290 NEW SOUTH WALES. 



degree; in 1836, its population was only two hundred, and in 1839, 

 eight thousand two hundred and fifty, principally owing to the 

 encouragement held out by the funds derived from the sale of lands. 

 Adelaide and Port Lincoln are the two principal points, and the 

 latter, according to the accounts of those interested, " has every 

 advantage under the sun!" 



The journey over land from Yass to Adelaide, it is said, can be 

 performed with cattle and sheep in sixty days. The schemers here 

 are as eager and enthusiastic for improvements, as with us, and among 

 them much stress is laid upon the difficulties of inland transportation, 

 to overcome which, as the country is too thinly settled for railroads, 

 the introduction of camels from Africa has been proposed ; and it is 

 believed that the country is well adapted to them. 



The population of New South Wales, by the census of 1841, in- 

 cluding 26,967 convicts, was 130,856. A very minute table of the 

 census of the above years will be found in Appendix XIII. 



I was not able to obtain any accurate statistical returns of the three 

 other colonies ; both North and South Australia are rapidly increasing, 

 particularly the latter : fifteen thousand is believed to be the total 

 amount of their population and that of West Australia. 



To return again to the squadron and our occupations : by the 

 18th December, I had finished my observatory duties, and feeling 

 deeply sensible of the great kindness and attention we had received 

 from not only the Governor, military, and civil officers, but from all 

 the society, I gave a lunch at Fort Macquarie previous to delivering 

 it up, and had the honour of entertaining those who had received us 

 so warmly. Although the weather was unpropitious, many of our 

 friends presented themselves ; the affair passed off in great good 

 fellowship ; and we had the satisfaction of seeing our guests retire 

 apparently gratified. Owing to the weather, the number of ladies 

 was not so great as we had hoped, but there were enough to add 

 dancing to the other amusements of the occasion. Many patriotic 

 toasts were exchanged, and an effect seldom witnessed, produced on 

 the company by the picture drawn by the Polish Count Strezleski, 

 (well known in our country,) of the reception his destitute country- 

 men had met with on our shores, and the liberality of our government 

 in providing for them. Those who heard his statement will not soon 

 forget the thrill it produced. 



During our stay at Port Jackson, our vessels were much visited by 



