THE FIRST YEAR OF THE SETTLEMENT 129 



a site nearer to his vessel than those already built upon, almost 

 immediately in the rear of the present Custom House, Fawkner 

 proceeded to erect the imported house, and to put himself in 

 evidence as the "father of the settlement". The Association 

 through which he claimed to have vicariously founded Melbourne 

 was already practically broken up. Marr, who had returned to 

 Launceston, shortly afterwards went to England, and figured no 

 more in colonial annals. Samuel and William Jackson severed 

 their connection with Fawkner and joined John Aitken and others, 

 becoming eventually prosperous and prominent squatters. George 

 Evans, who had remained on the Yarra, after a careful investiga- 

 tion of the country around, had made his own independent arrange- 

 ments for sheep farming in the future, and only awaited the arrival 

 of stock. Captain Lancey appears to have retained his connection 

 with Fawkner for a time, but he embarked in the shipping trade 

 between Port Phillip and Launceston, and was lost at sea. The 

 putative father of the party found a grim satisfaction in later years 

 in complaining that all the members of bis original band deserted 

 him in his efforts to found a settlement that should be free from 

 the domination of the grasping squatter. 



Delighted with the general aspect of the place which his 

 quondam colleagues had selected, Fawkner at once determined 

 that it was the spot where he would end his days. He proceeded 

 therefore to rechristen the river after himself, regardless of the 

 fact that Batman had done the same thing before him, and that 

 Wedge had named it the " Yarra Yarra," under the impression that 

 this was its native appellation. As a matter of fact, Wedge dis- 

 covered afterwards that the words were applied to any waterfall, 

 meaning "it runs or it flows," and were probably used by the 

 aboriginal guide to call his attention to the rocky falls which for- 

 merly existed at the foot of Queen Street. Mr. Gurner contends 

 that the correct native word is " Yanna Yanna," but custom has 

 fixed Wedge's spelling, and the error, if it is one, is likely to be 

 perpetuated. 



On more than one occasion, both in published letters and in 

 public addresses, Fawkner averred that he purchased his land from 

 the natives ; but he never condescended to give any particulars of his 

 VOL. i. 9 



