AUSTRALIA, OR NEW HOLLAND. 97 



graceful gardens and groves, lend artificial charms to a land- 

 scape naturally picturesque ; and Sydney, the capital of New 

 South Wales, with, its forts and light-houses, its churches, 

 hospitals, and custom-house, full of traffic, and smoking in the 

 heat of industry, appears like the creation of enchantment. 

 The industry of Europe, planted in Australia, now ploughs 

 the sea between Port Jackson and Moreton Bay with steamers, 

 which prepare the mind for the scene presented within ; but 

 with this exception, the change from the outer view to the 

 panorama of Sydney, is as that from a lifeless desert to an 

 English seaport. 



Towards the west the surface again becomes level — irregu- 

 larities are few — tall, sloping cliffs commence, and the country 

 sinks into a plain covered with scrub, and extending as far as 

 the south-western point of the island. There, rises a range of 

 low hills, continuing as far as Gautheaume Bay, where we reach 

 again the desolate level from whence our circuit commenced. 



The streams in South Australia and Western Australia 

 are, in comparison, insignificant ; but it is a received opinion 

 among many geographers that great water-springs exist in the 

 island, which will ultimately burst from the earth, flow 

 together, form tftemselves channels, and find outlets at various 

 places along the coast. At present, in the river-system of 

 Australia, as well as in its mountains,* valleys, and geolo- 

 gical formation, its botany and its zoology, we discover a 

 strong support of the theory that this region is of recent 

 emergence from the ocean. Formerly, Captain Sturt believes 

 it consisted of an archipelago of islands. The bed of the 

 ocean, upheaved by the agency of subterranean fires, raised 



* In the countries of the old world, every range, however tortuous, agrees in general 

 direction with the length of the continent. In Australia the case is reversed — the 

 hills run transversely froir north to south. 



