be shown to the rich m a n , whose m o n e y enabled him to procure sundry small indulgences which tended to alleviate the ennui of incarceration—comforts unprocurable by the other, w h o was believed to be simply a tool in the hands of Y , and forced by the pressure placed on h i m — a law-breaker by compulsion. H o w M ' M a h o n fared in after life I cannot say, but Y on his enlargement went on and prospered. H e became a m e m b e r of the T o w n Council, and his n a m e is perpetuated in the street nomenclature of one of Melbourne's suburban cities. A few months after William Turner was caught flagrante delicto whisky-making in a house in Lonsdale Street, and was fined ,£100. Short of means of payment, and having a large family, the Magistrates reduced his term of imprisonment to four months. O n the 31st October, 1844, the price of new-laid eggs had fallen to 4d. per dozen, and the best fresh butter was hawked through the streets for 5d. per lb. Writing of butter, I may again pass to bread and its congeners. Wheaten bread is supposed to be a Chinese invention, though its origin is uncertain. But no such mistiness clouds the cradle of another edible of almost general use in the early times. This was the well-known " damper," simply a well-handled, well baked mixture offlourand water. This rude method of making bread was invented by William Bond, one of what was known as " thefirstfleet"arrivals in Sydney, where he carried on the bakery business, and was the author of thefirstbread loaf proper kneaded in N e w South Wales. H e died in Pitt Street, Sydney, A n n o 1839, after attaining to the very advanced age of n o years. There is a place near Dandenong called " N o good Damper," and the origin of this n a m e is very laughable. T h e proprietor of a small store there had occasion to be sometimes away from home, and the Aborigines, w h o had a great weakness for flour and mutton, stole a quantity of some flour, but the storekeeper said he would be even with the blacks. So he got a couple of bags of lime from Melbourne, and m a d e them do duty for the flour at his next absence. " Blacky " called again, but instead of flour purloined a bag of lime, and left in great glee. O n arriving at their quambying ground they c o m m e n c e d baking operations, when on mixing water with the supposedflour,they were horrified to find itfizz,and fancying the white man's "debble debble" was about to bewitch them, they ran away yelling, " N o good damper, no good damper." So thus the phrase took, and so the storeman's place is n a m e d to this day. T h e flour was never troubled after. Arsenic, is said to have been often mixed with flour for the special use of the blacks at more than one of the stations in the then wild interior. THE LAWYER AND HIS "QUARRY." Mr. J. B. Quarry was a very stylish Attorney, and he and a Mr. John Willmett espoused two handsome sisters. It was said that Mrs. Quarry had neither love nor liking for her lawful lord, and the gossiping world soon gave out that it was not all bliss in the Quarry elysium. T h e husband felt that he had soon reason to doubt thefidelityof his wife, and resolved to send her in keeping to her parents ; but until he should be able to m a k e arrangements requisite for her departure, he deposited her under surveillance at Willmett's house in North Richmond. T h e brother-in-law was a wary guardian, and kept watch and ward unceasingly. Still there was strong reason for believing that the lady was by some means in communication with the outer world. Willmett had certain premonitions that something critical would happen on the night of the 7th September, 1844, and, as events proved, his presentiment was not groundless. Double sentries were put on ; AVillmett and his servant watching in the front verandah, and Quarry and his valet posted as a guard in the rear. After waiting patiently for some time, footsteps were heard approaching stealthily at the front, and the figure of a m a n was shortly after m a d e out. Onward it m o v e d until challenged by Willmett, when the laconic response, " I a m Jack Robinson," was returned. Willmett, pistol in hand, m a d e a rush ; thefigureran away, closely pursued, and at a distance of about seventy yards was pulled up and collared by Willmett, w h o sang out lustily for Quarry, but was silenced by a ball in the arm, which soon caused him to look to himself. T h e unknown then escaped, and when Quarry arrived all he found was Willmett bleeding on the ground. His w o u n d was so dangerous that his life was considered to be in peril unless the arm was amputated, to which he would not consent, and after a few weeks he recovered. A n outrage so daring occasioned m u c h excitement, yet, singular to say, there was no evidence circumstantial or MMM 2
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THE CHRONICLES OF EARLY MELBOURNE.
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