The Orizaba —Reasons for Travelling—The Bishop—Soda and Whisky—The Spanish Coast—Heroic Memories—Gibraltar—Wickedness of Naples—Port Said. I send this from the Orizaba , one of the finest, if not the finest, of the fine steamers of the Orient Line that keep open the communication between this country and Australia; and this is how it came to pass.  One day last summer I was standing on the deck of a steamer, when a gentleman remarked to me, ‘I come from a country where they have had no rain for

Coaling in Port Said—The Suez Canal—England the Main Support—Donkey-drivers—The Electric Light—Ismailia—Suez—Aden—The Red Sea. Under a vermilion sky, as the sun sinks down into the west, we approach the land of Egypt—a barren land, kindly to neither man nor beast, fruitful only in sand, and hospitable only to the camel, who seems here to be a friend in need, patiently following his turbaned leader over the pathless desert.  We have a little sand near Southport, we have more still on the Lincolns

Prosperity of Colombo—Native Extortioners—Buddhist Temple—Life in the Streets—On the Indian Ocean—Stormy Seas guard Australia—English Coolness—Western Australia. A scene of Oriental loveliness opens on my dazzled eyes this morning.  On my right is a fine breakwater, with a lighthouse at the end, which altogether cost £650,000, and the building of which occupied ten years.  In front of me is the port of Colombo, filled with shipping from every quarter of the world.  On my left is a long row of co

Melbourne Gleanings—Dr. Bevan—Night at a Bungalow—Cole’s Book-shop—A Day at Sorrento—White Cruelty to the Aborigines—Coffee Palaces—Dr. Strong—The Presbyterian Church in Collins Street—The Late Peter Lalor—Ballarat—Romance of Gold Mining—Sydney and Melbourne compared—Australian Rogues—Suburban Melbourne—Victorian M.P.’s—Victorian Politics. The stranger who makes his first trip to Australia is not a little astonished by the extreme cold which greets him as he nears his destination.  You hear so m

Sunny Sydney—Public Buildings—Educational Establishments—Sanitary State—Its Climate—Bathurst—The Blue Mountains—Romish Aggression—Botany Bay—Old Days—A Wonderful Change—New South Wales Scenery. If you feel disposed to have a look at Sydney, respected reader, do not go there when an election is on.  Last night, till eleven, the street in which I have found a temporary residence was filled with an excited crowd, hooting and cheering, as from time to time great placards were posted up as to the res

Collision in Sydney Harbour—Brisbane—The Banana Boys—Sir Samuel Griffith. ‘ It is too hot for any Englishman to go to Sydney in January and February,’ said a gentleman to me on board the Orizaba —but I went.  At Sydney everyone said it was too hot to think of going to Brisbane—but I went; and in either case I should have missed a great deal of pleasure had I stayed away.  The misfortune was that I went by the Warrago to Brisbane, a favourite boat, and the crowd was so great I had to sleep in the

Holy Adelaide—Its Situation—Its Public Buildings—Its Mining-market—Dr. Arnold—Australian Plagues: Fleas and Mosquitoes and Serpents—Sunday Observance—The Macleay Mission—Number of Churches. Why Adelaide, from which I now write, can claim to be called ‘the Holy,’ is one of these things no ‘fellah’ can understand.  It may be because it is near Paradise, to which, I see, there is a daily service of trains, but which I have not yet visited, partly because I have a conviction that it is a place for w

Mr. Dooleete’s Station—Sheep-shearing—Patriarchal Life improved—Snakes—Drought. I did not see much of station life in Australia.  I was to have visited Mr. Angas’s in South Australia, one of the show-places of the colony, but the heat prevented me.  However, Mr. Dooleete, of Adelaide, very kindly took me to one he has in conjunction with a friend, about 100 miles from Adelaide, and I much enjoyed the trip.  We started early in the morning from Mr. Dooleete’s romantic residence among the hills, a

His Persecution—His Usefulness—His Intellectual Ability. The Chinese in Australia have a grievance.  We have opened up China against the wishes of their rulers, and when they take a leaf out of our book, and commence opening up the world, we turn round and refuse them admission.  It is so in America, and it is so in Australia.  At every election meeting in Victoria when I was there, the candidate had to declare that he was ready to vote for the exclusion of the Chinese.  This is how democracy us

What the Larrikin is—A Social, Moral, and Political Danger—A Natural Foe of the Chinaman. Once upon a time, so the story runs, an old gentleman was walking along the streets of London, when he was accosted by a little boy, who asked him for a light for his cigarette.  The old gentleman, of course, was shocked, and indignantly remarked that when he was young little boys were not allowed to smoke.  ‘Oh,’ replied the lad, ‘there ain’t any boys now; they are all young men; that’s what we call ’em, a

Fruit Supply—Tintarra Wine—Mr. Thomas Hardy—The Temperance Question. One of the charms of South Australia is the fruit, which, in the shape of grapes, and pears, and peaches, and apples, you see everywhere displayed, and at astonishingly low prices.  Grapes are sold at five pounds for sixpence in the retail shops, and I have seen magnificent grapes three pounds for sixpence, which in London would be held cheap at half-a-crown.  If the colony is ever to be very rich, its fruit trade will be no in

As I was seated in the dining-saloon of the Orizaba , an Australian, pointing to a particular table, remarked to me that there were three millionaires dining there.  I am no company for such.  They are out of my sphere.  However, one of them kindly invited me to dine with him in Melbourne.  I would like to have accepted the invitation.  Alas! I was engaged to dine elsewhere.  One would like to dine with a millionaire.  Tom Hood evidently did, or he would not have told how ‘The company ate and dr

Increase of the Colonies—Further Emigration Required—New South Wales and Free-trade—The Australian Type. Statistics are not pleasant reading.  They are so easily twisted to serve the writer’s purpose rather than to develop the real truth of the case, but to please certain readers who are always wanting to know, I give the Australasian statistics for 1888 laid before the New South Wales Parliament, which show another year of steady progress on the part of these colonies.  The total population of

The Sea—Colombo—Arabi—Ceylon Tea—Stoppage in the Canal—Tilbury Docks—The Future of Australia—Australia as a Field for Emigration. Once more I am afloat.  I bid good-bye to a friend who was six months coming out, and lived on salt beef and pork all the while.  In this respect we have changed for the better.  But the sea, is it ever to be depended on? According to the Duc de Joinville, when Saint Louis, King of France, was on his return journey from the Holy Land, whither he had been to fight the

CARLISLE CASTLE. MACQUARIE. COLLINGWOOD. MERMERUS. DERWENT. RODNEY. HARBINGER. SOBRAON. HESPERUS. TAMAR. ILLAWARRA. Etc., Etc. These splendid vessels sail regularly to and from Australia, and offer unequalled advantages to passengers travelling for health or pleasure.  Each vessel carries a surgeon. F. GREEN & CO., 13, FENCHURCH AVENUE, LONDON, E.C....

FORTNIGHTLY MAIL SERVICE BETWEEN England and Australia . Steam-ships. ‘ AUSTRAL ,’ 5524 Reg., 7000 H.P. ‘ CUZCO .’ 3898 Reg., 4000 H.P. ‘ CARONNE .’ 3876 Reg., 4000 H.P. ‘ IBERIA ,’ 4661 Reg., 4200 H.P. ‘ LIGURIA ,’ 4548 Reg., 4200 H.P. Picture of steam ship Steam-ships. ‘ LUSITANIA ,’ 3877 Reg., 4000 H.P. ‘ ORIENT ,’ 5365 Reg., 6000 H.P. ‘ ORIZABA ,’ 6077 Reg., 7000 H.P. ‘ ORMUZ ,’ 6031 Reg., 8500 H.P. ‘ OROYA ,’ 6057 Reg., 7000 H.P. CALLING TO LAND AND EMBARK PASSENGERS AT Gibraltar , Naples ,