The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-07-21 00:00:00

PORT PHILIP, SOUTH AUSTRALIA

We have been permitted to make the following extracts
from a private letter, dated " Ship John Bull, Port Philip,
January 27, 1840
I am glad to inform you that we arrived here on Tues-
day, the 22d instant, after a pleasant voyage, not having had
any rough weather since we passed the Canary Islands. Our
passengers are all cm shore, except about a dozen. They all
got places directly we arrived : the single females get about
£2O a-year—the men about £4O or £5O, that is, farm ser-
vants, Sze. ;, clerks about £100; carpenters, &c. 12s. 6d.
a-day. Every one seems to be making their fortunes fast.
Fourteen acres of land that was bought a year ago, sold for
£lOOO. Melbourne is pleasantly situated on the Yarrayarra,
and contains about 7000 inhabitants. It has a very commo-
dious harbour, and large enough to allow any vessel in the
English navy to ride in perfect safety. We are anchored
about one mile from Williamstown (which is situated at the
most northerly extremity of the harbour), and about four
from Melbourne. I suppose we shall not be allowed to go
on shore much, as they are afraid of us running away ; in-
deed, it is almost impossible for any one to leave the ship,
as there is always an officer on the poop, and one of the ap-
rentices on the forecastle head : but, for all that, we ex-
pect we shall lose all the men yet before we leave. I
suppose we are to go to Bombay from here with a cargo,
though for what reason 1 do not at present know, and thence
to Liverpool, which will very much shorten the voyage.
The captain has bought a lot of land here, and is coming
out with his family after we return to England. The wind
is always blowing from the south, and is generally pretty
fresh. The country quite charms us, but it is very low about
the beach, and therefore very sandy ; but, I suppose, further
in, the land is very good. Kangaroos are very plentiful 60
miles in, and mocking birds, paroquets, &c., are to be shot
ashore. Every thing is very dear here ; two rooms. two
guineas weekly ; Is. 6d. for a bed. Every settler, not a
working man, who comes out here, should provide himself
with either a tent or a house in frame. I should prefer the
former, both as taking up less room in the ship's hold, or in
your own berth while you are in the ship, and becailse they
fetch a good price here ; one of the intermediate passengers
brought one from London, cost £7 altogether, and here they
are 50 guineas. I would also advise them to bring cot a few
carpenters tools, spades, nails, &c., and as many pieces of
duck, for trousers, &c., as possible, as clothes are very dear
here. The Yarrayarra is a most beautiful river ; the inha-
bitants are very independent, and understand the fashions as
well as any Cockney. Hunting coats, worn without waist-
coats, and with a broad shining leather belt, with a large
brass buckle, are " quite colonial:" white moleskin trousers
and a Manilla hat, very much like my China hat, although
some have a brim three times as broad. There are two
newspapers, the Gazette and another. I hope to have the
pleasure of sending you one before I leave. There are lots
of mosquitos here, and a fly about three times as large as the
one you have in England. ** * I have had a very warm
winter, though it is not so warm as I expected. * * * I
am sitting here, at four in the afternoon with port, door,
hatch, and every thing open, in nothing hilt a striped shirt
and duck trousers,—is it not comfortable ?"—Manchester
paper. •