happened to hit upon it."

"He gave it that name," was the reply, "on account of the great number
of flowers and flowering plants which he found all around the bay. Quite
likely he would have given the same name to Port Jackson if he had
discovered it, as there were just as many flowers here as at the other
place."

On another day our friends took a drive to Botany Bay, which is only
five miles from Sydney. They found quite a pretty place, and were not
surprised to learn that it is a favorite resort of the residents of
Sydney. Their attention was called to the monument which marks the spot
where Captain Cook landed in 1770, and took possession of Australia in
the name of the British government.

Another trip that they made was to Paramatta, going there by rail and
returning by water. Of this excursion Harry wrote as follows:--

"The journey is a short one, as Paramatta is only fifteen miles from
Sydney. It is on what they call the Paramatta River, which isn't really
a river, but simply an arm of the bay, and is a favorite place for
rowing races. Next to Sydney, it is the oldest town in the colony.
Governor Phillip, the first governor of New South Wales, laid it out in
1788, his object being to utilize the labors of the convicts in farming.
The first grain fields were established here, being cultivated by
convict labor, and the governor had a space of ground cleared, and a
house erected for his country residence.

"The experiment of cultivating grain was so successful during the first
year, that it was continued on a larger scale during the second and
subsequent years. Free settlers took up ground at Paramatta, which was
then called Rosehill, the name which the governor gave to the little
elevation where his house was built. Settlers who came out to Sydney of
their own accord received allotments of land, and were supplied with a
sufficient number of convicts to do their work.

"These were known as assigned servants, and the practise of having
assigned servants spread everywhere and became very popular, as the
parties to whom the convicts were assigned got their labor for
practically nothing. Sometimes the wives of convicts came out as
passengers in the same ships with their husbands, or followed them
later. When they arrived and set up housekeeping, they would apply for
servants to be assigned to them, and would name their husbands as the
men they preferred. The plan was found to work very well in nearly all
case