RECENT OCCURRENCES IN SYDNEY. 67 



Steam Communication with India and England, 

 the facilitating of which was one of the principal 

 ohjects of the Voyage of the Rattlesnake.* Meet- 

 ings to discuss the practicability of forming rail- 

 roadst had also been held. Dr. Leichhardt, the 

 well-known, indefatigable traveller, had started 

 with a party to attempt to traverse the Continent 

 of Australia, and reach Swan River, — and Mr. 

 Kennedy had returned from tracing the Victoria 

 River of Sir Thomas Mitchell, which he found to 

 become lost in the stony desert of Sturt, instead of 

 disemboguing into the head of the Gulf of Carpen- 

 taria, as some had conjectured. 



During our stay the 60th anniversary of the 

 foundation of the colony was celebrated, and a large 

 proportion of the 60,000 inhabitants of Sydney and 

 the neighbourhood joined in the festivities and 

 amusements commemorating so glorious a day in 

 the annals of their adopted country. When wit- 

 nessing the gaieties of the regatta, I could not help 

 reflecting on the simple narrative of the first founder 

 of what may hereafter become a great empire, a 

 mighty moniunent of the genius of the Anglo-Saxon 

 race. "The spot chosen for our encampment," 

 says Colonel Collins, " was at the head of the cove 



* This project, I regret to add, has not yet been carried into 

 effect, nor does there appear to be any reasonable prospect of its 

 speedy accomplishment. 



t I have lately heard that the first Australian railroad has 

 actually been commenced at Sydney. 

 F 2 



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