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Excursion to Port Arthur . 
as the Colony Itself is the wonder of strangers, as much 
is Port Arthur the source of wonder to the com¬ 
paratively few Colonists who have visited its shores. I 
have already spoken of its elegant church, hut I have 
made no mention of its strikingly picturesque military 
barracks, which are constructed of the finest hewn stone, 
and are capable of containing nearly 100 men. The 
front entrance is through a handsome castellated, or 
rather battlemented round tower, which commands the 
Township. From this we passed through a tolerably 
spacious parade ground leading to an elevated esplanade, 
conducting in turn to a verandah opening to the different 
barrack-rooms. There is a large yard in the rear with 
a like round tower nearly finished, the bottom of which 
is to constitute a magazine, the roof serving the purpose 
of a watch-post. In a line with the barracks, and upon 
a precisely similar plan, a new hospital is about to be 
erected. 
The bay, at the head of which the church stands, is, 
like Sullivan's Cove, very shallow : this Captain Booth 
is filling in ; and, upon the recovered territory, a new 
and extensive penitentiary will forthwith be constructed. 
All the streets and buildings are laid out with the strictest 
care. The future is not overlooked in the present: every 
edifice is convertible; and whenever Port Arthurbecomes, 
which it one day must, a flourishing free arsenal, the 
zeal and judgment of Captain Booth will be fully 
apparent and duly appreciated. Port Arthur has never 
failed to strike every stranger; even I, somewhat 
familiar with the railway-pace of penal colonies, felt 
impressed with unmingled surprise. Substantial stone 
buildings, tasteful cottages, extensive factories, luxuriant 
gardens—all the means and appliances of civilised and 
social life : and yet this enchanting spot, this beautiful 
creation, like sc a goodly apple rotten at the core, is 
but the guarded receptacle of Britain s refuse, and of 
