The Buckland River, Buffalo Mountains, Jan. 1st, 1855.

I waft across the world a happy New Year to you. For ourselves, we begin it in new scenery.

The exposition of the Land Question in my last, which I wished to make clear to every one, put out a few incidents occurring at the Yackandanda which I shall now note, before proceeding to fresh scenes.

Mr. Bateman arrived from Melbourne, and brought us much news of heat, dust, and sickness, in that city, from which we in these pleasant woods are comparatively free. I had observed by the newspapers, that one day when the thermometer with us only stood at 115° in the sun, it was 139° at Geelong; an evidence that we are much cooler here near the Snowy Mountains. That you may not think either that I have at times exaggerated the dust-winds of Melbourne, I now cut you out the following passages of a letter from the Argus.

“CONFOUND THE DUST.

“To the Editor of the Argus.

“Sir,—You may have read of the evasive answer of the countryman, who, when rebuked by his pastor for swearing, and reminded that Scripture says, ‘Swear not at all;’ simply, or perhaps shrewdly, replied, ‘I don't swear at all, I only swears at those who annoys me.’[…]”