angaroo Island. The
sealers have given this spot the name of American Harbour. In it, I am
informed, vessels are completely land-locked, and secure from every
wind. Kangaroo Island is not, however, fertile by any means. It abounds
in shallow lakes filled with salt water during high tides, and which,
by evaporation, yield a vast quantity of salt.

I gathered from the sealers that neither the promontory separating St.
Vincent from Spencer's Gulf, nor the neighbourhood of Port Lincoln, are
other than barren and sandy wastes. They all agree in describing Port
Lincoln itself as a magnificent roadstead, but equally agree as to the
sterility of its shores. It appears, therefore, that the promontory of
Cape Jervis owes its superiority to its natural features; in fact, to
the mountains that occupy its centre, to the debris that has been
washed from them, and to the decomposition of the better description of
its rocks. Such is the case at Illawarra, where the mountains approach
the sea; such indeed is the case every where, at a certain distance
from mountain ranges.

ADAPTION OF THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY FOR COLONISATION.

From the above account it would appear that a spot has, at length, been
found upon the south coast of New Holland, to which the colonist might
venture with every prospect of success, and in whose valleys the exile
might hope to build for himself and for his family a peaceful and
prosperous home. All who have ever landed upon the eastern shore of St.
Vincent's Gulf, agree as to the richness of its soil, and the abundance
of its pasture. Indeed, if we cast our eyes upon the chart, and examine
the natural features of the country behind Cape Jervis, we shall no
longer wonder at its differing in soil and fertility from the low and
sandy tracks that generally prevail along the shores of Australia.
Without entering largely into the consideration of the more remote
advantages that would, in all human probability, result from the
establishment of a colony, rather than a penal settlement, at St.
Vincent's Gulf, it will be expedient to glance hastily over the
preceding narrative, and, disengaging it from all extraneous matter, to
condense, as much as possible, the information it contains respecting
the country itself; for I have been unable to introduce any passing
remark, lest I should break the thread of an interesting detail.

The country immediately behind Cape Jervis may, strictly speaking, be
termed a promontory,