grazed sheep and cattle, and in the meantime traded with the whalers through the business house they founded in Portland. Mr. Edward Henty was not twenty-five years of age when he put together the first plough that ever broke Victorian soil, and welded with his own hands the chains by which it was drawn. His rooftree was more than five hundred miles from the nearest house, and he was often put to straits in dealing with the wild cannibal blacks surrounding him; but on no occasion did he ever have need to fire upon them. Two years afterwards Stephen Henty finally gave up Swan River and joined his brothers at Portland Bay. On the concession of representative institutions to Victoria, Mr. Edward Henty became the representative of the county of Normanby in the Legislative Assembly, and was re-elected in 1859, but being defeated in 1861, he did not again offer himself. Mr. Henty, who subsequently unsuccessfully contested the Western province for the Legislative Council, gave a monster picnic to all the school children in Portland in 1872, to celebrate the completion of his thirty-eight years' residence there. In addressing the assemblage he said: "I have invited you here to-day, as I wish to impress upon your minds the fact that I was the pioneer of the colony. When you are grown up and hear people talking about these matters you can say you knew Mr. Henty the pioneer, and that you were brought up in the town with him. That I am the oldest Victorian is proved by this book, the 'Old Colonists' Address to Prince Alfred,' signed by seven hundred old colonists, in which my name heads the list, the date of Mr. Fawkner's landing in Victoria being given by himself as Oct. 9th, 1835. You can tell them, 'It is true Mr. Henty made a home for himself, and it is equally true that he was instrumental in making homes for us.'" Mr. Henty died at his residence, St. Kilda Road, Melbourne, on August 14th, 1878. When Mr. Edward Henty landed in Portland there were no white settlers on the coast between King George's Sound, in West Australia, and Twofold Bay, in New South Wales.
Henty, Francis, brother of the above, was the youngest son of Thomas Henty, was born at Field Place, Worthing, Sussex, on Nov. 30th, 1815, and emigrated to Tasmania with his father. He subsequently followed his brother Edward to Portland, Vict., landing a month later than that gentleman, on Dec. 14th, 1834. Having returned to Tasmania on a visit in the following year, he called in at Port Phillip (now Melbourne) in September, and assisted Mr. Batman, the founder of the city, to pitch a tent on what was afterwards known as Batman's Hill. In the last week of August 1836 Sir Thomas Mitchell, the explorer, visited Portland on his way overland from Sydney to the southern shore of the continent. At this time there was no one settled nearer Portland than where Melbourne now stands, and the appearance of a stranger was somewhat startling in those days of escaped convicts. However, the Major was recognised by one of the establishment. He was furnished with supplies, had the pleasure of witnessing the excitement of a whale chase, and in return informed the Messrs. Henty of the existence of the fine country at the back of Portland, on the Wannon River, which he had named Australia Felix. Hitherto the latter had not gone more than twenty miles inland with their flocks. On August 3rd, 1837, a settlement was commenced in this country at the spot since known as Merino Downs, of which Mr. Francis Henty became the owner. Conflicts between the blacks and some of the whites could scarcely be avoided, but Mr. Henty had not much trouble, the aborigines soon becoming friendly; but they were never allowed to bring their spears and other weapons within a certain distance of the hut. To show how quickly the country was taken up after the first essay had been made, it may be mentioned that in 1839 Messrs. James and Stephen G. Henty rode overland from Geelong to Portland, and were able to obtain shelter each night during the whole journey. Mr. Henty, though keeping up his establishment at Merino Downs, resided for the last few years of his life in Melbourne. He married at Launceston, Tas., Miss Mary Ann Lawrence, who died in Nov. 1881. Mr. Henty died at Kew, near Melbourne, on Jan. 15th, 1889.
Henty, Hon. James, M.L.C., brother of above and eldest son of Thomas Henty, was born at West Tarring on Sept. 24th, 1800. He was engaged in farming with his father, and then joined the family banking
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