Page:The Present State and Prospects of the Port Phillip District of New South Wales.djvu/143

 Port Phillip outweigh the drawbacks, and who intend acting upon that opinion by adopting it as their home, such practical hints as I may think of service in carrying this intention into effect.

To a gentleman, a married man in moderate circumstances, who can land at Melbourne with a capital of from two to three thousand pounds, I should say that he ought to take with him such things as are likely to be conducive to his comforts, and which he may happen to have already, but that he should 'not buy many things of the kind for this purpose. A sofa and a couple of easy chairs would be useful on the voyage out, as well as when he arrives; and as they might stand either in his cabin or in the cuddy, they Ought not to cost any thing for freight. Carpets are very useful, particularly a small Turkey carpet from twelve to fourteen feet square; so are curtains. I should also recommend a moderate quantity of plate, and table-linen of course. These things, if taken, should be well packed in packages of convenient size; and they are none of them things that would occupy much room, or be able to much freight. Books, of course, a man should supply himself with. Even a pianoforte (if the womankind are fond of music) is not to be despised, nor pictures thrown away. I have known many an evening pass agreeably in a bush-hut with the aid of a pianoforte and some singing; and then one or two good pictures set off the homeliest room. "What I mean to express is this, that if a man have things of this kind already, it is better that he should bring them with him than sell them by auction, probably