Expeditions to South Australia | Page 9

Pastures.
To commemorate the transaction, and to transmit to a grateful posterity
the recollection of the nobleman who then presided over the colonies,
the estate, together with the district in which it is situated, was
honoured by the name of Camden.
EXPORT OF WOOL TO ENGLAND.
Since that time the value of New South Wales wool has been constantly
on the increase, and the colony are indebted to Mr. M'Arthur for the
possession of an exportable commodity which has contributed very
materially to its present wealth and importance. Such general attention
is now paid to this interesting branch of rural economy, that the
importation of wool into England from our Australian colonies,
amounted, in 1832, to 10,633 bales, or 2,500,000 lbs. It has been sold at
as high a price as 10s. per lb.; but the average price of wool of the best
flocks vary from 1s. 6d. to 4s. 6d. at the present moment. The number
of sheep in New South Wales alone was calculated in the last census at
536,891 head. The ordinary profits on this kind of stock may be
extracted from the Table given in the Appendix to the first volume of
this work.
WHALE FISHERY.
Among the various speculations undertaken by the merchants of
Sydney, there is not one into which they have entered with so much
spirit as in the South Sea Fishery. The local situation of Port Jackson
gives them an advantage over the English and the American merchants,
since the distance of both these from the field of their gains, must
necessarily impede them greatly; whereas the ships that leave Sydney
on a whaling excursion, arrive without loss of time upon their ground,
and return either for fresh supplies or to repair damages with equal
facility. The spirit with which the colonial youth have engaged in this
adventurous and hardy service, is highly to their credit. The profits
arising from it may not be (indeed I have every reason to think are not)
so great as might be supposed, or such as might reasonably be expected;
but the extensive scale on which it is conducted, speaks equally for the
energy and perseverance of the parties concerned, in the prosecution of
their commercial enterprises. It has enabled them to equip a creditable

colonial marine, and given great importance to their mercantile
interests in the mother country.
In the year 1831, the quantity of sperm and black oil, the produce of the
fisheries exported from New South Wales, amounted to 2,307 tons, and
was estimated, together with skins and whalebone, to be worth 107,971
pounds sterling. The gross amount of all other exports during that year,
did not exceed 107,697 pounds sterling. Of these exports, the following
were the most considerable:
Timber 7,410 pounds Butter and Cheese 2,376 Mimosa bark 40 Hides
7,333 Horses 7,302 Salt provisions 5,184 Wool 66,112
The above is exclusive of 61,000 pounds value of British manufactures
re-exported to the various ports and islands in the Southern Seas.
OTHER EXPORTS.
In this scale, moreover, tobacco is not mentioned; but that plant is now
raised for the supply of every private establishment, and will assuredly
form an article of export, as soon as its manufacture shall be well
understood. Neither can it be doubted but that the vine and the olive
will, in a short time, be abundantly cultivated; and that a greater
knowledge of the climate and soil of the more northern parts of the
colony, will lead to the introduction of fresh sources of wealth.
GEOGRAPHICAL FEATURES.
Having taken this hasty review of the commercial interests of the
colony, we may now turn to a brief examination of its internal structure
and principal natural features.
I have already given a cursory sketch of the geographical features of
the whole continent. Of the vast area which its coasts embrace, the east
part alone has been fully explored.
A range of hills runs along the eastern coast, from north to south, which,
in different quarters, vary in their distance from the sea; at one place
approaching it pretty nearly, at another, receding from it to a distance
of forty miles. It is a singular fact, that there is no pass or break in these
mountains, by which any of the rivers of the interior can escape in an
easterly direction. Their spine is unbroken. The consequence is, that
there is a complete division of the eastern and western waters, and that
streams, the heads of which are close to each other, flow away in
opposite directions; the one to pursue a short course to the sea; the
other to fall into a level and depressed interior, the character of which

will be noticed in its proper place.
GREAT PROPORTION OF BAD SOIL.
The proportion of bad soil to that which is good in