term is still frequently, but incorrectly, used for
a man rearing and running stock on freehold land.
<i>Pastoralist</i> is now the more favoured term.

1840. F. P. Labillicre, `Early History of the Colony of
Victoria' (edition 1878), vol. ii. p. 189:

"In a memorandum of December 19th, 1840, `on the disposal of
Lands in the Australian Provinces,' Sir George Gipps informs
the Secretary of State on the subject, and states that,--'A
very large proportion of the land which is to form the new
district of Port Phillip is already in the licensed occupation
of the Squatters of New South Wales, a class of persons whom it
would be wrong to confound with those who bear the same name in
America, and who are generally persons of mean repute and of
small means, who have taken unauthorized possession of patches
of land. Among the Squatters of New South Wales are the
wealthiest of the land, occupying, with the permission of the
Government, thousands and tens of thousands of acres. Young
men of good families and connexions in England, officers of the
army and navy, graduates of Oxford and Cambridge, are also in
no small number amongst them.'"

1844. `Port Phillip Patriot,' July 8, p. 3, col. 3:

"The petitioner has already consigned the whole country
to the class squatter in perpetuity."

1845. R. Howitt, `Australia,' p. 165:

"The squatters of Australia Felix will meet on horseback, upon
Batman's Hill, on the 1st of June, for the purpose of forming a
Mutual Protection Society. From the Murray to the sea-beach,
from the Snowy Mountains to the Glenelg, let no squatter be
absent."

1846. C. P. Hodgson, `Reminiscences of Australia,' p. 366:

"`Squatters.' A word not to be found in `Johnson's Dictionary';
of Canadian extraction, literally to sit on the haunches: in
Australia a term applied to the sheep farmers generally; from
their being obliged frequently to adopt that position."

1847. L. Leichhardt, `Overland Expedition' (Introd.), p. 15:

"We were received with the greatest kindness by my friends the
`squatters,' a class principally composed of young men of good
education, gentlemanly habits, and high principles."

1848. W. Westgarth, `Australia Felix,' p. 168:

"The Port Phillip squatters, as occupants of the territory of
New South Wales, were afterwards required to take out an annual
depasturing licence in terms of a Colonial Act passed at
Sydney."

(p. 246): "The modern squatters, the aristocratic porti