DROUGHT — AQUEDUCT POSITION Jail. 



There ray'd from cities o'er the cultur'd land, 

 Shall bright canals, and solid roads expand. — 

 There the proud arch. Colossus-like, bestride 

 Yon g-littering streams, and bound the chasing tide ; 

 Embellish'd villas crown the landscape scene, 

 Farms wave with gold, and orchards blush between.— - 

 There shall tall spires, and dome-capt towers ascend, 

 And piers and quays their massy structures i)lend ; 

 While with each breeze approaching vessels glide. 

 And northern treasures dance on every tide !' 

 Here ceased the nj^mph— tumultuous echoes roar. 

 And Joy's loud voice was heard from shore to shore — 

 Her graceful steps descending press'd the plain ; 

 And Peace, and Art, and Labour, join'd her train." 



When I was at Sydney in 1836, all that was foretold in this 

 allegory had come to pass, with one exception only, that of 

 canals. It was always a country comparatively dry ; and un- 

 fortunately the more wood is cleared away, the drier both cli- 

 mate and soil become, therefore it is unlikely that canals should 

 ever be made there. This want of fresh water is the only 

 drawback to the future prosperity of this mushroom city; 

 which is now dependent upon a supply brought through iron 

 pipes from a distance of several leagues. Mr. Busby, father of 

 the resident at New Zealand, was the projector and executor of 

 this aqueduct, but, — like many other really valuable things, 

 — ^his useful work as ably planned as it was perseveringly car- 

 ried on against uncommon difficulties, is but little appreciated, 

 even by those who daily drink the pure water which it 

 supplies. 



It is difficult to believe that Sydney will continue to flourish 

 in proportion to its rise. It has sprung into existence too 

 suddenly. Convicts have forced its growth, even as a hot- 

 bed forces plants, and premature decay may be expected from 

 such early maturity. Other rising colonies have advantages in 

 point of situation and climate, which the country about Syd- 

 ney does not possess ; and if our government establishment 

 should be withdrawn, from that day the decline of the city 

 would commence, because its natural advantages are not suffi- 

 cient to enable it to compete with other places in those regions, 



