Edward Wilson Landor - The Bushman — Life in a New Country

"Kangaroo Hunting"

The British Colonies now form so prominent a portion of the Empire, that the Public will be compelled to acknowledge some interest in their welfare, and the Government to yield some attention to their wants. It is a necessity which both the Government and the Public will obey with reluctance.

Too remote for sympathy, too powerless for respect, the Colonies, during ages of existence, have but rarely occupied a passing thought in the mind of the Nation; as though their insignificance entitled them only to neglect. But the weakness of childhood is passing away: the Infant is fast growing into the possession and the consciousness of strength, whilst the Parent is obliged to acknowledge the increasing usefulness of her offspring.

The long-existing and fundamental errors of Government, under which the Colonies have hitherto groaned in helpless subjection, will soon become generally known and understoodand then they will be remedied.

In the remarks which will be found scattered through this work on the subject of Colonial Government, it must be observed, that the system only is assailed, and not individuals. That it is the system and not The Men who are in fault, is sufficiently proved by the fact that the most illustrious statesmen and the brightest talents of the Age, have ever failed to distinguish themselves by good works, whilst directing the fortunes of the Colonies. Lord John Russell, Lord Stanley, Mr. Gladstoneall of them high-minded, scrupulous, and patriotic statesmenall of them men of brilliant genius, extensive knowledge, and profound thoughthave all of them been but slightly appreciated as Colonial rulers.

Their principal success has been in perpetuating a noxious system. They have all of them conscientiously believed their first duty to be, in the words of Lord Stanley, to keep the Colonies dependent upon the Mother Country; and occupied with this belief, they have legislated for the Mother Country and not for the Colonies. Vain, selfish, fear-inspired policy! that keeps the Colonies down in the dust at the feet of the Parent State, and yet is of no value or advantage to her. To make her Colonies useful to England, they must be cherished in their infancy, and carefully encouraged to put forth all the strength of their secret energies.

It is not whilst held in leading-strings that they can be useful, or aught but burthensome: rear them kindly to maturity, and allow them the free exercise of their vast natural strength, and they would be to the parent country her truest and most valuable friends.

The colonies of the Empire are the only lasting and inalienable markets for its produce; and the first aim of the political economist should be to develop to their utmost extent the vast resources possessed by Great Britain in these her own peculiar fields of national wealth. But the policy displayed throughout the history of her Colonial possessions, has ever been the reverse of this. It was that grasping and ungenerous policy that called forth a Washington, and cost her an empire. It is that same miserable and low-born policy that still recoils upon herself, depriving her of vast increase of wealth and power in order to keep the chain upon her hapless children, those ambitious Titans whom she trembles to unbind.

And yet poor Old England considers herself an excellent parent, and moans and murmurs over the ingratitude of her troublesome offspring! Like many other parents, she means to do well and act kindly, but unhappily the principles on which she proceeds are radically wrong. Hence, on the one side, heart-burning, irritation, and resentment; on the other, disappointment, revulsion, and alarm.

Is she too deeply prejudiced, or too old in error, to attempt a new system of policy?

In what single respect has she ever proved herself a good parent to any of her Colonies? Whilst supplying them with Government Officers, she has fettered them with unwholesome laws; whilst giving them a trifling preference over foreign states in their commerce, she has laid her grasp upon their soil; whilst allowing them to legislate in a small degree for themselves, she has reserved the prerogative of annulling all enactments that interfere with her own selfish or mistaken views; whilst permitting their inhabitants to live under a lightened pressure of taxation, she has debarred them from wealth, rank, honours, rewards, hopesall those incentives to action that lead men forward to glory, and stamp nations with greatness.

What has she done for her Coloniesthis careful and beneficent parent? She has permitted them to exist, but bound them down in serf-like dependence; and so she keeps themfeeble, helpless, and hopeless. She grants them the sanction of her flag, and the privilege of boasting of her baneful protection.

Yearsages have gone by, and her policy has been the same darkening the heart and crushing the energies of Man in climes where Nature sparkles with hope and teems with plenty.

Time, however, too powerful for statesmen, continues his silent but steady advance in the great work of amelioration. The condition of the Colonies must be elevated to that of the counties of England. Absolute rule must cease to prevail in them. Men must be allowed to win there, as at home, honours and rank. Time, the grand minister of correctionTime the Avenger, already has his foot on the threshold of the COLONIAL OFFICE.

CHAPTER.

1.COLONISTS.
2.ST. JAGO.
3.THE MUTINY.
4.THE PRISON-ISLAND.
5.FIRST ADVENTURES.
6.PERTH.COLONIAL JURIES.
7.BOATING UP THE RIVER.
8.FARMS ON THE RIVER.
9.THE MORAL THERMOMETER OF COLONIES.
10.COUNTRY LIFE.
11.PERSECUTIONS.
12.MICHAEL BLAKE, THE IRISH SETTLER.
13.WILD CATTLE HUNTING.
14.WOODMAN'S POINT.
15.HOW THE LAWS OF ENGLAND AFFECT THE NATIVES.
16.REMARKS ON THE PHYSICAL ORGANIZATION OF THE NATIVES.
17.SKETCHES OF LIFE AMONG THE NATIVES.
18.THE MODEL KINGDOM.
19.TRIALS OF A GOVERNOR.
20.MR. SAILS, MY GROOM.OVER THE HILLS.A SHEEP STATION.
21.EXTRACTS FROM THE LOG OF A HUT-KEEPER.
22.PELICAN SHOOTING.GALES.WRESTLING WITH DEATH.
23.THE DESERT OF AUSTRALIA.CAUSE OF THE HOT WINDS.GEOLOGY.
24.COLONIAL GOVERNMENT.
25.ONE OF THE ERRORS OF GOVERNMENT.ADVENTURES OF THE "BRAMBLE".
26.SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES.KANGAROO HUNTING.EMUS.LOST IN THE BUSH.
27.THE COMET.VITAL STATISTICS.METEOROLOGY.
28.THE BOTANY OF THE COLONY.
29.MISFORTUNES OF THE COLONY.
30.RESOURCES OF THE COLONY:HORSES FOR INDIA.WINE.
DRIED FRUITS.COTTON.COAL.WOOL.CORN.WHALE-OIL.A WHALE HUNT.CURED FISH.SHIP TIMBER.
31.RISE AND FALL OF A SETTLEMENT.THE SEQUEL TO CAPTAIN GREY'S DISCOVERIES.A WORD AT PARTING.

PLATES.

THE BUSHMAN; OR, LIFE IN A NEW COUNTRY.

The Spirit of Adventure is the most animating impulse in the human breast. Man naturally detests inaction; he thirsts after change and novelty, and the prospect of excitement makes him prefer even danger to continued repose.

The love of adventure! how strongly it urges forward the Young! The Young, who are ever discontented with the Present, and sigh for opportunities of action which they know not where to seek. Old men mourn over the folly and recklessness of the Young, who, in the fresh and balmy spring-time of life, recoil from the confinement of the desk or the study, and long for active occupation, in which all their beating energies may find employment. Subjection is the consequence of civilized life; and self-sacrifice is necessary in those who are born to toil, before they may partake of its enjoyments. But though the Young are conscious that this is so, they repine not the less; they feel that the freshness and verdure of life must first die away; that the promised recompense will probably come too late to the exhausted frame; that the blessings which would now be received with prostrate gratitude will cease to be felt as boons; and that although the wishes and wants of the heart will take new directions in the progress of years, the consciousness that the spring-time of life that peculiar season of happiness which can never be known again has been consumed in futile desires and aspirations, in vain hopes and bitter experiences, must ever remain deepening the gloom of Memory.