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and thence by the Merri Creek to the Moonee Ponds. The country between Geelong and Ballarat suffered extensively, and m u c h property was destroyed for miles around Geelong, especially on the Barrabool Hills, the western side of the Moorabool, and the Leigh. At the Barrabool Hills one James B o w m a n yvas burned to a cinder whilst endeavouring to extinguish a fire; Phoebe Horslop, a young girl, was severely burned; and Stephen Hopper, a farmer, had to run for his life. Dr. A. T h o m s o n declared that not one house in ten yvas left on the Barrabool Hills, and all the small farmers were either burned out or ruined. T h e quantity of hay lost there and around Geelong was put doyvn at 3000 tons, and the wheat at 50,000 bushels. Ballan, and Bacchus Marsh also suffered, and Buninyong forest was for several days in a furious blaze. Messrs. AATtliamson and Bloyv, of the Pentland Hills, had a station completely destroyed—everything consumed save the clothes worn by the people there, and Bloyv was obliged to come to Melbourne to procure a supply of covering for them. At the AVerribee, 4000, sheep belonging to Mr. Inglis perished, and his yvhole loss including crops and wool yvas estimated at £ 4 0 0 0 , whilst the hands employed on the station were unable to save their wearing apparel. M o u n t Macedon yvas lit up in numerous places in a style that would gladden the hearts of the Druids of antiquity, in yvhose worship the old Baal-fires yvere instituted, and three m e n were k n o w n to have perished there ; whilst along the overland route to Sydney commencing at Campbellfield, and on by Kinlochewe and Donnybrook, m u c h injury was done. Mr. R. H . Budd, an innkeeper, yvas in Melbourne, and on returning h o m e found himself a poorer m a n by a thousand pounds. His yvife and several children had had hair-breadth escapes. Attached to the premises yvas a dairy sunk six feet in the ground, and yvhen the flames closely menaced the place the mother thought the youngsters might be safely stoyved away in the butter-vault, and there they were planted accordingly, but it yvas soon apparent that if left in their hiding-place they yvould be baked to cinders, so they yvere, after m u c h difficulty, safely extricated, and the family safely got away. T h efiresreached northward as far as the Goulburn, yvhere the sheep on several stations yvere considerably thinned, Mr. H . N. Simson alone losing 7000. A s to Kilmore, how it escaped yvas inexplicable, as the country for a circuit of miles in every direction was a black burned-up desert, in the midst of which stood the township, yvith several large ricks of wheat and oats scattered about, and the grass destroyed almost to the corn-steads. If this had not been verified by ocular evidence it would be incredible. T h e neighbouring ranges were onfireearly on the Thursday morning, caused, it was reported, by tyvo m e n engaged in burning some stubble not far from the toyvn. For some time it was in imminent peril,fifteenfarmers in the vicinity being ruined, and 10,000 bushels of corn destroyed. I h e small townships of Seymour and Honeysuckle luckily escaped—though they were like islets in an ocean of flame for some days. T h e creeks were crammed with festering carcases of working bullocks, through the famished animals rushing into them for a drink, and finding no water, being unable to gel out, they perished. N o quarter of the district escaped, for the conflagration might be said to be general, from Gippsland to the Murray, and from the Plenty to the Glenelg. At the Pyrenees, for a distance offiftymiles, thefiresskipped along in every direction, playing some curious pranks, skirting a marked-out road or small creek in their courses, and not crossing them; then suddenly jumping over, disdaining to meddle with small trees, and when they were impeded by one of u n c o m m o n height or width, clutching it without mercy, and choking it off with an explosion like a gun-shot. T h e Loddon country was fire-swept over a large portion of its superfices, and for six days the conflagration held high revel on the AVimmera. Colac was not spared, and disastrous intelligence was received from the " far west." Over what yvas then known as the "Portland country " the bush was onfirein every direction, and creeks and waterholes yvere never known to be so low. Amongst the suffering squatters was Mr. Neil Black, to the tune of 4000 sheep. At M o u n t Gambier, near the Glenelg (the South Australian boundary), the township was almost completely extinguished. T h e AVestern Port District and the wild Gippsland country, then nearly a terra ignota, were not spared. T h e Dandenong division was devastated byfirein such a manner that every vestige of tillage or verdure was burned from off the ground. T h e homestead of Dr. Bathe, of Western Port, yvas besieged by the flames, and Mrs. Bathe had the presence of mind to rush to the stable and release the horses, yvhich flew out, but, terrified by the burning, returned to their shelter, and perished. Mrs. Bathe herself took to the bush, and escaped. Dr. Bathe was reported to be a heavy loser, and it was said a sum of £ 3 0 0 m bank notes had been destroyed in the house.