"Adelaide, February 2, 1861. To His Worship the Mayor and Corporation of Adelaide.

Gentlemen,

Seeing by the newspaper reports that, sooner or later, the art of self-defence will have to be thoroughly understood by your worshipful body, I beg most respectfully to offer my services as your instructor, either by the hour, day, week, month, or at every sitting of the council. I have in hand a large quantity of second-hand boxing gloves, used by the fancy in the prize-ring of England by heavy and light weights, which I shall be happy to let out on very reasonable terms; the same to be returned in good order (fair wear and tear allowed) but to be free from blood-stains, as they cause scratches.

My very old and particular friend Mr. Heenan has kindly offered his services as second to see fair play, provided the Civic Bowl is substituted for the bottles, and Inspector of Nuisances is allowed to act as bottle or bowl holder, so that the prize-ring shall not be disgraced or burlesqued.

Yours, &c.,

THOMAS SAYERS, Champion of all England." As an illustration, of a noble way, to add to the civic revenue they passed a bye-law imposing a fine of five shillings on any one who should ride or drive across the foot-paths of the city, and sent a creature of dirty work called appropriately an Inspector of Nuisances to watch the citizens who might infringe the law. In a short time this worthy handed in a list of the names of some of the most respectable colonists and had them compelled to disgorge five shillings each at the police-court with the privilege of having their names published in the papers, much

to the indignation of many respectable gentlemen who ultimately compelled the practice of informing to be put a stop to. As these paths were in many cases quite imaginary and impossible to be distinguished from the road and as there are no flagged footpaths in the town which might be appropriately termed from their uneven surface and stony projections "trottoirs," the most innocent of mankind could commit the offence of crossing them.

CHAPTER XIII.

SOCIAL CHARACTERISTICS.

To the resident in this colony a great many peculiarities of social life are made very prominent which would be impossible to be observed by a stranger or visitor. The prevailing influences all tend to produce degeneracy in the people and deterioration of their personal habits. I have, in some instances, been astonished to observe the gradual progress of mean and sordid feelings often combined with disorderly habits in persons whom I have known to have held a respectable colonial position some time previously. I will relate one instance, which is perhaps a type of a class. One morning as I was walking up a street in Adelaide, I saw a person whom I had known formerly to have held a respectable station in the colony, walking with a dejected countenance, accompanied by a formidable looking policeman, and in momentary surprize, I enquired what was the matter, almost believing that the grimy countenence I was inspecting might be a case of disputed identity, when I received in a dismal tone, the reply that he had been making a fool of himself as usual, and had gone in a state of inebriety to the circus, and on being refused admission, to consołe his wounded feelings, had amused himself by attacking a policeman by way of diversion. Offended justice had fined this man five pounds and costs, and in default of payment the pleasing alternative of confinement in Her Majesty's

gaol for a month, with the gentle exercise of stonebreaking by way of relaxation. I have seen the gradual sliding scale of manners and habits with some men in the colony, and seen their fruits developed. The first idea of liberty which some seem to possess is to reject decent attire, and after an attempt to imitate a Guy, the next step to perfect freedom, is to discard clean linen, and when freedom begins to be fully developed, the utter rejection of the advances of the tailor and the blandishments of the washerwoman, which superadded to the delightful combinations of bad tobacco and worse liquors form their beau ideal of liberty, which ultimately brings its votaries very low indeed, and increase the ranks of the candidates for employment at the Stockade. The influence of dress as an agent of civilization should not be overrated, for it is only by a residence in a small colony, where the observer can see that the disregard of the decencies of clothing and a neglect of cleanliness generally tend to the utter demoralization of the subject, and are a prelude to many vices.

It must, however, be stated in extenuation of the habits of many of the colonists, that the universal want of wholesome water in combination with a hot climate, are evils to which many will succumb, and should make all who have witnessed this privation, appreciate highly the copious supplies of temperate Europe.

To those who have resided a short time in the colony, it will soon become apparent, that the majority of the colonists have had a decided repugnance to expend any extra educational capital in that civilized ingredient called manners. The tendency of an isolated existence in the bush is to produce a deterioration of personal habits in those who

have formerly possessed some refinement, and naturally has the same influence to reduce the vulgar and illiterate to a more animal existence.

The depressing influence of the solitary occupation of a shepherd or a hut-keeper is shown by the general weakness of intellect manifested by the class, and the habits of many of those individuals, who, on receipt of their yearly wages, are frequently inclined to rush off at once to the nearest grog-shop, and spend the whole amount in beastly intoxication; and after their money is spent, they crawl back half dead to the station, and resume their occupation for another year, and then repeat the former miserable folly.

The proprietors of sheep and cattle stations who lease the land from the colonial authorities are called "Squatters." The vulgarity of many of this class is too well known by those who have had the misfortune to be thrown in contact with them either in business or pleasure. I do not speak of an isolated instance to the prejudice of a class, but the habits and manners of the majority fully justify any expressions tending to excite contempt or ridicule. In the early days of the colony, when land could be obtained on the most favourable terms, there were opportunities for men with the lowest pretensions to either money or intellect succeeding to gather together a few sheep which in due season with lucky chances become a flock, and the former shepherd whose tastes and propensities were a little elevated above those of the cattle he was tending, found himself one of the Aristocratic class, and if ambitious might aspire to become an "Honourable " by Act of Parliament. The expressions and dirty habits of some of these gentlemen on board of the steamers of the Peninsular and Oriental Company