CHAPTER III.
Our preface pledges us to a true account of an emigrant's course: the varying details which we have inflicted on the reader, must be excused in this conscientious fulfilment of our profession. The foregoing is indeed nothing but what every emigrant must make up his mind to endure (unless he goes out as a cabin passenger,) e'er he reach El Dorado and fortune. Some high flown descriptions make the voyage appear more like a pleasure trip in my lord's yacht; but seriously, reader, salt junk will be thy chief animal food, biscuits must serve thee in lieu of bread, and Boreas won't always (even to oblige cabin passengers,) restrain his might.
The long wished-for land was at last in sight, and though it appeared but a long low line of coast, broken here and there by a pyramidal shaped hill, each eye, bent upon it, was finding beauties, which to a landsman's sight would have been very questionable indeed. The ship neared the shore, and sailed, along the coast for a time, until a narrow opening was detected with a ledge of rocks running some distance across it: this was the entrance to Port Philip. On the opposite side the high land of Arthur's Seat could be distinctly seen in the distance; whilst the adjacent coast consisted of low shelving rocks, with barren sand-hillocks behind. A bold headland marked where the deepest water was to be found. There were several vessels in sight steering for the Port Philip heads, and others dropping out with the tide, even against the wind, which was blowing fresh from the southward, and fair for entering.
The "Big Ann" was about a mile off the mouth of the
