The Doctor had certainly
earned a good fee on that occasion, and we must hope that he got it.
I returned home as usual after the day's work. Nothing to alarm us had
even made a near approach to Melbourne, as our trees were too park-like
in their wide scatter, and our grass too much cropped off by hungry
quadrupeds, to expose us to any danger. But feeling unusual oppression
from the singularly close heat, for I was attired in woollen clothing,
not greatly under the winter woollen standard, and which, by the way,
serves to confirm that our dry Australian clime is not to be measured in
effect, like most others, by mere height of the thermometer, I proceeded
to indulge myself, for the first time in my life, I think, with a second
"refresher" of my shower-bath. Next morning accounts began to pour in
from all quarters of an awful havoc, in which, sad to say, life to no
small extent was lost, as well as very much property.
There has never been, throughout Australia, either before or since, such
a day as Victoria's Black Thursday, and most likely, or rather most
certainly, it will never, to its frightful extent, occur again; for
every year, with the spread of occupation, brings its step in the
accumulation of protectives.
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