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 397 precarious and inconvenient, as you must go to such a distance for land that is vacant. South Australia he considers an utter mistake, as to the principle of its establishment. Ruin is staring many of the settlers in the face. People are as yet buying and selling land as you would buy shares or stock on the stock exchange, but no one doing anything on their grants. Fine town houses but no farms. One or two Sydney people who have their eyes open and know what they are about are making immense fortunes there. So are a few storekeepers, but that is all. He and his partner are going to settle here. He thinks matters are about to take a favourable turn for this place, and wants to buy land on speculation.

Nov. 7th.—The Governor went on an excursion on Monday last, and probably will not return for another week. I propose in the meantime to take a little trip myself to look out for some land which I am entitled to take. We had a meeting of the temperance society on Tuesday last. I had a long argument with several opponents. It is not a very popular cause with the gentry, but it is intended for the people, and is making some progress with them.

Nov. 11th.—Returned to-day from a very pleasant excursion. The weather was favourable—not too warm. Went about 13 miles to the westward, and struck upon a lake nearly five miles long; then continued for nearly 20 miles along a chain of locks and swamps, upon the margin of which generally speaking, there is some very rich grass upon a light limestone soil. I see in Irving's "Tour on the Prairies," he mentions that each person had two blankets and a bear skin, besides a tent for shelter. I carried a blanket strapped on the front of the saddle, and we made some temporary shelter of bushes or bark, and a fire in front of it. But the native lad who was with me, was literally all but naked, and did not complain much, even at night. Whilst we were at one of the lakes a native joined us who had a snake 7 feet 4 inches long,