospect of its 

 speedy accomplishment. 



t I have lately heard that the first Australian railroad has 

 actually been commenced at Sydney. 



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