»360 FORT ESSINGTON. 



the value of the districts in its immediate neighbour- 

 hood — be the centre of a vast system of commerce, 

 the emporium, in fact, where will take place the 

 exchange of the products of the Indian Archipelago 

 for those of the vast plains of Australia. It may 

 require some effort of the imagination, certainly, to 

 discover the precursor of such a state of things in 

 the miserable traffic now carried on by the Macassar 

 proas ; but still, I think, we possess some data on 

 which to found such an opinion, and I am persuaded 

 that Port Essington will ultimately hold the proud 

 position I predict for it. 



As steam communication, moreover, must soon 

 be established between Sincapore and our colonies 

 on the south-eastern shores of Australia,* this port, 

 the only really good one on the north coast, will be 

 of vast importance as a coal depot. 



As I have already observed, however, little pains 

 have been taken to ascertain all the capabilities of 

 tlie place, and to extend our acquaintance with the 

 country behind. No European has ever yet pene- 

 trated any great distance beyond the neck that 

 connects Coburg Peninsula with the main land ; 

 and even the report of the existence of the settle- 

 ment has scarcely travelled farther. At least in 

 1841, when Lieut. Vallack visited one of the Alli- 

 gator rivers he found the natives completely igno- 

 rant that we had established ourselves in their 

 neighbourhood. 



* By this arrangement Sydney could he brought within nearly 

 sixty days of England. 



