It will appear from the above, that Mr. Cannan did not proceed farther to the westward than Fowler’s Bay, and that he did not therefore prolong his survey to the western limits of the Colony, by a distance of about five leagues, since the 132 degrees meridian falls on that coast a little to the westward of Cape Adieu, and between 12 and 15 leagues from the bottom of the Great Australian Bight.

Although some of the bays and harbours I have described in running along its coast, are not so good as might be desired, yet it is evident that, as a maritime country, South Australia is particularly favoured, not only in having anchorage of the safest description, but also in possessing two or three known harbours, capable of containing ships in any number or any size, and as safe and capacious as any in the world.  Looking indeed at Port Adelaide, one cannot but admire its appropriate and convenient position.  Had such a harbour not existed there, the produce of that fertile portion of the Province would hardly have been available to the inhabitants in the shape of exports, so difficult would it have been to have found another harbour of equal security, or of equal size, for the commercial wants of the settlers.  Added to this, it has the double advantage of being close to the capital, being so easy of access, and in so central a position, as to be able to communicate with the neighbouring colonies with the greatest ease.

It will be remembered that I stated in the former part of my work, that the remarkable wall forming the Great Australian Bight, was thrown up simultaneously with the great fossil bed of the Murray.

As the principal object of the Expedition into Central Australia was to ascertain the past and present structure of the Continent, I have been led to allude to the subject again, in consequence of two or three remarks in Mr. Cannan’s letter, which has been quoted above, bearing strongly upon it, and corroborative of the hypothesis I have entertained as proving a striking uniformity in the rock formation of those two localities.  To those remarks I would beg to call the attention of my readers.  They will be found at the commencement and termination of the last paragraph.

CHAPTER II.

Plains of Adelaide—­bridges over the Torrens—­site of
Adelaide—­government house buildings and
churches—­schools—­poli
ce—­roads—­the Gawler—­Barossa range—­the Murray
belt—­Moorundi—­natives on the Murray—­distant stock stations—­mount
Gambier district—­its richness—­ascent to mount lofty—­mount Barker
district—­scene in Hindmarsh valley—­proportion of soil in the
province—­pastoral and agricultural—­port Lincoln—­climate of south
Australia—­range of the thermometer—­salubrity.