FL14424640

347
Geelong
August 2nd
Dear James
I think I must write a
few lines to you just to give a slight
sketch[?] of my my journey, what I think
of country manners etc. Gidley [?] was
this forest place where I stopped after
leaving home[?] it is nearly 200 miles from
Sydney - There was very little grass there
but I got a little hay sometimes for old
Bob - Arthur , Fred and myself went to
Bon doniries [?] during my day at Gidley's
this estate be..to ..apt. Grant and is
now managed by Mr King - it is about 14
miles from [indecipherable] but

at Snakes Ridge (Mr John King's Station having accomplish
ed about 400 miles in 14 days - Gipps Land is a basic
country for Cattle; Mr King has one of best runs there;
we were very busy mustering the cattle all this
time I remained there - After spelling for
3 weeks Mr J.K. accompanied me to Melbourne
distance about 150 miles - I and Thomas Hassall
and Mr Wylde ask in Melbourne and stayed
a whole day with them - The Town is rather
larger than I expected - There was plenty of
mud[?] both there and at Geelong - the country
is very open something like Goulburn Plains
but rather more level - had to sleep one night
in bush between Gipps Land and Melbourne - but