Page:Victoria, with a description of its principal cities, Melbourne and Geelong.djvu/80

 the roof, hiding the shingles, which would otherwise have rather a rusty appearance, concealing also the unfinished sides of the building. Considerable attention is paid to the interior comfort at Blenheim, owing to the advantage it has over many which we have already alluded to. The sitting rooms are neatly furnished, one having a good piano, and the other three parts lined with handsome book shelves, full of works of every kind—a great desideratum in the country, so far away from a town. We spent several happy days at Blenheim; in fact, during our whole tour of some six weeks' duration, we experienced the greatest hospitality from the squatters; the great difficulty being to get away, so attentive and kind they always were in promoting all kinds of amusement to induce us to prolong our stay.

We had several days of exciting sport in hunting the kangaroo, equal, indeed, to fox-hunting, and when they broke cover the pace was killing. It was most amusing to see this curious animal leaping on its hind-legs, and outstripping our best horses and dogs. Another sport in which we two or three times indulged was wild turkey shooting, curious and sedate enough in its way, though fall of excitement and fun. Fancy six keen sportsmen sitting on a bundle of hay, in a bullock-cart, quietly moving over the plain. We had two carts, our party consisting of two divisions, each pursuing a different route. After some three or four miles we gradually came