Page:Victoria, with a description of its principal cities, Melbourne and Geelong.djvu/107

 powerful sun, each armed cap-à-pie; the tremendous heat of the earth over which we trod, and the parching power of a hot wind, soon manifested itself throughout the whole body. Many fell down through exhaustion, and though others manfully struggled on for a few miles, the evident fatigue which had overtaken them rendered it expedient to impress every available cart or bullock dray we encountered, in order that the knapsacks might be carried, and for the better accommodation of the increasing number of the tired and weary.

"It was 2 o'clock ere we reached Rocky Bank, a distance of not more than nine miles; but, from the cheerless, dull monotony of the scenery, I was more fatigued than I have felt in marching double the distance. Tremendous cracks in the roads rendered it quite a matter of labour to get the guns, carts, and drays over. The herbage was all burnt, parched, and withered, and the country appeared but as a boundless waste. We halted for a short time on the borders of a beautiful creek, near to which is the posting house for coaches running to Ballaarat. In the hotel, a sour, squashy, disagreeable drink, yclept colonial beer, is retailed at one shilling the quart; ale or porter, three shillings a bottle; and soi disant wines and spirits at one shilling per nobbler. Notwithstanding the exorbitant prices and questionable quality of the articles, they were in great request, and most rapidly consumed by the thirsty applicants with which the house was