to within a few miles of the entrance to Bass's Straits, where we met a
strong easterly gale, which detained us several days. This was in March;
and I would advise ships bound from India to New South Wales, in the
month of January, February, or March, to go to the southward of Van
Diemen's Land altogether: they will thus carry the strong westerly winds
longer, avoid the easterly gales that blow during these months in Bass's
Straits, and probably shorten their passage ten or twelve days. Up the
bold and iron-bound shore of this mighty island, from its south-east
promontory to the heads of Port Jackson, we ran with a strong southerly
gale, and entered the most magnificent of harbours after a seventy days'
passage.

The entrance into Port Jackson is between two rocky heads, called, the
North and South Head. As the former projects rather further into the
Pacific than the latter, and somewhat overlaps it, the stranger would
have some difficulty in finding his port, were it not for the
light-house on the South Head; but, even with this guide, the
inexperienced eye cannot perceive the entrance till right opposite it.
We ran in with a heavy sea outside, and had scarcely got a ship's length
inside the Heads, when we were in water as smooth as a mill-pond. The
steep black rocks on our right looked fearfully near to us, but the
water is deep close to them, and no difficulty is experienced in beating
up to Sydney Cove, a distance of six miles. The only danger in the way
is a shoal or reef, bearing the strange name of the "Sow and Pigs": on
it, however, there is a light-vessel, so that it may be safely passed,
even at night.

Were all the fleets in the world congregated in Port Jackson, they would
not half occupy it. From the Heads to a mile above Sydney Cove, there is
a succession of beautiful bays, with deep water close to the rocks, and
good anchorage in all directions. The scenery is magnificent, though, to
an eye accustomed to that of Singapore, the green is not quite brilliant
enough. A succession of hill and dale, with here and there a neat
cottage perched on some rocky point, the soil clothed with trees, the
waters of the many bays glistening in the sun, and the distant view of
the heights and windmills beyond Sydney, form a picture that can
scarcely be surpassed.

On landing in Sydney, the traveller from India is ready to exclaim,
Surely this is not a town some seventeen thousand miles from England!
Every thing reminds