new settlement; and he sells off his stock and claim to him, packs up
his traps, pokes off through the bush with his compass till he has
found a new location somewhere; then he comes back, pays a new license
fee, and stocks the new place with flocks and shepherds and begins
again. And I never saw in my life anything so fine as one of those
Victoria sheep or cattle farms."

"Why don't you go into it?"

"Well--it's best to divide the business just now. I can be of use to
Stephen and he can be of use to me. And I'm a little of this lady's
opinion."

"How is it in this colony we are coming to?"

"Well, they are very prosperous; it's a good place to get rich. They
have contrived to get along with their gold mines without ruining every
other interest, as the other colonies have done for a time. But I think
Victoria is the queen of them all; Victoria sends home more wool than
either of the others; and she has gold, and she has other mines;
different. She has copper equal to Burla-Burra--and she has coal,
within a few miles of Melbourne, and other things; but the coal is a
great matter here, you see."

The ship all the while was rapidly approaching the Heads, which mark,
and make, the entrance to the harbour of Port Jackson. They assumed
more dignity of elevation and feature as they were nearer seen; the
rocks rising some two or three hundred feet high, with the sea foaming
at their foot. Passing swiftly onward, the vessel by and by doubled
Bradley's Head, and the magnificent sheet of water that forms the
harbour was suddenly revealed to the strangers' gaze. Full of islands,
full of sailing craft, bordered with varying shores of "promontory,
creek, and bay," pleasantly wooded, and spotted along its woody shores
with spots of white that marked where people had pretty country homes,
the quiet water glittering in the light; the view to the sea-tossed
travellers was nothing short of enchanting. Mrs. Amos had come on deck,
though scarce able to stand; a quiet, gentle, sweet-looking person; her
eyes were full of tears now. Her husband's arm was round her,
supporting her strength that she might keep up; his face was moved and
grave. Eleanor was afraid to shew anybody her face; yet it was
outwardly in good order enough; she felt as if her heart would never
get back to its accustomed beat. She sat still, breathlessly drinking
in the scene, rejoicing and trembling at once. She heard Mrs. Amos's
softly whispered, "Praise the Lord!--