Page:Victoria, with a description of its principal cities, Melbourne and Geelong.djvu/222

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APPENDIX.
189

the same page, line 18, are these words:—"And gave Gunu written authority to put off any persons that may trespass on the land I have purchased from the natives." Readers, call you this the act of a man intending or anxious to found a colony?

"Justice to Batman!" Would his friends really like to see Batman's acts and his closing career fully stated? If so, it can be done. It has been hitherto withheld, but it is ready if called for.

July 17th, 1856.




BONWICK'S PORT PHILIP.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.

Sir,—Purchasing a copy of your weekly paper on Saturday evening, I read a critique of Mr. Fawkner's upon my "Discovery and Settlement of Port Philip." Starting this morning for Castlemaine, I have not time to reply. I must, however, thank Mr. Fawkner for attending to the hint in my preface where I solicit "corrections of misstatements."

I rejoice to find that Mr. Fawkner, so far admits the general truthfulness of my book, and admits the many difficulties of dependence upon oral testimony. Though he will not acknowledge the story of spirituous rappings, he confesses to threshing Smith out of his wooden house, not sod hut. Though he denies letting the place to Smith himself, he allows that this person rented it of his lessees.

Mr. Fawkner would fain know the "funny stories" about his first public house. But, without waiting for a reply, he adds "another misstatement." The stories, though curious and suggestive, were not necessary to the work. Some reminiscences of Melbourne public houses were given as illustrations of our primitive colonial society. The narrative Mr. Fawkner has given of the doings of Mr. Smith and himself, is a striking exemplification of