Page:Victoria, with a description of its principal cities, Melbourne and Geelong.djvu/49

  is most pleasing; it is, however, rather a tedious circuit, from the care required to guide the vessel through its narrow waters, and from the innumerable vessels passing and repassing.

The first object to call your attention is the Gasometer, a large, fine, cut stone building, on the banks of the river. Rising above is seen Bateman's Hill and Signal Station. As you touch the wharf, you find yourself on an extensive platform built alongside, or within one of the two or three docks lately built. Vessels of 200 to 300 tons can go up the river. Some very large and well-built warehouses line the street before you. In a small, open square in the centre, facing the river, is the Custom-house, which, though at present in an unfinished state, will, no doubt, form one of the ornamental buildings of the city. As mentioned above, a wide street divides the warehouses from the wharfs and river; a little up the latter is a shoal rapid or sudden fall, from which point the water is fresh, and no vessels go over it, though on the upper river small steamers ply; further on over it is the pretty bridge of the railway, close to the Terminus; it has a very good effect, opening at right angles to the quays in Flinders-street, and facing one of the largest thoroughfares in Elizabeth-street, proceeding up which, Collins-street (the Oxford-street of Melbourne) opens to you, running east and west, into which it is divided. It is a very fine street; some of the best shops and hotels are in it, besides three magnificent