West Virginia Democrat. [volume] (Charles Town, W. Va.) 1885-1890, 1888-12-21

AIeN. YIN tlUSt " AOohS 10 nus
trala and writes the Intelliqencer
a letter dated Oct goth, which is
full of interest. We give such ex-
tracts as we can.
GURRAsoARRA, Ats, Oct. 29.-The
average American has been accus-
toned to regard Australia as coun
try far behind in civilization and
lacking in many of. the refnements
we see in our American cities. The
true state of facts are just the re-
verse-as much 50 as this hemis'
phere is the reverse of our northern
hemisphere. Here Spring begins
September 81. Thecold comes from
the south. the heat from the north,
the trees shed their bark and not
their leaves; cherry seeds grow out
side the cherry; the birds don't sing
the flowers don't smell, the bees
don't sting, and the swarns are black.
The sun throws its shadow to the
south; the moon wears different
face and the consultations in the
heavens are upside down, the natives
don't bury their dead under the
ground but stick them up in trees.
These are all facts. Imported birds
sing and cultivated flowers have as
much odor here as in any country
and are as beautiful. Tie cities are
more substantially built than in our
country, as stone is abundant and
of fine quality for building pnr-
poses. The roads are all built by
the Government and are the best
without exception have ever. seen.
They are wider and smoother and
winter than our national roads, and
have no toll gates. There are many
thousand miles of these roads in the
colonies.
Acknowledgement where L now am
is city of over ond hundred thous'
and inhabitants and very much re-
sembles the city of Cleveland. Her
streets are wide and well paved with
Nicholson stone and asphalt. Her
sewerage is perfect. There is no
doubt that Adelaide is as clean, if not
the cleanest city in the world. She
is surrounded by park lands, and
has large geological and botanical
garden, has not wooden structure
in the city limits, all being built of
stone and brick. Her street car lines
are perfect. The plain on which the
city is built extends many miles in
length and is said to embrace some
$4,000 acres and is surrounded by
a chain of mountainA.-- ------
Many of the citizens have summer
residences in these hills or noun
tains. where, at q distance OF fifteen
or twenty miles from the heated city.
they find change of temperature Of
from fifteen to twenty degrees every
evening, These residences are built
of stone and many of them models
of beauty. The well kept and lovely
flower gardens attached to each, the
beautiful plain and city below, and
wide sea view make the residences
perfectly charming. In the suburbs
of the city there are some 2autiful
orange, almond and olive O. .hards,
besides apples, lemons, peaches,
pears, plums, figs, apricots, loquet or
Japan plum grapes, and all kinds of
small fruits seem to flourish in this
climate, which is very much like
that of Southern California. L
might mention many OF the places
in the suburbs Of the city that, for
cultivation and elegance, look as
though many years had been spent
in bringing them to their present
condition, while the city is not yet
fifty years old. The ladies here have
rosy compilations and are well form
cd, especially the Tasmanian ladies.
/ have had good opportunity to
see many thousands at TIE Exhibi-
ton at Melbourne, and it is an ex-
ception to see thin, sallow- looking
lady. The men are stout and strong
and seem never to have known what
it is to he sick.
1t is said there is more tobacco
used in Australia per capita than
in any country in the world. There
is very little chewing. but the pipe
is in constant use indoors and out.
They use the strongest quality of
tobacco. This country has been re-
markably free from all kinds of
troubles. 1t has never had a war
of any kind. The natives were harm
less and never gave the early set
tiers the thousandth part of the
trouble our Indians gave. Cholera
or yellow fever have never visited
these shores. Good health is uni
versal in almost all the colonies.
There is some little fever in Queens
land and the northern territory. The
inhabitants of this colony are mostly
English and Scotch. They are hos
pitable and kind and many of them
remind me of the farmers of Ken
tucky and the planters of Louisiana.
They are more law abiding, and hu-
man life is better protected than in
many of cur States. They are free
liyers and have more holidays than
would be considered profitable in
our country.