PRELIMINARY CHAPTER. 
Purpose of this Chapter — Name of Australia — ^ Impressions of its early 
Visitors — Character of the Australian rivers — Author’s first view 
of Port Jackson — Extentof the Colony of New South Wales . — its 
rapid advances in prosperity — Erroneous impressions — Com- 
mercial importance of Sydney — Growth of fine wool — Mr. M‘ Ar- 
thur’s meritorious exertions — Whale-fishery — Other exports 
Geographical features — Causes of the large proportion of bad soil 
— Connection between the geology and vegetation — Geological 
features — Character of the soil connected with the geological for- 
mation — County of Cumberland — Country westward of the Blue 
Mountains — Disadvantages of the remote settlers — Character of 
the Eastern coast — Rich tracts in the interior — Periodical droughts 
— The seasons apparently affected by the interior marshes — Tem- 
perature — Fruits — Emigrants : Causes of their success or failure 
— Moral disadvantages — System of emigration recommended — 
Hints to emigrants — Progress of inland discovery — Expeditions 
across the Blue Mountains — Discoveries of Mr. Evans, Mr. Oxley, 
and others — Conjectures respecting the interior. 
When I first determined on committing to the 
press a detailed account of the two expeditions, 
which I conducted into the interior of the Austra- 
lian continent, pursuant to the orders of Lieu- 
tenant General Darling, the late Governor of 
the Colony of New South Wales, it was simply 
VOL. I. 
a 
