PRELIMINARY CHAPTER

Purpose of this Chapter—­Name of Australia—­Impressions of its early Visitors—­Character of the Australian rivers—­Author’s first view of Port Jackson—­Extent of the Colony of New South Wales—­its rapid advances in prosperity—­Erroneous impressions—­Commercial importance of Sydney—­Growth of fine wool—­Mr. M’Arthur’s meritorious exertions—­Whale-fishery—­Other exports—­Geographical features—­Causes of the large proportion of bad soil—­Connection between the geology and vegetation—­Geological features—­ Character of the soil connected with the geological formation—­County of Cumberland—­Country westward of the Blue Mountains—­Disadvantages of the remote settlers—­Character of the Eastern coast—­Rich tracts in the interior—­Periodical droughts—­The seasons apparently affected by the interior marshes—­Temperature—­Fruits—­Emigrants:  Causes of their success or failure—­Moral disadvantages—­System of emigration recommended—­Hints to emigrants—­Progress of inland discovery—­Expeditions across the Blue Mountains—­Discoveries of Mr. Evans, Mr. Oxley, and others—­Conjectures respecting the interior.

PURPOSE OF THIS PRELIMINARY CHAPTER.

When I first determined on committing to the press a detailed account of the two expeditions, which I conducted into the interior of the Australian continent, pursuant to the orders of Lieutenant General Darling, the late Governor of the Colony of New South Wales, it was simply with a view of laying their results before the geographical world, and of correcting the opinions that prevailed with regard to the unexplored country to the westward of the Blue Mountains.  I did not feel myself equal either to the task or the responsibility of venturing any remarks on the Colony of New South Wales itself.  I had had little time for inquiry, amidst the various duties that fell to my lot in the ordinary routine of the service to which I belonged, when unemployed by the Colonial Government in the prosecution of inland discoveries.  My observations had been in a great measure confined to those points which curiosity, or a desire of personal information, had prompted me to investigate.  I did not, therefore, venture to flatter myself that I had collected materials of sufficient importance on general topics to enable me to write for the information of others.  Since my return to England, however, I have been strenuously urged to give a short description of the colony before entering upon my personal narrative; and I have conversed with so many individuals whose ideas of Australia are totally at variance with its actual state, that I am encouraged to indulge the hope that my observations, desultory as they are, may be of some interest to the public.  I am strengthened in this hope by the consideration that some kind friends have enabled me to add much valuable matter to that which I had myself collected.  It is not my intention,