CONTENTS.
CHAPTER PAGE
I.--The Early Discoverers, 1
II.--Convict Settlement at Sydney, 1788 to 1890, 11
III.--Discoveries of Bass and Flinders, 18
IV.--New South Wales, 1800 to 1808, 25
V.--Tasmania, 1803 to 1836, 31
VI.--New South Wales, 1808 to 1837, 38
VII.--Discoveries in the Interior, 1817 to 1836, 48
VIII.--Port Phillip, 1800 to 1840, 55
IX.--South Australia, 1836 to 1841, 67
X.--New South Wales, 1838 to 1850, 75
XI.--South Australia, 1841 to 1850, 84
XII.--The Discovery of Gold, 89
XIII.--Victoria, 1851 to 1855, 98
XIV.--New South Wales, 1851 to 1860, 107
XV.--West Australia, 1829 to 1890, 111
XVI.--Queensland, 1823 to 1890, 119
XVII.--Explorations in the Interior, 1840 to 1860, 131
XVIII.--Discoveries in the Interior, 1860 to 1886, 143
XIX.--Tasmania, 1837 to 1890, 155
XX.--South Australia, 1850 to 1890, 163
XXI.--New South Wales, 1860 to 1890, 168
XXII.--Victoria, 1855 to 1890, 175
XXIII.--The Times of the Maoris, 184
XXIV.--New Zealand Colonised, 200
XXV.--White Men and Maoris, 215
XXVI.--New Zealand, 1843 to 1890, 227
* * * * *
HISTORY OF AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND.
CHAPTER I.
THE EARLY DISCOVERERS.
#1.# To the people who lived four centuries ago in Europe only a very
small portion of the earth's surface was known. Their geography was
confined to the regions lying immediately around the Mediterranean, and
including Europe, the north of Africa, and the west of Asia. Round these
there was a margin, obscurely and imperfectly described in the reports
of merchants; but by far the greater part of the world was utterly
unknown. Great realms of darkness stretched all beyond, and closely
hemmed in the little circle of light. In these unknown lands our
ancestors loved to picture everything that was strange and mysterious.
They believed that the man who could penetrate far enough would find
countries where inexhaustible riches were to be gathered without toil
from fertile shores, or marvellous valleys; and though wild tales were
told of the dangers supposed to fill these regions, yet to the more
daring and adventurous these only made the visions of boundless wealth
and enchanting loveliness seem more fascinating.
Thus, as the art of navigation improved, and long voyages became
possible, courageous seamen were tempted to venture out into the great
unknown expanse. Columbus carried his trembling sailors over great
tracts of unknown ocean, and discovered the two continents of America;
Vasco di Gama penetrated far to the south, and rounded the Cape of Good
Hope; Magellan, passing through the straits now called by his name, was
the first to enter the Pacific Ocean; and so in the case of a hundred
others, courage and skill carried the hardy seaman over many seas and
into many lands that had lain unknown for ages.
Australia was the last part of the world to be thus visited and
explored. In the year 1600, during the times of Shakespeare, the region
to the south of the East Indies was still as little known as ever; the
rude maps of those days had only a great blank where the islands of
Australia should have been. Most people thought there was nothing but
the ocean in that part of the world; and as the voyage was dangerous and
very long--requiring several years for its completion--scarcely any one
cared to run the risk of exploring it.
