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57 It may not be out of place here to remark that Capt. Hunter all through looked upon the attempt to form a new settlement as a wild goose chase. The fine fertile fields, the open, flowery and grassy knolls and downs, and the indescribable charms which the country, at first sight, around Melbourne displayed, rivetted almost every visitor’s attention, until man’s hand had despoiled nature of her pristine features. The poet has said, “ Beauty unadorned is loveliest.” And this then could truly be said of the country around (what is now called) Melbourne. “ Kangaroo dogs had been provided by J. P. Fawkner, and the first day of landing a fine boomer was started not many yards from the vessel, driven into the river, just above the site of the Prince’s Bridge, killed and taken to the vessel. The river, above the Falls, was most odoriferous with the scent of the wattle blossom, which added also to the beauty of the scenery. Monday, the 31st of August—nothing done. The next day, Tuesday, September 1st, 1835, the goods were put ashore and a hut soon made to cover them, and a sleeping hut for the adventurers that were to remain. On Wednesday, late in the evening, Mr. John Hilder Wedge, a V. D. Land surveyor, came to Melbourne, brought by the blacks in a whale-boat Mr. Batman had left at Indented Head. Strange to say, that, although he only came thirty miles and must have known that he would have to return, he trusted to our people’s hospitality to feed him there and find him food for his return voyage, although he made the trip in order to warn off our party. He was also guilty of something very like double dealing, he got into conversation with Capt. Lancey, who had charge from J. P. Fawkner of the direction of all matlers on land concerning the adventure. Pumping (as it is called) him of all the occurrences of the trip, and stating that he was only out overlooking the country, that he was not interested, &c. &c. Although he was one of the greedy seventeen, he kept up this tone all the afternoon and the next day, until he had got a supply of food wherewith to return to the Indented Head, and then he changed his tone, told Capt. Lancey and the other colonists, that he had come expressly to warn them off, as the whole of the lands of Port Phillip had been bought and paid for by him and his co-associates (and a pretty medly lot they were) and finished by handing over to Capt. Lancey a written order for him and all his party to leave their (the company’s) landed estate. Capt. Lancey handed
