is by no means
fertile, except in the valleys. But nothing can surpass the beauty of
the shores of the bay as far up as Paramatta, about twenty miles
inland. The richest land of the colony lies well into the interior,
but the time at my disposal was too short to enable me to do more than
visit the capital, with which the passing stranger cannot fail to be
greatly pleased.

Altogether, it seems a wonderful thing that so much should have been
done within so short a time towards opening up the resources of this
great country. And most wonderful of all, that the people of a small
island like Britain, situated at the very opposite side of the globe,
some sixteen thousand miles off, should have come hither, and within
so short a time have built up such cities as Sydney and
Melbourne,--planted so large an extent of territory with towns, and
villages, and farmsteads--covered its pastures with cattle and
sheep--opened up its mines--provided it with roads, railroads, and
telegraphs, and thereby laid the firm foundations of a great future
empire in the south. Surely these are things of which England, amidst
all her grumblings, has some reason to be proud!

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 14: The Honourable Thomas Holt, on whose property the
landing-place is situated, last year erected an obelisk on the spot,
with the inscription "Captain Cook landed here 28th April, A.D. 1770,"
with the following extract from Captain Cook's Journal: "At day-break
we discovered a bay, and anchored under the south shore, about two
miles within the entrance, in six fathom water, the south point
bearing S.E., and the north point east. Latitude 43 deg. S., Longitude
208 deg. 37' W."]

[Illustration: AUCKLAND, NEW ZEALAND.]

CHAPTER XIX.

TO AUCKLAND, IN NEW ZEALAND.

LEAVING SYDNEY--ANCHOR WITHIN THE HEADS--TAKE IN MAILS AND PASSENGERS
FROM THE 'CITY OF ADELAIDE'--OUT TO SEA AGAIN--SIGHT NEW
ZEALAND--ENTRANCE TO AUCKLAND HARBOUR--THE 'GALATEA'--DESCRIPTION OF
AUCKLAND--FOUNDING OF AUCKLAND DUE TO A JOB--MAORI MEN AND
WOMEN--DRIVE TO ONEHUNGA--SPLENDID VIEW--AUCKLAND GALA--NEW ZEALAND
DELAYS--LEAVE FOR HONOLULU.

On the last day of December, 1870, I set out for Honolulu, in the
Sandwich Islands, embarking as second-class passenger on board the
'City of Melbourne.' Our first destination was Auckland, in New
Zealand, where we were to stop for a few days to take in passengers
and mails.

I had been so fortunate as accidentally to encounter a fr