Page:The State and Position of Western Australia.djvu/113

 goes on to show that the climate is peculiarly suited to the female sex, and “children,” he adds, “thrive remarkably well.”

With reference to education, the writer has heard of one family, including several females, who proceeded last year to the colony, with the view of devoting themselves to that object; and one or two estimable persons were so occupied when he left it.

The connexion of the colony with India will also be greatly promoted by a traffic in horses, when the colonists have had time to raise them in sufficient numbers to make the exportation of them an object. The native horses of India are not considered powerful enough for the mounting of our dragoons. When at the Mauritius in November 1833, the writer met Captain Collins of H. M. 13th Light Dragoons, and learned from him that he was proceeding to Sydney, to procure a remount of several hundred horses for the British cavalry at Madras, having contracted with the Government to receive for each, after they were landed and approved of there, the sum of 54 l. or 55 l., the writer forgets which. Capt. Collins mentioned that the number of horses likely to be wanted in subsequent years would be much greater, and expressed his intention of visiting King George’s Sound, with a view to the future establishment of a breeding stud there, being sensible that a considerable saving would thus accrue, as the expense and risk at present incurred in importing them from the Eastern coast are very great.

On reference to a preceding part of this pamphlet it will be found that during the winter season in the southern