The Great Barrier Reef. 307 



now is the time to overhaul your Wallace, and make a note 

 of the fact that the narrow straits separating the islands of 

 Bali and Lombok constitute a mysterious band of division 

 in the Eastern Archipelago, the one side representing Asia 

 and its peculiarities, the other Australia and its peculiarities. 

 Mr. Wallace, who is the best authority up to the present time 

 upon the physical features of the Archipelago, argues that at 

 no very distant period Java, Sumatra, and Borneo were part 

 of the continent of Asia, but although Timor, the eastern 

 link of the chain of islands, partakes of the appearance of 

 Australia, he is confident that it never formed part of the 

 Australian continent. Certain it is that the glimpses of 

 Timor and the smaller islands which pass in review before 

 you enter the Arafura Sea bespeak an altogether different 

 world. In vain you look for the palms that hitherto have 

 added variety to the island scenery ; though in their stead 

 youf are frequently surprised by landscapes at a distance 

 resembling genuine English park scenery. 



Still steaming towards sunrise through water deepening 

 and lessening in a remarkable manner, we put aside our 

 literature of the Archipelago, and make ready for our intro- 

 duction to the New World. The E. and A. company pro- 

 vides you before starting (if you inquire for it) with a 

 voluminous hand-book of the voyage, and from it you may 

 learn everything about those northern portions of Australia 

 which are far beyond your ken, but which you may see by 

 the eye of faith, and about which you may soon become 

 learned by a judicious system of cram. I once heard Lord 

 Palmerston tell of a man who was wont to say that what he 

 didn't know would make an amazingly big book ; and the 

 anecdote may be not inaptly applied to what you do not see 

 of that portion of South Australia which strangely enough 

 lies to the northernmost verge of the continent. Let it suffice, 



