64 Mr. Gellibrand's Memoranda of 



There are some passages of a personal nature, which I 

 might have omitted; but I have refrained from doing so, as the 

 document would then have been only an extract, and not a 

 transcript. 



Having thus the opportunity of drawing your Excellency's 

 attention to many of the circumstances connected with the 

 settlement at Port Phillip, I cannot refrain pressing upon 

 your Excellency's consideration the extreme importance of at 

 once combining with the first rays of civilization the ines- 

 timable advantages of religious instruction. The intercourse 

 with the aborigines has hitherto been conducted upon a 

 friendly footing, and they have evinced, as far as I have been 

 enabled to judge, those traits of character which are calcu- 

 lated to realise the prospect of their imbibing the best feel- 

 ings towards the whites ; and looking to the progress which 

 has been made within the last few months, and the friendly 

 feeling which is maintained with all the tribes, I am firmly 

 impressed with the opinion that the foundation may be laid 

 at Port Phillip for spreading the truths of Christianity through 

 the whole continent of New Holland, and I am happy to 

 know that I am not singular in this opinion ; for Mr. Reed, 

 of Launceston, who has recently visited Port Phillip, went 

 alone and unarmed with a large body of natives up the 

 country, and was with them several days and nights; his inter- 

 course with the natives was highly gratifying to him, and 

 when he left them, the women and children parted from him 

 with tears. I have received a letter from Mr. Reed, offering 

 a donation of .£20 towards building a mission-house and 

 school-rooms, and an annual donation of a like sum for the 

 support of a missionary ; and I know several gentlemen who 

 are prepared to contribute to the same extent, and I hope in 

 the course of a few days to lay before you a plan for the per- 

 manent establishment of one, if not two missionaries at this 

 interesting and important colony. 



I have the honor to be, &c, &c, 



(Signed) J. T. Gellibrand. 



MEMORANDUM OF A TRIP TO PORT PHILLIP. 



Sunday, Jan. 17. — I embarked this morning, with my son 

 Tom, on board the " Norval," for Port Phillip, in company 

 with Mr. Wm. Robertson, Mr. Gardiner, Mr. Leake, Mr. 

 Malcolm, and Mr Mudie (the latter gentleman having the 



