15 I CHAPTER III. ABANDONMENT OF THE COLONY OF PORT PHILLIP. England has not been uniformly happy in the selection of her settlements. Most have been the result of private enterprise ; these have been uniformly successful. Government establishments in other lands have not always been fortunate. Two attempts were made to colonize Yan Diemen’s Land, without success. Both settlements lingered amidst drought and barrenness, and were abandoned. Even the first attempt in New South Wales was a failure ; Botany Bay was abandoned. Three trials were made on the northern coast of Australia; the places were abandoned. The last venture in government colony making was at Port Curtis. After a sojourn of five weeks and an expenditure of £15,000, Governor Barney abandoned the new colony, for the same reasons assigned for the other abandonments,—want of water. In these cases, a little common sense, the exercise of a trifling amount of euergy, would have obviated the difficulty. At Risdon, York Town, Botany Bay, and Port Curtis, the removal of a few miles brought the settlers to plenty of water and good soil. So was it with Port Phillip. Unluckily pitching upon the most repulsive part of our coast, and not possessed of the indomitable will and enterprize of our exploring bushmen, the founders of the new settlement were disheart ened, and beat a retreat. A slander is propogated concerning our friend Collins, which it is ntecessary to consider. It has been declared, that, as he had full powers to establish himself where he thought proper, and was allowed the sum of £500 compensation for his personal outlay, in case he chose to remove his establishment, he for filthy lucre sake maligned the character of our country, and abandoned the locality. But we think there is sufficient evidence to show that such a case cannot be made out. The concurrent testimony of so many as to the unsuit ability of Port Phillip forbids the belief of a conspiracy against the place merely to enable the governor to get £500. The prejudices, if such, began on the first day of landing, and the sentiment of dis-
