e month of February 1840, large
importations of stock having taken place, the same land was sold for
sixty pounds an acre. But in other colonies, where overland communication
takes place, this would be regarded as a very small increase in price for
a new colony; there are many instances in South Australia of people
realizing, in less than two years, sums of money to the amount of from
ten to twelve thousand pounds from the sale of town acres in the city of
Adelaide.

RAPID SPREAD OF STOCK STATIONS.

To endeavour to give some idea of the rapid extension of stock stations
over the face of the country I must begin by premising that farming stock
somewhat more than double themselves in two years; or at the end of two
years they occupy double the space of territory; at the end of four
years, four times; at the end of six years, eight times; at the end of
eight years, sixteen times; and thus, at the end of ten years, thirty-two
times the space of country which was originally taken up by stock becomes
occupied by civilized man.

Exactly in the same ratio as the amount of occupied territory increases
so does the amount of wealth in the country advance, as well as the
demand for labour; and the natural increase of population falling far
short of this, and not supplying a sufficient number of persons to absorb
the wealth which the country is capable of producing, a demand for
emigration arises, and a stimulus to it is given by the ease with which
wealth and comfort are acquired in the Australasian colonies.

COURSE OF THE OVERLANDERS THROUGH AUSTRALIA.

If the reader casts his eye upon a general map of Australia it will be an
easy task to follow the march of stock for the last four years:

Port Phillip was occupied in 1836,
Portland Bay in 1835,
South Australia in December 1836.

COMMUNICATION BETWEEN SOUTHERN AND WESTERN AUSTRALIA.

The first step taken by the Overlanders was the connexion of Port Phillip
with Sydney, and they thus, as it were, established a great base line
from which their subsequent operations could be carried on; at this
period they did not however bear the name of Overlanders, which was only
given to them after Adelaide had been reached in 1838.

EARLY ENTERPRISES OF THE OVERLANDERS.

The Overlanders had hitherto been occupied in merely pushing their stock
stations to different portions of the colony of New South Wales; but a
new and fertile field for enterprise opened to them in the establishmen