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then about to prepare its first year's balance-sheet. Matters were warm and comfortable there, though frequently somewhat too fast and furious, and it, and the Lamb Lnn, just over the way, were the head-quarters of the fastest and most furious of the hot-blooded youngsters about town. O n the evening of the ist of January, 1840, a select dinner-party assembled in one of the club-rooms to bid hearty welcome to the newly-arrived year, and here gathered as choice a dozen of exuberant spirits as could well be found from that day to this. They sat round a table of " full and plenty," where no stint was imposed upon the animal enjoyment of eating and drinking; and after dinner there was no disposition to bring the convivialism to anything like a premature termination, so there they stayed without giving a thought to an early break-up— " Bousing at the nappy, An' getting fou and unco happy." But happiness, wherever and whenever it does happen, must, like all other mundane visitations, have an end. A n d so the inevitable came sooner than expected on this occasion. W h e n the wine, or rather the brandy, was in the wit flew out. " A cup difference" arose between Mr. Peter Snodgrass and Mr. William Ryrie, and heated words and offensive insinuations followed. Snodgrass was the son of a Lieutenant-Colonel of distinction, and m a y be supposed to have inherited a martial ardour, which he was never reluctant to suppress when any occasion arose to excite it, and accordingly, a circumstance not surprising to those w h o knew his temperament, he forthwith challenged Ryrie to mortal combat. T h e verbal cartel was accepted as willingly as it was offered, and the next essential to be looked to was the selection of seconds, when Lieutenant Vignolles, of the 28th Regiment, a detachment of which was then stationed in Melbourne, was chosen as the challenger's best man, Mr. T. F, H — l t — n consenting to act in a like amicable capacity for the challengee. T h e shooting match was fixed for daybreak the following morning, on the western slope of Batman's Hill, now the site of the Spencer Street Railway Station, and there was not m u c h time for effecting the preliminary arrangements. But an unexpected and formidable difficulty interposed in limine. Strange and unaccountable omission ! T h e Club was not provided with such gentlemanly indispensables as duelling pistols; and worse too, it was impossible to procure any in town without exciting a curiosity which might spread the matter abroad, and conduce to its interruption by police or other interference. Not only were the two principals, but even all present, eager to see the frolic out in what they conceived to be the only legitimate and gentlemanly way, and a council of war was held to consider h o w thefixcould be removed. Mr. Joseph H a w d o n , of Heidleberg, was the possessor of a splendid case of hair-triggers, which could be got, if only their owner could be got at; but he was enjoying the pleasures of his peaceful home, and that was eight miles in the country. This was a gloomy and disheartening look-out. " T h e golden hours" were plying their wings, it was close on eleven o'clock, and the dawning of the day could not by an h u m a n agency be deferred even for a minute. Fortunately, there was present a m a n worthy of, and equal to the occasion. H - l t - n , Ryrie's second, had a gcod horse in the Club stable, and fresh from the " land of green heath and shaggy wood," was an expert plucky rider, as firm in the pig-skin as on the solid ground, and jumping up, proclaimed his readiness to ride tnstanter to Heidelberg, storm the H a w d o n domicile, and either return with the pistols, or never more show his honest face amongst them. This offer was rapturously applauded, and forthwith carried into effect, for the nag was readied in quick sticks, and the pistol-hunter dashed out of the Club-yard amidst the hearty congratulations of his confreres, w h o wished him God speed on his unpeaceful mission, and promised to m a k e a night of it until his return. " Wee mounted on his grey mare Meg, A better never lifted leg, Tam skelpit on," A n d no stranger night-ride was ever efferrprl ;,. fi,„ 1 u u A t-n n „ _.,_, , , , enected in the colony. It could not be compared to l a m Ubhanters drunken canter for as thp Q™t-o> nu u AA I- • 1 , ' Iur as tne ^cots Church did not lie in the route, there was no