(原版)澳大利亞語文第三冊 LESSON 24
LESSON 24 OUR OWN LAND
OUR OWN LAND
1. The word "Australia" means "Land of the South," and Australia is an island continent lying to the south of Asia. It is often spoken of as the largest island and smallest continent in the world.
2. While great events were taking place in Europe and Asia, while Columbus and other sailors were engaged in the discovery of America, and while the nations of Europe were fighting to decide who should have the greatest share in the New World [1] , this great South Land was lying asleep.
3. A Spanish sailor, named Torres, sailed close to it in 1606 A.D., through the strait which now bears his name. Dutch sailors followed its coast-line to the north and west, and an Englishman named Dampier landed on its western coast to search for water. He wrote a book about his travels, and said that the land was dry, barren [2] , and useless.
CAPTAIN COOK
4. It was not till the great English sailor, Captain Cook, sailed along the eastern coast and landed at Botany Bay on 29th April, 1770, that the awakening began. Cook called that part of the country visited by him New South Wales, because he thought the coast-line looked like that of South Wales. He was nearly wrecked on the coral reef [3] which fringes the north-east coast, and spent some time ashore while his ship, the Endeavour , was made fit for sea again.
5. When Cook returned to England he told of the wonderful plants and animals which he had seen in the new land. He said that the climate was splendid and the soil fertile. The only people who lived in the country were harmless black savages, who knew not how to use the riches of the country.
6. A few years passed by, and then a fleet of ships under Captain Phillip was sent to make a settlement in the land which Cook had found. Captain Phillip laid claim to the eastern coast in the name of the King of England. He was only just in time; for, a week later, a French fleet hove in sight to claim the country for the King of France.
7. Captain Phillip sent a boat to examine Port Jackson, and it passed between the headlands [4] into the wonderful harbour of Sydney. The fleet was taken into the harbour; men landed, built stores and houses, and began to till the soil.
8. At first their task was a hard one, but after a few years the colony was able to grow food enough to support its people. Captain Macarthur brought some merino sheep to Australia and proved that the very finest wool could be grown here. Australia now produces the best wool in the world, and its flocks of sheep are a source of great wealth, and find work for thousands of people.
A MERINO RAM
9. Two brave young men, named Bass and Flinders, sailed in a small boat along the coast and showed that Tasmania was an island. Flinders afterwards sailed right round Australia. Men crossed the mountain ranges which stand near the coast and found rivers and fertile plains; others, braving many and great dangers, travelled right across Australia from south to north and from east to west.
10. In the year 1851, gold was found in New South Wales, and thousands of people flocked from over seas to share in the wealth hidden in the ground. The gold-fields of Australia proved to be very rich, and many large nuggets or lumps of gold of great value have been dug up from time to time. Copper, silver, lead, tin, and other metals have been found in various parts of the continent.
11. Our own State of Queensland was separated from New South Wales in 1859, and has grown into a prosperous and wealthy country. Great herds of cattle and flocks of sheep cover its plains. Sugar, maize, bananas, oranges, grapes, and other tropical fruits flourish near the coast, while wheat and the fruits of colder climes grow well on its fertile tablelands. Great forests of useful timber trees are found in the foothills and mountain ranges.
12. Ships belonging to the Orient, White Star, Blue Funnel, and other well-known lines of steamers carry wool, frozen meat, butter, hides, and other produce of farm and station to our countrymen in the home lands. Enough sugar can be grown in Queensland to supply the wants of Australia. A beginning has been made in the growth and export of coffee and cotton; and pineapples, bananas, and other fruits of a warm climate are sent to the sister States of Australia.
13. There are no fierce wild animals in our country. Snakes are plentiful, but few of them are dangerous. Snakes are kept down by the laughing jackass, a giant kingfisher that will kill and eat young snakes that it finds crawling in the bush.
14. The skins of the kangaroo and wallaby make a good and strong leather, and the furs of the opossum and native bear are much sought after. Horses are bred in large numbers, and many are exported for the use of the army in India.
ARTESIAN BORE
15. The goldfields of Queensland find work for many miners. Mount Morgan was looked upon as the richest gold-mine in the world, and it now produces many tons of copper each year. Vast fields of coal occur in several parts of the State, and opals, sapphires, and many other precious stones are found among the sand and gravel of the western plains.
16. Periods of dry weather, known as droughts, occur from time to time, but they at least serve the purpose of giving the ground a rest, and they do not hinder the farmer so much as the long and severe winters in other countries. Great stores of underground water have been found in Queensland, and these supply water for the stock during the long spells of dry weather on the western plains.
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[1] The New World: North and South America.
[2] barren: Not fitted for the growth of plants for food.
[3] coral reef: The Great Barrier Reef.
[4] headlands: Cliffs at the entrance to the harbour.
