vel through
many miles of country almost without cultivation or visible dwellings,
the Bishop of Australia finishes his account of his visitation westward,
in the year 1841, with the following reflections:--"It would be
impossible for any one, without personal observation, to comprehend from
mere description what a field for future labour is now opening in these
as yet uncultivated, unpeopled tracts which I am continually traversing.
But the time is not far distant when many portions of them will be
thronged with multitudes; and in what manner those multitudes are to
be provided with means of instruction sufficient to retain them in the
christian faith, I am not able to foresee; as yet, no such provision is
made or promised. But when, in passing through these scenes, reflections
such as these have crowded upon me, and I am unable to return a
satisfactory answer to the question, 'How shall this be accomplished?'
I can find no better resource than to silence myself with '_Deus
providebit_;'[206] my trust shall be in the tender mercy of God for ever
and ever."

[206] Jehovah Jireh, that is, "the Lord will see or provide." See
translation in margin of Gen. xxii. 14.

Among the beings which, although not natives of the bush, appear to be
peculiar to the wilds of Australia, the class of men called Overlanders
must not be omitted. Their occupation is to convey stock from market to
market, and from one colony to another. They require, of course, a
certain capital to commence business with, and the courage and skill
that are needful in these enterprises must be very great, so that many
of the overlanders are said to be really men of a superior class. The
love of a roving life, the excitement of overcoming dangers both from
natural causes and from the fierce attacks of the natives, and the
romantic and novel situations in which they are frequently placed,
all combine to render some men exceedingly fond of this occupation,
which has also another strong recommendation, that it is often very
profitable. The magnitude of the adventures thus undertaken would
scarcely be credited, and often a whole fortune is risked in the shape
of cattle driven across the wilderness. One very important route pursued
by the overlanders recently has been in the same direction with Captain
Sturt's daring voyage, namely, from New South Wales to South Australia
by the course of the Murray. An instance is mentioned by Captain Grey of
an overlander who