Here we are in
the midst of an amphitheatre of beauty,--a wooded island opposite
covered with villas and cottages; with headlands, coves and bays, and
beautiful undulations of lovely country as far as the eye can reach.
Altogether, I think Port Jackson is one of the most charming pieces of
water and landscape that I have ever seen.

After our three days tossing at sea, I was, however, glad to be on
shore again; so, having seen my boxes safely deposited in the
Californian baggage depot, I proceeded into the town and secured
apartments for the few days I was to remain in Sydney.

From what I have already said of the approach to the landing, it will
be inferred that the natural situation of Sydney is very fine. It
stands upon a ridge of sandstone rock, which runs down into the bay in
numerous ridges or spines of land or rock, between which lie the
natural harbours of the place; and these are so deep, that vessels of
almost any burden may load and unload at the projecting wharves. Thus
Sydney possesses a very large extent of deep water frontage, and its
wharfage and warehouse accommodation is capable of enlargement to
almost any extent. Of the natural harbours formed by the projecting
spines of rock into the deep water, the most important are
Wooloomooloo Bay, Farm Cove, Sydney Cove, and Darling Harbour.

From the waterside, the houses, ranged in streets, rise like so many
terraces up to the crown of the ridges,--the main streets occupying
the crests and flanks of two or three of the highest. One of these,
George Street, is a remarkably fine street, about two miles long,
containing many handsome buildings.

My first knowledge of Sydney was acquired in a stroll up George
Street. We noticed the original old market-place, bearing the date of
1793; a quaint building, with queer old-fashioned domes, all
shingle-roofed. A little further on, we came to a large building in
course of erection--the new Town Hall, built of a yellowish sort of
stone. Near it is the English Cathedral--a large and elegant
structure. Further on, is the new Roman Catholic Cathedral,--the
original cathedral in Hyde Park having been burnt down some time ago.

Altogether, Sydney has a much older look than Melbourne. It has grown
up at longer intervals, and does not look so spic and span new. The
streets are much narrower and more irregular--older-fashioned, and
more English in appearance--occasioned, doubtless, by its slower
growth and its more hilly si