NEW SOUTH WALES. 137 



of the barometer was generally higher than this. The temperature of 

 the winter months varies from 35° to 65° : the mean is about 47° ; and 

 that of the summer months from 50° to 98°, the mean being 68°. 



The above observations relative to the winds on the south and 

 eastern coast, will serve to explain some of the difficulties that have 

 resulted from vessels taking the southern route round New Holland, 

 to proceed west. These, during some seasons of the year, have met 

 constant head winds and storms. It would seem that the most 

 feasible time to make the southern passage to the westward, is during 

 the winter months. The probable cause of this difference is the 

 immense vacuum which is formed on the vast plains in the interior 

 of New Holland during the summer, that is supplied by these 

 southerly winds. But it is not altogether certain that these winds 

 prevail at any distance from the land. They were described to me 

 rather as regular breezes, prevailing during the day, moderating 

 towards night, and succeeded by light land-winds until the following 

 morning. The intermediate months between the summer and 

 winter, or those about the equinoxes, are attended with variable 

 winds and uncertain weather, but from information I received, they 

 do not appear to suffer here from very violent gales during these 

 seasons. Severe gales are, however, experienced at these seasons at 

 New Zealand, in the same latitude, of which I shall speak hereafter. 



Our own results for the time we stayed in Australia will be found 

 under their appropriate head. At Sydney I found a great variety of 

 opinions existing about the climate. During our stay the weather 

 was unfavourable for all astronomical observations, and almost the 

 whole time cloudy or rainy. It was amusing to find many of those 

 to whom I had the pleasure of an introduction, apologizing for the 

 badness of the weather. It brought forcibly to my recollection, the 

 fault that Captain Basil Hall finds with the people of the United 

 States, but was far from being annoying to me. I have but little 

 doubt, that the climate is, generally speaking, a healthy one, and not 

 unlike that of some parts of our own country. The colony is 

 subject to occasional epidemics, and from the best information I 

 could procure, it is thought that the mortality is about one in forty- 

 three ; this may be called a very small proportion, when one takes 

 into consideration the great quantity of ardent spirits that is con- 

 sumed. 



The general appearance of the vegetation of New South Wales 

 presents many peculiarities. The character of its productions is 



