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WANT OF A WIFE.

We were pressed to remain there the day, and start next morning; but the smoke was blown into the room in such clouds, that we were fairly smothered out of the place, and thought it advisable to proceed. When we bade adieu to our friend, who was giving directions to some men digging trenches for planting vines, in a shawl dressing-gown, with scarlet-morocco slippers on his feet, he seemed rather annoyed at our departure.

Why was he so odd and untidy, so comfortless and careless? Not because he had not the means of being otherwise, for he possessed a fine run of goodly flock, but simply because he had no wife. We hope

Mr. W—— will change his state before we Wvisit him again. On our journey we lunched at a house, the very opposite of this in comfort, neatness, and really, we might say, in elegance. A neat verandah ran round the building, interlaced with creepers, the passion-flower and jessamine, with a very pretty terraced garden. Within, the apartments had the air of well-furnished English drawing-rooms, and we were waited upon by a

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page in green broadcloth, variegated with buttons. This abode belonged to one of the earliest settlers on the downs; his wife, whom we discovered in course of conversation to be a native, (born in Australia,) was a lady-like person, pretty, lively, and accomplished, and doubtless to her taste he was indebted for so much comfort and elegance. It was quite a cottage ornée. She had never been out of her own country. While discussing the relative merits of England and Australia, we pleaded in favour of the former, that if there were fogs and a gloomy climate, we had no apprehension of being stung by venomous serpents. She admitted that this was a great drawback; but that, lest the creepers should harbour any, and an accident occur, she was always prepared with antidotes, as she had a great terror of being bitten. Although we think Australia a splendid country, we had too much of the "amor patriæ" to concede everything to it. A gentleman, who was standing, as English gentlemen usually do, before the fire, to the exclusion of every one else wishing to enjoy

it, with his hands behind the flaps of his coat, quite "à son aise," said England was only fit to live in, if a man had ten thousand pounds a year. This made a person of our humble origin and moderate notions look at him again. What a curiosity to pick up a man, who could not live at home upon less than the income of the next Bishop of London, vegetating in the bush of Australia! We ventured to suggest that many members of clubs managed to live upon half-pay, pretty comfortably, although of course very economically. And added, that we thought Major Pendennis, as described by our old schoolfellow Thackeray, contrived to get on well enough, without Tittlebat Titmouse's Whaddo estate, wearing his gold eyeglasses, through which he read with rage and horror the passionate declaration of his nephew's love for the actress.

Our new acquaintance certainly had a "poco curante" manner, and an air of "nonchalance" about him, which made us curious to learn something of his history.

It appeared that this Australian Brummel

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was a gentleman by birth, and had been one of those numberless hangers-on about town, who can only spend money and lose it, but without energy or industry to earn any for themselves; one of the nati consumere fruges." He is now the acting superintendant of the adjoining station, and can there at leisure devise plans for spending ten thousand pounds per annum, i. e. if he ever gets such an income, of which there is as much probability as of old-fashioned Toryism and defunct Protection coming to life again.

It must not be supposed that serpents are so abundant as to render residence in the colony dangerous. At certain seasons of the year they emerge from their winter hidingplaces, and occasionally you may hear that some one has been bitten, in gathering firewood, and breaking up the decayed branches, in which they nestle. There are three sorts -the carpet snake, black snake, and deaf adder, which last is as poisonous as the cobra de capella: coldness and rigidity of muscular action supervening immediately,

the patient expires in half an hour after being attacked. An ipecacuanha poultice is the best remedy to apply. The largest serpent of this kind will gorge an opossum the size of an ordinary cat.

After having tasted at this squatter's, for the first time, the colonial wine, made at Camden, on Mr. M'Arthur's estate, which we found palatable enough, very like the light-coloured Rhenish wines, we proceeded on our way, and arrived tired and chafed after a long ride at Mr. M.'s, where we remained during the greater portion of three days. The downs before us, reminded us of Newmarket Heath, with spurs on each side thrown out from the main range; a flat open country, as far as the eye could see. Mr. M. possesses a very valuable station, and in the course of a few years, with small capital and untiring perseverance, has accumulated nearly a lac of rupees. There was plenty of game here, quails, plovers, ducks, and large full snipe, some of which we tasted for dinner. Owing perhaps to the mode of cooking, the game is hard and dry. The next station we