368 SPORTING IN BOTH HEMISPHERES. 



extremity of the Sydney harbour, and as far as what is called 

 the river, is navigable. It is a handsome town, or rather 

 suburb of Sydney. Many of the merchants of that city 

 possess pretty country-houses and beautiful gardens here, 

 and go backwards and forwards to their business by the 

 steamers, which are continually plying in the river between 

 the two places. The Governor of New South Wales has a 

 very elegant and commodious residence at this place, and 

 it was here poor Lady Mary Fitzroy was killed by a sad 

 accident, whilst being driven in an open carriage by her 

 husband. 



At Paramatta we were told we were to change coaches, as 

 it was called, or, in other words, to exchange our coach for a 

 vehicle which was a mixture of coach, omnibus, and Irish 

 car, with a driving -seat that held two, and a body that pro- 

 fessed to hold six. The new coach had a new driver, and I 

 found that it was not the custom for succeeding drivers 

 to be bound by the arrangements of the former, so that I 

 lost my box-seat. The body of the vehicle was choked up 

 with every description of luggage belonging to six passengers, 

 so as positively to leave no room at all for their twelve legs, 

 which of themselves were more than sufficient to fill it. 

 However, as we had no option, and must either proceed or 

 stay behind, we all clambered into the machine, and came 

 down upon each other in a kind of heap, which became more 

 solid as we gradually shook ourselves into our places. 



At Penrith, twelve miles further on, I resumed my place 

 on the box, and a fresh victim was placed inside. This was 

 a bad move on my part. Bad as my position was before, it 

 was made worse by the change. The box was merely a bar 

 of wood, without back or sides, and every jolt served to 

 jerk the sitter out of his position, however convulsively he 

 might cling to it. These jolts were not only frequent, but 

 of the most violent description, and it was utterly inexpli- 



