I ought here to state that this river is the most southern one that I have ascertained to be deficient in that universal characteristic of all those in the south-west of this continent: an estuary. I must observe that I have not seen the mouths of three or four of the rivers before enumerated, and cannot therefore say that some of them may not terminate in estuaries; but the Gascoyne discharges its waters by two mouths of considerable magnitude, between which lies Babbage Island, the southern mouth being in latitude 24 degrees 57 minutes.

This is also the most southern river on the western side of this continent where the rise and fall of tide is sufficiently great to exercise any influence upon it relatively to the purposes of navigation. Hence it would appear that the presence of estuaries at the mouths of rivers on this coast is in some way connected with the amount of tidal elevation at the points where they are found. The rise and fall here was about five and a half feet; but there is only one full tide in twenty-four hours. The first tide rises to a certain point, and it has scarcely commenced to ebb, ere the second comes slowly in, so that, to a careless observer, only one tide is perceptible.

PROVINCE OF VICTORIA.

The province of Victoria is situated between the parallels of 27 degrees 30 minutes and 29 degrees 30 minutes south latitude; its most considerable river is the Hutt, which disembogues into a large estuary. A few miles above the estuary the river separates into two branches, both of which were running strong at the time we passed them.

Previously to our reaching the Hutt our boats had all been wrecked; I had therefore no opportunity of examining whether the estuary of this river was navigable or not; from its size however I should be inclined to the affirmative. The other principal streams which drain this district are the Buller, and the Murchison.

One remarkable feature in the province of Victoria is that the carboniferous series is here developed throughout a tract of Western Australia extending in latitude from the bottom of Geographe Bay to near Cape Cuvier, and which I have carefully examined. The tract above alluded to is the only one in which I have yet found the rocks belonging to this series: this circumstance therefore imparts a very high degree of interest to the district in question.

Within a few weeks after my return from the province of Victoria applications from settlers were made to the Government of Western Australia to permit them to occupy a district which had been so highly spoken of; this application was however unsuccessful, but an expedition was subsequently sent there to ascertain if there was a navigable entrance to the Hutt River. In this object the expedition was unsuccessful, but the vessel touched at the Abrolhos Islands and at some parts of the adjacent coast, including Port Grey.*

(*Footnote. See above. [The coast to the eastward of the Abrolhos has been since examined by H.M.'s surveying vessel the Beagle, Captain Wickham, R.N., and while these sheets were passing through the press an account of the survey of Port Grey, under the appellation of Champion Bay, appeared in the Nautical Magazine for July 1841 page 443, from which periodical it has been copied into Appendix B at the end of this volume. ED.])

MR. MOORE'S JOURNAL. MR. MOORE'S VOYAGE TO HOUTMAN'S ABROLHOS AND PORT GREY.

An account of some of the places visited was subsequently published in the Perth Gazette, being contained in extracts from the journal of G.F. Moore, Esquire, the Queen's Advocate at Perth, who sailed with the expedition; and as Mr. Moore's description contains several points of novelty and interest these extracts are again transcribed below.

EXPEDITION TO THE NORTHWARD.

After Captain Grey had the misfortune to have his boats wrecked in Gantheaume Bay, having started thence with his party and walked to Perth, he reported that he had passed over extensive tracts of fertile country in the neighbourhood of Moresby's Flat-topped Range, where there are several rivers, one of which (the largest) he had called the Hutt River, after His Excellency the Governor. His Excellency having directed the Champion schooner to proceed to explore the coast with a view to ascertain whether there was any practicable entrance to the river, and whether there was any harbour, shelter, or anchorage in that neighbourhood, also what sort of anchorage there was about the Houtman's Abrolhos, it appeared very desirable that such an opportunity should be taken advantage of to obtain, at the same time, as much information as circumstances would permit as to the nature and quality of the soil and its general capabilities with reference to its eligibility as a district to be occupied by settlers. With this view G.F. Moore, Esquire, embarked on the trip.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ABROLHOS ISLANDS.

The Abrolhos. Latitude by a good sight on shore, 288 degrees 45 minutes, subsequently corrected to 288 degrees 40 minutes.

That part of the Abrolhos where we anchored seems to consist of a number of small islets, perhaps 10 or 12, lying something in the form of an irregularly shaped horse's shoe, extending for a space of perhaps 20 miles in a north and south direction.

These islets, which are raised only from 10 to 12 feet above the level of the sea, are a mere mass of coral and shells with a very small variety of plants struggling to establish themselves upon some of them. I was rather surprised to find a few plants of the common groundsel on one of the barest. It is not improbable that these islets are upon the outer rim of the crater of a volcano, and that not only the entire outer rim, but also a large space, both interior and exterior, will eventually be elevated. Nothing can exceed the beauty of the different sorts of coral as seen under the clear smooth water. We broke of many specimens of the branch- or tree-coral, which seemed to be in full vigour of life and activity. These islets appear to be a favourite resort of seals, many of which we saw, but of the sort called hair-seals. The sailors knocked many of them upon the head with clubs as they lay sleeping on the shores. One of these afforded much sport, though rather of a barbarous sort if one had taken time to think at all on the subject. Sleeping on the brink of a small lagoon in the interior of one of these islands, he was roused by the approaching footsteps of his enemy. Seeing the man close to him, with upraised club over his head, he dropped into the water. This was so shallow as not to protect him from the stones that were hurled at him from all sides, and so small that he was completely surrounded. Finding his retreat cut off he boldly stood up and seemed deliberately to scan the most practicable mode of breaking his way through us all, but he was so incessantly plied with stones as entirely to distract him. When a well-aimed blow struck him he wreaked his vengeance on the stone, and, diving after it to the bottom, gnashed upon it with his teeth. At last a gun was brought by one of the party and a well-directed shot under the ear laid him dead. Rock oysters of a large size and delicious flavour were found in great abundance. Range of thermometer 67 to 82 degrees.

On Sunday the 12th continued to explore the several islands; unable to land upon the first we approached on account of a reef which ran all round it. This was one which lay at the north-east extremity of the Horseshoe. It was high and sandy, but with some vegetation on the surface, and we saw many large seals sleeping on the sandy beach. After this, visited five or six in succession, all of the same formation, some being mere masses of loose coral and dead shells.

SINGULAR CORAL FORMATIONS.

In passing from island to island we had many opportunities of observing the different formation and shape of several species of coral; some stood in masses of the brain-stone and cockscomb coral, some like petrified sponge, some like fans, some again of the branch-coral interlaced and intertwined in every direction; again, some broad flat masses lying layer over layer, like huge sea-lichens, again many presented the appearance of a fungus or great sea-mushroom, with a broad-spreading head springing from a small thick base. It is not a little singular that many of the growing islets which are nearly level with the surface of the water have a similar form, not rising from the bottom with a perpendicular side, but with broad overhanging heads resting upon a small base. In many places we passed over some of these isolated sea-mushrooms, upon which there was barely water for a small boat, where one step over the ledge would be in the deep sea, and you might see the hollows underneath as if looking under an umbrella. Birds were abundant on most of the isles, and on two of them were hawks' nests, raised to the height of four feet by an accumulation of sticks, stones, and shells. This day there was but little breeze; the thermometer ranged from 76 to 86 degrees.

COAST UNDER THE MENAI HILLS.

Saturday morning January 25.

Stood in close along the shore opposite to the Table Hill and the Menai Hills, and examined the coast from the rigging. There are two openings of rivers laid down in the chart, that to the south being the larger, and both nearly abreast of Table Hill and only a few miles distant from one another; and besides these Captain Grey had marked down in another chart a considerable river, with a large estuary, close to the north of the Menai Hills, which he had called the Hutt River. As we were just on that part of the coast where all these are laid down we were the more anxious and eager. We saw three openings on the west range, but in truth very small, and after anchoring nearly opposite to the northern one we went in the boat directly for it. There was a continuous sandy beach the whole way across it, and the surf was running high, so that it was not very easy to land.

LAND ON THE COAST.

Just as we were considering about how to effect a landing we observed a number of natives on the hills and behind the beach, evidently watching our motions. As we stood along the beach, looking for a landing-place, they followed and became more bold; they shouted and made gestures, which were certainly not like those of encouragement; but still as we pulled on, they followed, till we counted forty-nine men, but they appeared to have left their spears behind them. Finding this, we thought it well to parley with them, when we backed in close to the shore, holding up our hands making signs of peace, and calling out in the Swan River language that we were friends and would give them bread. I flung apiece of biscuit on the beach, and some waded into the water and threw in their fur belts and other ornaments, when we commenced a system of barter immediately. They had no spears and few throwing sticks; nor had they with them either cloaks, or hammers, or shields, or any other weapon that we could see. They seemed to like the bread very much, for they followed us for many miles, still making signs to land, but the surf was so high we could not venture in the face of so many of them. At last, having passed the opening of the second river, and having come to a smooth place, I jumped out upon the beach and was soon followed by the Captain.

INTERVIEW WITH NATIVES.

They evinced a considerable deal of uneasiness at first, and looked with much jealousy at the gun as something suspicious. They wished me to part with it, but I sat down and intimated that I would keep it on the ground beside me. I addressed them in the Swan River native language, and they spoke much in return, but I must say that our language seemed to be mutually unintelligible. At last, by watching their mode of intonation, and accommodating myself to their dialect, I managed to succeed a little better. In this way they understood my inquiries for water, and their answer at last was precisely in the Swan River language, "Gaipbi jeral," (water to the north.) Their great anxiety at first seemed to be to know whether we were women. In answer I pointed to our beards, when they pulled their beards and said, "Nanya patta," by which name I have heard it called at Swan River also. Then they pointed to some young lads in the boat and asked were they women. No; I said they were "golambiddy" (boys) which they seemed to understand. I saw them eating the fruit of the mesembryanthemum (the Hottentot fig) but they did not understand either of the names used for it at Swan River, golboys, or mejaruk. They called it by a different name. After a little they volunteered to take us to water, and we walked along the beach with them, clustering about us with a show of friendship that was even more familiar than agreeable. One of them repeatedly asked me were we dead? at least so I understood him. At length we approached the opening of the river, in which they indicated the water to be, but how were our great hopes disappointed when they led us to a little hole scraped in the bed of the river containing about a pint of water. We afterwards saw several other holes of the same sort with more or less water in them; and it will be well to bear in mind that some of these were not fifty yards from the beach, and it is quite possible that if they were dug out a good supply of water might be obtained.

ADVANCE INTO THE COUNTRY.

They then wished us to go up the valley of the river with them, but we ascended a high hill to the north side, being desirous of getting a view and in hopes of seeing the large estuary pencilled on the chart by Captain Grey. From this hill we had an extensive view of all the country to the west and north of the Menai Hills. The whole face of the country looked grassy, and thinly sprinkled over with what may be acacias, probably the mangart, or raspberry-jam-scented wood, as it had just that appearance, and a kily which we had got from the natives in the morning was made of that wood. But there was not even a drop of water visible, nor any sign of a large river, though this is just the position assigned to the Hutt River; but certainly it is quite possible that nearer the source of these rivers there may be larger reservoirs and more water, which may be to a great degree absorbed before it reaches the sea, as we find this to be the case with many of the rivers of this country. In the meantime the natives seemed dissatisfied about our going on the hills, and offended, and were very importunate with us to go down to the low grounds in the valley. "Koa yeka" ("Come this way," as I understood it) was their constant call; and when at last we did consent, as we were going down the side of a steep, rocky limestone hill, I could not help feeling that we were very much in their power. Looking round suddenly upon one occasion I observed a man making gestures with his feet at the head of the Captain, as if showing to the rest how he could knock him down easily. The man seemed uneasy at being detected, but I laughed it off as a joke, which probably it was after all; but their manner seemed to have changed considerably. When we arrived at the level ground they became very urgent that we should "sit down in the shade," "maloka nineka" (a Swan River man would say "malok nginnow"). They caught hold of us and pulled us, and wanted very much to get the guns from us. Thinking it most prudent to return to the boat we turned with that intention, when they did everything they could, short of using force, to prevent us. They stood in our way, they caught us in their arms, they pushed us, they tried to snatch or seize our guns, but we persisted steadily and good-humouredly to make our way back towards the boat. One old man wished me to approach the brink of the high ground overlooking the bed of the river, but seeing that it was a perpendicular precipice to which he was leading, or rather pushing me, I suddenly clasped him with one arm and walked away from it, at which the rest set up a shout of laughter. His intentions may have been perfectly friendly but I certainly did not feel confident that they were so. I intimated that when we got to the boat we should give them some more bread; and I felt that the knowledge that the bread was in the boat was likely to be very much in our favour and to contribute mainly to our safety. My fear was that they had sent for their spears and wished to detain us till they came. However we arrived at the beach where the boat was standing outside of the surf waiting for us.

RETURN TO THE VESSEL.

On our return to the ship I proposed that we should now touch at the more northern river where we were deterred from landing by their first appearance. We went therefore to the mouth of the river, which is completely blocked up by sandhills, with two or three small gaps through which water appeared to have made its way at some time; but the entire of the bed of the river, which was only a few yards wide, was covered with growing samphire. There were two or three small pools of very salt water above this, but no fresh water visible. We took a hasty view from a high sandhill. The interior, where we could see anything of it, looked grassy, and there was some grass even on the sandhills near the beach; but our view was very limited and hurried. We had no sooner returned to the boat than we saw a party coming along the beach about a quarter of a mile away, and another party on the top of the hill above, where we first saw them and where we supposed their weapons to have been left. They shouted, we went on board.

SAIL TO THE SOUTHWARD. PORT GREY.

Sunday morning.

Weighed anchor and stood to the south to examine a bay opposite the southern part of Moresby's Flat-topped Range. This bay, which is not laid down in the charts, was found to be an excellent anchorage, completely sheltered from all southerly winds, which are the prevailing winds on this coast at this time of the year, and also much protected by a reef running north and south from the extreme point of the bay. This reef or bank was found to have from three to five fathoms upon it, and within it there was seven fathoms, even near to the shore, at the bottom of the bay; and there is no appearance of any heavy sea or violent action of the water on the beach at any time of the year.*

(*Footnote. The report of this bay by the Master of the Champion is as follows: 26th January 1840. Anchored in a bay not laid down in the charts, lying in latitude 28 degrees 50 minutes, the north land bearing north-north-west, and the south point south-west. A reef breaks off the point, the north part of which bore west-south-west; but it extends far more to the north, and breaks, I presume, in bad weather. The reefs extend also a great way to the westward of this point. We anchored about half a mile from the shore in seven fathoms water, and about three miles from the head of the bay. The soundings are exceedingly even for five miles, carrying seven fathoms, never varying: just before, we carried four and five, when, I think, we passed over the reef, which appears to me to join the main at that distance from the south-west point. The beach does not show the least sign of any sea. Found two posts stuck up in it. I consider this bay an excellent anchorage during summer; and, I think, from the appearance of the beach, it must be safe in winter.)

SEA VIEW OF AUSTRALIND. APPEARANCE OF THE COUNTRY.

To the south of the tongue of land which forms the bay there is also another bay, which would be completely sheltered from all northerly winds so as to combine between the two bays perfect shelter at all seasons of the year. From the deck of the schooner where she lay we had a view of the entire slope of ground from the beach to the top of the range, about five or six miles distant. The range seems to consist of isolated hills rising from an elevated plain. Judging by the eye at that distance, the entire space as far as we had any opportunity of seeing, after going a little way back from the coast, on the slope to the hills, upon the hills, among the hills, beyond the hills, and, in short, everywhere, as far as the eye could discern, appeared a grassy country, thinly sprinkled with some low trees or shrubs, perhaps the acacia. If this be the case, and that there be water sufficient, of which there is no reason to doubt, this may certainly turn out to be the finest district for sheep pasture that this colony can possess. What may be the breadth of this district, how far it may extend into the interior, of course nothing can be known or said; but from what I have now seen, and from what Captain Grey has seen on a former occasion, there is little doubt that it extends north and south from the northern part of the Menai Hills as far south as the River Arrowsmith, a distance of more than 80 miles. To the south of that river comes the range of hills which Captain Grey has called Gairdner's Range, and which is supposed to be the northern termination of the Darling Range; if so it is very probable that, by keeping on the east side of the Darling Range a continuation of pastoral country might be found all the way to Moresby's Flat-topped Range. In coming to our anchorage this morning we passed the opening of another river, that which is laid down in Captain King's charts as the largest. From what we saw of it I do not think that much water can issue from it either, although its bed looked larger and better defined than any we had seen hitherto. The man from the mast-head said he saw the sandy beach all across it. But the Captain, being anxious to examine the anchorage in the bay, did not wish to come to anchor sooner, so we passed on, perhaps 10 or 12 miles to the south of it. Just as they were about to let go the small anchor, which had been used since the first was broken, it was discovered that it also was broken nearly through, so we had to drop a large and heavy one, being the only one now remaining in the ship. We then landed in the boat, and saw two pieces of ship's timbers set up in the sand of the beach, about half a mile from each other. Dug and examined under and about the largest of them in hopes of finding some directions, probably about fresh water, but found none. Examined a place where the tea-tree and wattles were very green and luxuriant looking; it appeared like a swamp in winter, but quite dry now. Was struck by the singularity of some tea-trees growing, of a large size, both up the sides and on the tops of high sandhills, but which appeared to rest upon limestone. Got a view to the east and south of the range. The country presented the same appearance as before. It must be remarked that the grass was all parched and withered and of a yellow straw colour; and it was from this colour principally that we judged of its existence on the distant grounds. Those who have once seen tracts of withered grass will not readily mistake its appearance; but the green of the shrubs was extremely vivid. One observation which we had repeated occasion to make was the constant heavy dews which fell at night on this coast, rendering everything about the ship quite wet. The wind was off the land. The country all around seemed to be on fire in the morning. The thermometer, as I stood on the deck, was 94 degrees. In the evening the wind came round to the north-west, and, desirous of availing ourselves of such a favourable breeze, we got on board and set sail, but were obliged to stand well out to sea to clear the reefs. Towards night it fell calm again, and there was some lightning in the north.

...

DISTRICT IMMEDIATELY TO THE NORTH OF SWAN RIVER.

The third district lies immediately to the north of Perth. It contains four rivers:

The Norcott, The Moore, The Smith, The Hill.

The Norcott and Moore Rivers, about fifty miles to the north of Perth, were before known; and about twenty-five miles to the north of Moore River is the Smith. The Hill comes out of Gairdner's Range, the natural northern limit of this district, which is connected with Perth by a chain of freshwater lakes, the greatest distance between any two of them being not more than from five to six miles. The whole of this district is therefore fit for location, and affords a gratifying proof that the flourishing colony of the Swan is by no means deficient in good and immediately available land.

The circumstance also of this district being so abundantly supplied with water, even at the end of an uncommonly dry season, which was the period I traversed it in, much enhances its value. It must, as the number of horned stock in the colony of Western Australia increases, be the first occupied; for it is nearer to a market than any other open to location, and affords both water and food for cattle in good supply.

CHAPTER 7. VOYAGE HOMEWARDS.

Before quitting the Mauritius, in August 1838, I had written to the Secretary of State for the Colonies, reporting my intention to proceed to the Swan River, and then, as circumstances might guide me, either to return from thence at once to the north-west coast, or, should that not be feasible, to await further instructions from England; adding that, in the latter event, I should attempt in the meantime to pass the range to the north-east of the Swan, and endeavour to ascertain in what direction the streams thrown off from this range towards the interior might flow.

I have already stated the incidents that prevented me from following out the first of these plans, as well as those which led me to adopt the project of the voyage to Shark Bay in lieu of an inland journey such as the second; and now that this last expedition was brought to a close I had yet to await, for some time, the answer to my communication from the Mauritius, which was to guide my future proceedings. The interval between my return to Perth and the period at which a reply might be expected appeared too short to allow of my carrying out any comprehensive plan of exploration, and I therefore resolved to employ it in endeavouring to extend my knowledge of the native character and language, as well as of the general position and prospects of the colony.

At this time, the death of Sir Robert Spencer, the Government Resident at King George's Sound, having caused a vacancy in that appointment, I was induced, at the offer of Mr. Hutt, to assume the temporary duties, with a two-fold desire of rendering what public services I could during my unavoidable period of inaction in the country, as well as of enlarging my opportunities of observation on the aboriginal race.

In these occupations I remained, until the receipt of a reply from the Secretary of State, which, after speaking in terms of flattering approbation of my past exertions, notified that, for the present, Her Majesty's Ministers did not think it desirable that the researches in the north-west should be prosecuted further.

PREPARE TO RETURN TO ENGLAND.

On the receipt of this I made preparations for returning to England, but, no favourable opportunity offering from the western settlements, as soon as I was relieved from my duties as Resident, I embarked for South Australia in the hope of obtaining from thence a more speedy passage than the other colony seemed likely to afford.

After a short stay at Adelaide I finally sailed for England on the 11th April 1840, and reached this country in September following.

NATURAL HISTORY.

The leisure of the voyage afforded me the means of making some additions to my former observations on the Natural History of the seas we traversed, the chief results of which will be briefly given in this chapter, together with some casual observations which I was enabled to make on the Geology of St. Helena in consequence of the vessel touching there.

June 2 1840. At sea: south latitude 20 degrees 0 minutes; east longitude 58 degrees 47 minutes 15 seconds.

I caught a species of shrimp (Penaeus) of a delicate prussian blue colour, which was more brilliant at the extremities, and gradually paled towards the centre of the animal. There was not the slightest shade of any other colour about it, but it turned pink in some places directly it was put into spirits; it had four anterior and four posterior legs on each side.

Total length 1.45 inches. Length of apparatus on head 0.17 inches. Length of tail 0.25 inches. Head and connected apparatus 0.52 inches. Tail and body to commencement of first ring 0.48 inches.

June 13. South latitude 27 degrees 4 minutes; east longitude 47 degrees 38 minutes 15 seconds.

A species of animal (Alima hyalina ?) was caught resembling a scorpion, having six legs, three on each side; the first pair of legs were provided with claws, like a lobster; its tail exactly resembled that of a scorpion; the sac or bag near the extremity of the tail was of a light red colour, and it tried to strike with its tail, as if for the purpose of stinging. Eyes pale blue, and prominent; body nearly diaphanous, with pale red spots.

Total length 0.33 inches. Length of body 0.20 inches. Breadth across from eye to eye 0.13 inches. Breadth of body 0.14 inches.

Several of the animals which I supposed to be the Velella of Lamarck, and some of which had been caught on the 11th of November 1837 were also found today. Caught also a species of animal which I had found on October 22 1837, in south latitude 37 degrees 44; east longitude 38 minutes; and again on November 12 1837, in south latitude 30 degrees 11 minutes; east longitude 100 degrees 31 minutes 30 seconds. It resembles in shape and size a large grape.

Extreme length 0.5 inches. Breadth 0.45 inches. Total circumference round broadest part 1.30 inches.

Colour brownish blue; but there were round it twenty very narrow brownish yellow stripes, equidistant from each other, and not quite reaching either extremity of the animal.

June 16. South latitude 28 degrees 46 minutes; east longitude 42 degrees 3 minutes.

We caught an animal this afternoon somewhat resembling a shrimp (Erichthus vitreus)* covered with a shield: we had caught a similar one on the 12th of November 1837. From measurements taken from the living animal the dimensions were:

Length from tip of tail to tip of spine, in front of head 1.15 inches. Ditto of spine 0.23 inches. Ditto from tip of tail to bottom of last scale 0.2 inches. Ditto from tip of spear to end of shield 0.7 inches.

The temperature of the water at 6 P.M. was 71 degrees Fahrenheit; of the air 74 degrees.

(*Footnote. See Illustration 8 volume 1.)

The shield was perfectly air-coloured and diaphanous, and extended for some distance beyond the head and the upper parts of the body; the body itself was of a pale delicate blue, and it threw a very light bluish tinge upon the shield; the eyes were jet black, and placed at the end of a tube like those of the lobster; the tip of the spear was of a light red colour. Caught also this day the lower portion of a species of Diphyes, the same I had found on the 13th of November 1837 in south latitude 30 degrees 7; east longitude 100 degrees 50 minutes 10 seconds. The total length of this was 0.5 inches.

Caught also two minute animals resembling a species of shrimp (Penaeus); colour of both pale blue. The tail of the largest when examined in a microscope precisely resembled in appearance the fin of a fish. I did not examine the smaller one. Dimensions of the largest:

Total length 0.2 inches. Length of feelers 0.15 inches.

Of smallest:

Total length 0.13 inches.

When put into eau-de-cologne these animals changed to a pink colour.

June 17. South latitude 29 degrees 19 minutes; east longitude 40 degrees 19 minutes.

Caught a specimen of Glaucus.

Total length 0.35 inches.

Colour down the back deep indigo blue; stomach bluish white; sides bluish white (silvery) like a frog; tail tapering to a point; its head resembled that of a frog, and when out of the water it sat on its tentaculae, and raised its head and the fore part of its body, moving its head (a) from side to side; the tentaculae were all so delicate that they fell off, it had apparently eight on each extremity; it belonged to the same family as the animal I caught on the 14th of November 1837, in south latitude 29 degrees 26 minutes; east longitude 101 degrees 32 minutes.*

(*Footnote. See Illustration 10 volume 1.)

June 23. South latitude 32 degrees 53 minutes; east longitude 29 degrees 45 minutes 15 seconds.

We for the first time saw Cape Pigeons and the Albatross.

June 27. ) South latitude 35 degrees 41 minutes; east longitude 25 degrees 13 minutes 20. June 28. ) South latitude 35 degrees 15 minutes; east longitude 23 degrees 26 minutes.

Upon these two days we were in a rapid current, which we entered on the morning of the 27th, and on neither could we see the slightest signs of any of the acalepha class; but on the 29th, on which day we experienced no current, we found the greatest abundance of these animals; it appeared as if they had collected in large quantities at the edges of the current; and on the western side of it we found many animals which I had not seen on the opposite one.

June 29. South latitude 35 degrees 31 minutes; east longitude 22 degrees 20 minutes 30 seconds.

The specimens caught were a minute fish, 0.35 inch in length; colour, back and upper half of sides, deep indigo; belly and lower half of sides, silver colour. Also two sorts of barnacles (Anatifa) which I got near the side of the vessel.

We caught today a great number of the animals (Glaucus) I have mentioned above as having been taken on the 17th of June, as well as on other occasions. I observed these animals in the water, and found that their long silk-like antennae had, when uninjured, a length of five or six inches; they swim with the rounded part first, and the long antennae trailing after them like tails; the progressive motion is produced by introducing water into certain sacs, or cavities, and expelling it by a contraction of the muscles with great violence. I observed their motions from a boat at first, and afterwards when they were in a glass of water. I counted the number of times they expelled water in a given time when swimming, and found the mean of several observations by a chronometer to give ten strokes in twelve and a half seconds.

We caught again many little animals which I had found on the 15th of October 1837; south latitude 37 degrees 28 minutes, east longitude 21 degrees 19 minutes; they were shaped like an octagonal crystal, terminating in a point, containing a brilliant blue colouring matter, they were about 0.4 inches in length, and were, when undisturbed, arranged in long strings, only the length of a single animal in thickness, and of the breadth of two of them abreast; they swam with the blue-pointed ends downwards, which then looked at a distance like the legs of a caterpillar, and the long string somewhat resembled a long gelatinous band in appearance as it passed through the water; but directly it was touched the animals separated themselves from one another. These strings were sometimes seen several feet in length.

We caught large quantities of these animals at one time, and found:

The temperature of the water 65 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature of the air 75 degrees Fahrenheit. The temperature of the animals 66 degrees Fahrenheit.

We caught also a fish (Orthogariscus) which the seamen called a devil-fish.

The length of it was 6 feet 2 inches. Breadth from fin to fin 3 feet 6 inches. Length from tip of nose to pectoral fin 2 feet. Thickness through the breast 1 foot 6 inches.

This fish was infested about its nose with a kind of parasite (Lernaea) having two long thin tails. The sailors stated that these animals frequently cause large sores about the nose of the fish, and that when suffering from this, it will allow the sea-birds to sit on it, and peck away at the affected part. The habit of the fish is to swim during calms with one of the hind fins out of water, and it is then harpooned from a boat. I have myself seen petrels perched upon them; and directly one of these fish was hoisted on board the sailors looked for the parasites and found them. Their dimensions were:

Total length 1.0 inch. Length of tails 0.57 inches. Ditto of fore part of body 0.25 inches. Ditto of hind part of body 0.15 inches. Breadth across body 0.25 inches.

They were covered with a transparent shell, marked with grey spots and lines; the hind part of the body, near the tail, being darker than the fore part, as though the intestines were seated there. These little creatures adhered strongly to any substance that they were laid on, and caused an irritating feeling to the skin if placed on it; they swam with great rapidity when put into seawater, and in their movements in swimming much resembled a tadpole; their tails were merely long transparent fibres.

We caught also several transparent bodies, shaped like a balloon (Beroe ?) These consisted merely of a sac. At the flat end of the spheroid was a small ring of a pink colour, from which ran lines forming the ribs, which supported the sides of the animal. There were eight of these: they possessed great irritability, and if the animal was at all injured, a rapid and continued motion was propagated all along them. Some of these animals were between two and three inches in length, but they were so delicate that it was impossible to examine them, for they fell to pieces directly they were touched. Only one of these ribs was, at times, affected at the same moment, so that they appeared each to be capable of an independent movement.

We caught also many small insects, and some shrimp-like animals.

The sea was full of some things resembling hairs, but which broke the moment they were touched.

On this evening we placed a large number of acalepha in a bucket, and on agitating the water it became a mass of phosphorescent light. It is strange that these animals should never emit this light without being irritated.

July 1. South latitude 35 degrees 51 minutes; east longitude 18 degrees 56 minutes; average temperature of water, 65 degrees.

This day many specimens of different kinds were taken; and amongst them a shellfish (Hyalea) the same as that caught on the 13th November 1837, in south latitude 30 degrees 7 minutes; east longitude 100 degrees 50 minutes 10 seconds. This fish today put out the apparatus with which it swam. It consisted of two broad transparent wings, shaped like the first pair of wings of a butterfly, and which it moved in a precisely similar manner. Its shell was of a delicate pale transparent brown colour, with a jet black spot in the centre. (See Illustration 6 volume 1 Figure 1.) We also caught an animal of a precisely similar form and colour with this, but which was not provided with a shell.

The other specimens were:

1. A shell (Janthina)* the same as was caught on November 14 1837, and on several other occasions, with its swimming apparatus attached.

(*Footnote. The corresponding figure, Illustration 9 volume 1, should have been inverted.)

2. Several of the small shells which resemble belemnites (Creseis) which were first taken on the 14th November 1837. I this day preserved one of these with its swimming apparatus expanded.

3. An animal without a shell, which had a sort of transparent horny covering, and when alarmed and not in motion folded itself up.

4. A tube 3.2 inches in length, perfectly transparent, and swelling out to a little knob at each extremity; but these knobs were of the same colour as the body.

5. Some delicate white shells (Atalanta) or very hard gelatinous animals, 0.2 inches in length, 0.2 wide, and 0.15 thick; they had three ridges of short spines on them, one down each edge, and one ridge running down the centre of the shell or back.

6. Some perfectly spherical transparent bodies, 0.18 inches in diameter; these neither moved nor showed any signs of life when placed in salt water, but another animal, exactly resembling them in shape and colour, with the exception of having some light brown spots on it, unrolled itself like a wood-louse, and then swam nimbly about. They all turned as white as eggs soon after they were put into spirits.

We caught also several species of an animal with two tentaculae, which had been also taken on the 17th June, some of these were very large and beautiful, being of the most delicate amber colour.

Also many different sorts of medusa, particularly tubes of about 0.5 inches in length, with an apparatus shaped like a proboscis at one extremity of it. These I have not attempted to describe. In general the animals we caught this day differed altogether from those we had hitherto found during this voyage. Some few were the same, but the great majority were new.

Many of the medusae and small gelatinous animals must be endowed with very acute sensibilities and perceptions, for they evinced extreme timidity if any substance approached them, and when plunged alive into spirits, their rapid movements and violent contortions repeatedly indicated acute pain; indeed so clearly that on this point there could be no mistake.

A mass of gelatinous animals, caught this day, gave out a slight electric shock. Some of them were shaped like the portions of an orange, and they evidently were formed to fit into one another in the manner in which they were found, although they separated directly they were touched.

July 2. South latitude 35 degrees 58 minutes; east longitude 17 degrees 54 minutes.

This day the ship went so fast that we could not catch anything. The acalephae were not so numerous as they had been further to the north, but we saw more and larger medusae than I had ever before remarked. It indeed appeared as if the acalephae diminished and the medusae increased in number after passing the 36th degree of south latitude.

July 12. ) South latitude 23 degrees 2 minutes; east longitude 0 degrees 26 minutes 45 seconds. July 13. ) South latitude 21 degrees 55 minutes; west longitude 0 degrees 44 minutes.

The vessel went slowly through the water, but although the net was kept towing we could catch nothing, and there was no appearance of anything being in the sea.

July 14. South latitude 20 degrees 52 minutes; west longitude 1 degree 49 minutes.

This day we caught a Velella of the following dimensions:

Length of interior cartilage 1.1 inches. Breadth of interior cartilage 0.5 inches. Total length of blue base 1.7 inches. Breadth of blue base 1.0 inches. Height of centre of crest 0.5 inches. Rim round crest, in breadth 0.55 inches.

This animal differed from those caught on the 11th November 1837, in the following particulars: It was much larger. The base of the animal consisted of two parts. The centre portion was an elliptically-formed cartilage, elevated in the centre, and marked with eighteen concentric striae, which became thinner and thinner as they approached the centre. No striae were visible on the elevated crest with which the animal swims, but this crest was furnished or fringed with a thin moveable flap, 0.55 inches in breadth, which ran quite round it. The animal has the power of flapping this to and fro constantly, as a fish does its tail.

The outer portion of the base was of a pale prussian blue colour, increasing in depth of shade both to the outer and inner edges. Many minute black spots were dotted all over this. The underside of the outer base was of a very dark prussian blue colour, and its lower interior edge was furnished with rows of blue tentaculae, which the animal uses as an elephant does its trunk. The whole interior surface of the oval cartilage is furnished with successive rows of white tentaculae, and in the centre is a long thin white tube, apparently its mouth.

These animals always swim in company. You see a number together, varying from four or five to twenty or thirty; these are all within a few feet of one another, and you may then pass over several miles and not see any more.

They produce countless numbers of little eggs, of a pale brown colour; these are apparently deposited from the interior white tentaculae, and cannot be estimated they are so numerous.

We also caught a minute fish, 0.6 inches in length; a minute species of nautilus, blue, marked with striae, or grooved, and thus different from what we caught on the 15th; a shrimp-like species of animal 0.5 inches in length; the lower part of a species of Diphyes, which had been caught on the 12th and 13th of November 1837; some minute animals, appearing to be the young of the larger species of Velella which we had taken; they were, like this animal, at first blue, but turned red soon after being put into spirits; also a very minute pale blue species of nautilus, I think the young of the kind we caught on the 15th July.

Caught a number of gelatinous animals, differing however apparently in species from any we had found before. Some were of the family of crystal-shaped animals with blue spots, so often mentioned in this journal; also several animals of the family figured June 17th, but which differed from them in the colour of their spots. We caught today a Portuguese man of war (Physalis) of a very different species from those which we had taken in the Indian ocean. This one had a much larger sac, or float, than the others, and the float was furnished with a crest.

July 15. South latitude 20 degrees 20 minutes; west longitude 2 degrees 17 minutes.

The same animals mentioned in the last paragraph of July 14th were again caught this day. A great number of the Velella were also taken.

Caught a small fish:

Length 1.2 inches. Breadth over roundest part 0.48 inches.

For a particular description, and figure of a finer specimen, see below. The mouth and eyes of this fish were placed in a curious manner. Its food appeared to be the same as that of the other fish taken this day.

Caught two curious little crabs (Nautilograpsus) one pale blue, and the other of a pale pink colour: also, another little pale blue crab:

Length of antennae 0.15 inches. Length of body 0.34 inches. Breadth of ditto 0.12 inches.

Caught a small animal shaped like a wood-louse (Cymothoa) having nine rings apparent on the back, and I think seven legs on each side, also, a tail-like fin on each side, which, when closed under its belly, formed a sort of shield for the lower part of the abdomen. Antennae, transparent with pale brown tips, and a few pale brown spots in them, colour pale blue down centre of the back, dark prussian blue on each side. It had the power of rolling itself up nearly double; in the same manner as a wood-louse, but not quite so close; eyes distinct and prominent. It lived a long time out of water, and appeared to me exactly like an animal I caught on the 21st November 1837, in south latitude 24 degrees 19 minutes; east longitude 107 degrees 8 minutes.

We also this day caught a Janthina. They have a little valve for the purpose of taking in air, with which to expand their float. These animals go in company. They emit when touched a brilliant scarlet dye. A similar animal caught on the 20th November 1837, in south latitude 25 degrees 12 minutes; east longitude 106 degrees 49 minutes, emitted a violet-coloured dye. The emission of this evidently depends upon their being irritated, as I found by many experiments.

The method in which this animal fills its float is curious, it throws it back, and gradually lifts the lip of the valve out of water, until the valve stands vertical, it then closes the valve tightly round a globule of air, around which it folds, by means of the most complex and delicate machinery. The valve is then bent over until it touches the edge of the float nearest the head, and when it is in this position, the portion of it which is inflated with air looks like a bladder, the air gradually is expelled into the float, and as this process takes place the bladder in the valve diminishes, and the valve becomes by degrees like a lip pushed forwards until it lies flat on the float. The valve is composed of two portions, a cup and a lip. The time occupied from first removing the valve from the float, until the inflation, and the expulsion of air into the float being completed, so that the valve begins to move again, is 61 seconds, from the mean of several experiments.

These animals have also the power of compressing the valve into a hollow tube, which they elevate above the water like a funnel, and draw down air through it.

The colouring matter which they emit has no stinging, electric or deleterious properties whatever, that I could discover. I found that when this colouring matter was mixed with water, it became of a deep blue. In those which I caught in November 1837, I may have been deceived, and the colouring matter might also possibly have been scarlet directly it was emitted. It is difficult to conceive what use this liquid can be to the fish against its foes, yet it certainly uses it as a means of defence.

To one of these shells, the fish in which was alive and well, we found attached a number of barnacles, some of which were of large size.

This sort of Janthina was very abundant; today we caught eight, and saw great numbers of them: yesterday we caught a smaller one of a different species. (Janthina exigua.)

This kind of Janthina is attached to its float by a sort of peduncle, which it has the power of elongating, so that the fish itself sinks, with its shell, and yet remains attached to the float, which continues at the surface. In one instance, I saw this peduncle elongated to a length of 0.9 inches. It may, of course, have the power of sinking itself much lower than I have seen it do. When it is in this state, the apparatus with which it fills the float remains behind the peduncle in a state of perfect quiescence.

The scarlet fluid emitted by this animal is of such a consistency that it can be drawn away from it out of the water, like a glutinous thread.

A part of the animal requires attention, it is composed of an outer cup, or circular lip, which it has the power of contracting or expanding in the same manner as the valve; and when opened out like a cup, an orifice can be seen at the bottom of it. It can also expand, and make broad the arm; and it then appears to use them as sails.

This species of Janthina, I afterwards found, has the power of in some manner taking in by suction a quantity of water, which it can suddenly expel again with great violence, sending it out as if from a squirt.

We caught, also, an extraordinary fish this day. Its mouth has the appearance of being situated on its back; a fin, 0.4 inches in length, projected directly out from one side of the fish, and there was every appearance of a perfectly similar one having been torn from the other side; a hard horny membrane projected from underneath the stomach of the animal, being apparently a sort of fin.

Its colour was of a silvery metallic lustre, having in parts a burnished appearance, except where it is shaded (see Illustration 5 and below) and then it was of a dark green colour; the tail was perfectly transparent, except just where it joined the body, and there, where the shaded line is, it was dark green.

This fish was swimming about, apparently preying on the tentaculae of the barnacles, of which there were numbers round the ship attached to the dead Velella, some of which I had caught yesterday; it appears therefore probable that its mouth was placed in so extraordinary a position to enable it to seize this pendant prey.

We caught this day a number of Velella, which are furnished with crests; some of them were dead, and nearly always when such was the case we found a species of barnacle attached in great numbers to them. When these animals had only recently died, so that the whole of their blue base had not been detached from them, the barnacles were generally very minute, so that the naked eye could only just detect them, and there were no large barnacles on the same fish: now, how did the minute ones get there? As the barnacles grew larger, the remains of the velella changed into large excrescences, half the size of a walnut.

We caught also several little animals, all of the same species, which swam about on the surface of the water with the greatest rapidity, performing the same kind of evolutions that we see in a little black and white insect (Gyrinus) which swims on the top of tranquil pools in England.

July 16.

This day a curious animal was caught, perfectly diaphanous; total length 0.8 inch; length of third leg, 0.4 inch; this was provided with a claw like a crab; head shaped like a grasshopper, 0.2 inch in length, and placed like the head of a grasshopper, at right angles to the body; eyes black and prominent, apparently four, two on each side; first and second legs of nearly the same length; the third leg nearly double the length of either of the others; five on each side. The top of the head is divided into two prominent knobs, one on each side, which, viewed through a microscope, appear to be minutely reticulated.

The animal may be considered as consisting of four portions: the head; the upper part of the body, 0.18 inch in length, and divided into five rings; the lower part, consisting of one shield-like portion, 0.12 inch in length, the body at the lower portions of this decreases almost to the thickness of a thread; the tail, 0.3 inch in length, and divided into three shield-like pieces, laid one over the other as in the shrimp (imbricated); at the lower extremity of each of these scales there is on each side a fin-like leg, in addition to those above-mentioned. Breadth of the animal across its head, 0.2 inch, and this was the broadest part of it. It lived for some time out of water, and even when put into spirits, it swam in an extraordinary manner, falling head over heels every time, which motion it accomplished by swimming on its back and making rapid strokes with the fin-like legs with which it is provided behind.

We also caught today several little crabs and barnacles. I kept one specimen, to show old and young barnacles attached to the same Velella.

The sea was, this morning, covered in places with fleets of the Velella of Lamarck; also with great numbers of the species of Janthina which I described yesterday; to both of these kinds of animals large clusters of barnacles were frequently attached. These barnacles preyed on the different gelatinous animals which were swimming about. It was curious to see them seize on these with their hooked tentaculae and draw them in, whilst the acalepha, or gelatinous animal, contracted and dilated itself with all its might and main, endeavouring to escape. We saw two or three times very large shoals of porpoises ahead of us, and when we reached the spot where they had been we found the sea quite cleared of the animals with which it was covered in other places, so that we imagined the porpoises must have been feeding on them. We saw also a whale and a shark today.

Although these little floating animals were so numerous there were but very few of the gelatinous species to be seen, and they were chiefly of the larger sorts. I saw one of the species (Glaucus) of which I have given a sketch, on the 17th of June. Like all the animals of this species which we caught to the westward of the Cape it had a red intestinal spot in it; but excepting in its great size it differed in no respect from the others which I had seen: this one was at least a foot in length.

A number of black minute animals were caught, which, at a rapid glance, looked not unlike fleas with long feelers or antennae.

We caught also this day an animal (Salpa) which consisted of a gelatinous transparent bag, having an orifice provided with a valve that opened and closed the orifice at pleasure; there was no other opening to the sac that I could discover; I passed the end of a pencil down it, but although it passed readily through the valve it could not at first pass through the bottom of the gelatinous sac; but I afterwards found that this was an error, and that the pencil could be passed right through the body of the animal, which was provided with a valve at each end. I found also that the united animals had the power of swimming with either end foremost. There was an intestinal tube in the animal of a dark reddish brown colour. This animal appeared to exist very badly alone, fourteen of them were always found united together by a plane; they then formed a mass shaped like half an orange and having a cup at its upper surface; the intestinal canals, when they are in this position, are all brought near to one another, and the whole mass looks not unlike a flower; they are united to one another by so thick a fluid that it is very difficult to separate them. If one or more are torn away from the mass the outside ones immediately join together and form a united mass again, of the original shape. They open the orifices at different times: that is, two or three open theirs at the moment that some of the others are closing, so that no regular or simultaneous movement takes place between the different animals. This irregular movement of the animals gives to the whole body an irregular rotatory motion; but when one is separated from the others it can only drive itself round and round upon its own centre, and has not the faculty of propelling itself as the other acalepha have. They also swim with either end foremost, in the manner the other acalepha do.

We saw also some animals of this class, and nearly as large as the ones I have just described, but they differed in their form and mode of attachment, and joined themselves in long strings, two deep, so as to look like gelatinous snakes. I have before described animals of this class with blue spots. I think that a good mode of classifying these animals would be from their form of arrangement when united.

July 17. South latitude 19 degrees 47 minutes; west longitude 3 degrees 5 minutes 30 seconds.

Found a small animal (Cymothoa) like a wood-louse, similar to the one we caught on the 15th of this month and to another taken on the 21st of November 1837. It had seven legs on each side, besides the five which when taken out of the water it folded over its abdomen; the colour the same as before described.

Length 0.52 inch. Width over broadest part 0.2 inch. Length of antennae 0.2 inch.

Illustration 4, exactly the size of life, gives a good idea of it. It lived out of the water for two or three hours and did not die until put into spirits; it ran about on the table as well as it swam in the water, so that it was evidently amphibious. It swam about from a dead shell of the Velella, to a nautilus, and from that again to some barnacles; each shell that it reached it climbed up, and folding up its fins ran all over it, so that it appeared like a little navigator which was roving from island to island in the ocean, seeking food and nourishment from all of them. Are not the ways of nature very wonderful? This little animal was at least 500 miles from any land, as we term it, yet it was surrounded by sunny islands, teeming for it with the most delicious food, and where it either basked in the warm daylight, or shaded itself in some oozy recess, as seemed most pleasant to it.

When walking on these substances it used its antennae exactly as insects do, and showed an extraordinary degree of susceptibility when touched. I do not know that I have ever seen an animal which more decidedly evinced an acute sense of feeling and dread of pain.

The animal here described belongs equally to the Indian and Atlantic Oceans, and appears, as far as my experience goes, never to venture to the south of 25 degrees south latitude. This is now the third species of animals which I have found to be common to the Atlantic and Indian Oceans, and which never venture beyond the warmer latitudes.

The question is how they got round the Cape of Good Hope, or Cape Horn?

Might we not hence infer that there was a time when the continent of Africa did not exist? and might not this argument be much extended? It could be combated by none of those causes which are advanced relative to the distribution of species on land; for,

1. The temperature of the water in southern latitudes is very cold at all seasons of the year.

2. These animals are extremely susceptible of all changes of temperature.

3. They have no means of warming themselves by exercise or motion.

4. The species of food which they subsist on is confined to the latitudes in which they themselves live.

5. They would have to traverse great distances in ungenial climes, and contend against adverse winds, the children of placid seas and genial suns hurried into giant waves and chilling storms.

6. It is not probable that they are swept along in currents, from the circumstance that in the one which flows along the coast to the eastward of the Cape we could find none of them, whilst upon its very edge they were in abundance.

Could however their eggs be swept along by a current, and after having been wave-tossed for months or years, be at last borne into waters sufficiently warm to hatch them, and the animals, finding themselves in a genial climate, have increased and multiplied?

The numerous little animals of the species which I have always considered to be the Velella of Lamarck went sailing merrily by us today; the least breath of wind made them turn round and round; and this was their mode of progression, the animal moved its little sail which I have before mentioned, and worked its tentaculae so vigorously as to make ripples in the water, in the midst of which it went buoyantly floating along.

Caught another fish (Stenopteryx Illustration 5) of the same species as that found on the 15th of July. The accompanying figure is drawn from minute measurements. The length of this specimen was 2.5 inches, its thickness through the thickest part 0.38.

What I had before imagined to be either a spine or fin turned out to be a pectoral fin.

It thus has two pectoral, one dorsal, and one ventral fin, properly speaking; but the greater part of the body is surrounded by some cartilaginous substance which it probably uses as a fin; under the line b c there is a curved portion of this matter, and above and attached to the fish is a line of round white silvery scales, about ten in number.

Between a and b there is another curved mass of transparent cartilaginous substance, along the bottom of which runs a spine to which is attached a fringe-like fin. There is a spine upon the back; the eye is very prominent and bright; upon the back, between the eye and the spine, there are successive stripes of purple and burnished gold, so that this little animal is one of the most gorgeously coloured denizens of the ocean. It swims about amongst the purple barnacles and pink nautili, seeking on the shores of these shining islands its prey, the curious formation of its mouth being admirably adapted to enable it, whilst swimming under these painted floating islands, to crop off what it lists.

There were scarcely any gelatinous animals in the sea this day; but many Janthina shells and Velella were round the ship, to which were attached barnacles of different species; amongst this group of islands numerous crabs were swimming about and running over them. Animals resembling a wood-louse were also in the sea, swimming and running about the floating shells and barnacles.

We caught also a new species of Janthina, the float of which, instead of being nearly round and extending over the shell on each side, was spread like a spiral fold from the shell; the breadth of this fold was 0.45 inch, close to the mouth of the shell, and it gradually tapered off to a point, its length being 3.6 inches. This float being curved round like the tail of an animal, the whole thing bore the appearance of being a sort of snake, of which the shell was the head; the sailors called them caterpillars before I had examined them. The float was composed of two parts, one of which was only froth and the other was apparently some extraneous substance attached to the froth. The shell is very different from those of the other nautili in being much more deeply indented with circular striae.

July 18. South latitude 19 degrees 49 minutes; west longitude 3 degrees 10 minutes 15 seconds.

We have lately caught several specimens of Creseis. Each consists of a cylindrical tube, increasing in size from its broadest extremity to the centre where it is thickest, and decreasing from the centre to its other extremity, where it becomes a fine point. It is throughout its extent gelatinous, transparent, and of strong consistency.

There is apparently a valve at its broadest extremity.

Length 1.1 inch. Breadth in centre 0.1 inch. Breadth at mouth of wide extremity 0.08 inch.

We have several times caught a triangular, transparent, gelatinous animal; it is 0.18 inch in thickness, and in the outer pulpy gelatinous mass there is an interior sac, and strong muscular bands are marked across this. The sac is composed of three lobes, two of which have apparently no external opening, whilst at the end of the main lobe there is one which closes with a valve; through this I have seen them take in little animals, which reached no farther than the centre, from which the lobes radiate, when the sac became violently agitated, and made strong efforts to expel the foreign substance. This animal was very sensitive, more particularly about the opening of the entrance.

We caught today the lower part of the species of Diphyes which we had found on the 13th November 1837, in 30 degrees 7 minutes south latitude, in the Indian Ocean. This animal is thus distributed over a wide range.

We also found a very minute species of the animal similar to one which we caught on July 1st 1840. Those we caught today were scarcely 0.05 inches in diameter. They unfolded little wings and flew with them in precisely the way those did which I described on that day.

Nothing I have seen is more remarkable than the flight of these little animals; their wings are milk white and very large for their body, and as they fly, the ends, from their pliancy, bend over, which imparts to the motion a very graceful appearance; these wings are composed of a very fine membrane like that forming the wings of a bat. At one time these little animals hovered over a single spot like a bird of prey in the air, flapping their wings in just the same manner. At another time they darted forward with great rapidity, and the vibration of their wings was so rapid that I could not count them. When folded up they look like very minute gelatinous animals with a black internal spot, but when touched their shell can be felt. We saw a shoal of whales today.

We have caught lately a great many small animals, of which the following is the description; they swim about from one floating substance to another and are eaten by the little crabs which are numerous in these seas.

Length of body 0.18 inch. Length of anterior part of body 0.1 inch. Length of posterior part of body 0.08 inch. Length of tail 0.08 inch. Breadth across back 0.05 inch. Depth from back to bottom of breast 0.06 inch.

Head and eyes, deep brilliant prussian blue; body brilliant prussian blue with a bluish green stripe on each side; tail white. Seen through a microscope these animals appear to be a beautiful dark burnished blue mottled with silver. The head is remarkably round and regular.

The body is divided into two portions. The anterior portion is made up of six rings or shields, which lap over one another, and it is furnished with three legs on each side which terminate in a hooked claw; the posterior part is covered by three shields, and there was only one leg on each side. I could not make out any tentaculae or antennae.

I was much struck by a curious circumstance today. As we caught a great many gelatinous animals I thought this a good opportunity of taking their temperature, which, after an observation so carefully made that no error could occur, was found to be 66 degrees 5 Fahrenheit, the temperature of the air at the same time being 74 degrees. The temperature of the water was now taken and was found to be 2 degrees 5 minutes more than that of the animals; thus giving these animals a temperature lower than that of the fluid in which they were immersed. I conceived that some error must have been made in the temperature of the water, it was therefore taken again and found to be 69 degrees as before; this appeared to me so remarkable that I drew up a table of all the experiments which had been made on this subject, the result of which is that the mean temperature of these kinds of animals appears to be 64 degrees 9 minutes Fahrenheit; and that the greatest variation in excess is 1 degree 7 minutes; and in defect 2 degrees 9 minutes Fahrenheit. Is it possible, then, that an animal can live in a fluid, the temperature of which is constantly varying, and preserve nearly a mean heat?

In the following tables I have entered every experiment but one which was made on the 17th of June, and in which I believe the animals to have been kept too long out of water.

(Experiments to determine the temperature of gelatinous animals which inhabit the sea:

Experiments to determine the temperature of shellfish inhabiting the open ocean:)

This last experiment was made from a sickly specimen which had been kept for some time in the water: the temperature of water above given is for that in which this animal was kept.

We caught again today many animals of the same family (Glaucus) as those of which a description is given in the journal for the 17th of June.

Also many shrimp-like animals (Alima) the bodies of which were divided distinctly into an interior and posterior portion; all the shrimp-like animals which we have caught whose bodies are thus divided swim by doubling up the posterior part close to the anterior, and then giving a stroke with great rapidity outwards. These little animals are very susceptible, and when they have been in the least injured their limbs remain in so constant a state of tremor that the motion communicated by them resembles that which would be caused by the passage of a rapid succession of electric shocks, rather than any other I am acquainted with.

GEOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS AT ST. HELENA.

July 21.

After visiting Longwood and Napoleon's tomb we rode to Flagstaff Hill to search for fossil shells. The whole soil that I saw was composed of decomposed old volcanic rocks; but I saw no rock but basalt in different stages of decomposition; sometimes it assumed the form of porphyry. I also saw veins of quartz, gypsum, and jasper. On a part of Flagstaff Hill there was a thin stratum of calcareous earth, in which shells are found. My hip was so painful that I could not climb to the point where these were, but an artillery soldier ascended and brought down some, and of these I had several specimens given me; they are found associated with bones which are apparently those of birds. None of these bones were given to me but I saw and examined several specimens. The shells are very numerous at this point.

On returning into town I found several specimens of dead land shells, apparently recent; these lay on the sides of the hills, partly buried in the soil, and bore the appearance of having been washed into this position by the heavy rains.

July 22.

Rode over in the morning to Longwood, and then proceeded to Gregory's Valley, lying between Longwood and The Barn. This valley, nearly 1700 feet in depth, appears at one period to have been the scene of great volcanic disturbances. The lowest rock I saw was a compact porphyritic one. The upper strata of basalt were in a state of rapid decomposition; but the whole of the valley was traversed by basaltic dykes in every direction; these crossed one another in such a way that it was easy to tell their relative ages; for instance several of them were in the form of:

So that one had been forced from its position by another long subsequently to its formation.

The general form of Gregory's Valley is a large basin bounded by a lofty precipitous mountain on one side called The Barn, and having a very narrow opening seaward, through which a small stream has cut its way. A remarkable circumstance connected with the basaltic dykes is that they are composed of a more compact basaltic rock than the basalt which they penetrate, so that whilst the rock has mouldered away these basaltic dykes have remained standing; and, as in the progress of their decay they split up, they present the appearances of walls built by human hands, with regular layers of stones, and which traverse the ravines of the island in all directions.

As might be expected, I found regular basaltic crystals in this valley, and also a variety of quartz ore, and other crystals, in the veins traversing the basalt. I also found the following remarkable section:

This was in a side valley or ravine leading from Gregory's Valley in a southerly direction.

On going down to the sea I found many species of starfish. I brought away three species of these with me. Two Species Pentagonal; one species Quadrilateral.

First species Pentagonal length of side 0.55 inch. Second species Pentagonal length of side 0.50 inch. Quadrilateral length of side 0.55 inch.

I found a sort of worm in the coral which had the power of extending its head like an English worm; its body then appeared to be composed of two portions, the fore part being much slighter than the other. Its dimensions were:

Length of fore part of body 0.4 inch. Length of hind part 0.6 inch. Breadth, or diameter of cylinder 0.1 inch.

In the coral there was also another insect, not unlike a centipede.

Length 0.9 inch. Breadth at head 0.08 inch.

In the inmost recesses of the coral there was a minute bivalve shell and also a very minute species of crab.

One remarkable circumstance relating to St. Helena is that it is of a basaltic formation exactly resembling that of the Isle of France and the North-west of New Holland; and that, although so widely separated in longitude, these places lie in nearly the same latitude.

When you quit the sandstone ranges of the North-west of Australia reptiles which have been before very numerous at once become scarce. I never saw a snake in this great basaltic district although there were plenty in the sandstone. This however is only negative evidence. Brookes, in his History of St. Helena (second edition page 24) says: "There are neither frogs, toads, nor snakes in the island." In the Isle of Bourbon there are neither toads nor snakes. In the Mauritius likewise there are neither toads nor snakes, and only one species of frog, whilst the bones of the land tortoise (Testudo indica) are only found in a fossil state. Also, the highest land in St. Helena is 2800 feet; in the Mauritius about 2900 feet (scarcely); and in the volcanic district of North-west Australia about the same height.

July 26. At sea.

We caught a great variety of shrimp-like animals; these little things when disturbed emitted a brilliant phosphorescent light. We saw scarcely any gelatinous animals.

July 29.

Caught two small crabs (Nautilograpsus); these species have the power of swimming by means of the fringe-like fins with which their legs are provided. Several other crabs were also caught; some with their eggs attached, and two varieties of shrimp-like animals with eggs. Where these were abundant the sea was very luminous. Four or five of these were of a brilliant prussian blue colour, with silver-coloured spots on the back; others were of a very delicate pink colour; the tentaculae of both of them were of a delicate prussian blue colour.

We also caught a species of small Janthina, nearly resembling those we had found before, but they were larger; moreover the species of barnacle attached to them was totally different from any we had before found, as if each species of nautilus had its own kind of parasite. This is worthy of attention.

August 8.

We found a species of Halobates which swam rapidly with the short legs foremost, and the foremost legs appeared to be furnished with a fringe to give them that power. The colour of the legs, dark prussian blue; body of a silver colour in front, with a prussian blue colour behind; under part of the body, near the tail, three consecutive striae of a silver colour, separated from one another by a line of prussian blue. I have never seen this animal before.

August 9.

Caught two or three small insects, somewhat resembling a bug, of a dirty brick colour and several minute species of Diphyes and small jellyfish.

August 19.

Caught a small Janthina nearly resembling those we had formerly seen, also a small crab, two new species of gelatinous animals, and a Velella.

August 20.

Several fish, resembling an eel in shape, were caught today; they were of different sizes, and some of them gave a slight shock on being touched. They were marked across the back with alternate striae of silver, and various shades of brown and black, though there were scarce two marked exactly alike. They had a transparent dorsal and two pectoral fins, which were all I observed, and a long thin snout or beak; the mouth was just at the end of it, on the top: some of them were thorny on the back; we caught also some crabs; a very minute blue fish; a black and red insect resembling a flea; a species of Diphyes; a very small kind of polypus; and one or two small jellyfish. A land bird flew on board today.

In 26 degrees north latitude we entered a portion of the sea covered with patches of seaweed, around which swarmed numerous eel-like fish, crabs, shrimps, and little blue fish; these last swam under those floating islands, sometimes leaving them for a little distance, but they always returned or swam to another: the crabs crawled in and out amongst the seaweed, and other fish of a large size came to these spots to deposit their spawn, so that we were in an archipelago of floating islands teeming with busy inhabitants and animal enjoyment.

August 21.

There were a great many crabs of different kinds and sizes caught today; two kinds of shrimps, one marked across with alternate striae of silver and dark brown; it had no antennae, and had apparently been hurt, as I could only see some very short legs; the rest appeared to be of the same kind as others recently caught, except being of a lighter colour. Some eel-fish of the same kind as yesterday. There were two other small blue insects caught; unfortunately none have been preserved as they were put in the same glass with the shrimps and were instantly eaten by them. The crabs also ate two small blue fish that were caught. No jellyfish were seen.

August 24.

Some of the eel-like fish, two or three shrimps, a new species of dypha, various kinds of crabs, and a large species of Physalis, were caught today.

August 25.

Caught various kinds of crabs, some minute shells, and a small curious insect, quite new to me, of a bright blue colour; the shrimps appear to be very fond of these insects, seizing them the instant they are put into the glass with them. We caught shrimps of all colours and sizes, many of them very beautiful; some were of a pale gold colour with bright blue spots; others with different shades of brown, and blue, white, or red spots. They all turned a dark red on being put into spirits. The smaller kinds had a round ball or excrescence on one side just below the head. I observed today that the eel-fish carries its eggs in a bag under the belly; the eggs were of a bright red colour. Two barnacles were caught; also a new and very remarkable fish.

August 28.

Caught today two of the fish of the same kind as the one taken on the 25th. It had a dorsal fin with 14 spines; a ventral fin; a tail, 16 spines; and in addition to these it had four pectoral fins resembling the claws of a frog, which it used much in the same manner that a lizard uses its claws. The upper pair of these were divided into two joints, the lower one of which was a perfect hand, terminating in ten claws, with which it could seize hold of any object, or expand and use it as a broad paddle, or fin. At the point where these arms are inserted into the body and immediately behind them are placed two tubes, one behind each arm. These form its gills, through which it expels the water taken in at its mouth; the lower pair of arms have only one apparent joint, and each of these hands are furnished with five claws; it has two protuberances which look like horns, one projects immediately between the eyes, and the other is situated between this and the dorsal fin, these are covered with little spines and it carries them erect. Its colour is pale yellow with brown spots and stripes on it; the spots about the head and upper arms are much darker than the others; about the stomach are little things resembling the wattles of the wattle-bird, they are of a brilliant white colour. It feeds on small shrimps, climbs about the weeds like a lizard, and at times swims like a fish and is very rapid and strong in its motions. It swells out the membranes about the spot where its gills ought to be, so as to puff itself out like a toad when it takes water in: its colour resembles that of the common English frog, and it looks remarkably like one when it sits on a piece of weed, resting on its claws and puffing out its cheeks. There are several lines of red stripes at the bottom of its stomach.

We caught also a great many shrimps and crabs; some of the shrimps were boiled and proved to be very good eating.

August 30.

At 5 hours 30 minutes P.M. a pine tree passed us, covered with barnacles and surrounded by fish, which swam about this floating island, eating such things as fell from it.

No portion of the globe is more thickly inhabited, or affords, in proportion to its size, a greater amount of animal enjoyment than did this wave-tossed isle. On it were innumerable barnacles, several species of teredo, one of which, having its head shaped like a screw split into two equal portions, I believe to have been quite new. Many varieties of crab and minute insects shaped like a slug fed on the seaweed growing on the log.

These last animals were of different lengths. They were shaped like a caterpillar and composed of fifty-six rings; the stomach could only be distinguished from the back by a sort of excrescence which grew on the latter; each ring or division of the body was furnished with two pairs of legs, one pair pointing downwards from the stomach, the other pair projecting from the back; these legs were composed of bristles, and by sticking them into the timber they were able to maintain their hold and to walk along. In thus progressing they drew into a case the legs of the rings they were going to move, and pushed them forward by means of the other legs, and then, letting down the legs they had drawn into the case, they stuck them into the wood and made good their ground. Their habit was to lie about amongst the weeds that grew on the tree or to creep into some large holes that were in it. They did not die when I took them out of water but lived for sixteen hours, and were then as well and strong as ever, only dying after they had been put into spirits.

I got also two pieces of stones from the roots of this tree; they were small, quite angular, and had been carried this distance from the continent of America without any appearance of being water-worn. This must often take place when trees are blown down and washed away by floods, and in this manner angular pieces of stone may be conveyed many miles from the rock from which they were derived by the agency of water, and yet not be water-worn.

August 31.

At 11 hours 30 minutes A.M. we found a portion of the timber of a ship on the water, containing animals similar to those on the pine-tree yesterday: this was perforated through and through by different species of teredo.

CHAPTER 8. THE OVERLANDERS.

CLASS OF PERSONS.

It is to be expected that a totally new state of things will, in recently settled countries, give rise to different orders or classes of men unknown in older lands, but who have been called into existence by novel circumstances, and whose energies have been so developed as best to suit the modifications which these hitherto unexperienced causes may produce. In collecting information regarding the condition of our settlements in Australia my attention was particularly drawn to the mode of life pursued by some of my enterprising fellow-countrymen, known there under the denomination of Overlanders, and which is characterised by several remarkable peculiarities well deserving of observation, particularly at a time when so many young and adventurous spirits are looking towards that continent as the land of their future fortunes and home.

CHARACTER OF THE OVERLANDERS.

The Overlanders are nearly all men in the prime of youth, whose occupation it is to convey large herds of stock from market to market and from colony to colony. Urged on by the hope of profit, they have overcome difficulties of no ordinary kind, which have made the more timid and weak-hearted quail, and relinquish the enterprises in which they were engaged; whilst the resolute and undaunted have persevered, and the reward they have obtained is wealth, self-confidence in difficulties and dangers, and a fund of accurate information on many interesting points. Hence almost every Overlander you meet is a remarkable man.

The Overlanders are generally descended from good families, have received a liberal education (Etonians and Oxonians are to be found amongst them) and even at their first start in the colonies were possessed of what is considered an independence. Their grandfathers and fathers have been men distinguished in the land and sea service of their country; and these worthy scions of the ancient stock, finding no outlet for their enterprise and love of adventure at home, have sought it in a distant land; amongst them therefore is to be found a degree of polish and frankness rarely to be looked for in such a mode of life, and in the distant desert you unexpectedly stumble on a finished gentleman.

THEIR ADVENTUROUS MODE OF LIFE.

The life of an Overlander in the bush is one of great excitement which constantly calls every energy into action, is full of romantic and novel situations, and habituates the mind to self-possession and command. The large and stately herd of cattle is at least a fine if not even an imposing sight. The fierce and deadly contests which at times take place with the natives, when two or three hardy Europeans stand opposed to an apparently overwhelming majority of blacks, call for a large share of personal courage and decision; whilst the savage yells and diabolic whoops of the barbarians in their onsets, their fantastically painted forms, their quivering spears, their contortions, and shifting of their bodies, and their wild leaps, attach a species of romance to these encounters which affords plentiful matter for after-meditation. As the love of war, of gaming, or of any other species of violent excitement, grows upon the mind from indulgence, so does the love of roving grow upon the Overlanders, and few or none of them ever talk of leading a settled life.

SUDDEN ACCUMULATION OF WEALTH.

And it is not to be wondered at that the young and ardent eagerly embrace a line of life so replete with exciting events and incidents, and which at once enriches the successful speculator, and fills with plenty and prosperity the region which he enters. The first individual who opens a market, which no other Overlander has yet visited, rides into the district an ill clothed way-worn traveller; the residents do not at first deign to cast a glance upon him till presently it is noised about that an overland party has arrived, that a route from the stock districts has been formed, and that the incalculable advantage of abundance of cattle at a cheap rate has been secured; landed property instantaneously rises, perhaps to double the value it had a few hours before; numbers of persons find themselves suddenly made rich without an exertion on their own part, and from all sides individuals flock to see their benefactor. The ill clothed way-worn traveller now finds himself at once invested with the dignity of a conqueror. On all hands he is feted, dinners are given to him, a piece of plate presented, and as he feels the sweets of renown and of the wealth which he has won he meditates fresh conquests on the trackless desert, new adventures with his tried stockmen, and further acquisitions of riches.

EFFECTS OF THEIR ENTERPRISES.

Then comes a strange change over the unoccupied Overlander; he has brought with him every head of stock which he could muster, and in the course of a few days his last beast is disposed of; his establishment is broken up, he awakes some morning and finds himself a rich man, but he has no stock; he has so much money but no cattle. He no longer follows the long array of his stately herd and bleating flocks, his loaded drays and bearded stockmen, through the free wilderness; no longer regulates and watches their perilous course through the intricate ford of a deep river, or stands upon some solitary hill to reconnoitre the trackless country and select the line along which the motley assemblage is to pass. He is now an idle unoccupied gentleman, the inhabitant of a boarding-house, with no object in the world before him; but ere long the plans of fresh achievements and speculations are sketched out. You see a muster of bearded weather-beaten men, carrying short-handled whips. The Overlander enters the group, a short consultation takes place, and in a day or two more himself and his followers are under weigh for some district where he can purchase stock cheapest and make a good start for another market.

MAGNITUDE OF THEIR OPERATIONS.

The magnitude of the operations of the Overlanders would scarcely be credited; a whole fortune is risked, and in the wilderness: its safety depends upon good guidance; yet far from being intimidated by the thought the adventurers are only stimulated to a greater degree of activity. The stock of an Overlander is the capital which he has invested in a single speculation; and to give an idea of the amount of this I will show, at a moderate estimate, the value of a herd, the property of an Overlander who arrived in Adelaide in the month of March 1840 from the district of Illawarra, New South Wales.

HORNED CATTLE.

260 Cows, many broken in. 230 Bullocks, 3 1/2 years old and upwards. 190 Steers, 2 1/2 years old and upwards. 39 Steers, 1 1/2 years old and upwards. 70 Heifers, two to three years old. 32 Heifers, one to two years old. 9 Bulls. 5 Calves. 20 Working Bullocks, two shafters.

855 Total head of Horned Cattle.

HORSES.

22 Mares, all in foal, 3 to 5 years old. 5 do., 5 to 8 years old. 7 Fillies, do., 2 to 3 years old. 3 do., rising 3 years, not in foal. 5 do., rising 2 years, not in foal. 10 Saddle and Draught Horses. 5 Colts, rising 4 years old. 1 Colt, rising 3 years old. 1 Colt, rising 2 years old. 1 Blood Stallion. 1 Draught entire Horse. 1 Entire Pony.

62 Total number of Horses.

900 Fat Wethers.

AMOUNT OF STOCK VENTURES.

Now, striking a low average, the value in pounds of this herd of cattle, horses, and sheep, in South Australia, was:

Horned Stock 8,550. Horses 3,720. Wethers 1,575.

Total: 13,845 pounds.

But between this and an ordinary mercantile risk no parallel can be drawn. A merchant insures his cargo so that his total loss can but be a small portion of the whole. The Overlander cannot do this with his stock and runs a far greater proportionate risk. It must also be borne in mind that the statement of the herd, which I have above given, does not include all that started for South Australia, but only the survivors, who, after traversing so many hundred miles, reached in safety the destined mart.

INFLUX OF STOCK TO SOUTH AUSTRALIA.

When the Overlanders drive sheep alone, without horned stock or horses, the number of heads is much increased, as from 8000 to 12,000 sheep are brought over at one time. They are driven in separate flocks of about 1000 each, and these follow one another in regular succession. The value of a flock of 6000 sheep cannot be estimated under 10,500 pounds.

RAPID INCREASE OF WEALTH IN NEW SETTLEMENTS.

So much for the operations of single parties; but when once a road to a new market is opened numbers follow up the tracks of the first hardy adventurer, and the operations of the whole combined are not less startling in their magnitude than are those of enterprising individuals. From New South Wales into the province of South Australia the Overlanders introduced, in 1839:

4,200 Head of Horned Cattle, 130 Horses, 35,000 Sheep;

and within the three succeeding months of 1840, upwards of:

7,000 Head of Horned Cattle, 100 Horses, 25,000 Sheep;

making, in fifteen months, a total of:

11,200 Head of Horned Cattle, 230 Horses, 60,000 Sheep.

The value in pounds of the above stock being in the whole about:

Horned Cattle 112,000, Horses 13,800, Sheep 105,000,

Total: 230,800 pounds.

And this wonderful amount of stock was brought into a country which, three years before, only resounded to the war-cry of the naked savage; and the soil of which, hardened, baked, and unstirred for centuries, nursed not within its bosom seeds from which a plenteous harvest might spring, but, as if irritated by neglect and indifference, gave forth unwillingly only acid roots and scanty bulbs.

PROSPERITY CREATED BY THE OVERLANDER.

The first entrance of an Overlander into a district may be compared to the rising of the Nile upon the thirsty land of Egypt; then does the country bear fruit and the land give forth her increase, he enters the district silently, noiselessly, unexpectedly, but his influence is soon felt everywhere; merchant vessels can now obtain cargoes of wool, and no longer sail empty away. England receives raw materials, and in exchange are sent out luxuries and manufactured goods. New clearings are made by the farmer, who has now abundance of manure; the artisan plies useful trades, and ceases to labour in the place of beasts of draught or burden; hateful scurvy, the scourge of new colonies, is expelled, not by medicine, but by fresh meat, milk, and vegetables. But the worker of all this good is unmindful of it; he has bargained to get the highest price he can for his stock, and is already plotting new enterprises; he sought to serve himself, not others, and has accomplished both.

The first Overlander having entered a district nothing can check the tide that follows on. It is in vain for him to declare (perhaps really conscientiously) that he conceives the risk of loss of stock to be so great that none should undertake the journey; this is only ascribed to his cupidity and a desire to keep others out of the market; HE has done it, and why cannot more? This argument is irresistible, and adventurer after adventurer marches upon his track.

CONSEQUENCES OF HIS SUCCESS UPON OTHERS.

Now comes a hurrying into the new district of speculators from the old colonies: the fact of a road being found to it from the stock country is a guarantee that it will succeed, and it is in a new settlement that the largest profits are realized. These arrivals bring with them from the older colonies experience, capital, and extensive connexions; fresh sources of industry and speculation are at once opened up by them; all town-land and landed property to be purchased at a cheap rate they secure; money circulates from hand to hand, and an impetus is given, and a progress made, which must be seen to be credited.

OPENINGS TO WEALTH IN NEW COLONIES.

The tide of emigration coming in from the older colonies is a certain sign of rapid success; those who arrive from these places are men who have done well in the first country of their adoption; but to this they had repaired when it was thinly inhabited, when land was of very low value and to be procured near the capital; there they have realized largely, but it appears to them that nearly all the good things have now been picked up; property has attained such a value that it rises but slowly, indeed is almost stationary in price; and the country is so largely stocked that they are driven to establish their sheep-stations at such a distance from the sea coast that the expense of the transport of their wool thither greatly detracts from its value. Under these circumstances once again do they emigrate, to repeat in a new land the operations which have before yielded them so lucrative a return; and, strong in past experience, they smile at the errors committed by the younger settlers, from which they reap many advantages.

ITS EFFECTS UPON ALL CLASSES.

But time and intellect are all worth much more in Australia than they are in England, and everyone can realize upon his capital and speculate profitably upon his intelligence, activity, and strength; for all of these he gets paid, hence but few men are willing to follow professions. Clergymen too often turn farmers and speculators, even if they do not altogether throw aside their sacred character. Medical men but rarely pursue their practice, when such remunerating fields of enterprise are laid open to them; soldiers abandon their calling; and the government officers are all virtually farmers and stock-owners.

This is to be expected, from the character of man. In a new colony everything increases rapidly in worth—a landed estate which can be bought in the early stages of its existence at a mere nominal price grows yearly in value without a penny being expended upon it; stock increases in a geometrical ratio, at little or no cost, for there is plenty of land to pasture them upon. Nothing of this kind either does or can take place in England; and when the settler finds how changed his prospects are, and how new means of acquiring wealth are opened to him, he too often devotes his every thought and energy to the one object; and so far will this passion lead men that I have known an honourable member of council and leading magistrate in a colony take out a retail license, and add to his already vast wealth from the profits of a gin shop.