receiving the waters of numer from the neighbouring uplands, Stanley county, and enters the s Bay, a beautiful harbour, well sh islands of Stradbrook and Morto S. lat. The scenery in the vicinity of peculiarly beautiful, and the vegeta luxuriant; the land is equally adap tivation or grazing; the timber i and fit for domestic uses or export bunya-bunya tree, and a species of the "Morton Bay pine," are ve and attain gigantic dimensions. town, or rather settlement, with mar tial buildings, which were erected s back by convict labour, on the sho river, about 25 miles from its mou the town the land is sterile, and the ri are high and rocky; but this poor t only small extent, and beyond it the unsurpassed excellence. The wool, & ty of this river is ed some years mouth, Near he river banks or tract is of the land is of 1, &c., from and other far-out stations, are brought to part for shipment, the descent being peculi easy and gradual. The soil and climate of the Moreton district are well suited to the cultivation of sugar-cane, rice, cotton, indigo, arrow-r tobacco, and other tropical products. Wh barley, and grain in general, yield luxur crops, but the vine and many other of fruits and vegetables of the temperate zo will not succeed; indeed, this portion of Austr can scarcely be deemed an eligible home. the British emigrant. Its climate is trop and therefore not adapted for European door labour. Sharks, and shoals of sea-snal from the ocean, penetrate the rivers for sev miles inland. The thickets and swamps abo in venomous and deadly serpents, the dea adder being particularly dreaded. Mosquitoes, centipedes, ants, and m of the minor tortures which infest trop countries are, much to the discomfort of may be mentioned as a tormen these parts. This creature, in spit tion, frequently insinuates hims skin, and fills the shoes with bloc Aborigines are more numerous a than the tribes inhabiting the co to the southward; and the whit being thinly spread over the lan opportunities, which they eagerly stealing sheep, and sometimes shepherd with impunity. Nevert frequently render services to the shearing, and harvest-time; and fishermen in catching the dudong, as it is sometimes called, a huge ani whale tribe inhabiting the sea in th and which, while affording a much p for the blacks, yields an abundance finer quality than sperm. yriads. The marsi es himself near t with blood. Then nerous and formi the country furt The white populati the land, they hav agerly embrace, mes murdering Nevertheless, the and also act as CHAPTER XII. Squatting Districts-Features of the Countrytains, Rivers, and Creeks-Stock and Produc IRRESPECTIVE of the foregoing countie colony has been laid out into what is "commissioners," or "squatting squatting dist These territories are extensive, and unde immediate control of Government Co sioners, who authorize, by licence, the own sheep and cattle to depasture their flock herds over certain tracts. Most of the shipments of wool and tallow are from extensive districts; indeed, prior to the disc of gold, they contained the staple weal in this place. Commencing with the southern the province, we have the Maner districts. This important pastur been mentioned in Auckland C fertile plains lie at the foot of the Alps. They are elevated to from 3000 feet above the sea, and form about 100 miles in extent. The highly salubrious, but cold in winte horses, 5000; cattle, 115,000 400,000. Murrumbidgee squatting district. one of the largest and finest grazing the colony. The plains are extensiv swelling uplands but thinly wooded, grassed. The Murray and the Murru the two largest rivers in the provi through, and form the northern, south western boundaries of the districts, also watered by the Coodrabidga, the Burnett's, and numerous other rivers and |