CAPTAIN FYANS. 479 



will ultimately be the capital of Australia Felix. In 

 tliis event communication will be held with Mel- 

 bourne by railroad, for which the country interven- 

 ing is admirably adapted, being a complete level the 

 entire way. At present a steamer plies daily between 

 the two places ; and when we consider that on our 

 last visit, only two years before, Geelong consisted of 

 a few sheds at its north end only, and now stretched 

 across from Corio Harbour to the River Barwon, a 

 space of more than a mile, the belief seems war- 

 ranted that at no distant period the line of rail I 

 allude to must be laid down. The township is now 

 divided into North and South Geelong ; the latter 

 lies on a slope, reaching the river's edge. Located 

 in a snug house, with a garden teeming with flowers, 

 that reminded one of home, and overlooking a still 

 reach of the Barwon, I found Captain Fyans, of 

 whom I have before spoken. In the course of con- 

 versation, pointing to a weapon used by the natives, 

 called a Lliangle, resembling a miner's pick, he 

 said, " I had that driven through my horse's nose, 

 a short time since, by a native, of whom I was in 

 pursuit." As I expressed a desire to be made ac- 

 quainted with the circumstance, he informed me, 

 that being out with a party of mounted police, in 

 search of some natives who had been committino" 

 depredations on the flocks of the settlers, in the 

 neighbourhood of Port Fairey, he suddenly, whilst 

 crossing a valley in advance of his men, came upon 

 the chief of those of whom he was in chase. He, 



