THE CITY OF MELBOURNE. 



423 



one of the fine vessels belonging to its fleet taking ' in passengers and cargo for the 

 northern and eastern ports. The River begins to widen just at this point, and the 

 Griper is at work deepening its channel and dredging ' out material to be used for 

 raising the level of low-lying lands, formerly unwholesome and useless swamps, but to be 



THE BASIN OF THE VAKRA. 



covered at no distant date with warehouses and factories. At the Queen's Ferry a 

 steam-launch is incessantly rushing to and fro across the River, and beyond the gangway 

 the visitor proceeding eastward perceives a succession of coasting vessels moored to the 

 wharf, and unloading the agricultural produce of the western districts, or receiving the 

 supplies of merchandise which the inhabitants of its sea-ports obtain from the metropolis. 

 Here, too, is the place of departure for the passenger steamers proceeding to Geelong, 



