The Express.
London, England, 1852-09-10 00:00:00

A LEVIER FROM A GOLD-DIGGER.

ADSLAIDE, SOVTH AUSTRALIA. APRIL 16, 1852.
My anxiety to reach the favoured spot limited my
stay in Melbourne to a few hours. I left on the afternoon
of December 29, with about 200 Adelaide men and two
large drays, one drawn with five, and the other six horses,
containing all our luggage, tools, tents, and requisites. The
distance from Melbourne is 80 miles, a somewhat tedious
journey in consequence of the heavy hilly roads. Our
goods did not arrive until Saturday, the 3rd of January;
but we ourselves pushed on, and reached there on the
let of January. The first appearance of the diggings is
a very curious sight. Thousands of tents are studded
labout in all directions, as far and further than the eye
can reach. Mount Alexander itself is the highest of a num-
berless quantity of hills arising in rapid succession for
miles; between each of these bills is a gully eloping ei'her
to the north or south, which open themselves into a vs-
riety of creeks, running in a serpentine direction from east
to west. The creeks now at work are Forest Creek, Friar's
Creek, Barker's Creek, Campbell's Creek, Bendigo Creek,
and the River Lodden, all varying in distant* from each
other. The Forest Creek is the most central, and is favoured
with the post.ofilce, the distauceof which from Bendigu is 30
miles, from Friar's 6 miles, Campbell's 6 miles, Barker's
4 miles, and tie Lodden 7 miles ; but yet the whole dis-
trict, containing hundreds of square miles, is known as
Mount Alexander. It is an interesting sight to walk along
any one of these creeks and see the washers all at work. There
are two men in a working party—one to cradle, the other
to puddle the earth and bale water for the cradler. The
quantity of gold in a load of earth varies according to the
richness. We have got as much as 16 ounces, and es little
as half an ounce. Two men can wash three loads per day,'
while the same quantity will take four men the day
to dig out and raise to the surface; hence six
men can work three loads per day. If each load
yields one ounce we reckon it pays. The first
operation after arriving on the diggings is to select a spot
where to dig, aad this choice is a lottery. No one can guide
you. If fortune attends you, you may hit upon a good hole
the first time ; if not, you may have to dig a dozen before
you realise any return. But there are few, indeed, who do
not if they are industrious, receive a fair remuneration for
their trouble, while very many receive a handsome reward.
I know many who have worked four or five weeks, and
returned with sums varying from two to five, and even
seven hundred pounds worth if gold, and one arty of five
men got 2491 b. 9oz. of gold between them.
Our party was five in number, and worked nine weeks,
and the result of our esertions will be u follows. I will
give you each week's earning, so that you may see the pro-
gress of a digging party. I will also give you the exact
amount of expenses, so that you may meet any queries
about heavy license, extortionate charges, and expensive
living, which is all humbug:
os. dwt. gn.
For the week ending Jan. 10
.9 IP 11
It O. 24
31
Feb. 7
14
21

P. II ii
Two dZre
91
3 19 0

For Are welt

12) 86 17 0

Lbs. 16 6 17

For each man Lbs. 3 1 7 8
Travelling expenses from Adelaide to
Mount Alexander and bock to Adelaide,
including carting at the mines
Co►t of tools 8 1 10
Paid for licensee at 30e. per month each
Coat for food at the Mount

6) £126 1 11

Total expense of each man
By these statistical figures you will get the exact balance
of our labours. Each man's return of 31be. los. 7 dents.
8 grains, at 31. 10e. per ounce, a trifle below its pries in
Adelaide, will give 1301. 15s. Bd., or, after deducting
251.4 e. 4d. expenses, leaves 1051. 11, 4d. clear, nearly 121.
per week for the nine weeks we were on the diggings. I
dare say you will hear a great deal about hardships and
privations, with fearful spread of disease and loin of life ;
the same reports met me within forty miles of the diggings,
but I need scarcely tell you they were without foundation.
I returned after a fifteen weeks' absence, aad as far as I
know use not one bit worse than when I left. I intend
to return again to the diggings in about three
weeks from this data, or as soon as I have
arranged things to make my wife comfortable for the win-
ter. If the coming winter is like the last, it will be very
severe on the Mount, but I do not intend to run any risk,
hat the scarcity of water in the summer will render it
neoinsery to make use of the winter as far as possible.
When I left the diggings In March, It was very difficult
to get drinking water, nearly all the well. were ran dry.
The prices of provisions were as follows :—Mutton, hind
quarter, Is. ; fore quarter, 2s. ; or a living sheep for 81.
Beef, prime joints, 4d. per lb. ; other parts, 3d. Flour,
6d. per lb. ; tea, 2s. W. per lb. coffee' 25.; cheese, 2s. od. ;
bacon, 2s. Bd.; sugar. bd. andel.; rice,Bd.; raisins, 10d. per
lb.; eurrants,lod. ; potatom,4d. ; wheaten bread, 2s. Bd. 41b.
loaf, but few eat it, aa most people bake their own for little
more than half that price. Some of these things aear
high, but they Sr. not really so. The figures I have given
you will show that our Beteg for each man was less than
lls. ; and I always contend that, if a man is not worth a
Ipound a week for his living on the diggings, he had better
stop at home. If you know any one about to start for these
Moeda, favour their coming; for my idea is, that our gold
mines will be profitably worked for years to come, While
trade must be good for many years afterwards. Those
mechanics who will work are getting first-rate wages. • •
I shall write again on my return from the diggings. • •

AUSTRALIAN SCREW STEAMER SARAH SANDS.—
A Liverpool ootreepondent "eye thin fine steamer is now
lying is the Wellingtua Dock here, fitting for Australia,
foe whieh she is to sail on the 14th from Liverpool, sad
18th from Queenstown. Her after saloon is as handsome and
loft, as say we have seen. The entire of the first elms, or
main deck, affords a height of about 8 feet from deck to
deck, and each cabin is lit and ventilated from the side, so
that there will not he much cause of complaint in that
elan of sec.,mmodation. On the lower deck the height is
about 7 feet, and the (whine are spacious, lit from the side,
and well ventilated. By artificial means of light, the lower
deck, usually so cheerless in emigrant ships, is rendered as
light and agreeable as the main deck, and numerous large
ventilators from the spar deck will secure an ample circulation
A great change in the appearance of this ship is observable
her last voyage. Her machinery has undergone a
ugh overhauling. Her rig is somewhat altered—the
third mut being exchanged for what may be termed
mein-try-sail mut. It is expeeted that hoth her sailing and
steaming qualities will be greatly improved. It i• to be
remarked that she made the last voyage from New York
in fifteen days, when the hlenchester, a crack screw
steamer, about the same time, took mventeen days for the
same voyage.

Zbe Court.

i3ALMORAL, Barr. 8.
The woods at Balmoral were driven for ir
.yes-
terday. Her Modesty and the Prints of Wale. to pr.
lent part of the time.
The dinner party yesterday included the Princess of Ho-
henlohe Langenbourg, and the Princess Adelaide of lio-
heninha Langeabourg.

Mr. Tidd Pratt had an interview with Mr. Secretary
Walpole yesterday, at the Home-othce.
Despatches were received from the Governor of the Ceps
of Good Hope yesterday, at the Colomal-office.

The Earl of Desert, the lion. Charles Stanhope,
and Captain Stevens and party, arrived yesterday morning
early, at the St. liatharioe'a Wharf, by the General Steam
Navigation Company's mail steamship Rainbow, from Rot-
terdam.

The I)uke of Hamilton has, it is stated, left the
balk of his personal property—amounting, it is mid, to mons
than 100,0001.—t0 Its daughter, Lady Lincoln.