ling the branches, saw this, with the sagacity of foxes, and instantly got out of the way. Eight men were then ordered to advance towards them, and hold up their fire-arms, but not to fire unless they were attacked, and to return at the sound of the bugle. The savages took to their heels, and the party, thus relieved from their presence, returned to the business of the day, and moved forward on their journey. But they were not so easily to get rid of these troublesome guests. On approaching the bank of the Murray, after a march of three miles, they saw the savages in their rear, still keeping at a considerable distance, but with evident hostility-their leader carrying a heavy bundle of spears.

"It was most painful and alarming to me," says the Major, "now to discover that the knowledge which they had acquired of the nature of our arms, by the loss of lives last year, did not deter them from following us with the most hostile intentions, for this was now past all doubt. We had endeavoured to prevent them by the demon stration of the men advancing with fire-arms, yet they still persisted; and Piper had gathered from them that a portion of their tribe was still before us. Our route lay along the bank of a river peopled by other powerful tribes, and at the end of two hundred miles we would only hope to reach the spot where the tribe already following in our rear had commenced the most unprovoked hostilities last season. To attempt to conciliate these people had, last year, proved hopeless. Our gifts had only excited their cupidity, and our forbearance had only inspired them with a poor opinion of our courage, while their meeting us in this place was a proof that the effect of our arms had not been sufficient to convince them of our superior strength. A drawn battle was out of the question, but I was assured by Piper and the other young natives, that we should soon lose some of the men in charge of the cattle."

The river had here taken a wide bend to the south, by which means the route was perplexed for a time, and the day's journey was again through desolation. "No signs of the river were visible, unless it might be a few trees which there resembled the masts of ships in a dark and troubled sea, and equally hazardous was this land

navigation, from our uncertainty as to the situation of the river, on which our finding water depended, and the certainty that, wherever it was, there were our foes before us." This was a suffi. ciently painful situation. They had travelled from morning till dusk-a storm was gathering overhead. “On all sides the flat and barren waste blended imperceptibly with a sky as dismal and ominous as ever closed in darkness. One bleak and sterile spot hardly af forded room for our camp, but the cattle had neither water nor grass that night." At length the storm came on, and there was no want of water thus poured upon them. On the next day they again found themselves on the bank of the river. At five miles from their resting-place, the broad expanse of the river Murray, with the luxuriant verdure of its margins, came suddenly in view, without any signs of its proximity appearing in the bar ren track over which they had travelled twenty-three miles. On the next day, as they recommenced their journey, they heard the voices of a vast body of blacks following, with prodigious shouting and war-cries. "I was at length convinced," says Major Mitchell, "that unless I could check their progress in our rear by some attack, which might prevent them from following us so closely, the party would be in danger of being compelled to fight its way back against the whole population who would assemble in our rear, for in that season of drought those people could live only on the banks of these large rivers." He sent half the party to post themselves along the bank, while, with the other half, he proceeded. The multitude, seeing the party thus posted, began to poise their spears; this being considered as the signal of attack, the firing began, which, being perceived by the party in advance, the general fire, though without orders, commenced, and the blacks, suddenly dispersing, rushed into the river, some crossing it, and some swimming down the stream. From the information afterwards obtained by Piper, it was said that seven were shot, among whom was the chief. Much as the Major regretted this collision, it seems to have been unavoidable, and it certainly had the advantage of dispersing the tribe.

In a work of this order, the topographical details must be compara

tively dry, but the writer has the happy art of giving them a new interest by interspersing them with striking descriptions of scenery and native manners. He is evidently disposed to think the best that he can of the wild men, but he is justly awake to their dangerous qualities. On the banks of the Murray, as he was reconnoitering the ground for a camp, "I observed," says he, "a native on the opposite bank, and without being seen by him, I stood awhile to watch the habits of a savage man at home. His hands were ready to seize, his teeth to eat any living thing; his step, light and soundless as that of a shadow, gave no intimation of his approach; his walk suggested the idea of the prowling of a beast of prey; every little track or impression left on the earth by the lower animals, caught his keen eye, but the trees overhead chiefly engaged his attention. Deep in the hollow heart of some of the upper branches was still hidden, as it seemed, the opossum on which he was to dine. The wind blew cold and keenly through the lofty trees on the river margin, yet that brawny savage was entirely naked. Had I been unarmed, I had much rather have met a lion than that sinewy biped; but I was on horseback, with pistols in my holsters, and the broad river was flowing between us. I overlooked him from a high bank, and I ventured to disturb his meditations with a halloo. then stood still, looked at me for about a minute, and then retired, with that easy bounding kind of step which may be termed a running walk, exhibiting an unrestrained facility of movement, apparently incompatible with dress of any kind. It is in bounding lightly at such a pace, that, with the additional aid of the wammerah, (a short notched stick), the native can throw his spear with sufficient force and velocity to kill the emu or kangaroo, even when at their speed,"

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In some instances, however, they wore short cloaks of kangaroo skins, but their being able to endure the climate in such a state of nudity is altogether surprising. It was frequently raining the winter is stormy-a large portion of at least the eastern territory is swampy—and the winter, in general, seems to be damp and cold. The natives, too, are fully sensible of the gratification of fire, for they carry

it with them whenever they can, sit round it wherever they settle for the night, and clearly regard it as a necessary of life. Yet those people, in a state of complete nakedness, endure, through the winter, cold and wet that would kill a robust European in twentyfour hours.

In another instance Major Mitchell says, "At this camp, where we lay shivering for want of fire," (it was in June, about the middle of the Australian winter), "the different habits of the aborigines and us strangers from the north were strongly contrasted. On that freezing night the natives stript off their clothes, their usual custom, previously to lying down to sleep in the open air, their bodies being doubled round a few burning reeds. We could not understand how they bore the cold thus naked, when the earth was white with frost; and they were equally at a loss to know how we could sleep in our tents without a bit of fire beside us to keep our bodies warm. For the support of animal heat, fire and smoke are almost as necessary as clothes are to us, and the naked savage is not without some reason on his side; for, with fire to warm his body, he has all the comfort that he ever knows, whereas we require both fire and clothing, and can therefore have no conception of the intensity of enjoyment imparted to the naked body of a savage by the glowing embrace of a cloud of smoke in winter, or, in summer, the luxury of a bath which he may enjoy in any pool, when not content with the refreshing breeze which fans him during the intense heat. In the midst of all this exposure the skin of the Australian native remains as soft and as smooth as velvet, and it is not improbable that the obstructions of drapery would constitute the greatest of his objections to the permanent adoption of civilized life."

The expedition now wound its weary way towards the south; and, after toiling through a succession of swamps, approached a country which put them all in good spirits. One of the most pleasing features of the whole narrative is the almost youthful buoy. ancy with which this man of science and travel evidently enjoys the beauties of nature. The difficulty of dragging their waggons through the sinking soil had exhausted every one,

run.

(August 9)—and it was not until sunset that they were enabled to rest from their severe labour. Next morning, however, they were on their route, and they had their recompense. "At a mile and a half from the camp which they had left behind, a scene opened which gladdened every heart. An open grassy country, extending as far as we could see, the hills round and smooth as a carpet, the meadows broad, and either green as an emerald, or of a rich golden colour, from the abundance, as we found, of a little ranunculus-like flower. Down into that delightful vale our vehicles trundled, over a gentle slope, the earth being covered with a thick matted turf. That extensive valley was watered by a winding stream, which glittered through trees fringing each bank. As we went on our way rejoicing, I perceived, at length, two figures in the distance. They proved to be a woman with a little boy; and, as soon as she saw us, she began to I presently overtook her; and, with the few words I knew, prevailed on her to stop, until the two women of our party should come up, for I had long been at a loss for the names of localities. She was not so much alarmed as might have been expected, and I was glad to find that she and the women perfectly understood each other. Such was the solitary inhabitant of this splendid valley, resembling a nobleman's park on a gigantic scale. They had at length come in sight of the river which they were to add to British discoveries, and which is henceforth to remain the only trophy of the somnolent Secretary for the Colonies. We presume that with all his official considerations, the remarkable placidity, combined with the remarkable shallowness of this new discovery, may have involuntarily influenced the gallant Major in his giving it the name of the Glenelg. On the 18th of August the boats were launched on the bosom of the stream, and provisions laid in for ten days. Leaving Mr Stapleton, with the remainder of the party, to occupy the point of a hill, which he named Fort Hare, in memory of his commanding officer, who fell at Badajos, in leading the forlorn hope of the light division to the storm, he embarked with sixteen men in two boats. The river soon widened, the scenery on the banks was pleasant and various; at

some points picturesque limestone cliffs overhung the rivers, and cascades were flowing out of caverns hung with stalactities; at others the shores were festooned with green creeping shrubs and creepers, or terminated in a smooth grassy bank, sloping to the water's edge. The river soon opened to an uniform width of sixty yards, its waters being everywhere smooth and unruffled, the current having at length become scarcely perceptible. After rowing about sixteen miles they landed and encamped for the night. The sun set in a cloudless sky, but from the highest cliffs nothing was visible but an undulating woody country. Their position and prospects were now so interesting that through the night they longed for the day. The next day was equally fine, still they continued to descend the stream, the breadth of which was 101 yards, and the mean depth five fathoms. On the whole, considering its permanent fulness, the character of its banks, and the uniformity of its width and depth, it was the finest body of fresh water which they had seen in Australia, and the party were in strong hope that they should find it making its way to the ocean by some noble outlet.

It was long since remarked, that every thing in Australia seemed formed on a plan the reverse of every thing in other parts of the world; that the swans were black, the rivers flowed from the sea-shore into the interior; that the mountains were the most fertile, while the plains were the most sterile parts of the soil; that even the animals were as singular as the country; and the Ornithorynchus paradoxus, and the kangaroo, were adduced in proof of the sport of nature. The Glenelg certainly in some degree corroborated this system of contraries; its breadth and beauty were all in the interior. As it approached the sea, with a bend to the south-east, the height of the banks diminished rapidly, and, soon after passing a small bushy island, the stream became shallow; a few low sand-hills appearing before them, they rounded a low rocky point, and through an opening straight in front, saw the "green rolling breakers of the sea." In the two basins at this entrance there was scarcely water sufficient to float the boats, and thus "their hopes of finding a port at the

mouth of this fine river were at an end." The latitude was 32° 2' 58" S. On re-entering the river to encamp for the night, the Major, by the help of a bottle of whisky given to the men, named the river after the colonial Secretary; thus the name of that functionary has at least one chance of surviving himself in Australia.

Our readers now may easily follow the route of the expedition along the shore. Proceeding round the Bay of Portland, they were struck with "the resemblance to houses afforded by what they conceived to be cliffs. The resemblance was certainly to be considered strong, for they were houses. While the Major was investigating them with his telescope, one of the men said that he had seen a brig at anchor; soon after a shot was heard as they were ascending the cliffs. The nature of the neighbourheod seems to have now been a consideration of some importance, and, becoming apprehensive that the parties might either be, or suppose the Major and his men to be, bush-rangers (fugitive convicts), he ordered them to fire a gun and sound the bugle. But, on reaching the higher ground, he discovered not only a beaten path but the tracks of carts." The mystery, however, was to be soon developed. A man made his appearance, who informed them that the vessel at anchor was the Elizabeth of Launceston (in Van Dieman's Land), and that just round the point they would come upon the large farming establishment of the Messrs Henty. The Major accordingly made his way to the house, where he was hospitably received, and where he learned that the Messrs Henty had been established two years. They seem to have made good use of their time. It was obvious from the magnitude and extent of the buildings, and the substantial fencing, that both time and labour had been expended in their construction. "A good garden, stocked with abundance of vegetables, already smiled on Portland Bay; the soil was very rich on the overhanging cliffs, and the potatoes and turnips produced here surpassed in magnitude and quality any I had ever seen elsewhere. I learned that the Bay was much resorted to by vessels engaged in the whale fishery, and that upwards of seven hundred tons of oil had been shipped there that season." But the

business of the Bay seemed to be of importance in other points. "I was informed, that only a few days before my arrival, five vessels lay at anchor together there, and that the communication was regularly kept up with Van Diemen's Land by vessels from Launceston. Messrs Henty were importing sheep and cattle as fast as vessels could bring them over, and the numerous whalers touching or fishing there were found to be good customers for farm produce and whatever else could be spared from the establishment." This is curious; but not the least curious of it is, that the whole affair seems to have been quite unknown to the government of the colony; it was evidently so to the surveyor-general, the chief officer of all settlements in the territory. A flourishing trade, a large establishment, a constaut intercourse with the neighbouring island, itself a British colony, and a great fishing station for whalers, all seem to have come upon his knowledge as matters of absolute novelty. Yet these are not things that could be easily concealed, nor was there the least attempt to conceal them. It is true that they may have been out of the immediate jurisdiction of Sydney, but there seems no very adequate reason why they should have been so totally out of its knowledge.

Wild as the natives were, and treacherous as the perils of savage life make them, the feelings of human nature were there, and the feelings, too, of a sense of bettering their condition. This was given in a simple but striking example by one of the women. When Major Mitchell was about to move homewards with a part of the expedition, he observed that "the widow Turandusey, who was to remain with Mr Stapleton's party and the carts, was marked with white round the eyes (the native fashion of mourning), and that the face of her child, Ballandella, was whitened also. This poor woman, who had cheerfully carried the child on her back when we had offered to carry both in the carts, and who was as careful and affectionate as any mother could be, had at length determined to entrust to me the care of her infant. I was gratified with such a proof of the mother's confidence in us; but I should have been less willing to take charge of her child had I not been aware of the wretched state

of slavery to which the native females are doomed. The widow had been long enough with us to be sensible how much more her sex was respected by civilized men than savages, and, as I conceived, it was with such sentiments that she committed her child to my charge, under the immediate care, however, of Piper's gin (wife)."

It is impossible to read these interesting volumes without a glowing anticipation of the future greatness of this more than imperial colony. Its wastes and mountain ranges undoubtedly at present appear desolate, but their condition is not to be decided until it shall have been fairly tried by the energies of a population with British blood in their veins. They may be intended, too, for barriers and defences of future nations. But the land contains vast districts full of the promise of boundless fertility, full of picturesque beauty, and already, by the bounty of nature, prepared for the best prosperity of man. The latter portions of the Journal are crowded with brief but expressive sketches of this fine diversity of soil and landscape.

"Sept. 25. One bold range of forest land appeared before us, and, after crossing it, we passed over several rivulets falling northward, then over a ridge, and then descended into a valley of the finest description. Grassy hills, clear of timber, appeared beyond a stream also flowing northward." This noble country continues, yet with new aspects of luxuriance, and even of grandeur.

"Sept. 26. By diverging a little to the right, we entered upon an open tract of country of the finest description, stretching away to the south-west among similar hills, until they were lost in the extreme distance.

The

whole surface was green as an emerald." They now meet with some streams watering this tract, and approach two lofty smooth round 1ls, green to the sky," the united streams flowing through an open dell, through which the carts passed without meeting any impediment. The Major ascended one of those hills, and "enjoyed such a charming view eastward from this summit, as can but seldom fall to the lot of the explorers of new countries. The surface presented the forms of virgin beauty clothed in the hues of spring, and the shining verdure of the earth

was relieved by the darker hues of the wood with which they were interlaced. . . . The hills seemed entirely of lava, and I named the whole formation, which seemed so peculiar, the Mameloid Hills, and the station Mount Greenock. In travelling through this Eden no road was necessary, nor any ingenuity in conducting wheel-carriages wherever we chose. When we had completed fourteen miles, we encamped on the edge of an open plain near a small rivulet, the opposite bank consisting of grassy forest land."

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The same country continues.— "Sept. 27. We this day crossed several fine running streams, and forests of box and blue-gum growing on ridges of trapean conglomerate. At length we entered on a very level and extensive flat, exceedingly green, and resembling an English park." This language may occasionally seem too much resembling the usual enthusiasm of discoverers, an enthusiasm which, in the instance of our naval officers, manly and intelligent a class as they are, has often produced disappointment. But, in the present instance, the circumstances are different. sailor's raptures at seeing any thing that looks like verdure, after having been long wearied by sky and sea, ought to be largely allowed for. But Major Mitchell was fully accustomed to the sight, and he has no hesitation in describing the wilderness in the language of desolation. His sketches vary with the change of scene; and after this description, glowing as it is, we have details of the country which he subsequently passed through in his way north-east, by no means too captivating. That he has a strong sense of natural loveliness is clear, but we altogether doubt that he has coloured a single feature of his first impressions. Our only fault with him, and that a trivial one, is his selection of names for his hills and valleys. A discoverer may certainly be granted some allow ance in distributing his new-found realm among his friends; but we wish that the custom were altogether laid aside of giving the names of insignificant officials, however high their station, and in some instances, of officials equally insignificant in station and person. We do not make the remark especially with reference to this able man, but to all; and the future mas