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THE "UGLY DUCKLING."
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CHAPTER XVI.
West Australia regarded as the "ugly duckling" by sister colonies—Contains, nevertheless, best timber in the world—Jarrah wood—Its indestructible nature—Blue gum—Formation of timber company—First railroad—York gum—Casuarina—Suitability of Jarrah for railway sleepers—Improvement of Cockburn Sound—Shingling of roofs—Sandalwood trade—Whale fisheries—Whaling almost monopolized by Americans—Ball on board the whaler—Registrar's, statement of abundance of whales—The "gentleman from Tasmania"—Overland expedition to Adelaide—Incidents related by M. Rossel—Government geologist—Discovery of new pasture land—Tommy Winditch's announcement—Pearl fisheries—Hawk's-bill turtles—Sponges—Western Australia viewed as a field for emigration—Necessity for raising loan—Manner of carrying on business in the colony—Influence of merchant-class: when and how injurious to a colony or beneficial to it—Instance of labourer desirous to clear land—Help from storekeeper—Reason of land being rented—Small farmers often little better than carriers—Clearing lease—Necessity for great variety of information—West Australia unattractive to large sheep-owners—Presents a different aspect to small capitalist—Prospects offered to the hard-working immigrant—Great preponderance of convict over free inhabitants—Antagonism between classes to be dreaded—Colony unsuited to persons possessing small fixed incomes—Storekeeping ten or twelve years ago—Expense of imported goods—Suitability of West Australia to labouring men and invalids.
The foregoing pages were written from recollection of what Western Australia was when we left it two years and a half ago, rather too short a period, perhaps, under ordinary circumstances, to effect much change in the existing state of an old country, but sufficient, in a colony as in a growing child, to produce a marked development of stature, and a great modification of feature. It cannot be said that the advance of West Australia has been very
