MELBOURNE. 283 



densely wooded, that it is seldom if ever that its 

 surface is ruffled by a breeze. The township of 

 Melbourne on its north bank, five miles from 

 the river's mouth, we found a very bustling place. 

 Nearly two thousand persons had already con- 

 gregated there, and more were arriving every day, 

 so that great speculation was going on in land. We 

 were delighted with the park-like appearance of the 

 country, and the rich quality of the soil. This 

 was the most fertile district we had seen in all Aus- 

 tralia ; and I believe every one allows that such is 

 the case. Its reputation indeed was at one time so 

 great, that it became the point of attraction for all 

 settlers from the mother country, where at one 

 time the rage for Port Phillip became such, that 

 there existed scarcely a village in which some of the 

 inhabitants, collecting their little all, did not set 

 out for this land of promise, with the hope of 

 rapidly making a fortune and returning to end 

 their days in comfort at home. Every one I think 

 must leave with such hopes ; for who can deli- 

 berately gather up his goods and go into a far 

 country with the settled intention of never returning? 

 A rocky ledge extends across the river fronting 

 the town, upon which the plan had been formed of 

 erecting a dam for the purpose of keeping the water 

 fresh ; whereas now the river is salt above the town, 

 and the well water is not particularly good. The 

 Yarra-yarra is not navigable even for boats many 

 miles beyond Melbourne, on account of the numerous 

 falls. Some of the reaches above the town are verv 



