146 A HISTORY OP THE COLONY OF VICTORIA 



immediate surroundings was included in W. J. T. Clarke's " Special 

 Survey " in later years. 



And now the tide began to flow rapidly, the little fleet of brigs 

 and schooners hurrying to and fro, bringing ever-increasing supplies 

 of sheep and cattle, mostly belonging to members of the Associa- 

 tion, but supplemented by contributions of substantial independent 

 settlers, who relied upon finding suitable country which was not 

 included in the great aboriginal concession. 



Immediately after the landing of Aitken, Dr. Thomson, who 

 had sent over the first consignment of cattle in the Norval, arrived 

 with his family. He was the resident medical officer of the 

 Association, and combined with that function the duties of catechist 

 or missionary. In his contribution to the Letters of the Early 

 Pioneers, Thomson claims to have been appointed the first public 

 arbitrator, although, as we shall see later on, that honorary 

 position was conferred at a public meeting on Mr. James Simpson, 

 who arrived a week or two later from Launceston. 



Before he had been a month in the settlement, Thomson set 

 on foot a subscription for the erection of a place of worship, and 

 in due time a weather-board predecessor of St. James's Cathedral 

 was commenced on that site. The doctor soon afterwards found 

 his way down to Geelong, where he established a sheep station on 

 the site of the present town, and looked after a fine herd of cattle 

 which he was running in the country around Indented Head for 

 Captain Swans ton. 



On the 20th of April John Batman returned in the Caledonia 

 to take up his permanent residence on the scene of his discoveries. 

 He was accompanied by his wife and family, and their governess, 

 Miss Newcombe, and was soon occupying a house on the slope 

 of the hill named after him, which formerly stood at the foot of 

 Spencer Street. The situation was a pleasant one, commanding 

 a view above the fringe of ti-tree of the lightly timbered rise to 

 which the name of Emerald Hill was given, and a large garden 

 running down to the river was liberally planted with a variety of 

 fruit-trees. 



With Batman arrived also Mr. James Simpson and the Eev. 

 Joseph Orton, a Wesleyan minister, who was animated by a strong 



