for subsistence.

A very great advantage attending the settling of this part is its free
communication with the interior, and with that vast space of fine country
situated between Lieutenant Oxley's Track on the parallel of 30 degrees,
and Bathurst. This region has lately (1823) been travelled over by my
indefatigable friend Mr. Cunningham and found to possess a large portion
of excellent soil and rich pasturage; it contains altogether at least
twelve millions of acres in which it would be difficult to discover a bad
tract of country of any extent; but as one-fourth part is the general
calculation in the colony for waste land, nine millions of the richest
country will be left for future colonization: many years however must
elapse before it can be occupied.

The description of the interior of New South Wales is so foreign to my
object, and so irrelevant to the subject before me that I must entreat
the indulgence of my reader for this digression; and return to the
Mermaid, already described as having left the port and parted company
with the Lady Nelson, conveying my friend Lieutenant Oxley to Port
Jackson, and leaving us to resume our voyage.

As soon as we had obtained an offing the wind freshened up to a strong
breeze from the westward, attended with squally and unfavourable weather;
but we were enabled to make some useful observations upon the coastline
as far as the next point to the southward of Smoky Cape; when night
obliged us to steer more off shore.

The country behind the beach was lined with natives' fires which were
kindled as we passed to attract our notice. To the southward of Smoky
Cape the land is very low and probably occupied by large lagoons.