Chapter I: Front Matter

[Picture: Cover]

AN
AUSTRALIAN RAMBLE

OR

_A SUMMER IN AUSTRALIA_

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BY
J. EWING RITCHIE
(_CHRISTOPHER CRAYON_)

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LONDON
T. FISHER UNWIN
PATERNOSTER SQUARE
1890

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_TO_
_THE HONOURABLE EDMUND WEBB_,
_BATHURST_, _NEW SOUTH WALES_,
_THE FOLLOWING PAGES_, _MANY OF THEM WRITTEN_
_UNDER HIS HOSPITABLE ROOF_, _ARE_
_GRATEFULLY INSCRIBED_
_BY_
_THE AUTHOR_.

CONTENTS.

CHAPTER I. OFF TO AUSTRALIA. PAGE The _Orizaba_—Reasons for Travelling—The Bishop—Soda and 1–28 Whisky—The Spanish Coast—Heroic Memories—Gibraltar—Wickedness of Naples—Port Said CHAPTER II. EGYPT TO COLOMBO. Coaling in Port Said—The Suez Canal—England the Main 29–49 Support—Donkey-drivers—The Electric Light—Ismailia—Suez—Aden—The Red Sea CHAPTER III. COLOMBO TO ALBANY. Prosperity of Colombo—Native Extortioners—Buddhist 50–65 Temple—Life in the Streets—On the Indian Ocean—Stormy Seas guard Australia—English Coolness—Western Australia CHAPTER IV. IN THE COLONY OF VICTORIA. Melbourne Gleanings—Dr. Bevan—Night at a Bungalow—Cole’s 66–108 Book-shop—A Day at Sorrento—White Cruelty to the Aborigines—Coffee Palaces—Dr. Strong—The Presbyterian Church in Collins Street—The Late Peter Lalor—Ballarat—Romance of Gold Mining—Sydney and Melbourne compared—Australian Rogues—Suburban Melbourne—Victorian M.P.’s—Victorian Politics CHAPTER V. A LITTLE ABOUT NEW SOUTH WALES. Sunny Sydney—Public Buildings—Educational 109–138 Establishments—Sanitary State—Its Climate—Bathurst—The Blue Mountains—Romish Aggression—Botany Bay—Old Days—A Wonderful Change—New South Wales Scenery CHAPTER VI. AMONGST THE BANANA BOYS. Collision in Sydney Harbour—Brisbane—Queensland—The 139–146 Banana Boys—Sir Samuel Griffith CHAPTER VII. SOUTH AUSTRALIA. Holy Adelaide—Its Situation—Its Public Buildings—Its 147–165 Mining-market—Dr. Arnold—Australian Plagues—Fleas and Mosquitoes and Serpents—Sunday Observance—The Macleay Mission—Number of Churches CHAPTER VIII. LIFE AT A STATION. Mr. Dooleete’s Station—Sheep-shearing—Patriarchal Life 166–172 Improved—Snakes—Drought CHAPTER IX. THE HEATHEN CHINEE. His Persecution—His Usefulness—His Intellectual Ability 173–183 CHAPTER X. THE LARRIKIN IN AUSTRALIA. What the Larrikin is—A Social, Moral, and Political 184–191 Danger—A Natural Foe of the Chinaman CHAPTER XI. IN AN AUSTRALIAN VINEYARD. Fruit Supply—Tintarra Wine—Mr. Thomas Hardy—The 192–205 Temperance Question CHAPTER XII. AN AUSTRALIAN MILLIONAIRE. Mr. James Tyson 206–211 CHAPTER XIII. AUSTRALIAN FACTS AND FIGURES. Increase of the Colonies—Further Emigration required—New 212–223 South Wales and Free Trade—The Australian Type CHAPTER XIV. COMING HOME. The Sea—Colombo—Arabi—Ceylon Tea—Stoppage in the 224–235 Canal—Tilbury Docks—The Future of Australia—Australia as a Field for Emigration