ADELAIDE.

I have spoken, in a former chapter, of my astonishment at first seeing Sydney; but certainly the same feeling was roused in a still greater degree by the first appearance of Adelaide; although I was prepared for something great by what I had heard of the multitudes that had flocked thither from the mother country.  In truth a noble city had in the course of four years sprung, as if by magic, from the ground, wearing such an appearance of prosperity and wealth that it seemed almost incredible it could have existed but for so short a time.

GOVERNOR GAWLER’S POLICY.

The fact is that this was mainly owing to the liberal expenditure of the governor, Colonel Gawler, who saw the policy at the earliest possible opportunity of making adequate preparation for the stream of population that was so rapidly flowing in.  Every public building was erected on a scale to suit the anticipated splendour of the colony, and in so substantial a manner, that it will be long ere another outlay becomes necessary.  That this was the best line of conduct to adopt, most persons, on reflection, will acknowledge.  In New Zealand, for example, much of the disturbances that have arisen may be attributed to the fact of so many settlers arriving before sufficient preparation had been made for their reception.

Much fault has been found with Colonel Gawler’s military display, as it is called; in other words, with his raising a corps of volunteers.  But the necessity of this may be presumed from the facts, that Sir Charles Napier, the conqueror of Scinde, as we learn from his own pen, refused the government, because a military force was not to be sent with him; and that it has been found advisable to place a body of troops at the disposal of Colonel Gawler’s successor.

I paid a visit to the port, distant from the town about five miles, made easy by an excellent macadamized road, carried, in some places, on a causeway over a swamp, and forming a great and imperishable monument of the Governor’s enterprising spirit.  The port reminded me of one of the quiet mangrove creeks on the North coast, except that it had only one bend, changing from a northerly to a south-westerly direction, which at certain times of the day renders it navigable, with a fair wind, each way.  For instance, the seabreeze will take a vessel out through the northerly part, and next morning she will have the land breeze to carry her the rest of the distance; whilst, alternating, the same breeze serves to take ships in.  The mouth of the port is well marked with black and white buoys; and a light vessel is moored off the entrance, with pilots in attendance; a red buoy is on the bar, where at high-water there is sometimes 15 feet, but the tides are very irregular, being much higher with south-west winds; the general rise was about four feet.

MR. EYRE’S EXPEDITION.