82 A HISTORY OF THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



in the following year they drove their first flock of sheep on to the 

 rich pastoral country known as Merino Downs, a property held by 

 Mr. Francis Henty, through many vicissitudes, to the time of his 

 death in 1888. The day was a memorable one to Stephen Henty 

 as being the birthday of his son Eichmond, the first white man 

 born in this settlement, though he was preceded by two months 

 by an infant who saw the light on the banks of the Yarra. From 

 this time forward, as far as their own energy and foresight could 

 ensure it, the brothers throve and their flocks and herds increased 

 apace. When they terminated their partnership in 1842, Edward 

 settled on Muntham, long celebrated as one of the finest pro- 

 perties in the western district. Francis took possession of Merino 

 Downs ; John held a station called Sandford, adjoining the subse- 

 quent town of that name ; and Stephen took the property at Portland 

 and the business attaching to it. All the stations were well stocked 

 with choice sheep, and nothing was wanting to ensure fortune but 

 some recognition by the Government of their right to acquire the 

 land which they had incurred such risk and expenditure to redeem 

 from the wildness. 



The protracted negotiations which the family had with the Gov- 

 ernment on this subject commenced almost immediately after their 

 arrival in Launceston, and extended over more than ten years 

 before they were brought to conclusion by a somewhat undignified 

 and inequitable compromise. Having failed in his effort to get 

 any allowance in Tasmania for the surrender of his extensive area 

 in Western Australia, Mr. Henty forwarded, through Governor 

 Arthur, in February, 1834, a memorial to the Colonial Secretary, 

 setting forth the heavy losses he had incurred in the Swan Eiver 

 venture, the active and useful part which his family had taken in 

 exploration and discovery on the mainland of the Australian con- 

 tinent, and the plight in which he found himself by the unexpected 

 alteration of the land regulations in the colonies. He abandoned 

 the idea of a free grant, and recognising the established price of five 

 shillings per acre, which had been fixed in Tasmania, asked to be 

 allowed to purchase at that rate 2,500 acres for himself and an 

 equal area for each of his sons, on such portion of the south coast 

 between the 135th and 145th parallels of east longitude and under 



