At the bottom of the great Bight, the character of the shore changes. At the first trending of the coast towards the south-east, there are sandy hills with little vegetation, that rise the one over the other as they recede into the interior; from thence to Wilson's Promontory, the line of the coast becomes more irregular, and the appearance of the land more diversified. Some places are well wooded, but in general, barrenness is the prevailing character, and every where there is a similar, or at least a great scarcity of fresh water. From longitude 1360 to about longitude 138°, on this coast, there are two large and deep bays: Spencer's Gulf toward the west, and the Gulf of St. Vincent toward the east. These gulfs extend a great way into the interior, the head of Spencer's Gulf being more than one hundred miles to the north of the parallel of Port Jackson; but like most of the other gulfs that have been explored on the north-west and south of New Holland, they lead to nothing. Deep as they are, they receive no rivers, and hardly even any rills.

From those gulfs to the entrance of Bass's Strait, the sandy and barren character of the shore continues; and though the hummocks be sometimes of considerable elevation, they appear to be composed principally of sand.

On the northern shore of Bass's Strait, the land improves. At Cape Otway, the commencement of the straits from the west, a high and well wooded

land commences, and is found for a considerable extent; and where it does recede from the shore, and Port Phillip, and Western Port, the soil between it and the sea is of better quality. Still, though there be some good soil, there is a deficiency of fresh

water.

From this summary of the reports of those who have examined the shores of New Holland, it appears that, with the exception of the middle part of the east coast, there is little in them from which even a guess at the nature and appearance of the interior can be drawn. From its comparatively small breadth, we may indeed conclude that the whole of the peninsula to the eastward of the Gulf of Carpentaria is an arid waste, more especially the narrow part of it towards Cape York. As for the rest of those shores, upon which no river equal in size to either of those that rise nearly opposite to each other in Van Diemen's Land is found, they seem to be barriers; but of what they are the barriers, they are so dissimilar to any other shores with which we are acquainted for enabling us to know or guess, even by that least satisfactory of all means, analogy.

III. RIVERS AND MOUNTAINS.

If our knowledge of the shores of New Holland be not of the most satisfactory nature, yet it is perfect information, compared with what we know of the interior. In all the other continents, with, per

32

haps, the exception of that part of Southern Africa, which lies to the northward of the territory of the Cape, there are some great features, indicated at the shores, by means of which we can form a hypothesis of the whole of the country, which wants only the filling up of the details from actual observation. The termination of a vast ridge of mountains, enables us to say, that here the water divides, and the courses of the streams are to opposite seas; large rivers enable us to be certain, before we have em barked on the absolute survey, that here are valley of ample dimensions; or the smallness of the streams makes us sure that here the central elevation is at no great distance from the sea. But in New Holland, ex so far as actual observation has compared with the whole magnitude of the country, haver but a mere speck, we can speculate noFor full seven-eighths of the circumference, rot one indication, save the continuity of the

gone, and

hat would lead us to conclude, that what we were any thing else than a portion of an island of dimensions than many of those by which this e continent is surrounded. Wilson's Promonwhich is of considerable elevation, and accordMessrs. Bass and Flinders, of hard granite,

first be considered as the termination of
ridge of mountains. But such is not the
detached from the high land in the inte-
ly by a low, flat sand, but nearly by a
lagoon; so that it can be regarded as

nothing more than an insulated ei vilic mer some time, and probably not at a time the teache have stood detached in the sea Cice Sim S stands among sandy stores: and how i de retry to the south of Sydney, me of the

on the coast be connected wii de mer.

of them has the appearance of de beganmg of a

continuous ridge.

The same is dhe me te

mountains that He further wrià

It is the same with Cape York: itself, and the ccntry only hummocks of sand. north coast, west of the upon islands; and throughout the vicie ť na m the north-west coast, the hills that year re dently detached masses, and in many pas are, during the rainy season, instated by the minis tions. On the west coast. er en ene n cations. North-west Cage is the termination of a sandy promontory, and the dertons leven na and the Swan River appear to be me tummSA A running along the coast. Svan Pive ned v Cine Leeuwin, give no more indication of an eat f either hill or valley. The south cast & ci m puzzling. Where mountains appear, they eam n be insulated, and have not the least appearme rising in elevation toward the centre of the sountry. as is usual in the other continenta: then the 1. hundred miles of elevated coast in the very onETE the south, with the strata perfectly torunta, a

haps, the exception of that part of Southern Africa, which lies to the northward of the territory of the Cape, there are some great features, indicated at the shores, by means of which we can form a hypothesis of the whole of the country, which wants only the filling up of the details from actual observation. The termination of a vast ridge of mountains, enables us to say, that here the water divides, and the courses of the streams are to opposite seas; large rivers enable us to be certain, before we have embarked on the absolute survey, that here are valleys. of ample dimensions; or the smallness of the streams makes us sure that here the central elevation is at no great distance from the sea. But in New Holland, except in so far as actual observation has gone, and compared with the whole magnitude of the country, that is yet but a mere speck, we can speculate nothing. For full seven-eighths of the circumference, there is not one indication, save the continuity of the shore, that would lead us to conclude, that what we saw were any thing else than a portion of an island of less dimensions than many of those by which this regular continent is surrounded. Wilson's Promontory, which is of considerable elevation, and according to Messrs. Bass and Flinders, of hard granite, might at first be considered as the termination of a central ridge of mountains. But such is not the case it is detached from the high land in the interior, not only by a low, flat sand, but nearly by a salt water lagoon; so that it can be regarded as