OF

A VISIT

TO THE

AUSTRALIAN COLONIES,

BY

JAMES BACKHOUSE.

ILLUSTRATED BY THREE MAPS, FIFTEEN ETCHINGS,

AND SEVERAL WOOD-CUTS.

LONDON:

HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND CO. PATERNOSTER ROW,

YORK: JOHN L. LINNEY, LOW OUSEGATE.

MDCCCXLIII.

H

Voyage to Van Diemens Land.-Embarkation.-Emigrant Pensioners.-Dis-

orderly Conduct.-Intemperance.-The Ocean.-Bottled Water.-Petrels.—

Coast of Spain.- Birds.- Storm.- Danger.- Equator.- Sunset.-Trinidad

and Martin Vaz.-Funeral.-Whales.-Fishes.-Albatross.-African Coast.-

Cape Town.-Schools.-Slavery.-Public Institutions.-Religious Meeting.—

Departure.-L'Agullas Bank.-Southern Ocean.-Birds.-Religious Labours.

-Coast of Van Diemens Land.-Colour of the Sea.-Piratical Vessel.-Sharks.

-Bad Bay.-Arrival at Hobart Town.

CHAPTER II,

1

Hobart Town.-Colonel Arthur.-Intense Sleep.-J. Leach.-Unexpected Meet-

ing.-Home.-Meetings for Worship.-The Liberty.-Convict Ship.-Pri-

soners.-Settlement of the Colony.-Female Factory.-Trees.-Animals.—

Chain-gang.-Woody Hills.- Government Garden.- Bees.-Assigned Pri-

soners.-New Norfolk.-Bush Road.-The Clyde.-Green Valley.-Bothwell.

-Hamilton.- Fences.-Remarkable Rock.- Porter and Thieving.- Emi-

grants.-Style of Living.-Animals.- Hostile Aborigines.- Hospitality.—

Bush-rangers. She Oak.—Plains.-Remarkable Impression.-Sawyers' Huts.
-Inn.

CHAPTER III.

14

Hobart Town.-Pious Persons.- Penitentiary.-Temperance Society.- Kings

Pits.-Shrubs.-Fern Valley.-School Meeting.-Voyage to Macquarie Har-

bour.-Prison Ship.-Piracy of the Cypress.-Prisoners.-Loss of the Science.

-Fish.-Penguin.-Storm.-Port Davey.-Cockatoos.-Land Lobster.-Ex-

cursions.-Sharks.-Swearing.-Storm.-Sea Fowl.-Entrance of Macquarie
32

Harbour..

CHAPTER IV.

Macquarie Harbour.-Mountains.-Trees.-Rivers.-Sarahs Island.—Timber.—

State of Prisoners.-Mortality.-Murders.-Privations.-Escapes.-Cannibal-

ism.-Example.-Punishment.-Reformation.- Pious Prisoner.-Depravity.

-Employment.-Provisions.-Pine-roads.-Phillips Island.-Ferns.-Health.

-Climate.-Spirits.-Bermuda Prisoners.-Wellington Head.-Jail Meetings.