]72 NEW SOUTH WALES. 



the floods. Such evils indeed appear to be of frequent occurrence 

 and the settler in New South Wales has to contend with the elements 

 in an unusual degree. 



Such disasters are equally injurious to the husbandman and the 

 wool-grower ; for the same cause that destroys the crops, also carries 

 off the stock, so that it is only the large capitalist who can successfully 

 struggle against or overcome such adverse circumstances. It is some 

 recompense for this state of things, that one or two favourable years 

 will completely repay all former losses ; and it is due to the perseverance 

 and industry of the inhabitants of New South Wales to say, that they 

 have already, in spite of the difficulties they have had to encounter, 

 made it one of the most flourishing colonies on the globe. 



What these difficulties are, may be better understood by quoting some 

 remarks of Major Mitchell, the Surveyor-General, who has had greater 

 opportunities than any other person of examining the country, every 

 accessible portion of which he has visited. 



" Sandstone prevails so much more than trap, limestone, or granite, 

 as to cover six-sevenths of the whole surface comprised w T ithin the 

 boundaries of nineteen counties, from Yass Plains in the south, to the 

 Liverpool range in the north. Wherever this happens to be the 

 surface, little besides barren sand is found in the place of soil 

 Deciduous vegetation scarcely exists there ; no turf is found, for the 

 trees and shrubs being very inflammable, conflagrations take place so 

 frequently and extensively in the woods during summer, as to leave 

 very little vegetable matter to turn to earth. 



" In the regions of sandstone, the territory is in short good for 

 nothing, and is, besides, generally inaccessible ; thus presenting a 

 formidable obstruction to any communication between spots of a 

 better description." 



The information obtained from other sources does not, however, 

 sustain so very unfavourable a picture ; it may, indeed, be true, when 

 applied to the labours of husbandry alone, but there is reason to believe, 

 on the other hand, that the excellence of the great staple of the country, 

 its wool, is in a great measure to be ascribed to the short and sweet 

 pasturage which these very sandstone districts afford. These lands 

 produce, except during the prevalence of excessive droughts, a 

 nutritious herbage, and form a dry healthy soil, on which sheep thrive 

 particularly well, although it is said that one hundred acres of this 

 description, of average quality, will not support more than five or six 

 head of cattle. 



In seasons of drought, the flocks and herds are driven into the 

 interior The year of our visit (1839) was accounted a wet one, and 



