36 



in your collective capacity, to help in doing this. We have already 

 collected 600 alpacas within 150 miles of the port of shipment. 

 They will thus be prepared for the privations and risks of the sea 

 voyage ; but we shall not ship them or make one further move in 

 the matter until the promises of the Government have been ratified 

 by the Parliament. If the Parliament deals with us in a liberal 

 spirit — if the offer of a subsidy is confirmed without any niggardly 

 restrictions, as I believe it will be — I shall then hope to renew my 

 connection with the colony and your Society under more prosperous 

 circumstances than those which have attended our past labours. 



" I have, &c., 

 (Signed) "A. J. Dttffield. 



"P.S. — I may state that our agents in Melbourne are Messrs. 

 Clough and Co., with whom We have every reason to be satisfied, 

 and that they will act for me, I believe, with all requisite atten- 

 tion, during the period of my absence." 



REPLY. 



" Melbourne, October 25. 

 " To A. J. Driffield, Esq. 



" Dear Sir, — On the part of the Council of the Acclimatisation 

 Society, I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your communication, 

 dated the 18th inst., announcing your intended departure for Eng- 

 land. The Council is glad to hear from you that, in spite of the 

 disasters and discouragements which you have met with in carrying 

 out your great undertaking, having for its object the introduction of 

 the alpaca into Australia, you are still disposed to persevere in your 

 enterprise, provided that the Government of Victoria carry out the 

 promises made to you by themselves and their predecessors. The 

 Council look forward with great interest to your return to the colony 

 with another flock of alpacas ; and it confidently believes that, upon 

 the new footing you give to the undertaking, namely, by the forming 

 of an alpaca station, managed upon your own responsibility, the 

 next attempt will be successful ; and that you will live to earn the 

 fruits of your long and patient devotion to the cause of the alpaca. 

 Conceiving the acclimatisation of the alpaca to be of the highest 

 value to the colony, and believing, in spite of past failures, that by 

 greater care in the selection and transport of the animals, and by 

 the choice of a more congenial locality for their reception on their 

 arrival in the colony, the animal may and will be successfully accli- 

 matised in Victoria, the Council will, on its part, cheerfully render 

 you all the assistance in its power towards the accomplishment of 

 your object. With my sincere wishes for your future success, 



" I am, &c. 



(Signed) "Thomas Black, Vice-President." 



