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A JOURNEY TO THE NORTH.
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CHAPTER XIV.
FROM SYDNEY TO BRISBANE.—POLITICAL DIVISIONS OF AUSTRALIA.—ORDER IN WHICH THE COLONIES WERE FOUNDED.—EXPLORATIONS AND THEIR EXTENT.—DOCTOR BASS AND CAPTAIN FLINDERS.—ABSENCE OF WATER IN THE INTERIOR OF AUSTRALIA.—A COUNTRY OF STRANGE CHARACTERISTICS.—NATURE'S REVERSES.—HOW THE COLONIES ARE GOVERNED.—RELIGION AND EDUCATION.—JEALOUSY OF THE COLONIES TOWARDS EACH OTHER.—NEWCASTLE AND ITS COAL.—RAILWAY TRAVELLING IN NEW SOUTH WALES.—TENTERFIELD AND STANTHORPE.—COBB'S COACHES.—AUSTRALIAN SCENERY.—THE EUCALYPTUS, OR GUM-TREE.—THE TALLEST TREES IN THE WORLD.—SILVER STEMS AND MALLEE SCRUB.—BRISBANE.—RELICS OF THE CONVICT SYSTEM.—QUEEN STREET AND THE BOTANICAL GARDENS.
A COASTING steamer carried Doctor Bronson and his young companions to Newcastle, a town which resembles the English one of the same name in being an important centre of the coal-trade. The distance from Sydney is about seventy-five miles, and consequently the voyage was of only a few hours' duration; even this limited time was utilized by a conversation about the political divisions of Australia and the relations between the colonies.
INTERIOR OF A COAL-BREAKER.
The conversation began with a question from Doctor Bronson as to what the youths had learned on the subject since their arrival at Sydney or on the voyage from New Zealand. Frank was the first to reply.
