VAN DIEMEN’S LAND.

[Concluded from our last.]

The island of Van Diemen’s Land lies immediately to the south of the vast continent of New Holland, from which it is separated by the narrow channel called Bass’s Strait. If New Holland be regarded as a great full bag or sack, Bass’s Strait will represent the neck, where it is drawn together and tied close, and Van Diemen’s Land the small bunch or gathering made beyond the string by the mere lip of the sack. While New Holland is rather more than half as large as all Europe, the extent of Van Diemen’s Land is only about twenty-three thousand square miles, which is not much more than two-thirds of the size of Ireland, or a fourth part of that of the island of Great Britain. The one, in fact, is about eighty times as large as the other.

One of the papers in the Van Diemen’s Land Almanac presents us with a very full geographical description of the island. It was divided soon after its settlement into two great counties, Buckinghamshire, embracing the southern, and Cornwall, the northern portion of it. But the division which is now chiefly recognised, is that made in 1827 into eight Police districts, each under the charge of a paid magistrate. In the first of these, occupying the south-west corner of the island, stands Hobart Town, the capital, on the river Derwent, and about twenty miles from its mouth. The river, however, is, even at this distance from the sea, of considerable width, and the water is quite salt. The town stands upon a gently rising ground, and covers rather more than a square mile. Its streets are wide, and intersect each other at right angles. It contains several government buildings, a parish church, and other places of worship; a government school for the poor, and several Sunday schools; two public banks; and several libraries. Among its manufactories Hobart Town possesses a distillery, several breweries and tanneries, two timber mills, several flour mills worked by steam and water, and two or three soap and candle works. The population of the town and suburbs, including the convicts and the military, is above seven thousand. This, we believe, is about half the amount of the whole population of the island.

The other towns already founded in Van Diemen’s Land, are, Launceston, on the river Tamar, about a hundred and twenty miles north from the capital, containing about a thousand inhabitants; New Norfolk, or Elizabeth Town, a place of considerable traffic, and also the centre of a rich agricultural district, standing on the Derwent, about twenty-two miles higher up than Hobart Town; Richmond, fourteen miles from the capital; Sorell Town, or Pitt Water, and Brighton, two other townships in the same vicinity; Bothwell, Oatlands, Campbell Town, Ross, Perth, and George Town, all considerably advanced settlements. Many other stations, however, have been marked out for towns, although scarcely yet begun to be built upon. Numerous farm-houses, also, and other detached residences, many of them standing in the midst of enclosed fields, gardens, and orchards, have been built in all directions. A single agricultural association, called the Van Diemen’s Land Company, possess a continuous tract of above three hundred thousand acres, in the north-west part of the island. About four hundred and fifty persons reside on this property. There are two government settlements for persons convicted of crimes in the colony, Macquarie Harbour on the west coast, and Maria Island on the east.

The face of the country, though extremely diversified, is mountainous on the whole, and, especially as seen from the south, presents a prospect of singular sublimity; hills covered to the ridge with trees, occasionally intermingled with a bare rocky eminence, appearing to rise behind each other in endless succession. Some of the mountains on the south coast are five thousand feet in height, and during a great part of the year are covered with snow. Mount Wellington, or the Table Mountain, a few miles to the west of Hobart Town, rises to the height of four thousand feet above the level of the sea. The interior, however, contains many extensive plains quite unencumbered with wood. Even the western coast, where the scenery in general is bold and desolate, presents many protected and fertile spots. The bays and harbours around the coast are numerous and excellent. In this respect Hobart Town especially is most favourably situated. The principal rivers are the Derwent, the Huon, and the Tamar, all navigable. The Derwent, even at New Norfolk, above forty miles from the sea, is as wide as the Thames at Battersea. The scenery on both sides of this noble stream is described as being of the richest beauty. The second-rate and inferior rivers are numerous, fertilizing every part of the country, and falling into the sea along the whole extent of the coast. In the heart of the island are several lakes, from which many of the rivers take their rise.

Much of the native timber of Van Diemen’s Land is excellent for all building purposes; and others of the woods are esteemed for ornamental cabinet-work. All the trees are evergreens. The shrubs are of great variety and beauty; but present as yet an almost unexamined field to the botanist. As to fruits, none of any value have been found native to this island; but on the other hand, every sort of fruit, herb, or vegetable, that grows in England, grows still better here.

In respect of climate, Van Diemen’s Land enjoys the happiest medium between the extremes of heat and cold, the thermometer rarely falling below 40 degrees in winter, or rising above 70 degrees in summer. During the winter months of June, July, and August, the frosts are sometimes severe, and occasionally a good deal of snow falls; but it is seldom that snow lies on the ground a whole day.

Coal has been found in various places; iron-stone is believed to be abundant; lime-stone also exists in great plenty; and it is highly probable that the earth is enriched with various other mineral treasures. Of the native animals, the most formidable is the hyena, by which many of the sheep are destroyed. Wild dogs and cats of different species are also found in the woods. The kangaroo is now fast disappearing, having, although a perfectly harmless animal, been much hunted by the settlers for sport, or for the sake of its flesh and skin. There are numerous species of birds, many of them of beautiful plumage. Various descriptions of fish also abound in the bays and creeks; but, except eels, the lakes and rivers supply very few that are valuable as food. Of the reptiles found in the island, the principal are snakes, some of which are extremely venomous.

Such is an abstract of what is most important in the paper before us, which is followed by a more minute description of the parts of the island that have been brought into cultivation, in the form of an itinerary. We will now add a very few facts, selected from another paper, on the agriculture and horticulture of the colony.

11The first cattle were brought to Van Diemen’s Land in 1807. They were “a coarse buffalo sort of animal:” but, about nine or ten years ago, superior breeds began to be imported from England, and the colony now possesses pure Devons, Herefords, Durhams, Holdernesses, Fifeshires, &c. Horses were at first brought from New Holland; but, “in the same manner as with neat cattle,” says this account, “they have since had the benefit of very superior crosses of English importations, and the colony can now boast as fine horses as even England itself. It has every sort, perhaps, that is known in the mother-country, from the heavy dray-horse to the diminutive pony, and including, what should by no means be passed in silence, blood and bone upon which thousands have been depending at Newmarket and other English race-courses.” Sheep, for which both the climate and natural herbage of the country are well adapted, are now numerous and rapidly improving in quality. Pigs and poultry, of every description, thrive admirably. Most sorts of grain that are common in England, grow at least as well here. The wheat is of excellent quality, seldom weighing less than from sixty-two to sixty-four pounds per bushel. Barley and oats produce well upon good land; but will not answer on inferior soils. The average return yielded by the potato is not equal to what it yields in England; but the cultivation of this root is yet in its infancy. Turnips and mangel-wurzel are both found to do extremely well. The same may be said of English grasses and pulses of all sorts.

The export trade from this colony has, as yet, been confined to the more useful articles. Corn is sent to New South Wales, and to Swan River. Wool is already exported in considerable quantities, and is likely to become every year more and more the staple production of the island. Whale-fishing and the manufacture of oil are rapidly becoming trades of considerable importance. A good deal of mimosa bark, for tanning, is also sent to England; and salt meats, hides, and dairy produce will probably soon be added to the list of exported commodities.

The regulations at present in force for the disposal of land, by grant or sale, were issued in 1828. The main principle upon which they are grounded is, that “settlers should not receive a greater extent of land than they are capable of improving, and that grants should not be made to persons who are desirous only of disposing of them.” Lands are accordingly granted in square miles, in the proportion of one square mile, or 640 acres, for every £500 sterling of capital which the applicant can immediately command. Of this capital, however, a portion may consist of live stock and instruments of husbandry. Upon the land thus granted a quit-rent is imposed at the rate of £5 per cent. on the estimated value of the land, the payment to commence at the expiration of seven years from the date of the grant, when the settler will also receive his title-deeds. The smallest quantity of land granted in this way to an individual is 320 acres, and the largest, 2560 acres, or four square miles. Lands may also be obtained by purchase, being advertised for that purpose, and sold to the person making the highest tender.

We will, in conclusion, mention a few of the more interesting particulars, supplied by the various lists in the little volume before us; these are indicative of the rapid progress of civilization. In addition to the three banks in Hobart Town we find a fourth, called the Cornwall bank, established at Launceston. There is at Hobart Town a Mechanics’ Institute, of which the Governor is patron, and the Chief Justice, president. Among the religious and philanthropic institutions of this capital are, a Bible Society, of which the Governor is president; a Presbyterian Missionary Society; a Wesleyan Missionary Society; a Benevolent and Strangers’ Friend Society; and a Sunday School Union, having four schools in its connexion, containing in all about 250 children. Besides the Government Gazette, there are three other weekly newspapers published in Hobart Town, and a fourth at Launceston. The Almanac closes with a Directory for Hobart Town; in which, besides merchants, general dealers, official, clerical, and other professional characters, we find the names of civil engineers, livery-stable keepers, watchmakers, midwives, shoemakers, bricklayers, milliners, portrait painters, and engravers, chemists and druggists, pastry-cooks, confectioners, glaziers, plumbers, house and sign painters, hatters, upholsterers, cabinet-makers and undertakers, coopers, boat-builders, auctioneers, goldsmiths, and working-jewellers, music teachers, tailors, butchers, brewers, hosiers and glovers, ironmongers, brass and iron founders, tinmen and blacksmiths, printers, saddlers, bakers, hair-dressers. It would be curious to compare this list with the population of an English town of seven thousand people three centuries ago!