Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1895-01-03


ster steamers OF the many companies
which ply between Europe and the
Tar east and the antipodeS. Many
vessels are riding at anchor there
now, waiting for the Wool freights
which they carry home TO the old coun-
try. 1t is pleasant here to ind Eng
land and Scotland always spoken OF
as home" One loses the grand gen
eral impression when one lands at a
side wharf, where the American and
Canadian steamers have their berths
at present, for you are uShered into
the back door, so to say, into the mar
row, tortuouS streets of the business
part of old Sydney where the houses
have a much more old world air than
in American cities.
But Sydney is running away with
me. We had to undergo the customs
of examination before landing. 1t is
an unspeakable comfort to have that
done on the steamer, instead of having
to hang about in the custom house as
in New York and most other places.
AS Sydney is almost practically a free
port, the examination was a mere
formality, and while it was going on
we were making out each our own
friends in the waiting crowd on the
wharf and signalling to them. Then
came the excited adieus to the fellow
travellers with whom We had had so
much pleasant intercourse during the
three weeks, and hurried exits from
the Warrinso.
Almost all The suburbs of Sydney
are reached by water, save those ia
mlliarly known as up the line.''
which extend in one almost continu-
Gus stretch to Parramatta, fourteen
miles UP the river of that name. 1t
is an important city, which at one time
Dade fair to be the capital of the
colony. 1t is famous for it's orange
orchards, and there are great iron
works in one of it's suburbs NV des-
tination, however, was one of the
water suburbs Hill ON the
Lane Gone river. No sooner had left
the great ocean steamer than l had to
embank in the small river boat and
take an hours sail between the lovely
river banks. First of all we crossed
the upper end of the harbor, from
which we could see one suburb after
another, as the bays opened out be-
fore US, North Sydney extending for
miles Oh the opposite side, .lBalmain,
with its many docks and engineering
works, browning a promontory ON the
left. 1t, alone, has a population Of
$4,000. Runding the point at Wool
witch, we were in the Lane Cone river
proper. Although called river, and
the Parramatta river correspond more
to the Scottish lochs and frths and
to the Norwegian fjords than to the
American idea of river. The tide
runs up to Lane Cone river about 16
miles to where little creek of fresh
water flows into it.
From the point at Woolwich and
for many miles the shore on the left
is lined with beautiful residences,
with grounds sloping down to the
waters edge, and adorned by a rich
semi-tropical vegetation Most houses
have their own private wharf and
bathing place, safely palisaded against
sharks. The bank on the right has the
suburbs of the Northwood and Tongue
vile standing farther back from the
water, Beyond Longueviiie is Tam
BOURNE bay. A long and lofty promon-
tory runs into it, on which stands the
imposing buildings of the Jesuit Col
lege Of st. Ignatius, with magnificent
and extensive grounds like those of
some great mansion house in the old
country. Another bay secludes it on
the upper side, so it has the advantage
OF an almost insular situation. Across
Burns bay is another high ana mar
row neck of land and on it stands
Carlsbrooke, my present home: a
bungalow built of white sandstone,
with lovely green lawn and garden
gay with flowers, facing the bay.
When we sit in the verarda we look
down to the bay on the one hand and
across the white high-road and a strip
Of bush on the other to the main
branch of the Lane Cone river. Across
it again on another height is the
hidSSlNS UuAuluS VI Iu0 OOllcSe Oh
st. Joseph kept by the Mariet
brothers. All the fine sites in the
neighborhood Of Sydney have been
seized by the Roman Catholics, and
certainly they could not have planned
better if they wished to advertise
themselves, for every stranger coming
UP the river inquiries, 'What are these
imposing edifices?'
1Nere is no winter here as in Amerf-
ca, and yet cold winds prevail in what
is known as winter, which | felt
rather trying after the pleasant heat
of Wisconsin and the tropics. Now
the weather is lovely, warm sun
shine tempered by the soft sea-breezes.
The air is sweet with the odor of
orange flowers and hOneysuckle, the
roses are hanging in festoons from the
veranda. The rocks in the shrubbery
below the lawn are gemmed with the
exquisite flannel f1ower-which has
a texture like that Of the Alpine Edel-
weiss. The green figs are swelling
and the peaches and nectarines are
coloring: this is the sweet springtide
of Australia.
Elizabeth Sterling Wright.
Morris Ensign, an employe of the
Dail