[Concluded from our last.]
The island of Van Diemen’s Land lies immediately to the south of the
vast continent of New Holland, from which it is separated by the narrow
channel called Bass’s Strait. If New Holland be regarded as a great full
bag or sack, Bass’s Strait will represent the neck, where it is drawn
together and tied close, and Van Diemen’s Land the small bunch or
gathering made beyond the string by the mere lip of the sack. While New
Holland is rather more than half as large as all Europe, the extent of
Van Diemen’s Land is only about twenty-three thousand square miles,
which is not much more than two-thirds of the size of Ireland, or a
fourth part of that of the island of Great Britain. The one, in fact, is
about eighty times as large as the other.
One of the papers in the Van Diemen’s Land Almanac presents us with a
very full geographical description of the island. It was divided soon
after its settlement into two great counties, Buckinghamshire, embracing
the southern, and Cornwall, the northern portion of it. But the division
which is now chiefly recognised, is that made in 1827 into eight Police
districts, each under the charge of a paid magistrate. In the first of
these, occupying the south-west corner of the island, stands Hobart
Town, the capital, on the river Derwent, and about twenty miles from its
mouth. The river, however, is, even at this distance from the sea, of
considerable width, and the water is quite salt. The town stands upon a
gently rising ground, and covers rather more than a square mile. Its
streets are wide, and intersect each other at right angles. It contains
several government buildings, a parish church, and other places of
worship; a government school for the poor, and several Sunday schools;
two public banks; and several libraries. Among its manufactories Hobart
Town possesses a distillery, several breweries and tanneries, two timber
mills, several flour mills worked by steam and water, and two or three
soap and candle works. The population of the town and suburbs, including
the convicts and the military, is above seven thousand. This, we
believe, is about half the amount of the whole population of the island.
The other towns already founded in Van Diemen’s Land, are, Launceston,
on the river Tamar, about a hundred and twenty miles north from the
capital, containing about a thousand inhabitants; New Norfolk, or
Elizabeth Town, a place of considerable traffic, and also the centre of
a rich agricultural district, standing on the Derwent, about twenty-two
miles higher up than Hobart Town; Richmond, fourteen miles from the
capital; Sorell Town, or Pitt Water, and Brighton, two other townships
in the same vicinity; Bothwell, Oatlands, Campbell Town, Ross, Perth,
and George Town, all considerably advanced settlements. Many other
stations, however, have been marked out for towns, although scarcely yet
begun to be built upon. Numerous farm-houses, also, and other detached
residences, many of them standing in the midst of enclosed fields,
gardens, and orchards, have been built in all directions. A single
agricultural association, called the Van Diemen’s Land Company, possess
a continuous tract of above three hundred thousand acres, in the
north-west part of the island. About four hundred and fifty persons
reside on this property. There are two government settlements for
persons convicted of crimes in the colony, Macquarie Harbour on the west
coast, and Maria Island on the east.
The face of the country, though extremely diversified, is mountainous on
the whole, and, especially as seen from the south, presents a prospect
of singular sublimity; hills covered to the ridge with trees,
occasionally intermingled with a bare rocky eminence, appearing to rise
behind each other in endless succession. Some of the mountains on the
south coast are five thousand feet in height, and during a great part of
the year are covered with snow. Mount Wellington, or the Table Mountain,
a few miles to the west of Hobart Town, rises to the height of four
thousand feet above the level of the sea. The interior, however,
contains many extensive plains quite unencumbered with wood. Even the
western coast, where the scenery in general is bold and desolate,
presents many protected and fertile spots. The bays and harbours around
the coast are numerous and excellent. In this respect Hobart Town
especially is most favourably situated. The principal rivers are the
Derwent, the Huon, and the Tamar, all navigable. The Derwent, even at
New Norfolk, above forty miles from the sea, is as wide as the Thames at
Battersea. The scenery on both sides of this noble stream is described
as being of the richest beauty. The second-rate and inferior rivers are
numerous, fertilizing every part of the country, and falling into the
sea along the whole extent of the coast. In the heart of the island are
several lakes, from which many of the rivers take their rise.
Much of the native timber of Van Diemen’s Land is excellent for all
building purposes; and others of the woods are esteemed for ornamental
cabinet-work. All the trees are evergreens. The shrubs are of great
variety and beauty; but present as yet an almost unexamined field to the
botanist. As to fruits, none of any value have been found native to this
island; but on the other hand, every sort of fruit, herb, or vegetable,
that grows in England, grows still better here.
In respect of climate, Van Diemen’s Land enjoys the happiest medium
between the extremes of heat and cold, the thermometer rarely falling
below 40 degrees in winter, or rising above 70 degrees in summer. During
the winter months of June, July, and August, the frosts are sometimes
severe, and occasionally a good deal of snow falls; but it is seldom
that snow lies on the ground a whole day.
Coal has been found in various places; iron-stone is believed to be
abundant; lime-stone also exists in great plenty; and it is highly
probable that the earth is enriched with various other mineral
treasures. Of the native animals, the most formidable is the hyena, by
which many of the sheep are destroyed. Wild dogs and cats of different
species are also found in the woods. The kangaroo is now fast
disappearing, having, although a perfectly harmless animal, been much
hunted by the settlers for sport, or for the sake of its flesh and skin.
There are numerous species of birds, many of them of beautiful plumage.
Various descriptions of fish also abound in the bays and creeks; but,
except eels, the lakes and rivers supply very few that are valuable as
food. Of the reptiles found in the island, the principal are snakes,
some of which are extremely venomous.
Such is an abstract of what is most important in the paper before us,
which is followed by a more minute description of the parts of the
island that have been brought into cultivation, in the form of an
itinerary. We will now add a very few facts, selected from another
paper, on the agriculture and horticulture of the colony.
The first cattle were brought to Van Diemen’s Land in 1807. They were “a
coarse buffalo sort of animal:” but, about nine or ten years ago,
superior breeds began to be imported from England, and the colony now
possesses pure Devons, Herefords, Durhams, Holdernesses, Fifeshires, &c.
Horses were at first brought from New Holland; but, “in the same manner
as with neat cattle,” says this account, “they have since had the
benefit of very superior crosses of English importations, and the colony
can now boast as fine horses as even England itself. It has every sort,
perhaps, that is known in the mother-country, from the heavy dray-horse
to the diminutive pony, and including, what should by no means be passed
in silence, blood and bone upon which thousands have been depending at
Newmarket and other English race-courses.” Sheep, for which both the
climate and natural herbage of the country are well adapted, are now
numerous and rapidly improving in quality. Pigs and poultry, of every
description, thrive admirably. Most sorts of grain that are common in
England, grow at least as well here. The wheat is of excellent quality,
seldom weighing less than from sixty-two to sixty-four pounds per
bushel. Barley and oats produce well upon good land; but will not answer
on inferior soils. The average return yielded by the potato is not equal
to what it yields in England; but the cultivation of this root is yet in
its infancy. Turnips and mangel-wurzel are both found to do extremely
well. The same may be said of English grasses and pulses of all sorts.
The export trade from this colony has, as yet, been confined to the more
useful articles. Corn is sent to New South Wales, and to Swan River.
Wool is already exported in considerable quantities, and is likely to
become every year more and more the staple production of the island.
Whale-fishing and the manufacture of oil are rapidly becoming trades of
considerable importance. A good deal of mimosa bark, for tanning, is
also sent to England; and salt meats, hides, and dairy produce will
probably soon be added to the list of exported commodities.
The regulations at present in force for the disposal of land, by grant
or sale, were issued in 1828. The main principle upon which they are
grounded is, that “settlers should not receive a greater extent of land
than they are capable of improving, and that grants should not be made
to persons who are desirous only of disposing of them.” Lands are
accordingly granted in square miles, in the proportion of one square
mile, or 640 acres, for every £500 sterling of capital which the
applicant can immediately command. Of this capital, however, a portion
may consist of live stock and instruments of husbandry. Upon the land
thus granted a quit-rent is imposed at the rate of £5 per cent. on the
estimated value of the land, the payment to commence at the expiration
of seven years from the date of the grant, when the settler will also
receive his title-deeds. The smallest quantity of land granted in this
way to an individual is 320 acres, and the largest, 2560 acres, or four
square miles. Lands may also be obtained by purchase, being advertised
for that purpose, and sold to the person making the highest tender.
We will, in conclusion, mention a few of the more interesting
particulars, supplied by the various lists in the little volume before
us; these are indicative of the rapid progress of civilization. In
addition to the three banks in Hobart Town we find a fourth, called the
Cornwall bank, established at Launceston. There is at Hobart Town a
Mechanics’ Institute, of which the Governor is patron, and the Chief
Justice, president. Among the religious and philanthropic institutions
of this capital are, a Bible Society, of which the Governor is
president; a Presbyterian Missionary Society; a Wesleyan Missionary
Society; a Benevolent and Strangers’ Friend Society; and a Sunday School
Union, having four schools in its connexion, containing in all about 250
children. Besides the Government Gazette, there are three other weekly
newspapers published in Hobart Town, and a fourth at Launceston. The
Almanac closes with a Directory for Hobart Town; in which, besides
merchants, general dealers, official, clerical, and other professional
characters, we find the names of civil engineers, livery-stable keepers,
watchmakers, midwives, shoemakers, bricklayers, milliners, portrait
painters, and engravers, chemists and druggists, pastry-cooks,
confectioners, glaziers, plumbers, house and sign painters, hatters,
upholsterers, cabinet-makers and undertakers, coopers, boat-builders,
auctioneers, goldsmiths, and working-jewellers, music teachers, tailors,
butchers, brewers, hosiers and glovers, ironmongers, brass and iron
founders, tinmen and blacksmiths, printers, saddlers, bakers,
hair-dressers. It would be curious to compare this list with the
population of an English town of seven thousand people three centuries
ago!
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