Part 23 (1/2)

It is a remarkable fact, but one that I believe I have already adverted to, that the farther north, towards the valley of the Wakefield, the more denuded of timber the country becomes, until at last not a tree of any kind can be seen These extensive and open downs are, nevertheless, well grassed, and covered with a profusion of orchideous plants Whether, however, there is any salt present in the soil, to check the growth of the trees, it is impossible to say Undoubtedly many of the ponds in the Wakefield, as well as other parts of the province are brackish, but the same denuded state of the country exists not any where else These districts are far too valuable to be overlooked, and are therefore extensively occupied by cattle and sheep My most worthy friend, Mr

Charles Campbell, and my companion Mr John Browne, and his brother, both occupy the most distant stations to the north Mr Campbell has one of the finest cattle runs in the province, and my comrade, I believe, is perfectly satisfied with his run The condition of their cattle and sheep would at all events lead to the conclusion, that neither suffer from the nature of the water they drink or the pasture on which they feed

As regards the general appearance of the wooded portion of the province, I would rees where the stringy-bark grows; in the pine forests, and where there are belts of scrub on barren or sandy ground, its character is that of open forest without the slightest undergrowth save grass The trees areto the locality, as well as enerally have on river flats, but the habit of the eucalyptus is, generally speaking, straggling in its branches In ly, and I had almost said judiciously distributed as to reseland, and it only wants the edifice to coood to bad land in the province has generally been considered as divisible into three parts; that is to say, land entirely unavailable--land adapted for pastoral purposes only, and land of a superior quality On due consideration, I am afraid this is not a correct estireatly preponderates over the other two If, in truth, keeping the distant interior entirely out of view, and confining our observations to those portions of the colony into which the settlers have pushed in search for runs, we look to the great extent of unavailable country between the Murray and the Mount Ga the line of the Murray belt, and the extensive tracts at the head of the Gulfs, we shall find that South Australia, from the very nature of its formation, has an undue proportion of waste land Those parts, however, which I haveunavailable, were once covered by the sea, and could hardly be expected to be other thansee theht to be put into the scale In this view of thethe hilly country only into account, the proportion of unavailable and of pastoral land may be nearly equal; but that of the better description will still, I think, fall short of the other two Taking South Australia in its length and breadth, the quantity of available land is, beyond doubt, very liood, and believe that its capabilities have by no means been ascertained I feel satisfied, indeed, that necessity will prove, not only, that the present pastoral districts are capable of reater number of stock upon them than they have hitherto borne, but that the province is also capable of bearing a very great amount of population; that it is peculiarly fitted for a rural peasantry, and that its agricultural products will be sufficient to supportor manufactures In this view of the subject it would appear that Providence has adapted the land towe can say, either in praise or censure of its natural capabilities, will have the effect of concealing either the one or the other, as tie crop of wheat is rather over than under twenty-five bushels to the acre In round is first cropped, it exceeds forty; and on some lands, once my own, in the Reed Beds, at the termination of the Torrens' river, five acres, which I sold to Mr Sparshott, averaged fifty-two bushels to the acre The Reed Beds may be said to be on the plains of Adelaide, and their very nature will account to the reader for the richness of their soil; but the soil of the plains is not generally good, excepting in such places where torrents descending from the hills have spread over portions, and covered thereater or less depth The average crop of wheat on the plains does not exceed twelve or fifteen bushels to the acre, and depends on the tiht sandy soil of the plains is much heavier than wheat

In the description I have thus endeavoured to give of South Australia, I have omitted any mention of the district of Port Lincoln, chiefly because sufficient was not known of it when I sailed for England to justifyany remark Recent advices from the colony state that a practicable line of route fro the western shore of Spencer's Gulf, and therefore, the disasters that overtook early explorers in that quarter, are not likely again to occur

It is farther said, that the number of sheep now depastured on the lands behind Port Lincoln, amounts to 70,000--a proof of the utility, if not the richness of the country--as far, however, as I am aware, the soil must be considered of an inferior description--in other respects, the Port has advantages that will always render it an agreeable, if not altogether a desirable residence It appears to be gradually i, but the amount of its population is still low, not more than sixty It is frequented by American and other whalers, but the duties collected add little to the revenues of the province Port Lincoln, however, could hardly now be abandoned, since there are considerable interests at stake there It has been stated that copper has been found in the interior, and I see no reason why it should not exist in the e, in such case an iiven to the whole district, that would even change its prospects, and increase the mercantile operations of the province

It does not appear to be the disposition of the English settlers to try experirowth of intertropical productions It must be admitted, however, that there are not many places in South Australia where they could be cultivated with advantage; for although both the plains of Adelaide and the valley of the Murray are warht potatoes, would necessarily injure, if they did not destroy, perennials, whilst in the hills the cold is adverse to any plants the growth of a tropical climate, if we except those which, as annuals, come to maturity in the course of a surowth of extraneous productions is neglected in South Australia, is the expense consequent on the state of the labour ht be followed there that would be rely difficult, however, to lead the pursuits of a community out of their ordinary course, and it is only where direct advantages are to be gained, that the spirit of enterprise and speculation breaks forth

The clirowth of fruit trees of the hardier tropical kinds, for although the tenderer kinds grow there also, they do not arrive at perfection The loquat, the guava, the orange, and the banana, are of sloth, but the vine, the fig, the polish fruit trees of every kind It is to be observed, that the climate of the plains of Adelaide and that of the hills are distinct I have been in considerable heat in the former at noon, and on the hills have been in frost in the evening The forest trees of Europe will grow in the ranges, but on the plains they languish; in the ranges also the gooseberry and the currant bear well, but in the gardens on the plains they are adranate will not mature in the open air, but enial to the climate arrive at reatest abundance The show of grapes in Mr Stephenson's garden in North Adelaide, and the show of apples and pluarden on the hills are fine beyond description, and could not be surpassed in any part of the world--it ined, therefore, that the intermediate fruit trees, such as the peach, the nectarine, the pear, the cherry, the greengage, and others, are of the orous habits All of the one season, is the best proof that can be given of their congeniality to the soil and climate of the province

There are in South Australia two periods of the year which are equally deceptive to the stranger The one is when the country is burnt up and suffering under the effects of suround swarrasshoppers--when a dry heat prevails in a cal up under the early rains and every thing is green Arriving at Adelaide during the first period, the stranger would hardly believe that the country, at any other season of the year, would be so clothed with herbage and look so fresh; arriving at the other, he would equally doubt the possibility of the vegetable kingdo laid so completely prostrate, or that the country could assues are common to every country under a similar latitude, and it would be unjust to set the ive the reader a correct idea of the range of the ther the hottest period of the day, and, therefore, nearest the truth

January 85 106 1/2 70 February 79 94 71 March 77 103 1/2 68 1/2 April 67 1/2 85 55 1/2 May 62 76 53 June 58 67 49 July 55 60 49 August 59 68 52 September 61 72 1/2 55 1/2 October 68 1/2 94 1/2 55 November 74 94 59 December 83 100 68

The west and south-inds are thefor 130 or 140 days in the year During the su the coast, but in the interior the wind generally co round with the sun settles at west in the afternoon

I need not point out to the reader, that the above table only shews thea certain hour of the day; the teht ht, indeed, generally speaking, makes up for the mid-day heat There are some days of the year when hot winds prevails, which are certainly very disagreeable, if not trying Their occurrence, however, is not frequent, and will be easily accounted for from natural causes They so which time clouds of dust fill the air, and inds cross the plains, but the dryness of the Australian ats on such occasions, and certainly produces a different effect upon the system from that which would be produced at a much lower temperature in a more humid climate; for, no doubt, it is to the united effects of heat and moisture, where they more or less exist, that the healthiness or unhealthiness of a country , either tea vapours, or malaria from dense woods or swamps naturally tries the constitution, but to its extreetable decay, it appears to eneral salubrity of South-east Australia is to be attributed So rarified, indeed, is the atmosphere, that it causes an elasticity of spirits unknown in a heavier te, are not felt in the degree we should be led to suppose Like the air the spirits are buoyant and light, and it is for its disagreeableness at the time, not any after effects that a hot wind is to be dreaded It is hot, and that is all you can say; you have a reluctance to move, and may not rest so well as usual; but the spirits are in no way affected; nor indeed, in the ordinary transactions of business does a hot wind htest difference If there are three or four ht or ninewhich the weather is splendid

Nothing can exceed the autuion, where the firht as it would appear from the summit of Mount Blanc In the s are cold, and occasionally the nights are frosty It is then necessary to put on warood surtout, buttoned across the breast, is neither an unco said thus eneral salubrity of the climate of South Australia, I would observe, in reference to what es of te or falling 50 degrees in an hour or two Whether it is owing to the properties I have ascribed, that the climate of this place as also of Sydney should be fatal to consumptive habits, I do not know, but in both places I have understood that such is the case, and in both I have had reason to regret instances It has been said that influenza prevailed last year in Adelaide to a great extent, and that it carried off a great many children and elderly persons An epidemic, similar in its syress, but it hardly seems probable that the epideh constant change of air, the best cure for such a disease, to so distant a part of the world With all its salubrity, indeed, I believe it may be said, that South Australia is subject to the more unimportant enous disorders of a dangerous kind, and that it is a country which may strictly be called one of the healthiest in the world, and will, in all probability, continue so, as long as it shall be kept clear of European diseases

Having thus endeavoured to give a description of the general character and climate of this limited but certainly beautiful portion of the Australian continent, without encu my description with any remark on the principal and particular sources of wealth it possesses, which not being usual, could not, or rather would not, have been considered applicable I hope the object I have had in vieill be sufficiently clear to the reader I have endeavoured to point out with an impartial pen, the real capabilities of the province, and the nature of those productions which are enial to her soil Without undue praise on the one hand, or unjust depreciation on the other, it has been my desire to present a faithful picture of her to my readers, and I hope it will appear from what I have said, as is really and truly the case, that both in climate and other respects it is a country peculiarly adapted to the pursuits and habits of land, as to be subject to light and partial frosts, which render it unfit for the cultivation of tropical productions, but ricultural country, capable of yielding as fine cereal grain as any country in the world, of whatever kind it reater rowth of a variety of fruits and vegetables, independently of European fruit trees and culinary herbs, which put it in the power of the settler to secure the enjoyreater luxuries and comforts, than he could possibly expect to have done in his own country, except at a great expense, and that as far as the two great desiderata go, on which I have been dwelling, it is a country to which an Englishrate with the most cheerful anticipations

CHAPTER III

SEASONS--CAUSE WHY SOUTH AUSTRALIA HAS FINE GRAIN--EXTENT OF CULTIVATION--AMOUNT OF STOCK--THE BURRA-BURRA MINE--ITS MAGNITUDE--ABUNDANCE OF MINERALS--ABSENCE OF COAL--SMELTING ORE--IMMENSE PROFITS OF THE BURRA-BURRA--EFFECT OF THE MINES ON THE LABOUR MARKET--RELUCTANCE OF THE LOWER ORDERS TO EMIGRATE--DIFFERENCE BETWEEN CANADA AND AUSTRALIA--THE AUSTRALIAN COLONIES--STATE OF SOCIETY--THE MIDDLE CLassES--THE SQUATTERS--THE GERMANS--THE NATIVES--AUTHOR'S INTERVIEWS WITH THEM--INSTANCES OF JUST FEELING--THEIR BAD QUALITIES--PERSONAL APPEARANCE--YOUNG SETTLERS ON THE MURRAY--CONCLUSION

It was my object in the last chapter, to confine ricultural and pastoral capabilities of the province of South Australia, which I thought I could not better do than by describing the nature of its cli powers of every country In speaking of the cli its seasons out of question for the ti to close my rericultural and pastoral interests of the colony at the present date

It will be borne in mind that the seasons of Australia are the reverse of our own; that when in England the ground is covered with snow, there the sun is hottest, and that when su our fruits, in Australia it is the coldest season of the year, Dece the suust, and September the winter ones An experience of ten years has shewn that the seasons of South Australia are exceedingly regular, that the rains set in within a few days of the sa the winter the ground gets abundantly saturated This regularity of season may be attributed to the almost insular position of the promontory of Cape Jarvis, and may be said to be almost local, in elucidation of which, I may refer to what I have stated in the former part of my work, of the state of the weather in the valley of the Murray when the expedition was proceeding up its banks in the ust, 1844 For some time before there had been heavy rains in the hills, and it ith so our stay at Moorundi, the ranges were covered with heavy clouds, and the ers; but the sky over the valley of the Murray was as clear as crystal,mists it is true curled up at early dawn from the bosom of its waters, but they were soon dissipated, and a sharp frosty night was succeeded by a day of surpassing beauty

The regularity, however, both in its co the rainy season in the colony, enables the agriculturist to calculate with certainty upon it, and the only anxiety of the farround sufficiently early, if possible, to escape the first hot winds In a region, portions of which are subject, it ht, this is no inconsiderable advantage, although South Australia is not singular in this respect, for the rainy seasons in the Port Phillip districts are, I believe, equally regular and more abundant, whilst the cliland; neither, indeed, fairly speaking, is South Australia hbours in the quality of her soil Van Dieranary of the southern seas, and there is unquestionably a very great proportion of the very best soil in the Port Phillip district

Nevertheless that of South Australia has yielded a finer and a heavier grain than has ever been produced in those colonies, but the reason of this is, that with a naturally rich soil to work upon, the agriculturists of South Australia have spared no pains in cultivating their lands, but there can be no doubt that with equal care and attention both the Vandemonians and the settlers of Port Phillip would produce an equally fine sample The farmers of South Australia have enhanced the value of their colony by their energy and skill in cultivating it, and can boast of having sent the finest saland that has ever been exhibited in her th and breadth, contains about 300,000 square miles, or in round numbers more than 190,000,000 acres The limits of location, however, do not exceed 4000 reat portion of desert country is included, or such, at least, as at the present moment is considered so Of the more available land, 470,000 acres have been purchased, but the extent of country occupied by sheep and cattle stations is not known

It may be necessary here to observe, that the returns of the land under cultivation last year were published after I left the colony; but the comparison between the two previous years will shew the increase and decrease of the different grains, sufficiently to establish the progress of agricultural pursuits in the colony In the year 1845, the number of acres of wheat soas 18,848 In 1846 it was 26,135 Of barley, there were in the former year 4,342 acres, in the latter only 3,490 Of oats, there were 1,485 in the first year, which, in 1846, increased to 1,963

It would thus appear, that the increase of cultivated land in the course of one year amounted to between 6000 and 7000 acres, and that riculturists were added to the list of landed proprietors The necessary consequence of such extensive far operations is that the produce far exceeds the wants of the settlers, and that there is a considerable surplus for exportation; the price of the best flour being from 12 pounds to 13 pounds per ton, whereas for a short period in 1839 it was 120 pounds!!!