ering on the Indian
Ocean, now mostly a wilderness, shall be reached.

A sort of patriarchal simplicity has until lately governed these
pioneers of agriculture. Any unmarked and unoccupied land has been
freely appropriated to their use. But as a higher grade of husbandry has
advanced, more stringent laws have been enforced and cheerfully
acquiesced in; so that at present there is very little near the coast
suitable for grazing which is not under registry with the Crown
officers. Squatting is therefore no longer a happy-go-lucky venture, but
that which the pioneer has he pays for,--a small sum to be sure, but it
renders his claim safe from any chance infringement. The want of such
well-defined rules in the earlier days led to many a bitter quarrel,
which not infrequently ended in a fatal manner. Adventurous men, who
always go armed, are generally quick to quarrel, and reckless in the use
of weapons.

The central portion of Australia is described as being one vast extent
of alluvial plains, interspersed with sandy ridges, dry lakes (or land
depressions), and occasional hills. Many portions have a very rich
black soil, bearing what are called nigall-trees, which yield a
transparent gum in large quantities, in all respects resembling
gum-arabic, being perfectly soluble in water. This gum the natives eat
freely; and it is very palatable, though its nutritive qualities are
quite doubtful. The natives eat this gum to allay the pangs of hunger,
but it is not believed that human life could long be sustained upon it.
On some of these central plains there is a natural grass of the most
nutritious quality, which grows profusely. The Europeans call it
blue-grass, of which sheep and cattle are very fond. Large tracts are
liable to inundation from floods during the brief rainy season. The soil
consists of a rich plastic formation. Wild carrots and wild flax abound;
the former are especially sought for by sheep, while the bolls of the
latter are considered fattening for all stock. Sheep will patiently dig
with their fore-feet to get at the carrots, and devour them eagerly,
though they are very bitter to the taste. Another peculiarity of the
country, as it was described to us, is the entire absence of all stones;
not one is to be found except at the foot of some of the hills, which
are often twenty miles apart. It is believed that this part of the
territory is at a certain depth underlaid by an abundance of fresh
water, which would be