Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 2Grey, George
History
Journals of Two Expeditions of Discovery in North-West and Western Australia, Volume 2
Grey, George
Natural history -- Australia -- Western Australia; Western Australia -- Discovery and exploration
The first entrance of an Overlander into a district may be compared to
the rising of the Nile upon the thirsty land of Egypt; then does the
country bear fruit and the land give forth her increase, he enters the
district silently, noiselessly, unexpectedly, but his influence is soon
felt everywhere; merchant vessels can now obtain cargoes of wool, and no
longer sail empty away. England receives raw materials, and in exchange
are sent out luxuries and manufactured goods. New clearings are made by
the farmer, who has now abundance of manure; the artisan plies useful
trades, and ceases to labour in the place of beasts of draught or burden;
hateful scurvy, the scourge of new colonies, is expelled, not by
medicine, but by fresh meat, milk, and vegetables. But the worker of all
this good is unmindful of it; he has bargained to get the highest price
he can for his stock, and is already plotting new enterprises; he sought
to serve himself, not others, and has accomplished both.
The first Overlander having entered a district nothing can check the tide
that follows on. It is in vain for him to declare (perhaps really
conscientiously) that he conceives the risk of loss of stock to be so
great that none should undertake the journey; this is only ascribed to
his cupidity and a desire to keep others out of the market; HE has done
it, and why cannot more? This argument is irresistible, and adventurer
after adventurer marches upon his track.
CONSEQUENCES OF HIS SUCCESS UPON OTHERS.
Now comes a hurrying into the new district of speculators from the old
colonies: the fact of a road being found to it from the stock country is
a guarantee that it will succeed, and it is in a new settlement that the
largest profits are realized. These arrivals bring with them from the
older colonies experience, capital, and extensive connexions; fresh
sources of industry and speculation are at once opened up by them; all
town-land and landed property to be purchased at a cheap rate they
secure; money circulates from hand to hand, and an impetus is given, and
a progress made, which must be seen to be credited.
OPENINGS TO WEALTH IN NEW COLONIES.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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