CHAPTER VIII.
THE VOYAGE OF THE "ERIN-GO-BRAGH."
IRISH EMIGRATION TO QUEENSLAND—THE LABOURS OF FATHER DUNNE—OPPOSITION OP THE GOVERNMENT AGENT—THE LAND-ORDER SYSTEM—CHARTERING OF THE "ERIN-GO-BRAGH"—DESPATCH OF FOUR HUNDRED IRISH EMIGRANTS TO QUEENSLAND—THEIR SETTLEMENT IN NEW HOMES—A DIABOLICAL DEED OF A BIGOT—NOVEL METHOD OF SETTLING DISPUTES—QUESTIONABLE SOUP—A FEMALE PATRICK—OFFICIAL TESTIMONY TO THE SUCCESS OF FATHER DUNNE'S EMIGRATION SCHEME—THE "FIERY STAR"—SUCCESSFUL IMMIGRANTS—PATERNAL ADVICE TO IRISH YOUTHS AND MAIDENS—SOBRIETY, ENERGY AND PERSEVERANCE.
Queensland, the youngest of the Australian colonies, had the good fortune, during its infancy and early growth, to receive excellent nourishment in the shape of a steady and systematic supply of Irish emigrants. Through the instrumentality of a devoted Irish-Australian priest, who is now the Very Rev. Patrick Dunne, D.D., Vicar-General of the Diocese of Goulburn, the newly-founded northern offshoot of the parent colony was blessed with many willing Hibernian hearts and hands, that have done much to promote its progress and prosperity, and to accelerate its development in various directions. Soon after the formation of a government in Queensland, the wisdom of fostering and encouraging immigration to so large an unoccupied territory, was immediately recognised and acted upon. An immigration agent (Mr. Jordan) was appointed and despatched to London with instructions to arrange, if possible, for a ship to leave London once a month with emigrants for Queensland. Mr. Jordan experienced some difficulty in
