well-proportioned; the other, scarcely surpassing the be entertaining, it must be to the interlocutors alone; middle stature, impressed the beholder at first sight by and we may hint to our readers that there are verificahis perfect symmetry of limb and grace of carriage. The first rode a powerful bay charger; the second a black tions every where of the proverb to go farther and fare jennet. The richly chiselled armour of the former worse. Let him therefore rest content, as we doubt not showed a man of high rank; that of the latter, though of he will, with this specimen of the Viceroy, the author of fair temper and well burnished, was far inferior in pre-which, whether Belmonte or Capoccio, does not poscious work. But whatever difference of rank might sess either the dramatic or graphic power of Tommahence be inferred betwixt them, their manners betokedseo. We must, however, bestow on him the praise ed perfect equality, Kindeed have been my stars,' said the seem- of giving a fair picture of the condition of the country ingly more considerable of the two, 'in bringing to meet during the unhappy times in which he has laid his me, ere I reach the camp, him I most wished to see.' "And but too happy am I, my Pompeo,' rejoined scene, and especially of the degree to which, at the the other, to return thither in thy company. Who could end of the war, it was infested by banditti, who bid have thought that upon my foraging mission I should defiance to any minister of justice, less powerful than fall in with thee! And the enemy so near! Oh my a troop of soldiers. heart wept to see our lances in rest without thee!' "At Capua I was charged to use despatch! My uncle dwelt upon the importance of the orders of which I am the bearer. Did he suppose such injunctions could add to the speed of him who is hurrying to camp in the hope of a battle?' ""Thou'rt in good time, friend; thou'lt share in the very first banquet.' "What delight! To mount so fine a charger; to brandish such splendid arms! The time is come, Gianni, to practise in earnest the sports of our childhood. This will be a rare tilting bout, with a real enemy confronting us!' "Add, too, a detested enemy.' "Right, Gianni, right. Methinks this sword would cut less sharply were it wielded against other than the Orsini.' "I am more desirous to wield mine against the pestilence from beyond the Alps. Happy I, if yet this virgin blade, still pure from blood, be never stained by blood of Italy.' "Oh thou hast not had a father slain by those villains! Thou didst not last year see the slaughter of Monticelli! When Marcantonio and I reached the combatants, those we best loved were falling like leaves under their blows. Signor Antonio, the bravest man of the house of Lavelli, dying between my feet! And I myself, had not Capoccio arrived in time with his squadron.' * * I understand; but when the fate of all is at stake, private hatreds and enmities should be forgotten. * Such quarrels and mistrusts amongst ourselves, with such indifference towards the foreigner! Why when King Charles came, we were all on his side, and the Orsini of course on the Neapolitan. And now 'tis the very reverse!' From the mediocrity of the extract given we are satisfied to refer any more curious reader to the work itself for further specimens, confessing that its merits cannot, in our judgment, warrant us in proceeding farther. From the Spectator. MAJOR MITCHELL'S AUSTRALIAN Three Expeditions into the Interior of Eastern Australia, In novelty and variety of scenery, character, and incident, these volumes recall the idea of the older travellers, before travelling became a mode of varying amusement-an excursion for the listless, the vacant, and the ignorant. With an interest that reminds us of the reading of other days, we follow Major Mitchell and his band of convict explorers through the pathless wilds of Australia, partaking of their hopes of discovery; sympathizing with their toils, their hardships, their short commons, and, more terrible, their severe thirst in some of those arid wastes; listening with curiof yore, to strange descriptions of savage life and savage osity, though with a more discriminating attention than men, and their fruitless efforts to check the progress of civilization; whilst, scattered throughout the volumes, we meet incidental sketches of colonial life, and gain glimpses of convict character. It is true that with all this is mingled some of the dry minuteness inseparable from the character of a journal, noting down day by day the little circumstances that were of vast immediate interest to the actors, but seem barren incumbrances to the reader. The journals too-"written," says Major Mitchell, "at the close of many a laborious If such conversation as we have extracted can ever day, when the energies both of mind and body were "What would'st thou have? An enmity of 206 years standing! Thou know'st too with whom originated the new rupture. After the peace concluded with Carlo Orsini, whilst he was still our prisoner, was it fair, was it seemly to engage themselves to the infamous Cæsar Borgia?" "I say not that the fault was your's; but I know that its punishment will light upon us all.'" A few months later this prediction is fulfilled, the conquest of the kingdom is completed, and the whole Colonna party proceed to join the Spaniards under Gonsalvo di Cordova; but we must stop here. almost exhausted by long-continued toil"-will occa- | Mitchell, who, by his enterprise as an explorer and sionally seem obscure, from an insufficient develope- his skill as a surveyor, has shown that the five larger ment of the writer's meaning, or the recurrence of rivers of this great natural basin, with their tribusurveying technicalities, unless the reader bear steadily taries, and most probably every river arising to the in mind the route and purposes of the expedition,-a west of the mountain range already spoken of eventuknowledge which will be greatly facilitated by a preli- ally combine to water the territory of South Australia, minary inspection of the general map. These draw-having their embouchure in the yet but partially known backs, however, are trifling faults in a work of so much interest, even had they been far greater than they are. But it is not as a literary production or as a book of incidents or description, that Major Mitchell's Expeditions are to be estimated. Their generic character is discovery-discovery not more important as an augmentation of knowledge, than as having a direct bearing upon human affairs. The subjects upon which our author's enterprise has thrown a new light, are zoology, botany, geology, geography, and man. Leaving the first three subjects to their more appropriate organs, we shall limit ourselves to the conveyance of some general views of the interior of Australia, and the character of its tribes. Lake Alexandrina. Major Mitchell has also described with the accuracy and skill both of an engineer and a geologist, the general nature and features of the country as it was seen by him, and as natural appearances proved it would be in times of flood. He has moreover discovered "Australia Felix," by far the finest country yet found in that extensive continent; having a delightful climate, a rich soil, beautifully undulating and well watered, lying just on the boundary line of South Australia, but naturally forming a part of its territory. The expeditions by means of which these important discoveries were effected were three. The first in a Northern direction, was undertaken on the report of a runaway convict, in search of a large river called the Turning to a map, the reader will find Botany Bay Kindur, by means of which, he said, he had twice on the Eastern coast of New Holland, in the thirty-reached the sea. No such river, however, could be fourth degree of south latitude. This spot is the centre found; and the man, who was eventually hanged, was of the settlement; which extends north and south for supposed to have invented the tale to gain time and two degrees of latitude, forming a sea-coast range of facilitate his escape. This expedition was compelled about three hundred miles. The breadth of the pro- to return, by the natives cutting off a party who were vince may be reckoned at somewhat less than two coming up with supplies. The course of the second hundred miles in the broadest part; and its irregular journey was about North-west; and its object was to boundary line, as laid down by Major Mitchell, would trace the Darling, into which several other rivers were be contained within the shape of a half-heart except inferred to fall: but before completing their survey, towards the southern extremity, or lower end. Its the explorers were stopped by the hostility of the physical features are sandy plains and rocky mountain natives. The third expedition, and in its results the ranges, intermingled here and there with spots capable most important, was nearly due West at starting. Its of cultivation, especially on a water-line; the propor- object was to follow the Lochlan, whose floods had tion of the fertile to the barren will be apprehended stopped Mr. Oxley nearly twenty years before; to from Major Mitchell's statement, that out of twenty-trace the, Darling upwards from its junctions with the three millions of acres, not quite four millions and a Murray; and then to explore the interior in a Southern half have been found "worth having." The range of direction. The hostility of the natives again prevented mountains parallel to the sea, which form the inland Major Mitchell reaching the point whence he had preboundary of the province, extend further north than viously retreated; but all the other purposes of the exany survey has yet been made, and southward to Cape pedition were fully accomplished. The junction of Northumberland, about two hundred miles from Ade- the Darling, the Lochlan, and the Murrumbidgee with laide, the new capital of South Australia. Beyond the Murray, on its northern side, were proved; its this range very little was hitherto known. Savages upward course was traced, several tributaries were and runaway convicts had told stories of inland rivers discovered on its southern side, and at last Major terminating in large inland seas; which were in a Mitchell arrived at Australia the Happy; whence he measure confirmed by Mr. Oxley and other credible joyfully pursued his homeward course by an untrodden travellers, who had attempted to explore the country road in a parallel line to the sea; having, in addition in very rainy seasons. Captain Strut's expedition to the discoveries we have alluded to, effected a genehad succeeded in tracing a river from the plains below ral survey, from three to five hundred miles in breadth, the mountains of New South Wales, to Lake Alexan- of the country lying round the colony of New South drina, within fifty or sixty miles of Adelaide. But Wales. the knowledge of the features of this vast tract of country was scanty until the expeditions of Major Except to the South of the Murray, the generic features of this vast country are-an alternation of ex APPROACH TO AUSTRALIA FELIX. "The party moved forward in the direction of Mount Hope, and leaving the hill on the left, continued towards Pyramid Hill, where we encamped at about threequarters of a mile from its base. We were under no restraint now in selecting a camp, from any scarcity of water or grass, for every hollow in the plains contained some water, and grass grew every where. The strips of wood which diversified the country as seen from the hills, generally enclosed a hollow with polygonum bushes, but without any marks of ever having had any water in them: although it may be presumed that in canals; and this, indeed, seemed to me to be a country very wet seasons it must lodge there, as in so many where canals would answer well, not so much, perhaps, for inland navigation, as for the better distribution of water over a fertile country, enclosed as this is by copious rivers," tensive grazing plains, fertile till parched up by error, still we think the flush of discovery contributed drought; flats of a soft soil, which after rain is scarcely to heighten the general picture. Major Mitchell thus passable even with light carriages, whilst in dry wea-paints the lucky land, which must shortly be colonized ther it cracks into large gaps; wastes, varying from by respectable free settlers, or by convict tribes, acscrub to sandy desert, and occasional high lands, which cording to the pleasure of an upper clerk in the Colonial towards the North and South run into the range of Office. mountains parallel to the coast. Some of the more fertile spots are beautifully clothed with trees, having a park-like appearance; nor is wood any where scarce save on the soils not adapted to its growth. But the most striking character of the whole country is the evident proofs it affords of violent floods succeeding the long droughts. Extensive lagoons are discovered along the banks of the rivers, clearly produced by their overflowing; and these vary from lakes, to pools of mud, or hollows of springing vegetation. The courses of the streams themselves gave evident marks of being subjected to violent torrents at pretty long intervals; and in one place Major Mitchell saw some saplings of about ten years old, which, after growing in safety for that period, had been destroyed by an inundation. A want of water—that is, the uncertainty of finding it is as much felt throughout these vast plains as in New South Wales. None of the rivers were navigable "After travelling through a little bit of scrub, we defor the small boats carried by the party: in some places scended on one of the most beautiful spots I ever saw: they were merely a succession of long ponds; and they which murmured through the vale, had so much the the turf, the woods, and the banks of the little stream all appeared to dwindle gradually away towards their appearance of a well kept park, that I felt loth to break termination, no water being found in any at their junc-it by the passage of our cart-wheels. Proceeding for a tion with the greater streams except the Murrumbidgee. mile and a half along this rivulet through a valley But the Murray is always full. Hence, it seems to wholly of the same description, we at length encamped follow, that for years to come, the country, like the co-anthistiria grew in greater luxuriance than I had ever on a flat of rich earth nearly quite black, and where the lonized part of New South Wales, will only be fit for before witnessed in Australian grass. The earth seemed scattered locations and grazing-grounds. Time and to surpass in richness any that I had seen in New population-the appliances of art to embank rivers, to South Wales, and I was even tempted to bring away a sink wells, to form tanks, and to bring into operation specimen of it. the various resources of human science, so as to husband and equalize the waters-may perhaps enable it to support a dense population; but this will be ages hence. THE LAND OF PROMISE. * * * "At two miles on this day's journey we crossed a deep running stream. The height of its banks above water was twelve feet, and they were covered with a rich sward, the course of the stream being to the westward. The land along the margins of this stream was where around us, so that it was no longer necessary to as good as that we were now accustomed to see everynote the goodness or beauty of any place in particu * * * "We had at length discovered a country ready for the eventually one of the great nations of the earth. immediate reception of civilized man, and fit to become Unencumbered with too much wood, yet possessing enough for all purposes, with an exuberant soil under a temperate climate, bounded by the sea-coast and mighty rivers, and watered abundantly by streams from lofty mounall its features new and untouched as they fell from the tains, this highly-interesting region lay before me with On the banks of the Murray the country improves, and continues till Australia Felix is reached. This district, commencing at the 141st degree of East lon-lar. gitude, (the imaginary boundary of South Australia,) terminates on the North towards the river Bayungun; and is bounded on the East by the Pacific Ocean, on the West by a mountain chain, and the great inland plains. This region is painted by Major Mitchell in such glowing colours, that we should have imagined any other man than a Surveyor General was speaking, not of things as they actually were, but as they ap-hand of the Creator. Of this Eden it seemed that I was peared by contrast with the interior wastes. Nay, although our officer of Engineers notes with a professional eye the nature of the soil, the character of the rocks, the rise and fall of the surface, the water-marks on banks and trees, with all the other specific points by which art prevents enthusiasm from running into only the Adam; and it was indeed a sort of paradise to me, permitted thus to be the first to explore its mountains and streams, to behold its scenery, to investigate its geological character, and, finally, by my survey, to develope those natural advantages all still unknown to the civilized world, but yet certain to become at no distant date, of vast importance to a new people." Major MITCHELL has hitherto been speaking of land on the Western or landward side of the mountain range. The following passage relates to one of his various pictures when he had turned the mountains and was approaching the coast. see; the "At a mile and a half from the camp, a scene opened to our view which gladdened every heart. An open grassy country, extending as far as we could hills round and smooth as a carpet; the meadows broad, and either green as an emerald, or of a rich golden colour, from the abundance, as we soon afterwards found, of a little ranunculus-like flower. Down into that delightful vale our vehicles trundled over a gentle slope; the earth being covered with a thick matted turf, apparently superior to any thing of the kind previously That extensive valley was watered by a winding stream, whose waters glittered through trees fringing each bank." seen. Hitherto the Aborigines of Australia have been rated the lowest in the scale of humanity. From the facts of Major Mitchell, this judgment would appear to be the result of hasty or ignorant observation; or the depressing influences of a scanty subsistence have reduced the inhabitants of the country between the mountains and the sea below the character of the tribes in the interior. Excepting cases of old age and disease, which fall with aggravated weight upon uncivilized man, the aborigines come out active, industrious according to their knowledge, less treacherous than some savages have shown themselves, possessing certain arts, and a few customs which, though based most probably in superstition, exhibit a degree of thought, self-control, and labour, which as it contributes nothing to their physical comfort, could be spared. They are fowlers and fishers when birds and fish are found; they follow these callings with as much system as our decoy-men, and the nets which they use are pronounced by Major Mitchell equal in workmanship to ours; with a wooden spade they search for a species of edible root, at a labour equal to that of an agriculturist; in the power of tracking an enemy or finding their way through an unknown country, they exhibit the sagacity of the Red Indian; and many of the tribes display powers of endurance which leave those of civilized man at considerable distance. Some of their huts are neat and display contrivance; and their modes of sepulture, though various, show in each case something beyond the mere aniinal they have hitherto been held. Here is an account of some of their burial places, followed by sketches of the race. "As we passed a burial-ground, called by them 'Milmeridien,' I rode to examine it; and in doing so I remarked, that these natives scarcely lifted up their heads when they passed through it, but continued, although I remained there for half an hour, after which I found them waiting for me at about a mile further on. This burying-ground was a fairy-like spot, in the midst of a scrub of drooping acacias. It was an extensive space, laid out in little walks, which were narrow and smooth, VOL. XXXIV.-NOVEMBER, 1838. 50 as if intended only for 'sprites. All these ran in gracefully curved lines, and enclosed the heaving heaps of reddish earth, which contrasted finely with the acacias and dark casuarina around. Others gilt with moss shot far into the recesses of the bush, where slight traces of still more ancient graves proved the antiquity all our art we could do no more for the dead than these of these simple but touching records of humanity: with poor savages had done." land of reedy hollows, I perceived at some distance a "On a corner of the plain, just as we approached the large, lonely hut, of peculiar construction, and accordingly rode to examine it. On approaching it, I observed that it was closed on every side, the materials consisting of poles and large sheets of bark, and that it stood in the centre of a plot of bare earth of considerable extent, which was enclosed by three small ridges, the surface within the artificial area having been made very level and smooth. I had little doubt that this was a tomb; but on looking through a crevice, I perceived that the floor of the hut was covered with a bed of rushes, that had been recently occupied. On removing a piece of bark and lifting the rushes, I perceived, on thrusting my sabre into the hollow loose earth under them, that this bed covered a grave. Tommy Came-first, who was with me, at first pronounced it to be the work of a White man; but by the time I had finished a sketch of it, the widow had hailed him from the woods, telling him that it was a grave; after which I could not prevail on him to approach it. I carefully replaced the bark, anxious that no disturbance of the repose of the tomb should accompany the prints of the White man's feet. I afterwards learnt from the widow, that the rushes within that solitary tomb were actually the nightly bed of some near relative or friend of the deceased, (most frequently a brother,) and that the body was thus watched and attended in the grave, through the process of corruption, or, as Piper interpreted her account, until no flesh reNo fire, the constant concomitant of other places of mains on the bones; and then he yan (i. e. goes) away!' shelter, had ever been made in that solitary hut, the abode alike of the living and the dead, although recent remains of several fires appeared on the heath outside." THE SAVAGE AT HOME. "As I was reconnoitering the ground for a camp, I observed a native on the opposite bank; and, without being seen by him, I stood awhile to watch the habits of a savage man at home.' His hands were ready to seize, his teeth to eat, any living thing; his step, light and noiseless as that of a shadow, gave no intimation of his approach; his walk suggested the idea of the prowling of a beast of prey. Every little track or impression left on the earth by the lower animals caught his keen eye; but the trees overhead chiefly engaged his attention. Deep in the hollow heart of some of the "pper branches was still hidden, as it seemed, the opossum on which he was to dine. The wind blew cold and keenly through the lofty trees on the river margin; yet that broad brawny savage was entirely naked. Had I been unarmed, I had much rather have met a lion than that sinewy biped: but I was on horseback, with pistols in my holsters, a broad river was flowing between us, and I overlooked him from a high bank; and I ventured to disturb his meditations with a loud halloo. He then stood still, looked at me for about a minute, and then retired with that easy bounding kind of step which may be termed a running walk, exhibiting an unrestrained facility of movement, apparently incompatible with dress of any kind. It is in bounding lightly, at such a pace, that, with the additional aid of the 'wammerah,' the aboriginal native can throw his spear with sufficient force and velocity to kill the emu or kangaroo, even when at their speed." AFFECTION AND FIDELITY. "A fire was burning near the water, and at it sat a Black child of about seven or eight years old, quite blind. All the others had fled save one poor little girl still younger; who, notwithstanding the appearance of such strange beings as we must have seemed to her, and the terror of those who fled, had nevertheless lingered about the bushes, and at length took her seat behind the blind boy. A large supply of the balyan root lay beside them, and a dog, so lean as scarcely to be able to stand, drew his feeble body close up beside the two children, as if desirous to defend them. They formed indeed a miserable group; exhibiting, nevertheless, instances of affection and fidelity creditable both to the human and canine species." AUSTRALIAN HARDIHOOD. one of his spears, and stood stretched out in an attitude to throw. He was a tall man, covered with pipe-clay; and his position of defiance then, as he could never have before seen a horse, was manly enough. I could not retire at that moment, although most anxious to avoid a quarrel with the natives. I therefore galloped my horse at him; which had the desired effect, for he immediately turned, and disappeared at a dog-trot among the bushes. I gained a convenient cover by going forward, which enabled me to retire upon the river without seeming to turn, as I in fact did, to avoid further collision with the natives at so great a distance from the party.' Our author accuses the tribes who opposed him of treachery and savageness; but we cannot agree with him. In the first place, he had really no business amongst them. By the laws of reason, if not of nations, he had no more right there, than he had to make surveys with an armed band in France or Russia. As regards the attack in the first expedition, the few men present were all cut off; so no evidence exists as to whether any provocation was given,-which, as the "At this camp, where we lay shivering for want of fire, the different habits of the aborigines and us stran-party consisted of convicts, was highly probable. The gers from the North were strongly contrasted. On that charge of treachery against the tribes on the Darling freezing night, the natives stript off all their clothes, seems not only unsupported, but the reverse. They (their usual custom,) previous to lying down to sleep had accompanied the expedition some time, on appain the open air; their bodies being doubled round a few rently friendly terms, though latterly pilfering, and beburning reeds. We could not understand how they bore the cold thus naked, when the earth was white coming troublesome in proportion as their numbers inwith hoar frost; and they were equally at a loss to know | creased. At last all crossed the river save two old menhow we could sleep in our tents without having a bit of "The ceremony they then went through when the fire beside us to keep our bodies warm. For the sup- others had gone was most incomprehensible, and seemed port of animal heat, fire and smoke are almost as ne- to express no good intentions. The two old men movcessary to them as clothes are to us: and the naked ing slowly in opposite directions, made an extensive savage is not without some reason on his side, for with circuit of our camp; the one waving a green branch fire to warm his body he has all the comfort he ever over his head, and occasionally shaking it violently at knows; whereas we require both fire and clothing, and us, and throwing dust towards us, now and then sitting can therefore have no conception of the intensity of en-down and rubbing himself over with dust. The other joyment imparted to the naked body of a savage by the glowing embrace of a cloud of smoke in winter, or in summer the luxury of a bath which he may enjoy in any pool, when not content with the refreshing breeze that fans his sensitive body during the intense heat. Amidst all this exposure, the skin of the Australian native remains as soft and smooth as velvet; and it is not improbable that the obstructions of drapery would constitute the greatest of his objections in such a climate to the permanent adoption of a civilized life." In addition to these qualities, the natives of the Northern districts exhibited great boldness-greater, indeed, than the Mexicans and Peruvians, whom horses scared. See, for example, Major Mitchell's description of the manner in which one of them faced two to one with a horse included. "As I approached a fresh tract, I saw a kangaroo, which sat looking at my horse until we were very near it; and I was asking Woods whether he thought we could manage to carry it back if I shot it, when my horse suddenly pricking his ears, drew my attention to a native, apparently also intent on the kangaroo, having two spears on his shoulder. On perceiving me, he stood and stared for a moment; then, taking one step back and swinging his right arm in the air, he poised took the band from his head, and waved it in gestures as furious, occasionally throwing dust also. "When they met, after having paced half round this circuit, they turned their backs on each other, waving their branches as they faced about, then shaking them at us, and afterwards again rubbing themselves with dust. On completing their circuit, they coolly resumed their seats at a fire some little way from our camp. An hour or two after this ceremony, I observed them seated at a fire made close to our tents; and on going out of mine, they called to me: upon which I went down and sat with them as usual, rather curious to know the meaning of the extraordinary ceremony we had witnessed. I could not, however, discover any change in their demeanour; they merely examined my boots and clothes, as if they thought them already their own." * "Soon after sunrise this morning, some natives, I think about twelve or thirteen in number, were seen approaching our tents at a kind of run, carrying spears and green boughs. As soon as they came within a short distance from the tents, they struck their spears in the ground, and seemed to beckon me to approach them; and as I was advancing towards them, they violently shook their boughs at me, and dashed them to the ground, having first set them on fire, calling out 'Nangry' (sit down); which mandate I accordingly |