LEAVE WELLINGTON. 
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tinct as Australia and New Zealand. Here the 
natives are Polynesian, similar to most of those found 
in the South Sea Islands, while Australia’s aborigines 
are of the negro type. The scenery and climate also 
are equally distinct. New Zealand is of volcanic 
origin : hence high mountainous cliffs surround it 
on almost every side ; a chain of mountains runs 
through the length of both islands from north to 
south ; hot springs abound, often close to glaciers 
and eternal snows; earthquakes are common, and 
active volcanoes are not unknown. The climate is 
damp and stormy, and the land is covered with 
tangled masses of jungle and tree-fern. In addition 
to all this, even the very fossils are dissimilar, as 
are the fauna and flora. Australia (South and 
West) possesses a semi-tropical climate, for there is 
as great a variety between Sydney and the inland 
towns as between the midland counties of England 
and the moors of Scotland. Although tropical plants 
grow in the gardens of Sydney, a short run by 
rail is sufficient to reach a climate where British 
fruits, flowers, and grasses are cultivated with great 
success. 
Here we remained, in this proverbially wet port, 
for ten days, and at length left somewhat suddenly 
on the afternoon of the 6th July, although it was 
blowing very fiercely from the north-west at the time. 
We had hardly cleared the Heads of Port Nicholson 
when a dense fog, accompanied with heavy rain, set 
