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PREPARATIONS FOR WAR.

ing day, hastening on to the rendezvous where the battle was to be fought for this sable Helen, a contest which the writer was close to in his progress up the country. These natives, although of extremely indolent habits, will walk great distances at a time and with incredible celerity, always stopping at sun-down, and carrying with them a lighted stick. Each goes armed with a long wooden spear, a boomerang, and a waddy, or thick club, not unlike a constable's staff.

BRISBANE RIVER.

61

CHAPTER VI.

THE BRISBANE RIVER-THE VISIT TO THE SHIP WITH EMIGRATION BOARD”—LEAVE BRISBANE AT HALF-PAST TWO, A. M.-THE COURSE ADOPTED BY EMIGRATION OFFICERSCAPT. WICKHAM-THE DEPOT-THE APPEARANCE OF THE TOWNS OF NORTH AND SOUTH BRISBANE-THE HIRING OF THE IMMIGRANTS THEIR EXTRAVAGANT DEMANDSDISLIKE OF THE BUSH-THE SQUATTERS.

THE Vessel was anchored at least fourteen miles from the town, and four from the mouth of the river; the row or sail up is very pretty. The small islands with which the river is studded at its its entrance, covered over with verdure and lofty trees of the gum kind, or genus Eucalyptus, the low and graceful mimosa, and harsh-looking iron bark and blood wood tree, with here and there parasitical plants, all lend their aid, and contribute to give a

very picturesque appearance to the whole the banks to the very water's edge are covered with fine timber; the sides of the river, in some parts, are abrupt and precipitous, at others, descending in a gentle slope. Several districts have been cleared, and you may see occasionally a settler's garden, yellow with Indian corn, among which is to be heard the discordant note of the white cockatoo, or the provoking laugh of the bird called the laughing jackass, whip bird, and blue pigeon; with allotments marked out for sale or building upon. Above your head you may see swans, pelicans, but more frequently and commonly the large winged, brown-coloured fish hawk, hovering over his prey, and gracefully with motionless wing, sweeping through the air, until he poises to make his pounce upon the victim. The river abounds with fish of different descriptions, all of course salt-water fish, since the Brisbane is a salt-water river. You may see the porpoise far off rolling and gamboling about, at his ease and in security. That horrid monster, the shark, tempted by

BEAUTIFUL SCENERY.

63

the refuse which is brought down from the boiling-down establishments, goes far up the river, and renders it dangerous to bathe. One black fellow lost a limb from the bite of one of them, and may be seen limping about the town.

The scenery is really very strikingly beautiful ; such as Turner and Gainsborough would paint, and such as they alone, or any of Nature's best painters, would do justice to. First impressions are said to predispose much in favour or against persons and things; the former was the effect of our first view of Australia, and what our subsequent expe. rience has confirmed. The river, at its entrance, has not sufficient depth of water, and the consequence is, that the schooners and steamers which ply between Moreton Bay and Sydney are constantly delayed in their passage to and fro. But when the

settlement becomes more advanced, the dredging-machine will be set to work, and remedy this hindrance to regular communication.

We visited the vessel for the last time with

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VISIT TO THE SHIP

the Emigration Board, the object of which was to inquire from each immigrant whether they had been treated properly, and whether they had any complaints to make concerning anything which had happened during the voyage. The Board consisted of two justices of the peace, and the emigration clerk; certain particulars were registered of each person, his age, religion, the extent of his knowledge, his trade, &c.

This investigation by the Board we think is a very proper course to pursue; it protects the emigrant against maltreatment, and gives him an opportunity of redress if he has any grievance. However, one and all expressed themselves fully satisfied with the treatment they had received during their voyage. If there had been any little contradiction between one and another, they were now, as they ought always to be, forgotten and forgiven at the close of the voyage; for the differences which took place were not more important or greater than will occur between two friends doubled up in quarters on a march. Certainly not so grievous as