Page:Victoria, with a description of its principal cities, Melbourne and Geelong.djvu/99

 park, new and well-built streets appear, forming as pretty a tableau as any city in the world.

Before the Barwon enters the sea, it forms three pretty lakes, known as Lakes Connewarre, six miles from the town, one of the prettiest drives imaginable. A good road conducts you hither by the southern outlet of the city along the crest looking over the beach, passing by the Botanical Gardens, at present in an embryo state. The lakes appear distinct sheets of water, from the wooded promontories hiding the steam which connects them. The land rises most charmingly from the water, and beyond them a belt of high ground, heavily timbered, conceals the sea. At one place the margin gently dips or runs into the lake, and again recedes, forming several pretty bays and picturesque headlands. The land around the lakes, divided into lots from one to two hundred acres, has been purchased by the wealthier inhabitants, and several handsome residences and beautifully laid out grounds adorn their margin. One gentleman in particular, whose hospitality and kindness we shall ever remember with feelings of much gratitude, has chosen one of these sections as his suburban residence, and named it Benore, and Mr. George Thompson's happy home is most prominent amongst the beautiful objects in this neighbourhood; also Constantine, the handsome residence of Dr. Bailie, late Mayor of the city, a gentleman remarkable for his urbanity and hospitality, and for his extreme anxiety to advance the interests of his adopted