44 S AUSTRALASIA ILLUSTRATED. 



eyes glistened and their hands trembled as they grasped the letters whose superscription 

 was so familiar to them, every character of the direction associating itself with the 

 writers, and with the scenes in the midst of which they were written. Few of the 

 recipients exercised a greater amount of patience or self-control before reading their 

 letters than was involved in crossing the street and seeking out some quiet corner in 

 which to tear open the envelope and devour what it enclosed. But there were disap- 

 pointed applicants in the crowd who refused to believe there were no letters for them ; 

 they importuned the distributors to look again and again in the pigeon-hole bearing the 

 initial letters of their names, and discontented with reiterated assurances that the whole 

 of the mail had been assorted, seemed unwilling to quit the window, looking with 

 envious eyes upon the more fortunate inquirers for correspondence, and moving tardily 

 away with dejection written on their countenances and reluctance expressed in every 

 movement of their legs. To-day a massive edifice of many storeys, the western frontage 

 of which extends from Bourke Street to Little Bourke Street, receives and distributes 

 upwards of thirty-five million letters and sixteen million newspapers per annum, and is 

 in communication with about sixteen hundred branch offices and more than six hun- 

 dred telegraph stations. A flight of steps gives access to a lofty corridor facing the 

 south and west ; the columns and modillions of the arched colonnade are of the Doric 

 order, the Ionic being employed on the second and the Corinthian on the third storeys. 

 Between the latter and the balustraded parapet some panelling has been introduced to 

 give additional elevation to the mass ; and a mansard roof, pierced with dormer windows, 

 augments its altitude. At the south-west angle a lofty clock-tower, effectively treated, 

 attains a sufficient height to enable the signal-flag upon its summit to be visible within 

 a wide radius of the building. 



From this point Bourke Street West makes a somewhat steep ascent to its inter- 

 section with Queen Street, and looking back the eye takes in a lengthened vista, 

 terminating in the portico of the Parliament Houses, behind which has arisen a 

 dome bearing a general resemblance to that of the Invalides in Paris, and equally well- 

 proportioned ; while, unlike that, it springs from an ample base, and thus gains in 

 dignity and fair proportion. Viewed at any hour of the day the scene presented by 

 the thronged thoroughfare is full of animation and variety. This is more especially the 

 case in the eastern section of the street, which lies half in sun and half in shade, the 

 footpaths on the southern side being screened from the light and heat by verandahs ; 

 while the buildings opposite project promontories of shadow of irregular dimensions across 

 the broad and busy highway. The western section of Bourke Street, particularly that 

 part stretching between Elizabeth Street and Queen Street, maintains a decidedly sporting 

 character. Here congregate the saddlers, harness-makers and farriers, and here, too, are 

 the numerous horse bazaars, resonant with the clatter of iron-shod hoofs, the cracking of 

 whips, the hum of bidders discussing the " points " of the horses put up for sale, and 

 the stentorian voice of the auctioneer ringing through the vaulted mews. It is after 

 night-fall, however, that Bourke Street presents itself under its most picturesque aspect. 

 The footpaths are fringed with a long festoon composed of glittering points of yellow 

 light, with here and there a luminous globe of whiter radiance from the electric burners 

 outside the theatres ; while the lamps of the waggonettes and the private carriages, 



