From Enniskillen the regiment proceeded to Newry, and not long afterwards from thence to Dublin. This station was very popular with the officers, from its very extensive circle of good society. At this time I had turned my thoughts towards the Australian Colonies, and sought advice from Sir Thos. Brisbane, in whose brigade I had formerly served. He strongly recommended New South Wales, of which colony he had recently been Governor. It may here be mentioned that when an honorary member of the 8th mess in Lower Canada, when encamped on the frontier of the United States, his conversation frequently turned upon the subject of astronomy, and he expressed a wish, when his military services were not required, to proceed to New South Wales, for the purpose of observing the transit of the planet Venus. This wish was gratified; and he caused the observatory at Parramatta, near Sydney, to be erected for that purpose. During the year 1829, I came to the decision of retiring from the army, after a military service of upwards of twenty-two years. I was permitted to sell a company, but was delayed for four months, during the last illness of His Majesty George IV., as no commissions could be issued until the following reign. It is hardly necessary to say that parting from many old and valued friends was very painful to me, and previous to my departure the Colonel of my regiment, the late Hon. Sir George Cathcart, accompanied by the two Majors, waited on me and presented me with a handsome silver breakfast service in the name of the regiment. The colony of Western Australia was being formed at this time; and the large concessions of land offered to the settlers by the Government on easy terms induced me to select that colony for my future residence. Two officers of the Rifle Brigade, Captains Molloy and Byrne, proposed to accompany me. And it was agreed that they should join me in purchasing a ship, to be loaded with wooden houses and boats, and to convey the three parties and their establishments to the new settlement. I proceeded to Gothenburgh, in Sweden, for that purpose, where a fine ship of 500 tons was purchased, and during her repairs a cargo of wooden houses was framed and loaded. I then proceeded with a fine Swedish crew to Christiansand in Norway, where a large number of boats were shipped. The character and scenery both of Sweden and Norway reminded me of Nova Scotia, from their extensive pine forests, numerous lakes, and granite rocks. Intemperance was prevalent from the use of ardent spirits, the climate being cold; and the observation occurred to me that in warmer, wine-producing countries intoxication is much less frequent.