The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1852-09-23
AUSTRALIA CORRESPONDENCE.
SoFALA, TURoN RIVER,
New South Wales, May 9, 1852. !

March, which was Thursday, Australian
time. delayed writing until | had seen
little of the country. The gold mines are
very extensive, yet think they are hardly SO
rich on an average as the minesi in Caliior-
MIA, but from the country being previously
settled, such an immense number OF men are
at work that the yield of gold is very great.
The country is beautiful, the climate the
finest have ever known, inclined to be dry,
but not parched from the want of MOISTURE
It is now the commencement of winter, yet
every thing is fresh and green, the ground
covered with fine grass and beautiful flowers,
the trees do not shed their leaves, but retain
their foliage through the winter, some OF
them shed the outer bark of the trunk and
limbs instead of the leaves. There is not
tree here that resembles any of the trees at
home, neither is their foliage as fine. The
prevailing timber has a long shaped leaf, and
a grey silvery appearance, none of the broad
leaves and rich green of the trees OF the
States. A great variety of birds OF the
richest plumage, Cockatoos, Parrots, &C., but
have heard none that sing we'll. Every
thing here is different from home. | write
this on beautiful Sunday, the Sun travelling
from the East to the North-the moon fol-
lows the same track, and does not present the
same pale honest face as she does at home,
but an appearance from which no ingenuity
in the world could trace any resemblance to a
face. Provisions arc cheap, and the mutton
which is very abundant is most EXCELLENT
Boots and Shoes are very high in price. In
the mines every thing is uncertain, they say
all depends on luck, and many of the most
lazy succeed the best.
hope to return home before long; am
getting tired of this rambling life, living in
tents does very well for time, but it is a
pleasure you weary of.
| am now under the sway Of Queen Vic
toria; in the towns we see the signs of the
Crown, Kings arms, &c. In the churches
we pray for our sovereign lady the Queen
This evening shall hear the same prayers
as you will offer to the same Throne, few
hours later; this is one pleasant thing in the
Episcopal church. Last Sunday l heard a
sermon on works and faith, just such dis
course as you would like, showing the moth
ingness of works without a living faith, deliv-
cred in an earnest manner and in most beau
tilul language.
must now tell you OF my voyage, we
passed out the Golden g ate from the harbour
of San Francisco on Monday the l9.h January
and in February came in sight of the Sand
witch Isles-Orazebcc visible to the left, and
the Island of Mani ahead we sailed along
side the latter and could see the natives on
the shore. We loft this Island in the night
J and in the morning came in sight of Homo
lula. here we landed and remained a week
the harbour is fine, in the town are English
and American merchant and settlers. The
white people look pa'e and sickly, but the
, natives stout and robust, inclined to be fleshy
small bones, round limbs, smooth shining
skins-they live on vegetables, fruits sanC
fish; their favorite food is Jo-co made from q
5 root called Taro, resembling potatoe, this is
4 boiled and mashedu up with water to the con.
sistency of mush, placed in large gourd un.
til it is slightly dried-the natives in eating
group round the gourd and invite you to joil
them, the n each as he wishes dips the frs
, two fingers in the Jo-co and by dexterou
turn Of the hand conveys it to the mouth an,
/ a r.
resembles the loose wrapper occasionally
worn by ladies in the States, no bonnet
but bands around the head of bright red o
yellow. generally composed of Howe s.
Many of the men wear only loose shirt, bu
in the towns they dress more as the Amsri
cans. No drunkenness amongst them.
{, After leaving Honalula we crossed the lin,
c and had to submit to the usual ceremonies O
y visit from father Neptune. We saw man,
IF sharks, caught one, of which ate and like
l. much AS we got short of provisions w
: landed at Tongataloo, one of the Friendl
y Isles, which as we approached, appeare
j. one vast forest of Cocoanut trees We re
y manned on this islanl three or four days in
dulging in ORANGES, Cocoanuts, Bananas
Plantains, Mummee Apples, and Pine Apples
o and took supply on board. drank moth
# ing but Cocoanut milk for two weeks, yor
ar can form no idea how delicious this is whe
> taken from the young nuts.
The natives are fine, large, warlike rae
Of people. very friendly and bospitable. w
could purchase everything of them for pickl
bottles or old linen. The only white pcopl
among them are a few missionaries and thei
families. visited many of the sick natives