uch alarm, that one which strayed into the bush being met by a
party of natives made them climb up the nearest trees in the greatest
terror."

STATE OF THE COLONY.

It may give some definite idea of the neglected state of this infant
colony, to mention that during the entire period of our absence--a space
of six months--there had been but one arrival there, and that not from
England. The solitary visitor was H.M.S. Pelorus from the Indian station.
The want of communication with the mother country was beginning to be
felt severely, and in matters of graver moment than mere news. Many
necessary articles of home manufacture or importation, scarcely valued
till wanted, were now becoming almost unattainable: one familiar instance
will illustrate at once how this state of things presses upon the comfort
of the colonists; the price of yellow soap had risen to four shillings
per pound!

OWEN'S ANCHORAGE.

The usual winter anchorage in Cockburn Sound, being seven miles from the
town of Fremantle, the colonists were naturally very anxious to see
tested the equal security of one which we had chosen within half that
distance. The point was fairly tried, and very satisfactorily determined
during the heavy weather which we experienced on the 31st of March, and
11th of June, which did not raise more sea than a boat at anchor could
have ridden out with safety. These gales lasted about forty-eight hours
each, commencing at North by West and gradually blowing themselves out at
West-South-West. In each instance a heavy bank of clouds in the
north-west gave us a day's notice of their approach. The indications of
the barometer were less decisive; its maximum was 29.3.

The weather in the interval between these gales was wet and unsettled;
but afterwards, until our departure, it continued remarkably fine with an
average temperature of 60 degrees.

The winds at this season prevail from the land, the seabreezes being both
light and very irregular.

ANNIVERSARY OF THE COLONY.

We were just in time to share in the annual festivities with which the
inhabitants celebrate the formation of the colony. Horseracing, and many
other old English sports showed that the colonists still retain the
tastes and habits of home. Some of the aborigines took part in the
amusements of the day with evident enjoyment: and we were surprised to
find that in throwing the spear they were excelled by an English
competitor. We hardly know how to reconcile this fa