e hospitable country approaching the town; where they purposed
halting for the first night.

As the sun sank below the western hills our travellers drew near, by one
of the three converging roads, the antipodean town of Warwick; which, to
describe to the reader, we need only to say, seen at a short distance,
bears a striking resemblance to an English village, and will sustain
very creditable comparison with some of the prettiest in our blessed and
favoured isle. This view, however, the young men were not at the time
permitted to enjoy; as in that country, where there is little or no
twilight, darkness almost instantly succeeds sunset; and the panorama
that lay stretched before them was rendered indistinct by the fast
approaching shades of night. Pleasing as Warwick appears at a distant
view, upon a close inspection the favourable impression of a stranger is
likely in a great measure to be dispelled; for there is about it, in
common with all other bush towns, an air of carelessness and
discomfort, calculated to destroy the interest felt by its extreme
freshness and novelty. One or two pretty wide streets may be noticed
laid out at right angles, their lines and extent being presented to the
eye, by the fences enclosing the inhabitants' properties, and
residences; which are sparsely distributed over the extent of the
settlement; frequently leaving entire unenclosed gaps in the lines of
streets. The houses are built according to the will or caprice of the
owner, without any degree of uniformity, in all imaginable positions,
and of all possible architecture; some few of brick, but the majority of
wood (either weather-board or slab). Here, you may see a fine brick
edifice facing the main street, containing possibly a large shop and
store-house, with a comfortable dwelling; and forming one line of
buildings, which are faced by a deep verandah, on the part of which
before the shop goods of all descriptions may be seen exposed. This is
easily recognised as the establishment of the principal store-keeper of
the town; while his less opulent trading brethren carry on their
vocations in humbler tenements. On the opposite side of the street will
be perceived a long one-storied building, also with a verandah (on to
which all the rooms open by means of French lights); and, even without
the aid of the pendent sign, would be readily distinguished as the
principal hotel. In one end of the building will be situated the bar,
where the commo