Twenty years experience in Australia Author:John Marshall Purchase of this book includes free trial access to www.million-books.com where you can read more than a million books for free. This is an OCR edition with typos. Excerpt from book: CHAPTER II. ON THE CLIMATE AND DISEASES. Climate is certainly the first consideration in a country, either with reference to the agriculture, and of course... more » the plentiful and steady supply of wholesome provisions, or as it regards our health and enjoyment of existence. In this country, so afflicted with scrofula and consumption, it is important to a parent to know that the seeds of these dreadful diseases are rooted out in Australia, and this itself should be sufficient inducement for many to remove. It appears, from the testimony of the late Mr. Cunningham, and many other medical men, that exposure produces no bad effects, and even marshes emit no fatal effluvia, owing to the dryness of the air, it is supposed—this also makes heat and cold less felt. " The colony lies between the latitude of the Canary Islands, which, from their fine climate, were called the Fortunate Islands, and that of the Azores, the most mild and equable on the earth; the capital, Sydney, is in the latitude of Madeira, the fineness of the climate of which every one knows. " The great extent of coast-line towards the Pacific Ocean, and the various elevation of different parts of the interior, ensure a considerable variety of climate in the colony. " In the high districts, snow, which is never seen in the lowlands of the colony, is frequent in winter, though it seldom lies long on the ground ; and the cold during the night is often severe. " From the first of March to the first of November, the climate of New South Wales—which, throughout the whole year, is at least equal, if not superior, to that of any other country on the globe—is peculiarly delightful. The sky is seldom clouded; and day after day, for weeks together, the sun looks down in unveiled beaut)'. In ordinary seasons, refreshin...« less