He said:
"I must beg of you, Mr. Tyers, to excuse Davy. He is our pilot, and
there is no man in Gippsland better qualified for that post, nor one
whose services have been so useful to the settlers both here and at
the lakes. We have already requested the Government to appoint him
pilot at the port; we are expecting a reply shortly, and it will be
only reasonable that he should be allowed a site for his hut."
"You see, Mr. Reeve, I must do my duty," said Mr. Tyers, "and treat
all alike. I cannot allow one man to remain in illegal occupation,
while I expel the others."
"The settlers cannot afford to lose their pilot, and I will give you
my cheque for the twenty pounds," said Mr. Reeve.
"Twelve months afterwards the cheque was sent back from Sydney, and
Mr. Reeve made a present of it to Davy.
"At this time the public journals used very strong language in their
comments on the action of Governors and Government officials, and
complaint was made in the House of Commons that the colonial press
was accustomed to use "a coarseness of vituperation and harshness of
expression towards all who were placed in authority." But gentlemen
were still civil to one another, except on rare occasions, and then
their language was a strong as that of the journals, e.g.:
"I, Arthur Huffington, surgeon, residing at the station of Mr.
Pages:
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385
386
387
388
389