Star.
London, England, 1830-08-20 00:00:00

ABSTRACT TROY THI RZTOINS:

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The explorations which have been effected at the instance of Go-
velment, and by private individuals, have put us in possession of
knowledge relative to the coast to the extent of seventy miles north-
ward from Rottenest, and ninety miles to the southward of it. In
that extent the only discoveries of note are six rivers of no great meg.
nitude, and one bat harbour, capable only of receiving boats. The
land seen on the coast to the northward is reresented as indifferent ;
while that to the south is reported to be good. With the country
between the sea coast and the hills, ten leagues to the north and
south of Perth, we are well acquainted; and three or four parties
having severally penetrated the hilly district beyond the first noir,
to the extent of twenty miles, we possess some information relative
to its soil and products.
It is not necessary to transmit the several reports which have been
addressed to me on these points, and on the qualities of the soil and
water, or the value of indigenous productions; these will be best
determined when they shall have been tried. The only document
of this description, which I consider it necessary at present to lay
before you is the survey of Cockburn Sound by the Chief (surveyor,
Mr. Roe; on its accuracy the most perfect reliance may be placed,
as it has been effected and lately completed by the most unwearying
and skilful application. I beg to biggest, for the convenience of
ships coming here, that it should be made public. It will be ex-
tended shortly so as to include the adjoining cone, and I shall then
forward full instructions for vessels navigating the seas in the neigh.
bourhood.

In the meanwhile I am proceeding to have the passage into
Cockburn Sound properly buoyed and beaconed ; and I have ar.
ranged with a gentleman resident here to maintain a sufficient este.
blishment of pilots and pliot.boats.
By the document No. I. you will be enabied to estimate the num•
be and quality of the persons who have come to this Settlement,
and the descriptions of property they have imported. Among the
heads of families there is a great majority of highly reepectable and
independent persons. In the working c6os there is a great variety;
some masters have been careful In the selection of their servants and
workmen, but the greater put have either engaged the outcasts of
parishes, or have brought out men without reference to character;
and the consequence is great inconvenience to such mantas, and
endless trouble to the authorities established here.

Permission to aka land according to the land regulations, here.
tofore transmitted, has been granted to all whose y has been
valued. Their names, and the extent of their nee claims, sp.
pear in the document No. 2 t a note of such persons as haul actually
commenced (altitudes is therein contained.

In the towns of Perth and Fremantle regular buildings am sue.
eroding to the early temporary .resource. 1 contemplate the esta.
01121161 cm of three other tow" one on the she* of Cockburn Sound ;
one about ten miles higher thin Perth, on the Swan Rive; and a
third on the Murray River. 25 miles to the soathwasel. hi fact,
the mode of granting lands in such large allotments, tends to spread
a small community over a large surface, and to give exiseenie to
town with few inhabitants.
Among so many setdem, that eoulll pot he a great number with
minds and bodies oohed to encounter the Struggles and Winnows
of a new Settlement ; many, if not all, have accordingly been more
or less disappointed on arrival, either with the suite if things here,
or their own want of power to surmount the difilculties proisebrg
around them. rhOt has been eipeeiehtfed in the fisiiing.ty every
new Colony, and Might Nitre been eitietted to oe6 here as Well '
elnewhere. daises this depression, however, the aekive and stem.
hearted have now recovered, and tea or te*Al lording, nth
the settlement kit:i.!.occupka their grounds. .
theinethiii Red WI the situdity WO ind Vie des.
Milan of their catt I etori.idir the addiertiking Al6istr sifelhein the
dreg" of llnoorit &Wowing,, which mieVele tbrolitenid sir
defeat the view" of his Majasty's flovemalint h Mit wiener.
The life stock wiriest have been brought eterr, has Ws In several
instances of the very best quality, and it will be seen by document

( .) to be very considerable in quantity ; with very few exceptions,
arising chiedy from neglect, all kinds have done well. Vr e are now
drawing to the close of the dry season, and yet the bullocks and
ghee continue to fatten upon the natural grasses. Horses from
Rn and have not prospered an well, but have maintained themselves
wi out any food but the native hetbage.
The building of houses and boats, the examination of the
country, the selection of land, and the transport of goods from the
shore to their allotments, have not left settlers much time to attend
to any thing else. The season during the three last months, more.
over, has been unfavourable to agriculture and gardening, from the
hard and dr state of the ground ; but the time for breaking it up
being now arrived, I hope to see farming operations commence with
vigour

I am happy to say, with reference to grazing, that there is every
reason to be minified with the result of our experience up to the pre.
sent time.

Fishing has been much and ttuecessfully practised. The rivers
and coasts abound in SA. and great supplies of food have been
drawn from that source.

Many settlers have employed themselves in the comitructinn of
boats. for the conveyance of their goods on the rivers. The
number in the settlement is now very considerable, being not less
than forty.

Such are the various points, by the exhibition of which I am des'.
roue to acquaint you with the present condition of the settlement.
In offering them, I have confined myself to a representation of facts ;
but as I now propose to consider the prospects of the enuntrv, I beg
to premise that the following statements contain matters of specu-
lation rather than of certainty.

The qualities of the territory, to which the best informed pe►sons
attend, in forming an opinion of its future prospects, are its cli.
mate and soil, its position for trade, and the products of the sea in
its vicinity.

Our experience of its climate extends throughout the circle
of the year, with the exception of the month of February. That
it is favourable to health in an uncommon degree, is the undoubt-
ing persuasion of every one with whom I have spoken. in the
district we now inhabit, the workmen during the last two months
have not been able to work in the sun between ten and three
o'clock, but exertion at other times produces no consequent las-
situde; and, with the exception of ten or eleven days, the summer
heat has been tempered by southern breeze*, and thereby rendered
very agreeable. Since the Ist of November we have had no rain in
the lower country ; but I think rains have fallen occasionally on the
hills during the butt fortnight, and I expect a share of them on the
coast before the middle of February. This drought of three or
four months fortunately occurs at the season proper for harvest ; it
is, however, too long for the purposes of pasturage. particularly in
this district, as the grasses and plants are much Injured by the great
and glowing heat of the sun. The Colony may be extended three
degrees to the southward, and I think the future atrangetnents will
probably be, that the best districts for pasturage and wheat tillage
will be the more southerly; while maize, olives, vines, and other
similar products, will be cultivated in this parallel.
With reference to the soil of this territory I cannot offer a sound
opinion; we at present are acquainted with a very small portion of',
it; we still less know how far climate may modity the productive
power of soils, and indeed have had as yet no experience of their
qualities. The most skilful farmers from Englabd profess them-
selves
at a leas to form a judgment here, as processes in vegetation
are going forward before their eyes, even on mere sands, which are
wholly irreconcilable to their pre-existing notions and modes of
judging. I think lam safe, however, in stating, that the sandy
soils on the coast produce a shrubby herbage, on which horned
cattle, horses, and sheep, have lived now throughout the greatest
part of the year • that there is between the hills and the sea a
breadth of red loamy soil, on which grain and grasses may be pro-
duced; that the banks of the riven, and numerous streams, offer the
richest alluvial loam; and that the hills themselves, although wpm-
glossily very rugged, are capable of becoming good
.pasture, as the
soil on their sides, where it exists at all, is invariably excellent,
resting on granite and whinstone. lam more cautious on this sub-
ject, because there have been opinions given by individuals who
have seen only the sea beach, and have stated broadly that there is
no good soil. In the estimate I have offered, I have therefore con-
lined myself to points undisputed by those who have examined the
country.

Those persons in the settlement Who direct their attention to
the produce of the soli may be divided into two climes, follow.
Mg either pasturage or tillage. I cannot at present form an
estimate of the number of cattle, horses, and sheep, which may
be kept on an average of any given extent of land. The country
as it is will certainly sustain a considerable number, as there is
both food and water at the present season, the driest and worst of
the year.

This fact is important in the highest degree; for the power of
supporting such animals without artilical food, will secure not only
a profit to their owners, but a supply hereafter of necessary food to
the Settlement. We have here several thoroughbred horses ; the
profit on these, in the case of any one individual, will be more pre.
carious than on sheep ; of the latter, we have small flocks film the
well-known breeds of Messrs. Henry, Trimmer, and Tower, and
to their increase and future profit I think we may look with
confidence, as their proprietors here are fully sadsfied with their
progress heretofore. I consider pasturage as the sourer whence
the greatest returns will be made, partkularly when the Colony
shall extend itself two or three degrees of latitude further to the
southward.

The views of those who look to tillage, are as yet confined to gar.
denim; and farming foe their own consumption. I shall follow the
judicious and enlightened opinion of Mt. Archdeacon Scott, in at.
tracting to this made of production those only wbo have no capital,
or who cannot be employed in gluing t es the cheapness with which
grain is raised in the Colonies around us will prevent the production
of it at a lower rate than it may be imported at. Thou ate, how.
evvr, some articles on the produce of which it is supposed rest
profits may be made ;

Very superior flax and a species of hemp grow spontaneouldy. and
may be cultivated, perhaps, to advantage; timber is abundant, and
may be profitably sent to market; vines, olives, figs, opium, and
tobacco, are looked to as future sources of export theme, as well
as many more such articles, must await the time when the protein
subsistence and comfort of the settlers shall be provided for, and a
stock of the necessaries of life accumulated.

The facilities which are offered here for curing fish for the Mau-
ritius, and for carrying on s whale ishery, have not escaped the at.
tention of some of the settlers ; eves thus early I have•had sppli.
cations from several parties. but judgiag tits time not arriVed, I
have not hastened by particular encourallement such establishments.
It is believed there is abundance of fish to make a fishery oru.
titable, and the coast is visited between the months of May and No.
*umber by a multitude of whales ; it will be my object to Nett*
these fisheries. in boats sad small vessels drawing their maintenance
from these shores.

The positton which this Settlement occupies, with reference to
the trade of these seas, has been in some measure shown by the ar.
rival of ships from various pans of the world ; some of these, from
England, have landed all their aim° hem, but the gnawr part have
called without inconvenience, and have disposal of part of their
passengers and cargo here, and have then proceeded ea their routes
two vessels have gone trom this to the Malay Islandi, bat 'only
cite hail come thence. 1 otwlerstani there are four Moan icaiiels
intended to be employed In that and ether hose of trade, di-1
verging from this as a centre ; and it wilt then be determined
whether the idea is correct, which supposes This a good pOsition
from which to dispose of British maoulletn}es among tat easternmost '
of the Malay Islands.

These are the prbopeets which engage the minds Odin* pentoate
hem oho bare overcome the &nineties ei their lint establish:Mat in
a new land. But, in bathes out to your notice Otte promprms.
whirls are continipla,ed by 'these whose 'mind are in a healthy state,
I mutt lead you to believe that such a fantuable vie* it thing's b
entertained by all here. Time gteater part, Moms bit of etany
in England, ars sot likely to prosper hem ea the 'stem their
groundless and inconsWerate expectations Many of the settlers
who have came should never haw Itet a sits Mid tranquil stale ir
life"; mid if it be possible to dß=ir Wit Mr Of
to orinauralp Motber, mina "Was OM foe akw
pads the helpless and
.map-. Vetetisitie-
sesnt, while, 'so the active a/ in theft
sii_ay be owmil *ith Ye IM Mob&
oslitimy may, at tit ditilint MMO shag%
to assacilltalls and law elf, w imisuram inigtastin of tret'selib rI
tiny great portion at which, it ambler's/ ma soon, will ruin her
, prospects and dub owe.