CAPE OTWAY. - Geelong Advertiser and Squatters' Advocate (Vic. : 1845 - 1847) - 13 May 1846 (original) (raw)
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Wed 13 May 1846 - Geelong Advertiser and Squatters' Advocate (Vic. : 1845 - 1847)
Page 2 - CAPE OTWAY.
About a fortnight ago, we announced
ihe fact that two exploring parties had
started or were about to start into the
country surrounding Cape Otway, and at
the same time took the opportunity of
giving a digest of all that was known
respecting the geography of that part of
the colony: remarking that we looked
forward with great interest to the results
of these expeditions, as being likely to
dovelop the resources of that terra in-
cognito—resources, as might be ex-
pected, of a very different kind from
those already known ; and indulging in
the hope that, notwithstanding the present
impenetrable nature of the country, these
resources would ere long afford scope for
the settlement of a numerous 'yeomanry.'
Our having given expression to this very
natural train of ideas, has called forth a
communication from Mr Fawkner, in the
Patriot of yesterday, in which, by the
dexterous transposition of a few extracts,
he makes of our remarks a very laugh-
able caricature, which we publish in
another column for the amusement of
our readers. Those who perused our
article on Cape Otway, need not be
told that our terriffic description of
the couintry was not intended to " show
its capabilities as a site for the yeomen
farmers to fix upon". If such had
been our intention we would have used
moro seducing language. Neither did
we mean to allude to the cultivation of
grain or potatoes, when we described
the resources of the district as peculiar;
nor, when speaking of the size and value
of the timber, including a species of
cedar, -did we mean, that it was fit only
for being burned and grubbed out. Nor,
in alluding to the plains in the interior
jit only for grazing purposes, dd we
mean rich flats fit for agriculture.
Those who perused that article will look
iin vain-for any advice to purchase iand
at Cape Otway, or indeed to take any
-steps until the result of the projected sur
vey be made known. Neither will they
find that " there cannotbe any harbour in
Itis side of Cape Utway," on the con
trary there is every reason to expect that
available anchorage sill be found, the
wvhole eastern coast ;for fifty miles being
sheltered from westerly gales, .Neither
was our de'cription of the general aspect
of the country, intended as a minute de
scription of what is actually unexplored.
'Upon the whole, we are justified in in
dulging .in the anticipation that the day
'is not far distant when the neighbour
.hood of Cape Otway will be profitably
occupied. The soil is rich,, -water
abundant, timber valuable, vegetation
luxuriant, with many open patches of
good land along its numerous water
courses. With these advantages, and a
sheltered coast on the eastern side, there
are "lthe makings" of a flourishing settle
iient, sim lar in many respects to those
an the coast of New Zealand, without
tho disadvantage of having a warlike
enemy with whom to dispute possession.
The process of colonization is even now
going on; almost every week we hear of
further "' conquests of the wilderness."
The much contemned squatters are not
daunted by difficulties; they giapple
with, and overcome them. We have this
very day received intelligence that a
station has been formed at Moonlight
Head, the most exposed part of the Cape ;
the ''chord of the arc" has been pene-
trated by the formation of a station south
of the Stony Rises; and on the Geelong
side, there are several small stations re-
cently formed, nearly half way between
the north of the Barwon, and the ex-
tremity of ite Cape; to say nothing of
the sawyers and splitters, who supply
the town with all descriptions of timber
for building, a branch of industry which
would receive a most beneficial impulse
from a correct survey of the coast, with
a view to the shipment of the timber.
We, therefore, consider we are only doing
our duty by calling upon such influential
yeomen as Mr F. to assist in the deve
lopement of resources so valuable, and
thus to extend, instead of encroaching
qupon the legitimate pursuits of their
fellow- olonists. So much for our de
fence. Now for our confession. When
we are in the wrong, we will not hesitate
to cry'peccavi.' It was, then, decidedly
bad taste in us to make any personal allu
sions in the article referred to. It was
quite uncalled for; and we hereby repri.
mand ourselves for the offence.
SLAWs oF BETTING.-On Monday last
a case came on at the Court of Requests,
worthy of record, which we throw into
the form of an *' adjudged case."-In the
race between Romeo and The Lawyer,
A bet B 3 to 2nigainst the Lawyer, and
deposited the stakes in the hands of C.
Tho Steward's decision was, that both
horses were disqualified one having
crossed, and tlhe rider of the other having
dismounted previous to weighing and tle
match-money was returned accordingly
to each party. A then demanded his
stake from C, but C declared that he bad
paid the amount to B, contrary to the
decision of the stewards. A required
proof of his having so disposed of tihe
stakes, which C refused to give, where
upon A sued him for tile amount. The
decision of the commissioner was that he
could take no cognisance of the transac
tion as a bet, but that A having paid
money into the hands of C for a certain
purpose, had a right, in case of C failing
to show proof of having so appropriated
it, to demand restitution. Verdict ac
SioUti.,Aa CIIAno.- An old sinner,
was, on Monday last, charged at the
Police office with having been found in
a strange bed on one o'clock in the
morning, and refusing to turn out when
called upon. In defence, he said he had
gone to look after his washing! Dis
missed with an admonition.
FATUII? MATHEW'S BRANCHt OF THE
TOTAL ABSTINENCF SOCIETY. --The
weekly meeting of this Society was held
last evening, for the first time in the New
Temperance Hall.-The attendance was
numerous, close upon a hundred persons,
including about twelve of the fair sex,
being present, and the utmost order and
decorum were observed. The Hall had
really a comfortable appearance, being
full of cheerful faces, and having forms
and a good fire for the convenience and
comfort of the auditory. Mr Bean, as
chairman, and who has taken a very pro
minent and praiseworthy part in raising
the Society to its present state of pros
perity, opened the meeting with a few
observations. He detailed, as he said
from experience, the comparative advan
tages, to a mechanic of a dissipated and a
sober life; mentioning the striking cir
cumstance, that a tradesman who spent
nothing in liquors, and acted otherwise
economically, would, from the high rate
of wages obtainable, be enabled at the
end of two years to build himself a home.
Mr Galbraith, blacksmith, next addressed
the meeting. He had been a confirmed
drunkard ; had at one time in Melbourne
spent £120 in some weeks on liquors
alone, and during the twelve months, in
which he had been a resident of Corio,
he had spent upwards of £40 in the same
manner. He had kept himself in poverty,
his wife in misery, and his house in per
petual disorder. He had frequently
earned £10 a day since he -came to the
colony, but all had gone to the tap-room.
He was happy to say that a great change
had taken place in his health, his circum
stances, and in every thing else, since he
became a Teetotaller ; the present appear
ance of his home as contrasted with the
past, was, of itself, a powerful'-rgumienl
in support of the cause. John O'Niel,
tailor, was the next speaker; he had like-'
wise been a drunkard; he first thoughlt
of taking the pledge, when, after having
spent in drinking £28 in less than a
week, lie found himself obliged to: sell
his clothes. He had found the. ad
vantages of the step he had taken, and
recommended his fellow workmen to do
the same. The Rev. A. Love. who with
the liev. K. Walsh and Kev. V. Hour-,
geois, was on the platform, followed the
last spe.;ker. and spoke at some length,
The meeting being, it may be said, intro
ductory to the regular assemblage of the
members and the public in the Hall, an
exception, on that account probably, was
made in Mr Love's favor from the rules
of the Society, which forbid any but en
rolled members from addressing the
meeting. Mr Love's observations were
excellent,but scarcely enthusiastic enough
for a meeting of Teetotalers. The busi
ness of the evening was wound up by a
collection.; Mr Bean mentioning by way
of incitement to to the generosity of the
meeting, that of £85, or nearly that
amount, the cost of erecting the Hlall,
£23 were still unpaid, and would be due
in less than three months. Thcesumcol
lected was £1 18s, independent of the
monthly subscription due by members of
the Society. It is said that the erection
of a Coffee Room, to accommodate a tea
party of a hundred, is in contemplation,
in connexion with the body. It is ru
moured, also, and on pretty good founda
tion, that a branch of the Collingwood
Total Abstinence Society will shortly be
.HoRSE STE'kLINO.-On Friday, the
man Edward Preston', charged, with
stealing Mr Hawdon's horse, underwent
another examination at the police office.
The .prisoner is the same man who, a
short time ago, was charged with a
robbery at Mrs. Hamilton's, in Elizabeth
street, of which he was acquitted, in con
sequence of none of the property being
found upon him. The horse it will be
recollected, was stolen on the 28th April
last, and by the evidence of William Hall,
superintendent of Mr Willsmore's station
situated about two miles from Williams
town, it appeared that the prisoner ar
rived there on the same night, and
WIgged for a lodging in consequence of
the inclemency of the weather. He was
then mounted on the stolen horse, and
stated that he had ridden that day from
Geelong, having received a letter by the
steamer, stating that his wife and child
were dangerously ill. Hestated that the
horse was his own, having purchased it
from Mr Grant, overseer, of Mount Emu,
for twenty pounds but that he should, on
his arrival in town, be compelled to dis
pose of it, for the purpose of providing
for the wants of his family. On tile fol
lowing morning, the prisoner started,
being extremely particular in his en
quiries as to the road to Melbourne ; the
witness, however, remarked, that le took
the road to Solomon's. The prisoner here
stated, that on the night alluded to he
was drinking at Vinge's public house,
until twelve o'clock. William Radford,
of Geelong, stated that on Thursday week
last, the prisoner put up at his brother's
house,an inn at Geelong, atwhich time the
prisoner had in his possession the horse
said to have been stolen, and which he
was desirous of disposing of; witness ulti
mately made a " swop" with him, giving
him four pounds ten shillings in cash, and
a Timor pony, saddle and bridle; the
value of the Timor pony he did not knon,
but had been offered six pounds for it.
Subsequently thinking the horse was nol
" right;" lie informed the chief onstable
of Geelong of the circumstance, who
asked him to come to Melbourne respect.
ing it, and on arrival here discovered
that the horse had been stolen. Mr
Hawdon on being asked the value of the
horse said, that he should have refused
thirty pounds;for it. This gentleman's
servant not being in attendance, the
prisoner was remanded until Tuesday
next. He is a young man and manifests
great aversion to give any accountof him
THE ASSAULT AT THE RACES.-On
Friday a man named John Maher, was
apprehended by constable Sinclair upon
suspicion of being one of the three,
men who struck Mr Argyle, the butcher;
at the late March races. On being
brought up for cxamination on Saturday
the prosecutor identified him as being
the person who first assaulted him at the
Race Course; that at the time, the
prisoner rode a black horse, and was the
first who overtook him.; that he struck
him with the butt end of a whip.near
Main's Bridge, and left him senseless
Maher was remanded until to-morrow
and bail taken for his appearance, him
self in £100 and two sureties in £50
THE VIOLIN.-.A Mr Rivio has juri
arrived from South Australia, where hie
has been astonishing the natives as a fir$t
rate violinist-at least so say the papprs4
We learn that M r La Trobe, who scraples
in this line in a- very creditable manner,
can only play " second fiddle" ito :Mr
Ravac, who has expressed his inteniion
to show his.powers in a concert yet tolbe
THE ROBBERY AT THE '*PRINCEi O
WALES."-A clew. has been obtained as
to the " whereabouts" of the thief hlio,
on the night of the Bar Dinner to Judge
Therry, stole Mr Fawkner's dressingcdase.
for the recovery of which .a rewar~ of
THE " COURIER.'"-This journal'will
be resumed immediately, Iuder the ,Edli
torship of Mr Kerr. Ther, wole affair
was .a"ranged,.yaiterday at. lhet;iird
meeting of creditors, and " 'IRichardi i
SF.PARATION.-We are nuthorisedin
stating from nndoubted authority, that
the. -Iomo Government have arrived at
the very,, satisfactory determination of
conceding Separation to .Port; Phillip;
so soon as the necessary details can be:
reduced to'frm and pressure. His Ex
cellency. Sir George Gipps, in his late
despatches,, has, received this (to the
residents of Australia Felix.) cheering
PENTONVILLE EXILES.-We some time
since reported that a number of Pentonville
Exiles, arrived at I-Iobartoh. had not been
forwarded to Portland, contrary to a pronise
given by.Sir Eardley Wilmot. Weehave
since learned that the reason was, the
vessel in which they were -shipped from
England having been specially chartered
and. insured for Hobarton, and, therefore,
could not, without great risk, be sent on
to this port. So far an excuse for Sir
Eardley, but, on theother hand, we would
ask, why could they not have been for
warded in'one of the Government vessels ?
Unless some such means be adopted, the
same excuse will hold most probably for
ever, and, therefore, His Excellency's
promise will turn out in reality to be some
thing like fabled Echo, vox et preaterea
nihil, a voice and nothing beside. We
lave been tOld that " wherever there is a
will there is a way," and were the two
Governments really desirous of furnishing
Portland with a portion of this description
of labor, they could do so without either
much expense, risk, or difficulty.-Portland