LACK OF RAIN IN AUSTRALIA. 195 



short time, will enable all ships to dispense with the 

 use of a lighter. Railroads are being built ; one along 

 the west coast to Perth, and another is being pushed 

 forward in the direction of Adelaide. When that is 

 completed, the Australians will then have a trans- 

 continental system. I have not been able to learn 

 much of the vast country lying between King 

 George's Sound and Adelaide. 



If there is good soil, no doubt there will, ere long, 

 be rapid immigration, especially if these roads should 

 soon be completed. The greatest lack with Australia 

 is water. There is an abundance of good soil, which 

 is almost valueless from the want of this very neces- 

 sary element. Of late, in some parts, abundant water 

 has been obtained by boring. Rains are so unreliable, 

 the mainstay of the agriculturist, and more especi- 

 ally the fruit-grower or gardener, is irrigation. So 

 whether the western part of the continent will be 

 settled up rapidly or not all depends. 



INDIAN OCEAN, January 6th, 1888. 



