M a n y of the immigrants, including a number of young single women, were located in tents near Batman's Hill, and the services of the latter were offered to any one providing them with food and clothing. During 1840 and 1841, several fine vessels m a d e their appearance in the Bay, including a splendid ship named the ' York,' formerly a frigate in the Government service. Very old colonists m a y recollect the sensation caused in 1841 by the arrival of immigrants by the ' India,'which took fire on the passage from England to this colony. After burning for some hours, and when several lives had been lost, a French whaler hove in sight and rescued the remaining passengers taking them into Rio Janeiro, whence they were sent on here. They arrived in an utterly destitute condition, but the townspeople soon collected sufficient funds to put them in a comfortable condition. " During the dull times it was quite an event when an English arrival took place, and the inhabitants would gather en masse at theflagstaffto watch the vessel drop anchor in the Bay. Shipping was so sparse then, that at one time in 1846, there were only three schooners and one barque at anchor, and the only occupant of the Queen's Wharf was the 'Ellen and Elizabeth,' a small schooner of 28 tons, which then traded to Portland Bay. T h e largest sailing vessel that came up to the Queen's Wharf in the olden times was the brig 'Britannia,' which had taken fire in Hobson's Bay. She was bought by a ship carpenter named Watt, and brought up the river; but as there were no means of repairing her in this port, she was patched up and sailed for Sydney, but was never heard of again, and was supposed to have foundered on the Ninety Mile Beach, on the Gippsland coast. " T h e first steamer that ever ran on the river was the ' Firefly.' She was succeeded by the 'Governor Arthur,' which came from Hobart T o w n in 1840, and was worked between the town and the Bay and ran for several years. T h e next steamer was the ' Aphrasia,' from Sydney, a smart article, which was in the Geelong trade for a time, and was highly thought of by the public. She was used as a lighter up to a few years ago. T h efirststeamer built on the Yarra was the 'Vesta,'* an iron paddle-steamer imported by the Messrs. Manton, from England, and put together opposite the Queen's Wharf. She was launched in fine style, decorated with bunting, crowded with people, and Tickel's band merrily playing ' Off She Goes.' T h e largest steamer that came up the river in the early times was the 'Corsair,' a paddle-steamer of about 500 tons, which formerly sailed between Belfast and Glasgow. She appeared at the wharf early one Sunday morning in 1841, and surprised the people by blowing off steam. She had come from Sydney on a trial trip, but never tried to come up the river again, as she was aground for three weeks on the bar at the river's mouth on her way back to the Bay, there being generally only a depth of eight feet of water at that time. W h a t a difference from the present time, when large vessels drawing 17 feet can easily come up to the wharves. " Ship-building to a moderate extent was carried on in these times. A small steamer named the 'Diamond,' built on the banks of the Yarra, was in the Hobson's Bay trade for years; also a smart schooner named the 'Teazer,' and some smaller vessels. But the most ambitious attempt was the building of a barque named the 'Jane Cain,' a vessel of 292 tons register, and intended for the London trade. W h e n the day arrived for her launch, the vicinity of the Queen's Wharf was crowded by thousands of people anxious to see the great event. T h e Temperance Band commenced playing ' Off She Goes,' and the vessel began to move ; but after running a few feet stuck fast, to the great disappointment of the assembled crowd, w h o after waiting until dark, slowly dispersed, and the 'Jane Cain' remained on the stocks for several days before she was moved off. She m a d e one trip to England, but as she was too deep to come up the river, she was put into the African trade, and lost sight of. " T h e first screw steamer seen in the colonies was the 'City of Melbourne,' 139 tons register, built on the Yarra. T h e engines had been imported for a mill, and atfirstdid not act very well, for
- I a m indebted to M r . J. J. Lander, of Grey Street, East Melbourne, for the following, which differs slightly from the above:T h * verv fi^st vessel tha? was ever built on the banks of the Yarra, viz., the "Yarra Yarra" barge, was an ugly square-head and squareThe very hrst vessel mat was ever uuui .uu
present day, but which was very useful and profitable at the time she stern sort of structure, that would hardly be used to carry o ^ < £' t n e P r e s ™ > , ;, b M e s s r s M * n t o n a n d w ^ . w h o w e r e at that was engaged in the lightering trade•between Wilhamstown and Melbourne sne .? <( a m v e d w h i c h latter w a s not delivered in time in a large w a y of business in Melbourne as merchants, Ito do tneir "OTK until Captain J. C. Lander, who was connected with and launching of the " Yarra Yarra " was the result. I think the " Yarra Yarra was launched in the latter part of 1841. (IHE At . HOR>.
