uard the entrance to the
extensive bay of Port Phillip. On one side is Point Lonsdale, and on
the other Point Nepean.

_21st May._--Our pilot comes on board early, and takes our ship in
charge. He is a curious-looking object, more like a Jew bailiff than
anything else I can think of, and very unlike an English "salt." But
the man seems to know his work, and away we go, tugged by our steamer.

A little inside the Heads, we are boarded by the quarantine officer,
who inquires as to the health of the ship, which is satisfactory, and
we proceed up the bay. Shortly after, we pass, on the west,
Queenscliffe, a pretty village built on a bit of abrupt headland, the
houses of which dot the green sward. The village church is a pleasant
object in the landscape. We curiously spy the land as we pass. By the
help of the telescope we can see signs of life on shore. We observe,
amongst other things, an early tradesman's cart, drawn by a
fast-trotting pony, driving along the road. More dwellings appear,
amidst a pretty, well cultivated, rolling landscape.

At length we lose sight of the shore, proceeding up the bay towards
Melbourne, which is nearly some 30 miles distant, and still below the
horizon. Sailing on, the tops of trees rise up; then low banks of
sand, flat tracts of bush, and, slightly elevated above them,
occasional tracts of clear yellow space. Gradually rising up in the
west, distant hills come in sight; and, towards the north, an
undulating region is described, stretching round the bay inland.

We now near the northern shore, and begin to perceive houses, and
ships, and spires. The port of Williamstown comes in sight, full of
shipping, as appears by the crowd of masts. Outside of it is Her
Majesty's ship 'Nelson,' lying at anchor. On the right is the village
or suburb of St. Kilda, and still further round is Brighton.
Sandridge, the landing-place of Melbourne, lies right ahead of us, and
over the masts of shipping we are pointed to a mass of houses in the
distance, tipped with spires and towers, and are told, "There is the
city of Melbourne!"

At 5 P.M. we were alongside the large wooden railway-pier of
Sandridge, and soon many of our fellow-passengers were in the arms of
their friends and relatives. Others, of whom I was one, had none to
welcome us; but, like the rest, I took my ticket for Melbourne, only
some three miles distant; and in the course of another quarter of an
hour I found myself safely landed in the gr