Part 3 (2/2)

”No, they are not as bad as that,” was the reply; ”but you will see soh with Australia Bear in mind that the country contains no antiquities of any kind; it is a new land in every sense, as it was first settled in 1788, and all these cities are offriends thanked the gentleiven them, and said they would specially bear in mind the comparisons and contrasts which he had indicated in their brief conversation

The first stopping place of the shi+p was at Adelaide, in South Australia, from which place she proceeded around the coast to Melbourne

Our friends decided to land at Adelaide, and go overland through that city wherever the railould take thereat deal more on their way to Melbourne than if they continued aboard the shi+p

Harry had obtained a map of Australia on the day before their arrival at Adelaide He was busily engaged in studying it

”Just look a moment,” said Harry to Ned, as he spread the map out on one of the tables in the saloon; ”here is another contradiction that our friend didn't include Look at it”

”Well, what of it?” said Ned ”It is a map of Australia, is it not?”

”Yes, it is, and just look at the provinces or colonies of Australia

Here is West Australia, as its nareat island or continent Here are Queensland, New South Wales, and Victoria, and here is South Australia, where we are going to land

Adelaide is its capital”

”Well, what of it?” queried Ned, with an expression of curiosity on his face

”Why, don't you see,” said Harry, in a tone of impatience, ”that South Australia is not South Australia at all Here is Victoria, which runs further south than this colony, and then you see South Australia runs clear across the continent to the northern side, and alht to change the na this one by its present name, and the other North Australia”

Ned adue to say, the ular fascination for both the youths, and each confided to the other that he would like to undertake the exploration of that part of the continent They wondered whether Dr Whitney would entertain their proposal to do so, but finally concluded that the hardshi+ps would be too great, and they would say nothing about their aspirations

[Illustration: ”HARRY HAD OBTAINED A MAP OF AUSTRALIA”]

In due time the steamer came to anchor at Port Adelaide The harbor of the capital city is not on the sea, but seven miles away from it, on the banks of the small river Torrens The railway connects the port with the city, and shortly after getting ashore our friends were seated in a train, which carried theers told Ned that the port was formerly quite shallow and difficult to enter The entrance at present is between two large shoals of sand, which are reat deal ofthe harbor, so that it is now accessible for large shi+ps

A long pier extends into St Vincent's Gulf, the body of water on which the port stands, and this pier is quite popular as a pro at the port, and also for those who come down from the city

Harry observed that the dock and pier accommodations were excellent

There were irain, wool, and other products of the country while awaiting shi+p at the port on its way to the city and to other parts of the colony There were dry docks and repairing yards, and there were hospitals for sick sailors and others, together with the usual public buildings of a prosperous seaport

Immense quantities of wool and frozen land, and the trade of the colony with theevery year

It was about the middle of the afternoon when our friends landed, and in less than half an hour after landing they were in the city One of their steamer acquaintances had directed them to a hotel, and, in fact, accoe of his personal guidance and introduction Harry made a ood one, certainly much better than the hotel where they stopped at Cape Town

After settling themselves in the hotel the party went out for a stroll, but, in consequence of the heat, they were not long in turning their stroll into a drive Here is what Ned says of their first day in Adelaide:--

”This city recalls Chicago more than any other place I can think of It is on a level plain, with the exception of the portion to the north where the ground rises a little, and the streets are laid out at right angles, as though a chess-board had been taken as a model for the place

We have wondered why it was called Adelaide instead of Mary Ann, Betsy, or some other feminine name; Dr Whitney has just told us that the city was laid out in 1837 and na Willia named the place in honor of the queen, the founders of the city felt that the next thing to do was to call the principal street after the king Thus it happens that the great street, the one most built upon, and where theWillia from south to north, and divides the city alreatly enjoyed our drive upon it Most of the public buildings, the town hall, post-office, govern William Street, and they are very handsome structures

”The people are very proud of these edifices, and well they may be, as they would be ornae as Adelaide The principal banks, newspaper offices, and business structures generally are also on King Willia the sidewalks, onethat attracted our attention was the great nuave us the iious, and also that its zeal in religion had led it to contribute freely to the erection of places of worshi+p Our driver pointed out the various churches and told us their denoland was ahead of the others, as is expected to be the case in a British colony”

”I learned afterwards,” said Ned, ”that there were nearly one thousand churches and chapels in the colony of South Australia, together with nearly five hundred other buildings that are occasionally used for religious worshi+p All the churches are supported by voluntary contributions, there being no State aid to any of them At the last census of the colony there were 76,000 adherents of the Church of England, 43,000 Roman Catholics, and 42,000 Methodists Then came the Lutherans, with 20,000; Presbyterians, with 18,000; Baptists, with 14,000; and about 10,000 each of priationalists, and Bible Christians There were several other denonificant We looked for paGodas while driving along the street, but none of them were to be found, and we learned on inquiry that the number of Chinese and Mosle The colony has never been attractive to the Chinese, and few of them have endeavored to find homes there