"Blow me!" cried he, "I've seen the time I couldn't have done it · and in the blaze of the sun! Well, come, oily o' the joint yet! Look at these codgers!-pooh! well, they'd much ado to keep their shins wagging after me, I'm sworn! Pooh! My wig, here at last, eh! Turkey, come, who carries the likker?"

66

'Why, you see, Moss, here is the hotel: behold! there is the sign on the tree."

'Ho-tel the

"Well! I'm spiflicated if there ain't the-what is it? Belly-view!' What next, I wonder? No need of such a sign, I'm sure, in these Sans-clout countries, howsomever. Well, I'm corked, arter that! I never would have had such a confounded himperent sign as that, if it was in Australia: Hotel Bel——' "

"Look, Moss, there is a native fight!"

"So there is! Aye, whoop! God forgive me, but he struck the man o'the poll with his besom stale!-it's a mortal mercy it dain't knock his batter out. Aye, who-oo-oop! there'll be murder done!" cried Moss, holding up both legs and hands, and appealing to Turkey; "there'll be murder done, Turkey!"

"Can't help it, Moss."

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Well, they seem to have enough on it-pooh!-let's go into this Hotel Belly—— and get something for that argin. I observe he stitches on to his nasty signboard, 'Good Liquor'-let's enter."

At these words, Turkey and Moss moved towards the door of the hotel; but it having been already filled by the parties before noticed, Moss and his companion contented themselves upon a log outside the hut, and in the straggling shade of the ragged gum-tree.

"Two bottles of porter!" cried Moss, handing one to Turkey, and attacking the other with great earnestness, which he emptied at a draught. Turkey followed his example, and both the gentlemen pronounced the liquor capital.

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"Waiter! two

nearly similar

Riglar Guinness," said Moss, smacking his lips. more bottles!" These followed their brethren with speed, and Moss was enshrouded in a vision of delight. glorious country arter all, this Australia!-glorious country-ain't it, Turkey?"

“Well, it's a

"Tell you more about it this day week, Moss," quietly replied Turkey as he lit his cigar.

'Well, don't let it be said we didn't patronise Hotel Belly- Waiter! another pair of them Guinnesses."

Things went on swimmingly with Moss: he was delighted with the country and all he saw, till the time came when he called for the porter bill; it ran thus-" To six bottles xxx porter, at 2s. 6d. a bottle, 15s." Moss laid down his pipe, took hold of the bill with both hands, and opened his eyes to their widest stretch.

"Fifteen bob!" breathed he at length to Turkey-" Fifteen bob for the swiggle! What a tarnation country! Well, I am corked! Howsomever, let's toddle."

CHAPTER XXIX.

"Poor wretch, I pity thee; yet stay a while."
The Cenci.

As the Hôtel de Bellevue was one of the best in the town, and one of the largest, for the host could muster no less than two beds, having also the peculiar advantage of being both in the same chamber, Mr. Rennie and his lady went to the Crown Hotel, at a very short distance from the Bellevue, leaving the Blairs in entire poseession of that hostelry.

Whilst we leave that family actively employed in arranging their dormitory at the hotel, let us take a turn with our friend Rennie, who was in a state of great excitement concerning his son. It will be remembered that Mr. Rennie had sent his son out as a pioneer some months previous to his own sailing; that he expected, upon his arrival, to find a comfortable house erected, having sent out the frame of one by his son. Now Rennie having arrived, and not finding his son at the Port as agreed upon, sallied forth in search of him; and, as we were anxious to learn ourselves what had prevented the youth from following out his instructions, we accompanied Rennie.

The first place we went to was the Bank, and that certainly was the best house we had hitherto seen. It was a half-brick and half-board built house, with a shingled roof, and had the appearance of possessing much comfort. The banker, to whom Mr. Rennie had introductions, invited us into his parlour, and the matter concerning the son of Rennie being explained, the banker said "I perfectly recollect some months ago a youth calling upon me and telling me his name was Renniethat he expected his father &c. out-but that he himself could not remain, owing to the exhaustion of his funds; and," continued the

"if I recollect,

The banker at

banker, rising from his chair and opening a side desk, he left a letter here for his father. Ay, here it is." that moment being required, Mr. Rennie read to his wife the following epistle :

"MY DEAR FATHER,

"I arrived at Adelaide after 110 days' passage from England, all well, and got everything on shore. I had them all brought from the ship up to this place, which cost me £24 18s. I was anxious at once to proceed to your farm, but was told that it was not surveyed, and that it would be a long time before it was. I did not know what to do. As I expected you out every week, I went to the shore every day. I heard a ship had been seen, and frequently hired a cart and bullocks to bring you from the Port. My lodgings came very high, as meat is 1s. 6d. a pound, and I found all my money was nearly gone. Not knowing what to do, I sold the house for £4—[here Rennie dropt the letter upon his knees, and uttered, 'Great God! it cost me forty pounds in England!']—and then, as the man wouldn't keep the ploughs and implements in his store on the beach at Holdfast Bay, where they were landed, unless I paid him £6 for their warehouse room and expense landing, which I could not do, he turned them all outside, and there they lie on the sand, next to M'Dougall's Store. As I found week after week went on and you did not come, and my money being all gone, I was determined to do something; so I left all my trunks, and the tool-chests, and everything, at Mrs. Crahem's, at No. 10, Royal Circus, Adelaide, where you will find them safe, and she will let have them all right by paying her my bill, £11 10s. I took a berth in the Peggy, brig, on a voyage to Sydney. I am to get 2s. 6d. a-week, and wait in the cabin, for I did not know what else to do. Now, my dear father and mother, and all friends, hoping you will get all the things safe when you all land,

you

"I remain

"Your affectionate Son,
"ARTHUR RENNIE,

"P.S.—The blue chest slipped its lashings when it was being slung into the long-boat, and fell into the sea. I s'pose it was rather too full, for it sunk."

When Mr. Rennie had read the letter, his visage changed, and he fixed his full eye steadily but vacantly upon the wall; and Mrs. Rennie, unable to bear up against the bitter disappointment, gave way to a flood of tears. However, there was no time to be wasted in sorrow: Rennie, after a few minutes' consultation with the banker, was provided with that gentleman's horse, and was soon upon the direct route to Holdfast Bay. There, upon the sea-beach, broken, rusty, and half

buried in sand, lay the very implements which had caused him in Britain such an infinity of expense and trouble. His beautifullymodelled harrows, rollers, and ploughs, the pride of his heart, were there, a wreck and a ruin. It was useless to attempt raising them out of the sand till he had a place at once to remove them to, and, as yet, he knew not where that might be. True, he had five hundred acres of land in the settlement; but he knew no more where his allotment might fall than the beadle of Cork!—if there be such a functionary in that famous city. Rennie gazed upon his hapless instruments, and remounting his nag, bounded once more speedily over the plain, resolving to communicate with Blair, and advise with him upon the steps proper to be taken in this emergency.

We were present at the consultation, and after hearing all the pros and cons, and weighing well the advice of the banker, with one or two others, to whom Blair had in the mean time applied, the result of our cogitations was the propriety of Rennie's remaining pro tem. in Adelaide, and the wisdom manifest in Mr. Blair forthwith becoming a squatter. These very important matters being duly arranged, the whole of the party sallied forth to survey their town acres, and to set about forthwith getting reed huts upon the same. Labourers were, with some difficulty, obtained to erect the edifices; but reed-cutters were soon pouring in their bundles from the bed of the Torrens, upon the site of the intended mansion, which gave something like the appearance of a start to the emigrants. Blair was not long in the purchase of a pair of bullocks, for which he paid £60, and a cart, obtained with great difficulty, for £40. These matters so far were, except the price, satisfactory. Now all that was wanting on the part of Blair was a horse and two domestics: the former he obtained at Adelaide-a Cape barb, for £72; and the latter he selected from the passengers of the "Ocean Queen," male and female-or we might as well have said at once, man and wife, for they were so.

Leaving, then, for the present, Messrs. Blair and Rennie, return we once more to the past, and ascertain how far our respected friends the emigrants get forward. A great difficulty had arisen amongst them respecting the transmission of their baggage from the Port to the town; the sum of five shillings being demanded on every thirty