Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), Tuesday 28 December 1858, page 6


(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Monday, December 27.

Christmas tide bas ebbed and flowed onco more ; and although the unseasonable wea-ther has given rise, in many instances, to dis-content, still there seems to have been a large amount of enjoyment experienced by the pleasure seekers. Instead of tbe Indoor amusements that are resorted to in the " old country- owing to the intemperate season of the year on which Christmas there falls onr colonial friends tako advantage of tho delightful invitation to outdoor amuse-ment offered by an Australian summer's day, and go to woo nature In her gandy attire. Intent on pleasure, then, numerous were the large and small private parties marshalled for Saturday last. One of the most extensiva of these was a large party of ladies and gentle-men who started for that romantio ground, Barwon Heads, on Friday last, provided with tents, hampers of provender, and every-thing else that could lend comfort to their trip. A large number of the party preferred boating the Barwon down to the more uncomfortable and jolting ar-rangements of drags and sizes in hand. These folks spent a very " merrie Christmas," in spite of tho heavy falls of rain. Than, again, on Saturday itself, a great many parties hied away to that classlic spot, Yon Yang's summit, while hundreds of others patronised " Montpellier," " Fyan'js Ford," or " The Vine-yards." How many more would have availed themselves of the opportunity of enjoying Christmas, had not the heavens begun early to pour down copious supplies of rain, or how few people would have been left in town but for that sad drawback, can only be conjectured. However, judging from the, demand for boats, horses, and vehicles of all kinds during the previous week, it is evident that the holiday folks mustered in large force.

The rain which foil so inopportunely .for these joyous souls will, however, do a gre»1; deal of good to the country, and will thm make amonds for the inconvouience otherwid) accruing.

Last night wo were visited with one of the heaviest thunder storms experienced for many years. From 8 till 12 o'clook tbs beavens were literally in one continuous blaze, so rapid and unintermitting were tho electric discharges. The thunder was not so heavy, neither was the rain, as'might have been expected from the grand and almost unexampled appearance of tbe hage balk of clouds, representing as they did one enormous mass of dull, dark vapor illumined with quivering ond flickering fire. About half-past 9 o'clock the wind, which had blown lightly all day from the northward, suddenly shifted west ward and blew a perfect hurricane for some

time, almost drowning the noise of, the tha a

der.

The outlying hay crops may suffer a llttb from the rains of last night and Christmas Day, bat not much.