Old Melbourne Memories

by Rolf Boldrewood

OLD MELBOURNE

MEMORIES

BY

ROLF BOLDREWOOD

AUTHOR OF
'MY RUN HOME,' 'THE SQUATTER'S DREAM,' 'ROBBERY UNDER ARMS,' ETC.

SECOND EDITION, REVISED

London
MACMILLAN AND CO., Ltd.
NEW YORK: MACMILLAN & CO.
1896

All rights reserved

TO

MY EARLIEST ADMIRER AND MOST INDULGENT CRITIC

My Dearest Mother

FROM WHOM

I DERIVE THE WRITING FACULTY

AND TO WHOM IS CHIEFLY DUE WHATEVER MEED OF PRAISE

MY READERS MAY HEREAFTER VOUCHSAFE

PREFACE

These reminiscences of the early days of Melbourne—a city which, as a family, we helped to found—awakened, when first published in the columns of the Australasian, an amount of general interest most gratifying to the writer.

It is hoped that, in their present more convenient form, they may secure and retain the approbation of the public.

I should feel bound to apologise for the mention of names in full were I not conscious that I have written no line calculated to offend; nor have I, for one moment, failed in sincere goodwill towards every comrade of that joyous time.

CONTENTS

CHAPTER I
	page
A.D. 1840	1
CHAPTER II
The Far West	10
CHAPTER III
The Death of Violet⁠	23
CHAPTER IV
Dunmore	33
CHAPTER V
Squattlesea Mere	41
CHAPTER VI
The Eumeralla War	51
CHAPTER VII
The Children of the Rocks	63
CHAPTER VIII
The Native Police	74
CHAPTER IX
Kilfera	87
CHAPTER X
Old Port Fairy	98
CHAPTER XI
Portland Bay	106
CHAPTER XII
Grasmere	121
CHAPTER XIII
Superior Fattening County	132
CHAPTER XIV
Burchett of "The Gums"	142
CHAPTER XV
Work and Play	151
CHAPTER XVI
The Romance of a Freehold	160
CHAPTER XVII
Le Chevalier Bayard	170
CHAPTER XVIII
The Christening of Heidelberg	179
CHAPTER XIX
The Woodlands Steeplechase	187
CHAPTER XX
Yering	200
CHAPTER XXI
Tales of a "Traveller"	212
CHAPTER XXII
Yambuk	222
POEMS
Ballaarat in 1851	237
The Death of Welford	242
Sunset in the South	244
Balaclava	246
The Bushman's Lullaby	249
Morning	252
Wanted	253
Perdita	255
"Priez pour Elle"	257