THE FIRST YEAR OF THE SETTLEMENT 147 



missionary zeal in the direction of the aborigines. Though the 

 little settlement had not been without occasional lay expounders 

 of the Scriptures, and opportunities of improvised social worship, 

 Mr. Orton conducted the first regular clerical service in the nascent 

 township, preaching both in the morning and afternoon of Sunday 

 the 26th of April. Mr. James Simpson officiated as clerk, and Dr. 

 Thomson led the singing. The morning service was held in Bat- 

 man's house, but the afternoon congregation, swelled by the advent 

 of some of the so-called " Jagger Jagger " tribe of natives, numbered 

 somewhere about fifty, and was necessarily conducted al fresco. 

 Amongst the auditory was one of the " chiefs " who had conducted 

 the great land sale to Batman. The reverend gentleman says 

 the natives sat very quietly throughout, and appeared particularly 

 interested in the singing. It may be readily assumed that it made 

 more impression on them than the theology. 



Many resolute adventurers, whose names were destined to 

 prominent association with the successful building up of the com- 

 munity, found their way across the Strait in the first half of 1836. 

 The mere list would fill a considerable space, but it will be sufficient 

 to say in general terms that most of them brought property in the 

 shape of live stock, and added materially to the sense of substantial 

 prosperity which the settlement had acquired before its official 

 recognition. Those who became identified with the government 

 of the country, or acquired special prominence in the development 

 of any of its resources, will be more particularly referred to in the 

 course of this narrative. It is only necessary here to point out, 

 that so far the settlement was practically an overflow from Van 

 Diemen's Land, the infiltration from the " Sydney Side," as it was 

 long called, by the overland parties not being apparent until the 

 following year. 



With a scattered population of about 150 souls, the bulk of 

 whom were shepherds, servants and labourers, each man a law 

 unto himself, it might be supposed that the peace would often be 

 disturbed, and the maintenance of order and discipline be found 

 difficult. But this was by no means the case, and it speaks well 

 for the judicious selection made by the Association of their servants, 

 that the utmost good order and sobriety prevailed. The chronic 



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