THE SETTLEMENT OF PORTLAND BAY 81 



umberland made his way into Port Phillip before he discovered 

 the error, which he promptly rectified, and anchored off his brother's 

 station early in June, 1836. Here soon afterwards they were joined 

 by Mr. John Henty, and for about six years the four brothers 

 worked in an amicable and moderately prosperous partnership in 

 grazing, whaling and wool-growing. 



The other three brothers remained in Tasmania. William, the 

 last to arrive from England, who was a solicitor by profession, 

 entered the local Parliament, and became Chief Secretary and 

 Treasurer of that colony. Charles was manager for many years of 

 the local branch of the Bank of Australasia. James, who started in 

 business as a general merchant, soon became one of the most 

 prominent commercial figures in Launceston, until in 1851 he 

 transferred his field of operations to Melbourne. 



To the four enterprising young men (for Edward, the senior, was 

 then only twenty-five) who had presumed to squat without leave 

 on this out-of-the-way portion of his Britannic Majesty's dominions, 

 came, in August, 1836, the apparition of half a dozen somewhat 

 ragged, but evidently well-armed, horsemen, stealing round from 

 the shelter of the hills with their weapons ready for action. The 

 only musket which the settlement possessed was loaded with buck- 

 shot, and a hurried consultation was held as to whether they should 

 barricade themselves against the bushrangers or surrender at once. 

 An exchange of greetings at a respectful distance dispelled the 

 respective suspicions, and the supposed bushrangers were found 

 to be Major Mitchell, the Surveyor-General of New South Wales, 

 and a small contingent of his expedition, the main body of which 

 was camped some fifteen miles inland, on its return journey to 

 Sydney. The Major was greatly surprised at the evidences of per- 

 manent settlement which he found, and in return for his hospitable 

 reception and the liberal contributions made to his stock of provisions, 

 he informed the brothers of the splendid grazing lands he had dis- 

 covered on the Wannon and the Glenelg, within easy reach of 

 their present homestead. As soon as he was gone the Hentys 

 commenced to explore the country inland, from which they had 

 been hitherto cut off by the thick timber. They cut a track 

 through the forest to Mount Eckersley, and on the 3rd of August 



VOL. I. 6 



