Taking first a view of the limits. The total area of the town as first surveyed was nine hundred acres.
On the landward sides there have been no alterations in the boundary, as the Town Belt completely prevents such a thing taking place in that direction. Seaward, or properly speaking, along the foreshore, the changes and extensions are very marked and extensive. Starting from the southern point, at the junction of Anderson's Bay Road with Princes-street, the water of the bay naturally stretched inward, covering the Market Reserve until restricted by Market-street and Manor-place, till Princes-street was again reached. From this point the shore-line continued in a pretty straight course to Jetty-street, then inclining inwards to where the Colonial Bank and Custom House now stand. Practically, it may be said that Princes-street from High-street southward constituted the eastern boundary; all the sections fronting the water having been reserved for wharfage purposes. Then trending along the base of Bell Hill round the Jail and Stuart-street, the tide again made an inroad, its waves lapping the line of Great King-street, and sometimes even George-street, receding again round Athol-place. The line of Pelichet Bay may almost yet be traced by the Wharves' and Quays' Reserve on to the furthest extremity at St. Abb's-place, little changes having been as yet effected in this direction.
Take now a view of the surface. From Moray-place northward and down to the water's edge was a flat piece of land, in some places swampy and dotted all over with flax, fern, tutu, and lawyers. It was a good forenoon's work to struggle along the surveyor's line to the Leith and again return to High-street. Popularly, this flat was known as the Swamp, although there were redeeming features, as along the banks of the Leith and for several chains on the town side of it there was a splendid forest of timber, which made that portion a coveted spot, and the sections were soon bought up.
In the front of the town stood Church Hill, afterwards known as Bell Hill, because on it the first alarm tower was erected, flanked by an old ship gun. Although only attaining a height of 113 feet above high water mark, Nature intended it to adorn and beautify the town; but other objects were in view, so its reduction was decreed. How much more useful and
