Page:Australia, from Port Macquarie to Moreton Bay.djvu/140

 into the interior of Australia, will ensure the success of the enterprise, unless insurmountable obstacles should be encountered.

Although Port Essington is far beyond the extreme limits of the territory of New South Wales, I have thought that it might not perhaps be out of place to insert the following extract from a despatch of Captain Sir Everard Home, of her Majesty's ship North Star, who visited Port Essington last year.

"The settlement at Port Essington stands upon a rising ground on the west side of the harbour, elevated about fifty feet, in the highest part, above high water mark, the soil being a conglomerate of red-stone and sand, which from its dryness evidently conduces to the healthiness for which it is remarkable. The extent between the northwardmost building, which is the hospital, and the Government House, which stands south of it, is 590 paces; and from the water's edge to the western extent is 370 paces.

"The settlement of Victoria stands upon partially cleared ground, and consists of the Government House, which is built of wood, and has a shingle roof; the hospital, which is a building of the same description, which has a kitchen behind it, built of stone, but unfinished; there is a mess room, to which is attached the quarters of the second officer in command of the garrison; the space under it is used as the store-room of the officers; there is another building also of a similar description,