so few, and were so easily satisfied. But they are growing more industrious. A SONG OF PITCAIRN'S ISLAND. COME, take our boy, and we will go The winds shall bring us, as they blow, And we will kiss his bright blue eyes, Songs that were made of yore; I'll sing in his delighted ear And thou, while stammering I repeat, For thou no other tongue did'st know, Upon Tahete's beach, Thou cam'st to ask me to be thine, Come, talk of Europe's maids with me, White foam and crimson shell. I'll shape like them my simple dress, A sight to please thee well; Come, for the low sunlight calls, The God who made for thee and me BRYANT. TASMANIA. TASMANIA was formerly known as Van Diemen's Land; it is an island, not as large as Ireland, 120 miles south of Australia, from which it is divided by Bass's Strait. It is rather a mountainous country, but is well watered, and the climate is said to be perfection. You never can say it is too hot or too cold. This must save a great deal of conversation, for in England one seldom meets a neighbour without complaining that the day is dreadfully warm -or else that we are perished with cold. Tasmania is a I beautiful country; perpetual verdure, lovely flowers, and every sort of fruit are to be found there. One would think that it would be the most tempting colony that you could choose-but, strange to say, it does not prosper as it ought. Indeed, for the last twelve or fourteen years it has gone backwards, exporting fewer sheep and less wool than it did. Two reasons are given for this, but neither seems sufficient to explain it. We used to send our convicts there, and their descendants are there still; people do not much like living with the children of thieves or murderers, and prefer a fresh place where there is no such taint. The other reason is the delicious climate, which is said to make people indolent and sleepy. You know you yourselves feel more inclined to exert yourselves on a cool, bracing day than in those charming summer mornings, of which we have so few, when it is pleasure enough to lie under a tree, half-awake, and halfasleep. Everything grows without much trouble; and the settlers need not exert themselves, to obtain just enough for daily existence. Tasmania is divided into twelve counties, like Wales. Hobart Town, on the Derwent, is the capital; Launceston and Brighton are increasing in importance. It is a pity they do not keep the native names, instead of confusing us by calling places after those we already know. They have Jerusalem, Bagdad, and Jericho, in Tasmania; but certainly some of the original appellations are rather puzzling, such as Jininjininjininderry or Jerriconoramwogwog, which must be rather hard words for the little Tasmanians to spell. See whether you can manage them. Instead of hares they hunt kangaroos, and very fleet horses they must require. The woods are full of wild cats, and our English tame ones enjoy their society, and go off also. There is a good deal of the tiger in large fierce cats, and there is a small sort of tiger that is really a cat, and springs upon its prey, as your tabby will dart after the bird cage, unless you have taught it better. A merry Christmas and a happy new year is ushered in by bouquets of lovely flowers sent to every one, brought round by girls in white muslin; no holly is to be seen, but the rooms are dressed up with garlands of roses, and in the cool of the evening are to be found pic-nic parties under the trees, enjoying the freshness when the sun went down. Bush-fires are very common here, and to settlers in the woods are very alarming. What do you think is the only precaution that can be taken against their extending to the wooden houses in which all squatters live? I do not think must set fire to every thing that will burn at a short distance round the house, so that when the bush-fire arrives it will find nothing to feed upon, and must go out. you will guess. You The natives were so cruel and ferocious that they were made to emigrate to Flinder's Island. They were as difficult to tame as those in Australia, but have now died out. The bush-rangers still occasion great terror, but after any robbery or murder they are now generally caught and punished by the English soldiers that are quartered in different parts of the island. There are some dear little birds called superb warblers, of which the young ones are not bigger than peas, that it would delight you to play with; and the opossums are very amusing, running about the house, and swinging by their tails to every article of furniture they can get at. These creatures always sleep by day, but as soon as it grows dusk, out they come for their merry games. CONCLUSION. You have now read about the Colonies of England. It is said that the sun never sets upon the dominions of our Queen-that is, when it ceases to shine on one country that belongs to her, it rises on another. You may see that this is so for yourself, if you can take the globe into a dark room, and light a candle. Slowly turn the globe round, beginning with letting the light shine on England. You will find that some English speaking land is continually illuminated till you get back again to England. No other country has ever sent out so many of her children, or has had possession of so much land to which to send them. Indeed, some people think that the Colonies will in the end out-do the mother country. A great writer some years ago, spoke of the possibility of deserted London becoming a heap of ruins, while New Zealand grew to be what England is now. This forecast has been so often repeated since, that people seem afraid it will come true. It may-but things do not look like it at present. Perhaps you have thought this Sixth Standard reading book dull, compared to the others. You do not intend to leave home, you have no friends that are gone or going to |