CHAPTER VII. 



HISTORY, GOVERNMENT, AND SOCIAL STATE 

 . OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 



1839. 



New South Wales is known in the United States almost by its 

 name alone. 



It happened from the circumstances of our visit, that we were 

 enabled to obtain much information in relation to this rising colony. 



Australia, or New Holland, of which New South Wales is as yet 

 the most important part, requires no description of its dimensions and 

 geographical position. It is sufficient to note the fact that it possesses 

 a sea-coast of the vast extent of eight thousand miles. It was first 

 discovered by the Dutch, while engaged in exploring the coast of 

 New Guinea, who saw the portion of it to the south of Endeavour 

 Straits, and gave it a name from that of their own country, in 1606. 

 A few months after this discovery, Louis de Torres made the north- 

 eastern point of Australia. 



In 1616, Theodoric Hartog fell in with that part of the western 

 coast which lies within the tropic and latitude 28° S. This he called 

 Endracht's Land, after the name of his vessel. 



In 1618, the coast between latitude 11° and 15° S., reaching from 

 the Gulf of Carpentaria to Cape Talbot, was seen by Zeachem. 



In 1628, De Witt and Carpenter discovered that part of the western 

 coast known as De Witt's Land, and surveyed the Gulf of Carpentaria. 



In 1667, Van Nuyt sailed along the southern coast, from Cape 

 Leeuwin to Spencer's Gulf; and to this part of Australia his name 

 has of late been restored upon the maps. 



Tasman, in 1642, discovered Van Diemen's Land, which was long 

 after considered to be connected with the main land of Australia. 

 Finally, between 1766 and 1770, after an interval of a century, during 

 which no researches had been made, and some of the discoveries 



vol. ii. 26 & 01) 



