TheonlylightIcanthrowuponthisenigma，isbyremarkingthatbanksofthemostirregularformsappeartobenowforminginsomeseas，asinpartsoftheWestIndiesandintheRedSea，andthattheirsidesareexceedinglysteep。Suchbanks，Ihavebeenledtosuppose，havebeenformedbysedimentheapedbystrongcurrentsonanirregularbottom。Thatinsomecasesthesea，insteadofspreadingoutsedimentinauniformsheet，heapsitroundsubmarinerocksandislands，itishardlypossibletodoubt，afterexaminingthechartsoftheWestIndies；andthatthewaveshavepowertoformhighandprecipitouscliffs，eveninland-lockedharbours，IhavenoticedinmanypartsofSouthAmerica。ToapplytheseideastothesandstoneplatformsofNewSouthWales，Iimaginethatthestratawereheapedbytheactionofstrongcurrents，andoftheundulationsofanopensea，onanirregularbottom；andthatthevalley-likespacesthusleftunfilledhadtheirsteeplyslopingflankswornintocliffs，duringaslowelevationoftheland；theworn-downsandstonebeingremoved，eitheratthetimewhenthenarrowgorgeswerecutbytheretreatingsea，orsubsequentlybyalluvialaction。
SoonafterleavingtheBlackheath，wedescendedfromthesandstoneplatformbythepassofMountVictoria。Toeffectthispass，anenormousquantityofstonehasbeencutthrough；thedesign，anditsmannerofexecution，beingworthyofanylineofroadinEngland。Wenowentereduponacountrylesselevatedbynearlyathousandfeet，andconsistingofgranite。Withthechangeofrock，thevegetationimproved，thetreeswerebothfinerandstoodfartherapart；andthepasturebetweenthemwasalittlegreenerandmoreplentiful。AtHassan’sWalls，Ileftthehighroad，andmadeashortdetourtoafarmcalledWalerawang；tothesuperintendentofwhichIhadaletterofintroductionfromtheownerinSydney。Mr。Brownehadthekindnesstoaskmetostaytheensuingday，whichIhadmuchpleasureindoing。Thisplaceoffersanexampleofoneofthelargefarming，orrathersheep-grazingestablishmentsofthecolony。Cattleandhorsesare，however，inthiscaserathermorenumerousthanusual，owingtosomeofthevalleysbeingswampyandproducingacoarserpasture。Twoorthreeflatpiecesofgroundnearthehousewereclearedandcultivatedwithcorn，whichtheharvest-menwerenowreaping：butnomorewheatissownthansufficientfortheannualsupportofthelabourersemployedontheestablishment。
Theusualnumberofassignedconvict-servantshereisaboutforty，butatthepresenttimetherewererathermore。Althoughthefarmwaswellstockedwitheverynecessary，therewasanapparentabsenceofcomfort；
andnotonesinglewomanresidedhere。Thesunsetofafinedaywillgenerallycastanairofhappycontentmentonanyscene；buthere，atthisretiredfarm-house，thebrightesttintsonthesurroundingwoodscouldnotmakemeforgetthatfortyhardened，profligatemenwereceasingfromtheirdailylabours，liketheslavesfromAfrica，yetwithouttheirholyclaimforcompassion。
Earlyonthenextmorning，Mr。Archer，thejointsuperintendent，hadthekindnesstotakemeoutkangaroo-hunting。Wecontinuedridingthegreaterpartoftheday，buthadverybadsport，notseeingakangaroo，orevenawilddog。Thegreyhoundspursuedakangarooratintoahollowtree，outofwhichwedraggedit：itisananimalaslargeasarabbit，butwiththefigureofakangaroo。Afewyearssincethiscountryaboundedwithwildanimals；butnowtheemuisbanishedtoalongdistance，andthekangarooisbecomescarce；toboththeEnglishgreyhoundhasbeenhighlydestructive。