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but the Club finally outran all competition, and its larking achievements did not die out for nearly a decade. T h e Club was in itself the focus of every harum-scarum undertaking that could be imagined, and to such a height did its post-prandial excesses in a short time reach, that it became necessary to establish in connection with it a " receiving-house" as a harbour of refuge—a queer unhallowed sanctuary, to which such as were pro tern unfit to mingle with the ordinary Club society, voluntarily banished themselves like fallen angels. This rowdies' h o m e was an old shed-like, brick-nogged, one-roomed rookery, perched rearward of where the Australian Club-house is erected, in William Street. T h e maitre dhotel of this retreat was a biped known as " Old Sam," so dog-visaged that he would pass for a living Cerberus, only that he was one-headed. It differed from the Club in its mode of maintenance, for there were no annual or other subscriptions, and no bills to be squared up—its revenues arising solely from voluntary donations, given with no stinted hand. It was regulated by a code of sumptuary laws of a very peculiar nature, few in number, and as immutable as those of the Medes and Persians. Ex. gra., the cuisine was of the simplest kind, viz.—bread, bacon and eggs, steaks and chops fried or grilled, beer in the pewter, with brandy either neat or infused in cold or hot water and sugar. Potatoes, tea, coffee, or other un-alcoholic or unfermented drinks were rigidly prohibited. Plates or forks were not permitted; a tin dish full of smoking food was placed on a rough table, and every one disposed for a feed cut a junk of bread, covered it with a wedge of meat, and so could "cut and come again" as often as he wished. There were two or three rough stools for c o m m o n use, and such a convenience as a stretcher or bedstead was tabooed. A dozen mattresses, with a pillow and blanket each, were littered along the sides, and thus couched on these " shakes-down," the inmate could eat, drink, sleep, and wake, ad libitum; but on no account was any person to divest himself of any wearing apparel other than his hat, overcoat, and boots. A rigid embargo was placed on cigars, but "baccy" might be puffed or chewed until doomsday. There was not much luxury in this human sty, but it was wonderful h o w speedily shattered nerves were braced, and the equilibrium of a swimming head restored, by the unrefined regimen of this refuge for inebriates. It was known as "the Den," and though its life was a merry, it was not a long one, for both " S a m " and " the D e n " soon dropped out of existence, and were utterly forgotten long before the last of the larkers retired from the stage. T h e ancient rowdies were under the leadership of two " Gentlemen Johns." A Mr. "Jack" T commanded the regular Club contingent, and a Mr. "Jack" F wielded a despotic authority over the "Denites," from which there was no appeal. This brace of "Jacks" embodied two plucky, high-spirited and jovial gentlemen, high-minded and honourable in the ordinary pursuits of life. After their exuberance of animal spirits had in some degree evaporated, they settled down into comparatively easy-going customers, and no doubt looked back with regret upon many of their by-gone frolics. "Jack" F - - was the master of a graceful and eloquent pen, and some of his contributions to the Port Phillip Gazette for which he occasionally wrote, displayed no inconsiderable ability. They have both long since passed away from earth, and though there have been many better, there have been a great many worse colonists amongst us T o attempt any detail of the madcap pranks of this constantly-recruited horde would be a futile ask, ^ their name was legion; and any specific enumeration would be as tedious as going through the catalogue of a public library. A few samples will therefore be given in a general way picked up at random from memory and hearsay. "Old S a m " was a worthy of wicked proclivities, and fertile in devising the nocturnal exploits to be undertaken. S o m e of the most desperate raids would be plotted at the "Den", from which the party detailed for duty would e m e ^ n k e a pack of demons coursing through the inadequately protected streets, knocking over the private watchmen, or Charlies, mobbing the police, breaking windows, removing sign-boards, and planting , ' them in out-of-the-way places Stahles would Uc c A W O U l d b e forced y T °P e n . A e horses turned adrift, and traps rn -oH nff „nH mtJ A ,• carried oft and used as barricades across somp ^f tK« „t . the streets nirrbf m i H , *n r- • .u , - A n audacious attempt was one night made to capsize a theatre, the udicrous nartimla™, ~r u- u u i_ • . T -.u .L i , . '"uicrous particulars of which have been given n a previous . . X c i_ •• , chapter. Neither the places of public worshin nn, o .u u puunc worsnip, nor some of the ministers of rel gion were deemed t c 6 sacrosanct, for the boys once ascended to « r n ' l M O u r , ascenaea to sacrilege by scaling the tower of St. James' Church, and