the Park
Lands, where they are handy to the little rivulet, and they run up a
Robinson Crusoe sort of hut, with twigs and branches from the adjoining
forest, and the climate being fine and dry, they answer well enough as
temporary residences. The principal streets have been laid out in the
survey of the town 132 feet wide, which is nearly twice as wide as
Portland Place, and the squares are all on such a scale of magnitude,
that if there were any inhabitants in them, a cab would almost be
required to get across them.

Before any person has been ashore at Adelaide twenty-four hours, even
the greenest and most inexperienced put these two very natural
questions; First--Why did you make the plan of the future town so large?
Answer--Because the land was of no value, and it was a pity to be
crowded when there was so much room! And the Second question is--Why did
you select the town eight miles from the landing-place? Answer--Because
we preferred being away from the nasty sailors, and thought it better
not to be annoyed with the demoralizing influence of a Sea Port!

Unless this is promptly remedied, the "Wisdom of our ancestors" will not
become such a favourite saying in South Australia, as it is in the Old
Country, for the town, including the park lands, is already eight miles
round, with 3,000 inhabitants only. This, from persons who are all for
concentration, seems strange; and the consequence is as might have been
expected, that in the daytime persons are constantly losing themselves
in the midst of the city. Whilst at night it is impossible to move out
of the house without company, unless you have any desire to sleep under
a tree. This has happened to the oldest inhabitants, about whom many
droll stories have been told. Some of the highest officers in the
colony, after wandering about for hours in the dark, either running
against trees, or falling over logs, or into holes, have chosen rather
to give it up in despair, content to take a night's lodging beneath a
tree, than run the risk any longer of breaking their necks although in
the midst of the township, and when day-light appeared, not perhaps more
than a pistol-shot from their own hut. It is hardly possible that such a
blunder as this is, this Adelaide and Port Adelaide, can much longer be
tolerated by the respectable parties about proceeding to the Colony, and
there is not the remotest chance that the unnatural abortion can ever
come to good. Another town of more m