the coast about a mile southward of Point Gellibrand (the Williamstown lighthouse) was chosen—a cheerless, rocky, dreary place enough—and here it was decided to provide temporary accommodation when required. But time flew by, and no infected vessel was reported, and so people almost forgot even the existence of a possible disagreeable contingency, when, nine years since the quarantining of the first sick ship, another put in appearance. This was the "General Palmer," with immigrants from London, arriving on the 10th April, 1849, with unwelcome intelligence that fever and whooping-cough had prevailed on board. Tents were hurriedly pitched on the ground, though there arose no subsequent necessity for occupying them. A Medical Board, composed of Dr. Patterson (Immigration Agent) Dr. Beith, R.N., and Dr. Wilmott (Coroner) was appointed to investigate the case, and they reported to the Provincial Superintendent (Latrobe) that during the voyage six cases of fever had occurred amongst adult passengers, but without any fatal consequences. There were eighty-six children on board, several of whom had suffered from scarlet fever and whooping-cough, and eight had died—four from each disease. There was then no contagious sickness prevailing, and it was recommended that after a four days' isolation, should no fresh case occur, both ship and passengers should be released from detention. This course was adopted, and nothing after occurred to question its propriety.
Spottiswood's Ferry.
Unsuitability from its unsheltered position, and other objections were urged against the second Sanatorium, which necessitated another removal, and the third establishment was placed at the other extreme of Williamstown, towards the confluence of the Yarra and Saltwater Rivers, close by what got to be known as "Spottiswood's Ferry," from boats plying there to supply pedestrians with a short cut from Williamstown to the capital. A small roughish encampment was raised, and here on the 7th November, 1849, were impounded the crew and passengers of the "John Thomas Foord," 790 tons, from Plymouth, with immigrants. Cholera had been raging on board during the passage out, and the deaths numbered twenty-four. The ship sailed on the 17th July, and as no fatal event happened since the 1st August, the detention of the quarantined was of short duration.
On the 21st December, 1851, the "Eagle," 1065 tons, from Liverpool, with a large number of passengers, was placed in quarantine, in consequence of fourteen children having died from measles, and one adult from smallpox, during the voyage. Though no disease had appeared for several weeks, the doctor, as was thought, through some grudge towards the captain (Boyce) refused to report the vessel as healthy. A medical inquiry was forthwith instituted and resulted in a removal of the detainer, with only a few hours' inconvenience.
No need to identify the present, only too familiar Quarantine Station at Portsea, beyond mentioning that the Point Nepean region was originally a place chosen for lime-burning operations, and in the lapse of time grew into a depasturing depot for police troopers' horses. It is instructive to note as an instance of the appropriateness with which the Aborigines wedded localities to names, that the Sorrento Peninsula was known in the native dialect as "Boona-tall-ung" signifying a kangaroo hide, which when spread out bears a marked resemblance to the neck of land of which Point Nepean forms the apex or "snout."
