The Express.
London, England, 1852-08-24 00:00:00

MOUNT ALEXANDER.

Mom the Special Commimioner or the
To give any accurate idea of the appearance of the dn.!.
gings would he next to impossible. Situated in the heart of
a rather densely timbered country, the town resident would
on his arrival naturally anticipate seviag lung mac. of
snow-white tents crowded toot ther, or picturesquily
grouped in a scene of delightful verdure, the long-tang ed
grass forming a living carpet under his feet, and cool um-
brageous shrubs interspersed around. Hoe different, how.
ever, is the reality from the picture thus drawn by fancy t
The road which winds along the creek through the nigglers,
is, from the constant traffic, ten times more dusty than even
dusty Melbourne, and the heavy gusts of wind which pour
through the valleys with great violence, whirl it up in
clouds, and scatter it far and near upon everything around.
The newly.crected tent does not therefore long retain its
brilliant whiteness, a few blasts powder it ethmtually, and
give it the same sombre, indescribable, dusty hue that dis-
tinguishes its neighbours, and won take off its freshness.
In the a 1020 way, such trees as have escaped the ale are
dusted to an unnatural brownness, and look more like the
desperate attempts at vegetation made by the striated
shrubs of a Hackney roadside villa, than the giant growth
of an Australian forest. Even off the road, the earth is so
trodden and worn by the thousands of feet that are tan-
stonily passing and re-pawing, that not the faintest sign of
verdure remains upon the ground, all being bare and dusty;
while on the southern side of the creek, the hills are so
pierced, and the subsoil so tossed and tumbled about %you
their face, that they look like nothing but grave.: or
chalk pits and stone quarries. When to this is also
added the constant feeding of the innumerable home
which throng the digging'', eating off the gran
on the few hills that have nut been ransacked,
and even cropping the shoots of the few shrubs that grow
amongst the roots, baring them of every particle of ver-
dure, and the rude rough look of the jagged mks which
protrude from the bare surface, anything hut a refreshing
picture meets the eye. In fact, the very first sight of the
Forest Creek gives to the traveller a very distinct impres-
sion of the parching aridity which now prevails. I have
said that the ranges were heavily timbered; but in this I
wish to be understood to allude to the quantity rather than
to the size of the timber, there being hut very few trees of
more than three feet diameter, and these only on the data
of the creek, being principally spotted guns and bastard
box. The majority of the stiingy bark, which is the pre-
railing timber of the hills, range from ten to fourteen
inches through, and having their outside bark blackened
by the action of frequent tires, form a sombre bockgrosed
to what is now anything but a lively picture.
You have heard of the failure of the water on the ground,
and doubtless almost daily paragraphs from one source or
another have reached you respecting the diminished yield
of gold on this account; but few have yet adverted to the
many evils which this want of one of the first necessaries of
life is causing ; none have told of the seeds of mortal disease
that have been sowed, and are now sowing. Scarcely any
have mentioned, except casually, the name of the demon
Dysentery, that is now stalking abroad through the air-
gings, breaking down with ruthless arm the stout and
sturdy, and bending the weak and puny to the dust, giving
them graves amidst the soil, charged with the golden dews
they so much coveted, and in search of which they base
loot their lives. Yet all these are evils attendant on tie
lightly talked of scarcity. The political economist touches c or-
gorily ow the subject in accounting for the falling off in whet
has become an article of large exportatiou ; bat so
thought enters into hie calculations of the bees that
are bMng sacrificed, of the wive* that are beset
made widows, or the children that are being Mad, father-
less. All this, however, is daily occurring. Death toll.,we
death in quick succession, until the humble little bursa:
place of four graves, to which one of your correspondetta
has alluded, his gradually assumed the appearance of a
town cemetery. Leaving this sombre topic, let me Blame
at the political and the social evils that the want of rain is
causing, though, even politically, I doubt much if that
which affects so largely the lives of a great portion of the
community is not a matter worthy the consideration of the
statesman as well u the philanthropist. In this I am borne
out by the precedent shown by the South Austrahan go-
yernment. Their first step towards forming a road to
Mount Alexander was to send out a party of sappers to sink
wells. Too careful of the lives of their p etiolation to mark
them out a road on which they might perish by the
way, by that worst of causes thirst, their fore-
thought provided against any such casualty. Woh
us how different has been the ease! Truly may
it be said, like master like man ; the apathy of the hi
officers of the government his been transmitted to those
lower in the scale, and our gold commissioners have
thought only of themselves, leaving the population to get
water or sot, as they beet could. With every prospect of
a long continued drought, the most shameful improvideece
of water has been manifested; yet, whilst the men in office
have jealously preserved the waterhule in /heir own imme-
diate locality for their own use, by means of au armed
sentry, ao effort has been made, either by indirect mean: or
otherwise, to secure a good supply of water for the people.
In various parts of the creek there were, some few weeks
back, several excellent wells, from which a pure and whole'
some supply could be obtained; but as the water tailed is
the creek, these wells were looked upon with
jealous eye by many of the diggers, who, thinking
more of personal gain than of the health or
comfort of their fellows, gradually sank cells around
these spots, leaving scarcely any eight feet square of spare
unpierced. The water thus procured, at first m atimailience,
was not used for domestic purposes, but was applied,
long u it lasted, for gold washing; and the result has
been, that the heavy demand thus made upon the springs,
added to the continued draught and the great evaporation.
from so many holes being open, has at last exhausts-I ti ,m_
Now, this could not have been done without the knowledge
of the commissioners, and yet they remained inactive and
quiescent, although they had every power in their hands to
have prevented this shameful waste. One of the first elleati
from this cause has been the dimmest, and anon/than already
alluded to, both of which might have been prevented by the
ordinary forethought which we have a right to expect from
intelligent men. The other effects lie beyond human con-
trol, for nothing but the clouds of Heaven could have
ever furnished such a quantity of water as our diggers
would daily demand. As it is, hundreds are now
walking about idle, knowing of spots where gold
exists in abundance, but yet without the means of
washing it out from the earth ; these are such as have
brought up a good supply of provision, and are thus berm,'
the necessity of providing for existence, and consequently
have 110 inclination to labour for a very pour remuneration.
Very many there are, however, whose daily aunts compel
them to toil for subsistence, and hard indeed is their labour,
confined as their remuneration is to such gold as they can
pick out dry from the soil. Even amongst thew. eases of
luck sometimes occur, and I have several times heard of
lucky finds. There is a third din again, who continue
toiling despite all personal discomfort, milieus only to in-
crease the store of gold, for which alone they have ought
our shores. Under this state of things then it is not at all
surprising that the sound most pleasing to the diggers
ear—the rattle of the cradle as it rocks—is no longer Mini
Here and there only will you see some desperate individual
baling a pea-soupy liquid, if that may be called hqual
which is of the consistency of batter, into his cradle. reek;
ing frantically the while, but, as may be expected. loom" el.
the finer and more valuable portion of his gold. Thew. bb,
they affect the quantity of the produce of gold, I 'hall t
the political evils of the drought ; the nodal evils I she
enter upon in my next.
The following letter, written by a gentleman who resided
some months at the " diggings," treats of the .
prospects of the mines, to the exclusion of other less law°
•
mg local topics .
All
theilthatesyalhoa drained
along
gve dFoninetd eachth
Cretk have
hem
relit:l ' 416d' dry wells walk
that i
the only available water for washing, wit!, the ex, eptioe ot
a few wells near the post-Alec, is at the distance of
three miles, near the commissioneea, where the " rush
left little elbow room for those win`, nre lucky enou.:l.
finding plateee for their tubs suet cradle*. The Neer t", 4
lied and. White Hills, and the Adelaide Gully Flat fast
hod *WI its " rash," awl many of the holes hare rod WC4

gof ▪
'inkiest, hat none have tuned out • great prodigy. The
Bed 114 ia particular, was a favourite spot, and was won
eat up al ribbons. A rush was moils • few days ago to •
coupe of gullies between this and the commissioner's;
but few have yet reached to the rock ; and the
result TeOlaigii consequently problematical. The gul-
lies ere general faiouritee, from the softness of the
sod; ter it is dreadful week to sink is wee of the hills,
which cast be effected only by gads and hamming ; sad the
einem; of three inches is generally • good day's work for a
~,,,iia, of good able miners, whereas they could easily sink
sit fee! per diem in the gullies. The g‘neral rush is wow
e. ficadigo ('reek. whither the diggers leave the Mould by
bUitirld. Inat's Creek cuutioue• to tom out good quan-
tin, of gold, but it is an inconvenient locality, as the
mated water is Campbell's Creek. The Golden (fully Is
nearly worked out, sod the cartage to the Loddon is far
more trouble and espeuse than the general ea us the re-
maining soil transom. A few holes here, however, do
well. Along the Loildon, digging is not worth a fig,
the dl being so leafy and tight as to Moat out of
i:o
the tin dishes. Sal *bury (lolly was a failure, and
so were a number of others too numerous to menteen.
Mr. Toliner's •edt, acid the escort to Adelaide, have crested
A gfc a ..o.Atiou at Forest Creek, where meet of the diggers
are loom South Australia. The high price for gold gas-
rant" el for • twelvemonth by the legislature, and the escort
being both efficient and gratuitous, will secure for Adelaide
a I age importation.
,ewer was there a more migratory race, says a corres-
pond. id of the .lryns, then the true gold digger. He is
~.oeually shilling sod changing, always hoping for
something better. At the present time, when water is so
scarce Of to allow of but very few cradles to be worked
with advantage, the large majority of the diggers are scat-
tend completely over the lace of the country, in search of
,i,,,eriga that may pay tnem better than their present ones.
which require more water for washing than the state of the
cee.ek rain allow. la this search not a gully remains Imo
visite a, not • watercourot unransacked, not a ridge oa-
r, rood by holes. For miles and miles around Barker's
and Friars Creek hardly a nook can be found into which
tee ep.;ele of the digger has not penetrated—this rage for
i rte coos is no great that it leads to considerable annoyance
to
',my. Oat geutlenaan. who had been much troubled by
• tarty of some twenty or thirty idler', who hung round
tt... i.ole that him. If and hie companions were
nia:emg, determined to punish those who were
wet, hing so eagerly to avail themselves of 'atm-
theft labour. First letting his comrade into the
scent. he dropped • small nugget where he
couia ...oily find it again, and taking it up on his spade in
or, li A way at that the idlers should see it, be asked his
1, 1..1 1 it was nut gold. Of course, the answer was
•• a , • .•: and the nugget was handed round to an admiring
sw. of the looker: on, who very soon after departed. The
e, et ,u ening, however, when our joker Canae to work his
c.:ai. he found the ground all parcelled out, and no less
that. two Manche I holes in the course of being sunk ors each
• A him, so quickly had the news of the nugget spread.
N, ar:y the whole of the tiau in the bed of Forest Creek
ate now being pierced for water, each party slaking • wall
for theme-Ives, neer whica the cradle is mounted, and a
m.l. space hollowed out to receive the tailings. In this
was. v, ry excellent water is procured, some of the
beet of the wells being reserved for domestic purposes.
In al.lotion to the labour of sinking the wells, • depth of
sonic o feet, and drawing the water, the stuff has also to
tee yes erricd out, for it is more quarrying than digging in
mast tat the hoc/tacos, and then carted, often • distance of
some mile., to spots chosen fir washing. Thus you will
hos much labour now attends the priedultion of the 'lli-
um.: metal that comes into your city, and how hardly the
non. r emus the money which be receives in return.
Everything, says the writer last quoted, continues at •
monstrous price here, our storekeepers being satisfied with
not]-
ant under • hundred per cent. on Melbourne prices,
and with Melbourne rates as they sow stand you can judge
how i zorbitantly we have to pay. But it is not the store-
kie;ar that is so mach to blame, as he has to pay very
heavy for the carnage of his commodities, teams being
scam . amp the toad being is such • state as to mimeos
coroiderably the cost of supplies. la fact, to the state of
the rood may be attributed scarceness of carriage, for so
owner of a good team would willingly risk their destruetMu
en •urti a highway as that to the diggings. Thus then the
blame of the heavy cost of living at the diggings rests on
the heel state of the road ; and the fault of their being so
bad naturally lies at the doorof oar parsimonious esseetive,
who hest done nothing whatever to assist as. Not only is
the whole line in • complete state of nature, beirig such as
it soi.ae found by the first wheel that traversed it, always
excepting the holes and ruts that traffic has made, bat even
the bridges which moments of temporary activity have
caused to be constructed are fast become( useless.
That over the Colban has been brokenbeeked foe some
sone a past, and every lades team that passes over
gives it a deflexion that is anything but pleasing to a
nervous individual. The fire flood of water will sweep it
away. eves if it be sot broken down before then, carrying
with it some luckless team and some fatal driver ; sad thee
' Unwell to the three or four hundred a week for 'suet
money. To says • few pounds hundreds will be sacrificed,
whilst the diggers mil' be left to providence for the supplies
that hard labour so urgently requires. II kaows, that
it wall he difficult enough to procure rations for so many
mouths as we have bete, when the winter comes on, with-
out an tether Impediment being thrown in the way by
the listkssswe, emey, and sordid grasping of our day sad
miserly executive. Before I conclude, I would call attention
to the ssmevous seta that are made by pen= hors
a, to letters by their blends I. Melbourne not
reaching them. In mina keens= the fault arms hem the
persons theme% who hove glees addresses that send
their latent's sans Mae Mien they wish them to be.
Perhaps it may ma he okosialorr nosier to mention thus
publicly, that tar paw es mores. or Fryer's Creak, the
address is 6. Fame Or leir) Creek, Illynetss," arid not
"Mount Alsoollasr," =Wen so addressed ge to the Por-
cupine Creek. For the landigo Diggings, aro aline is,
of course, to Mount Alexander.
Era the correspoadres of the Arm, whit red to be
foremost in reposentiag the diggings as ia • sees of =order,
set. LOW to hare altered their tone. For myself, ems one
of them, I went up to the meek, will ea the
tales of rubbery and violence fresh to my resonnhomes ;
I laid me down ia fear and deem the
lantern, and the pistil barreldating on my
mind's eye; Illidiesseqseatly I myself with
more thantLys isep--ems eye eporn—snd en On slightest
noise I lis With Wed Ineatb fir the flearine of the
marauder who we. le bunt, revolver ht bawd, into the
tent, and demand wry .. mosey or my life." But, as the
night wore =Mound that I was disguised only by sea scat-
Monet me on • belle at either end ell the amok =te
babas of twenty saa, or penhesea by the joy= e
of • song amain hem the eat of seen of
sigy
more fortunate thas ordinary. Oa this,lgn:orka
heart of grace my nightcap was cosily over
my ems, I rifled use et my and was soca
fait asleep, soil was lewd So mat monolog so
deeply embedded is blankets, the arthing less than sit
robbers could possibly have awakened es. lam very anat
inclined to Walt that a great oddest stir about the inse-
curity of life and property has bens =As by designing pr-
ism for some particular pap= of this own, but on this
I shall say so more until (inseam= sey justify my sus-
pie ~as. For iastance, only • shoe time book I was In a
gully where some two Of AIN bendell Ell• were all buy
sinking new holes, and • sem wes annaillod that ledge
Lynch eras about wr name mend log the signatures of has
supporter, sad that enne Me thamani mess bad already
been secured. The very smoksf 45111 was selliest‘ and
so general was the burst if Imeggia hen the inns pre-
seat, ell orderly, well diesel peatemat that tho Met weer
an. or,d to show humid Ilad, hewellOr, afflennebb
opinioes been elicited, then is bed Ilittle dean the the
genteman of the bowie hails said the reminit moll brow
favoured us with an interview. Whilst en the =dee if
rebScries, I may mention that the eke( sees of daft in 1
convolved by isd.viduals on some member of their party,
Of by •orne member of a party on his mates ; or, perhaps,
the i.eantig onto: sees poem who baring indulged too
freely at the sly peg sham has not bees so careful In the
selection of his eamposims. Numerous imam= of this
sort of thing have racked ay en : though, dreg ay
stay here, I hare as yet herd of so ono =tame of teat
odd). rye

OUTASGZ Br PAInONEILII IN APPULBY GAOL.—
On Saturday lest an inquiry took place before the visiting
pique. of Use gaol, at Appleby, relative to the madam of
some of the !wafters is itenamitting a groat mitauge upon
the turnkey. and attempting their tape. The beta
wee, these:—Oa Thursday morning the terskey, hem
Wm, we at the steel bow, Ss .desk. to =ha
the doors of tie sleeves alb. The Mt MI beams
to Wag that of Thomas Moor, • streser smiled
of Woo, at the last ainizen and uads SMISIONS
twelve mouths' imprimmeent. HS shekel the hese
and Moor came out. He neat treats the eoU et John
Theaton, weather primmer if Ms at the team
ye..., sad made/ menones id he seven
7, M.. and the imbed he bad speed des Mere ease
him, grasped his toed Sub* with both Seem.
sad tried to push his hate Thestes'a all. The Meakey
strurieled with him, but Maw being • mach Mr era
iaccesdrd is throwing his dews. and ' Wand
him by the throat, and said. M New. yes surds
you,- at the same Mme threendlog the keys. 'The tusks
replied that he should set Ise ties. .• This I i de lee
ru. &joined Mew, eel ussisesd a violist
attack upon his, i& while& Is else Ness braises
'4,0 hie heed and throat. tie ems se Mist bed illesesied
throning the turnkey ilemillmains. dr ether ewer. also fell apron him, end the phis bele foes ►kis
reset Moor asked him if he but SEM the emakera
but. adding. "If Ton lad it I'll le he bits." The turn-
key sow rotted kis strength inbseelkik sad net Mil the
Ihf•els a Heir began to tell Best The isms tb•
Mr. Roberts (else less mod
airee.,,_ Peeel-
wily. sad wee thee la lb= Ct.
ihe ine "I°4 se to his asoistasee, sad
g,versor being elowly hawed by Se debts
Mmes aced Tbeztoa saw they IMO Illeallabillitra=
/*Pled quietly. From a atmwallnlMMlX SYS the rwersee
41 ^eerhesed between it. orbs pelemee ea the peeiese
'Kehl be apprehended that ass estlereak was sester
*ha, sad ordered the him's, le be ea his need. de-
end.sely no the mornings the latter ours teak
the p., maims to divest et ell keys eteePHof thim
wih.eh unlocked the dem el the aleogies cells, and skate
empty hi. peckeu of hie bath sod ether articles; MI tri
thes. end to the activity and vlgiame of thepenirMee
may h. ...eribed the thwarting er, _
The aseci.tretes ordered that the Ws pee, sew end
Tb
heatre, should be continued IMO; that gar should
ihilicted for the assault sad SININOPOd MOM end
&weed ; ales that the 'lbwbed Shown
taken part in the eeeseherey be kW is
Woe( cuthassest.