70 ARRIVE AT PORT PHILLIP— MELBOURNE. 



appeared to be completel}^ at a stand-stilly as a 

 small strag-g-ling' villag-e of 200 inhabitants^ chiefly 

 dependent upon the shipping- for support. Far 

 different Avas it with Melbourne^ the capital of the 

 district. On our way in a steamer up the Yarra- 

 Yarra^ several larg-e and recently constructed boil- 

 ing*- down establishments in full work indicated the 

 extensive operation of the tallow-manufacturing" pro- 

 cess. The town (or city as it may^ I believe^ be 

 termed) appeared to have wonderfully increased of 

 latC; and a quiet business-like air prevailed. Every- 

 where w^e met bullock-teams and drays recently 

 amved with wool^ or on their return to the sheep 

 stations with supplies^ but there were few loung-ers 

 like ourselves in the streets, nearly every one seem- 

 ing* to have his time fully occupied. 



It appeared to be the g*eneral and loudly 

 expressed opinion, so far as we could judg*e, that 

 the separation of the Port Phillip district from New 

 South Wales, and its formation into an independent 

 colony, would materially advance the interests and 

 conduce to the prosperity of the former ; and that 

 the larg'e surplus revenue which is annually trans- 

 mitted to Sydney oug"ht to be spent among* the 

 people who have raised it.* 



One day some of us made up a party to visit 



* These and other claims of the colonists have, I need scarcely 

 add, been fully admitted by the recent separation from New 

 South Wales of the Port Phillip district, now the colony of 

 Victoria , 



