ALBANY. 227 



the granite in a N.N.W. direction. I observed 

 the same circumstance at Simon's Bay, Cape of 

 Good Hope. 



1 was sorry to see that the infant town of Albany 

 had made so little progress, especially as it possesses 

 by far the finest harbour in Western Australia. 

 There is no doubt that ultimately its great natural 

 advantages will be developed ; but it is somewhat 

 surprising that they have not already been turned to 

 better account. Though there is not a very great 

 extent of good land in the neighbourhood, there is 

 amply suflScient to hold out encouragement to the 

 settler ; especially when we consider that this is one 

 of the most healthy portions of the continent, that 

 it is never visited by hot winds, and that the ther- 

 mometer is rarely below CO'' or above 85". This 

 evenness of temperature at all times of the year is 

 very remarkable, and renders the spot particularly 

 suitable for invalids, many persons coming even from 

 Swan River to renovate themselves. If our East 

 Indians were aware of what a salubrious climate 

 theymight enjoy at King George's Sound, they would 

 soon be seen flocking thither to repair the constitu- 

 tions they have injured on the banks of the Ganges 

 and the Indus. 



Our object in visiting this place was to obtain a 

 meridian distance ; and between the observations 

 for rating the chronometers I availed myself of an 

 offer of Lieut. Warburton, commanding the detach- 

 ment of the 51st Reg., doing duty there, to accompany 



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