Page:The new British province of South Australia.djvu/89

70 of Persia and Arabia Felix. From Cape GardafuiGuardafui [sic] in Africa, to the Cape of Good Hope, there appears to be a chain which completes the view. The series of mountains which we have thus followed, is in the form of an immense irregular curve, which comprises within it the Pacific and Indian Oceans, with their innumerable islands, besides a portion of Asia, including China, the Burman dominions, and the Indian peninsula .'

"The situation of NewHolland with respect to this 'immense irregular curve,' is like that of the frog of a horse's foot to the outline of the shoe; the most favourable position imaginable, for intercourse with all that the curve contains. Remark also, that Australia has a territorial line of above eight thousand miles, immediately connected by water with those numerous countries, of which, again, nearly all the rivers flow towards a common centre, which is New Holland. Add to this, that those countries comprise, not only every degree of latitude, north and south, as far as land extends, but the most fertile, and, above all, the most populous regions of the earth. Thus it becomes evident, that Australasia, instead of being positively 'out of the way,' offers all at once better means and greater motives, for a more frequent intercourse with a greater variety of nations, and a larger number of people, than any other country without exception."

Many new colonies have suffered in the beginning from want of food. In every case, of course, some time must elapse before food is produced in an infant settlement; and especially animal food. In most cases, the colony, until it obtained a domestic supply, was dependent upon importation from a great distance. It was difficult, therefore, to regulate the