attempt at the picturesque in the adjustment of a small forest of evergreens, and according to a scribe of the day, " it was lit up by a stream of chandeliers." T h e entertainment (on the 25th January), was presided over by the Mayor (Mr. A. Russell), with Mr. W m . Kerr as Croupier; and the number present including a large sprinkling of English and Irish, was 250. S o m e of the speeching was m u c h above the average, and the " Heather Hills" song of M r . J. S. Johnston vociferously applauded. Mr. Timothy Lane, "from the beautiful city called Cork," lilted out in a brogue as unadulterated as genuine potheen, and as loud as he could screech—the time-honoured poly-glotted Irish lay of " T h e Shan V a n Voght." A n y deficiency in "Tim's" vocal ability was m a d e up for by a pantomime of grinning, grimacing, head-scratching and shoulder-shrugging. T h e Protestant Hall was selected as the arena of the festive • gathering of 1849, when it was a sad failure, compared with its predecessors. M r . T h o m a s M'Combie was master of the revels, assisted by Messrs. William Kerr and James Watson. T h e evening passed off with the usual exhilirating, stimulating, self-satisfying overdoses of eating, drinking, orating, singing, and all-round cheering, until a Mr. James Swords, a reporter of the Argus, w h o had been sharpening up the whole night, fell foul of Mr. J. C. Passmore, the caterer, w h o refused to pass any more of the good things to an individual w h o m he believed required no further edging on to something he would afterwards regret. T h e " Sword," consequently turned rusty, and took to abusing the purveyor, w h o turned on the edged tool and pummelled and blunted it considerably. This shindy spreading, brought the frolics to a somewhat premature wind-up, and though a Police Court prosecution was vehemently threatened the next day, the unpleasant rencontre was prevented by friendly intercession from going further. THE GERMANS.
As Port Phillip acquired some degree of stability, the German portion of the community began to show itself, especially in what is known as " the Separation Year." Though they hailed from a land traditionally Sainted, the German's love of h o m e was not of so romantically gushing a character as the British or Irish. This m a y be accounted for possibly by the fact that Saint N o . 1 was Boniface " T h e Apostle of Germany," whose feast-day was the 5th June, but as he was an English Devonshireman, the halo of his Saint-ship was not as enduring as if native-born. N o . 2 was St. Martin, known in history as the Patron of Inebriates, caused by a coincidence, unfortunately for his reputation that his day was the n t h November, the period of the Vinalia, or feast of Bacchus, and the Early Christians, so mixed the double event that St. Martin had to bear the consequence with posterity. However this m a y be, the Melbourne Germans seemed to have kept both 1 and 2 Saints at arm's length, and in associating for mutual advantage they disregarded all other than terrestrial patronage and in July, 1850, formed a Society under the plain though comprehensive appellation of
THE GERMAN UNION.
Certain preliminary details were quietly arranged, and the first public appearance of the Germans assumed the shape of a very enjoyable re-union at the Bull and Mouth Hotel, in Bourke Street, on the evening of the 21st October, 1850. It was under the Presidency of Dr. Gumbinner, a well-known Melbourne Vaterlander of the period. During the proceedings strong objection was taken to the proposed appointment of a Germanic Consul in Melbourne without consulting the Society, and it was determined to ascertain if the German Immigration Committee had anything to do in the matter. O n the suggestion of Mr. Sholbach, the formation of a library of German literature was agreed to, and several presents of books were promised. A Singing Committee was likewise resolved on. T h e 1st and 2nd verses of the German Air " W a s ist des Deutschen Vaterland" were rendered in a very creditable manner by some of the members, after which a magnificent German banner, black, red, and yellow, was presented by Mr. Schmidt. This, it was agreed, should be unfurled by the Germans in the approaching Separation procession. Though the Society had been only four months in existence,
