It will be necessary, whenever the Game Laws are revised, that some of the worst punishments now inflicted for an infringement of these laws should be repealed. To transport a man for seven years on account of partridges, and to harass a poor wretched peasant in the Crown Office, are very preposterous punishments for such offences. Humanity revolts against them -they are grossly tyrannical-and it is disgraceful that they should be suffered to remain on our statute books. But the most singular of all abuses, is the new class of punishments which the Squirarchy have themselves enacted against depredations on game. The law says, that an unqualified man who kills a pheasant shall pay five pounds; but the squire says he shall be shot; -and accordingly he places a spring-gun in the path of the poacher, and does all he can to take away his life. The more humane and mitigated squire mangles him with traps; and the supra-fine country gentleman only detains him in machines, which prevent his escape, but do not lacerate their captive. Of the gross illegality of such proceedings, there can be no reasonable doubt. Their immorality and cruelty are equally clear. If they are not put down by some declaratory law, it will be absolutely necessary that the Judges, in their invaluable circuits of oyer and terminer, should leave two or three of his Majesty's squires to a fate too vulgar and indelicate to be alluded to in this Journal.

Men have certainly a clear right to defend their property; but then it must be by such means as the law allows:-their houses by pistols, their fields by actions for trespass, their game by information. There is an end of law, if every man is to measure out his punishment for his own wrong. Nor are we able to distinguish between the guilt of two persons, the one of whom deliberately shoots a man whom he sees in his fields—the other of whom purposely places such instruments as he knows will shoot trespassers upon his fields: better that it should be lawful to kill a trespasser face to face, than to place engines which will kill him. The trespasser may be

These, then, are our opinions respecting the alterations in the Game Laws, which, as they now stand, are perhaps the only system which could possibly render the possession of game so very insecure as it now is. We would give to every man an absolute property in the game upon his land, with full power to kill-to permit others to kill - and to sell; we would punish any violation of that property by summary conviction, and pecuniary penalties-rising in value according to the number of offences. This would of course abolish all qualifications; and we sincerely believe it would lessen the profits of selling game illegally, so as very materially to lessen the number of poachers. It would make game, as an article of food, accessible to all classes, without infringing the laws. would limit the amusements of country gentlemen within the boundaries of justice -and would enable the magistrate cheerfully and conscientiously to execute laws, of the moderation and justice of which he must be thoroughly convinced. To this conclusion, too, we have no doubt we shall come at the last. After many years of scutigeral follyloaded prisons*-nightly battles-poachers tempted-and families ruined, these principles will finally prevail, and make law once more coincident with reason and justice.

It

In the course of the last year, no fewer than twelve hundred persons were committed for offences against the Game; besides those who ran away from their families from the fear of commitment. This is no slight quantity of misery.

BOTANY BAY. (E. REVIEW, 1819.)

1. A Statistical, Historical, and Political Description of the Colony of New South Wales, and its dependent Settlements in Van Diemen's Land: with a particular Enumeration of the Advantages

which these Colonies offer for Emigration, and their Superiority in many respects over those possessed by the United States of America. By W. C. Wentworth, Esq., a Native of the Colony. Whittaker. London, 1819.

2. Letter to Viscount Sidmouth, Secretary of State for the Home Department, on the Transportation Laws, the State of the Hulks, and of the Colonies in New South Wales. By the Hon. Henry Grey Bennet, M. P. Ridgway. London, 1819.

3. O'Hara's History of New South Wales. Hatchard.

London, 1818.

THIS land of convicts and kangaroos is beginning to rise into a very fine and flourishing settlement:- And great indeed must be the natural resources, and splendid the endowments of that land that has been able to survive the system of neglect* and oppression experienced from the mother country, and the series of ignorant and absurd governors that have been selected for the administration of its affairs. But mankind live and flourish not only in spite of storms and tempests, but (which could not have been anticipated previous to experience) in spite of colonial secretaries expressly paid to watch over their interests. The supineness and profligacy of public officers cannot always overcome the amazing energy with which human beings pursue their happiness, nor the sagacity with which they determine on the means by which that end is to be promoted. Be it our care, however, to record, for the future inhabitants of Australasia, the political sufferings of their larcenous forefathers; and let them appreciate, as they ought, that energy which founded a mighty empire in spite of the afflicting

* One, and no small excuse for the misconduct of colonial secretaries, is the enormous quantity of business by which they are distracted. There should be two or three colonial secretaries instead of one; the office is dreadfully overweighted. The government of the colonies is commonly a series of

blunders.

blunders and marvellous cacœconomy of their government.

Botany Bay is situated in a fine climate, rather Asiatic than European, -with a great variety of temperature, but favourable on the whole to health and life. It, conjointly with Van Diemen's Land, produces coal in great abundance, fossil salt, slate, lime, plumbago, potter's clay; iron; white, yellow, and brilliant topazes; alum and copper. These are all the important fossil productions which have been hitherto discovered: but the epidermis of the country has hardly as yet been scratched; and it is most probable that the immense mountains which divide the eastern and western settlements, Bathurst and Sydney, must abound with every species of

mineral wealth. The harbours are admirable; and the whole world, perhaps, cannot produce two such as those of Port Jackson and Derwent. The former of these is land-locked for fourteen miles in length, and of the most irregular form: its soundings are more than sufficient for the largest ships; and all the navies of the world might ride in safety within it. In the harbour of Derwent there is a roadstead forty-eight miles in length, completely land-locked; varying in breadth from eight to two miles;-in depth from thirty to four fathoms, and affording the best anchorage the whole way.

The mean heat, during the three summer months, December, January, and February, is about 80° at noon. The heat which such a degree of the thermometer would seem to indicate, is considerably tempered by the seabreeze, which blows with considerable force from nine in the morning till seven in the evening. The three autumn months are March, April, and May, in which the thermometer varies from 55° at night to 75° at noon. The three winter months are June, July, and August. During this interval, the mornings and evenings are very chilly, and the nights excessively cold; hoar-frosts are frequent; ice, half an inch thick, is found twenty miles from the coast; the mean temperature, at daylight is from 40° to 45°, and at noon from 55° to 60°. In the three months of spring, the thermometer varies

'From the Derwent Star.

'Lieutenant Lord, of the Royal Marines, who, after the death of Lieutenant-Governor Collins, succeeded to the command of the settlement at Hobart Town, arrived at Port Jackson in the Hunter, and favours us with the perusal of the Ninth Number published of the Derwent Star and Van Diemen's Land Intelligencer; from which we copy the following extracts.'—(p. 353.)

'A Card.

"The Subscribers to the Sydney Race Course are informed, that the Stewards have made arrangements for two balls during the race week, viz. on Tuesday and Thursday. - Tickets, at 7s. 6d. each, to be had at Mr. E. Wills's, George Street.-An ordinary for the subscribers and their friends each day of the races, at Mr. Wills's.-Dinner on table at five o'clock.'-(p. 356.)

'The Ladies' Cup.

'The ladies' cup, which was of very superior workmanship, won by Chase, was presented to Captain Richie by Mrs. M'Quarie; who, accompanied by his Excellency, honoured each day's race with her presence, and who, with her usual affability, was pleased to preface the donation with the following short address::-"In the name of the Ladies of New South Wales, I have the pleasure to present you with this cup. Give me leave to congratulate you on being the successful candidate for it; and to hope that it is a prelude to future success, and lasting prosperity."—(p. 357.)

'Butchers.

'Now killing, at Matthew Pimpton's, Cumberland Street, Rocks, beef, mutton, pork, and lamb. By retail, 1s. 4d. per lib. Mutton by the carcass, 1s. per lib. sterling, or 14d. currency; warranted to weigh from 10 lib. to 12 lib. per quarter. Lamb per ditto.-Captains of ships supplied at the wholesale price, and with punctuality.-N. B. Beef, pork, mutton, and lamb, at E. Lamb's, Hunter Street, at the above prices.'—(p. 376.)

'Salt Pork and Flair from Otaheite. 'On Sale, at the warehouse of Mrs. S. Willis, 96, George Street, a large quantity of the above articles,

well cured, being the Mercury's last importation from Otaheite. The terms per cask are 10d. per lib. sterling, or 1s. currency.-N. B. For the accommodation of families, it will be sold in quantities not less than 112 lib.'-(p. 377.)

'Painting.-A Card.

'Mr. J. W. Lewin begs leave to inform his friends and the public in general, that he intends opening an academy for painting on the days of Monday,

Wednesday, and Friday, from the hours of 10 to 12 in the forenoon.-Terms, 5s. a lesson: Entrance 20s.-N. B. The evening academy for drawing continued as usual.'-(p. 384.)

'Sale of Rams.

'Ten rams of the Merino breed, lately sold by auction from the flocks of John M'Arthur, Esq., produced upwards of 200 guineas.'-(p. 388.)

'Mrs. Jones's Vacation Ball, December 12th. 'Mrs. Jones, with great respect, informs the parents and guardians of the young ladies entrusted to her tuition, that the vacation ball is fixed for

Tuesday the 22nd instant, at the seminary, No. 45, Castlereagh Street, Sydney. Tickets 7s. 6d. each.' (p. 388.)

'Sporting Intelligence.

A fine hunt took place the 8th instant at the Nepean, of which the following is the account given by a gentleman present. Having cast off by the government hut on the Nepean, and drawn the cover in that neighbourhood for a native Dog unsuccessfully, we tried the forest ground for a Kangaroo, which we soon found. It went off in excellent style along the sands by the river side, and crossed to the Cow-pasture Plains, running a circle of about two miles; then re-crossed, taking a direction for Mr. Campbell's stock-yard, and from thence at the back of Badge Allen Hill to the head of Boorroobaham Creek, where he was headed; from thence he took the main range of hills between the Badge Allen and Badge Allenabinjee, in a straight direction for Mr. Throsbey's farm, where the hounds ran in to him; and he was killed, after a good run of about two hours."-The weight of the animal was upwards of 120 lib.'-(p. 380.)

Of the town of Sydney, Mr. Wentworth observes, that there are in it many public buildings, as well as houses of individuals, that would not disgrace the best parts of London; but this description we must take the liberty to consider as more patriotic than true. We rather suspect it was penned before Mr. Wentworth was in London; for he is (be it said to his honour) a native of Botany Bay. The value of lands (in the same spirit he adds) is half as great in Sydney as in the best situations in London, and is daily increasing. The proof of this which Mr. Wentworth gives, is, that 'it is not a commodious house which can be rented for 100l. per annum, unfurnished.' The town of Sydney contains two good public schools, for