Twelve Years' Wanderings in the British Colonies. from 1835 to 1847 Volume 1 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1848 edition. Excerpt: ...kinds of grain were much cheaper. Cattle or sheep are exported in small numbers to New Zealand, whilst a considerable number of horses are sent to India, where they are used in some instances for mounting the East India Company's cavalry. They are strong, active horses, capable of sustaining much more fatigue than the Arabs in use in the Peninsula of Hin-doostan, and of carrying much greater weights. The whalebone and oil exported from the colony is the produce of vessels owned by Sydney merchants, who, taking advantage of their favourable position, are annually extending the number of their ships engaged in this trade. Some of the Sydney merchants also possess whaling stations on' the coast of New Zealand, and are, at times, tolerably successful in their take of oil. Experiments are now largely making in the colony in the growth of the grape, and the produce of wine. A few sample pipes and hogsheads have been shipped for England in 1846 and 1847. The colonists expect, that before long, cotton and silk will be added to the list of their exports. The mulberry has so far succeeded well in the country; but it has not yet been tried by one of these severe and long continued droughts, that have at intervals afflicted the colony, ever since it was first established, nearly sixty years ago. For seven years, now, has the colony been unafflicted with one of these visitations of Providence, such as that in 1837, 1838, and 1839; stock of all kinds has quadrupled in the period, but if drought were to come again, it would be felt as severely as formerly, when as much as half a DROUGHTS IN AUSTRALIA. 219 sovereign had to be given for a feed for your horse, and water was sold by the measure. An Australian drought is fearful. The always scanty supply of water is...