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THE PASSING OF THE PIONEERS.

DEATH OF MR. JAMES DAWSON.

By the demise of Mr. James Dawson, which occurred in Camperdown on Thurs day night at the advanced age of 94, Vic toria loses one of her oldest residents and the Western district one of the earliest pioneers. The venerable citizen who has just passed away, gifted with a comtitu tiun which rendered his life proof to the ills to which humanity is heir, was bale and hearty up to within a few months ago, ?hen he became invalided,, and his end came peacefully, undisturbed by the qualms of pain. Crowded into the life of nearly 100 years were events which, both in the new world mid the old, are looked upon by the present generation ns liis biricnl. Nutwithstanding his years, Mr. Dinsoll was able to recount the many stirring epitodes which ho had either taken part in or seen enacted in bygone ' days, and the listener could not feel other than interested. James Dawson was ? native of Linlith-jow, Scotland, where he \khs born in 1806". His father occupied the pnsitiuii ot Provost of the town fur a number of years. Mrs. Dawson, whose m:nden name was Johanna Park, was a niece nf the African explorer, Mungo Park. Seized with a desire to visit Aus- Iralw, Mr. D.iwson sailed, -in the year IS4O. for Victoria, arriving in May. Xatumlly inclined for pastoral pursuits, he purchased au estate on the Upper larnt. Knowing the difficulty which was likely to be met with in a new country in the nutter of building bouses, ' Mr. Diwsuii brought from ScotUnd with him on '.he ship, ? house—not intact, but in pieces, which were put together, ' and Htved .is a comfortable dwelling. Kanga tong Estate, near Port Fairy, was secured, md Mi. Dawson interested himself in the ftlhre cf the district. He made strenu ous efforts to obtain the use of Crown reserves for the settlers, and had the gratifkuion of seeing bis labours rewarded •ith the success they deserved.' It was principally through his instrumentality thn Mount Rouse was secured at a public reserve Kangatong Estate was sold to &e Messrs. Baird Bros., and for a time Mr. Diwson'a career as a pastoralist ceased. Upon the s*le of Kangatong. he resided at Keilor, the home of. Mr. Edward Wilson, one of the Melbourne "Ar^us" "proprietoJs, ■ with whom Mr. Dawson was very intimate. After a sojourn of a few year* at Keilor, Mr. ) Diwson removed to Camperdown, and for I ? timo leased Mr. O. Shaw's Wurrong Estate. Subsequently he lived in Cam ■*perd(iivn, his daughter rahrrying Mr. W. A. Taylor, of Renny HilL In 1884 he I?id a. visit to Scotland, and after a sojourn of two years there, returned to Camperdown. The appointment of Pro tector of Aboriginal! was conferred upon Mr. Diwaou, and a better friend to the natives it would have been impossible to find. The blankets allowed periodically by the Government were always forth coming at the expected time, and the expectant blacks were seldom disap pointed. Their guardian Jost no oppor tunity i n suggesting alterations and im provements in the lot of the atariginals, &nd his kindnesses were always appreci ated. In 1880 Mrs. Dawaoni'auccumbed, after a short illness, and her remains were interred in the Camperdown "cemetery. Mr. Dawson identified himself with the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, occupying th? position of honorary superintendent. lie spared no pains to make the society one of usefulness which it was intended by the originator* it should be, and discharged his office faithfully. He was a taxidermist of no mean ability, the excellence of his work testifying to that fact. From his early youth his leaning towards sport with the gun manifested itself, and many a happy hour waa spent in quest of game. Animals .which fell to his aim, and considered of .sufficient importance to keep, were care fully preserved, and these have found a --place in tho Museum attached to the Me , thanica* Institute. The large collection ;.which the Museum contains—all his own has been presented by Mr. . i Diwson to Camperdown, and forma ? •presentation which is a feature of local , institutions. Associated with some of the ..lifelike occupants of the cases are stories ■> which their ~ captor baa oft re .iterated. Mr. Diwson never, tired in relating the history of their capture; of the lengthy excursions made to their , haunta ;ot the fare exercised in approach : ing the game; of the joy which the .sportsman experiences at suomm. Mr. Dawaon was a man of graait foroa of — character—ready, when occasion arose, to throw heart and soul in with anf moT? went having for iU aim the good of the paopla ; but refrainiog from taking a prominent part in political and public ?ffiira. His support was always willingly given f u r chariuble . and deterring i . rtjKfc. ' ' ;■':■■: ■-;■ ;■■■"■■'. .:■-,■•■

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