The Express.
London, England, 1853-08-23 00:00:00

THE AUSTRALIAN GOLD FIELDS.

(FROM ♦ COKILZSI

OEELONO, MARCH 12, 1853.

In my last letter I endeavoured to give you some
idea of the labour of gold seeking, and the great uneer
tainty of getting anything like a prise sufficient to compen-
sate for the privations consequent to the life of • digger.
Three months have elapsed since I first arrived at Ballarat,
during the whole of which time I have been sinking holes
of various depths, varying from 12 to 20 feet, with a run of
water requiring from one to two hours' bailing out each
morning, and yet I am so far an unsuccessful digger, and
but for the chance of some day getting a return fur my
labour, I would forthwith bid adieu to the gold fickh for
ever. I purpose, however, returning to my tent at Ballarat
the end of this week, and to winter there, in hope of suc-
cess, for there is no disguising the fact, that some do suc-
ceed and make a large sum in a very short time. Only
last week I marked out a claim 8 feet by 16, and at the
same time a party of three Scotchmen marked out one
adjoining. I got down, and found but a few pennyweights;
my friends, " the northerns," took out of a small pocket in
the pipeclay bibs. of gold; and although they tunnelled foe
10 feet under ground, not another grain of gold could they
find. This I cite as one instance amongst many of the great
uncertainty attending gold seeking. You will shortly
have the great wonder of this golden age, the Canadian
gully nugget. I saw it almost when it was hot from
mother earth, and a very fine specimen it is for geologists
to talk and write about. The fortunate finder. of it took
up an old hole, and began to sink it (the pre-
vious owners having deserted it after sinking it
about 36 feet, and not finding bottom, they got
out of spirits with it, as every one then said the gully was
worked out), and richly have they been paid for their
trouble. One came out in the Great Britain, and, being
rather " hard up," was taken as a mate to work the hole,
two not being found sufficient. On the news reaching
Mount Alexander, Bendigo, and even the tar north, Ovens,
such a rush came that claims for nearly two miles were
marked out, each fancying, I don't doubt, but that a similar
prize was in store for him. The result, however, of so
miny coming to the gully is that the run of gold has been
again discovered, and for some distance large returns are
being made; and well do the diggers deserve it, fur the
boles run about 60 feet deep, and 40 feet of them arc thickly
slabbed, to prevent the water from undermining the sides,
besides large quantities of water being baled out night and
day ; but where one strikes upon the gutter, fcr such it
really is, in the pipe clay bottom, 20 are disappointed. A
friend of mine, a Canadian, who had the naming the gully,
was offered 7 lbs. of gold, or 2801., for the hole he was sink-
ing ; so sure did it seem that he was on the line, he refused
the offer, and when he got down, to his loss and discomfort
he found he was within 18 inches of the prize, out of which
a patty of sailors were making their 401. each daily. Soon
the winter rains are expected, which will again set men
sinking in dry places, for without water nothing can be
done at gold digging, the process of puddling and tin-dish-
Mg the stuff being indispensable. I regret to say that
murders are greatly on the increase about Ballarat, and it
se. ma to call fur explanation how such can happen in broad
day, when the police are said to be about in every
direction. Much vigilance, however, I know is not exercised.
A very loose kind of justice is administered, tending in no
way to fortify one with any high opinion of legal dignita-
ries, or their mode of holding the balance. Inquests en
men who die at the diggings are • most complete farce. I
attended one, and was obliged plainly to tell the commis-
sioner that to take no evidence, and be only surrounded by
men in his own service, was simply a display of men and
horses, and nothing like the manner such matters should
be conducted. He saw the great absurdity, and then took
evidence, and made something like a ceremony of the mat-
ter. In Geelong and Melbourne great speculation is going
on is land, and the railway mania in England scarcely
equalled the land mania in this colony, the most extrava-
gant prices being given for small portions of land, Ire.
quently such patches bringing higher prices than the same
extent of ground would sell for if situate in Lombard-street
or Cheapside. Much of this land was purchased originally
from the government at 30s. the acre, and now as much as
2,0001. have bees gat for the same, if situate in the town or
vicinity to it. I attended a sale to-day, and saw 601. per
foot given. Champagne breakfasts are supplied, and moat
freely do some partake of the same, whether they bid or
not.

After addressing the Postmaster of Melbourne several
times, I have at lut succeeded in getting my letters from
England. One came by the Great Britain in November,
and on the 10th of March the letter has come to hand.
Such scenes occur in front of the Post-office sufficient to
disgust any one at the very sloveuly manner in which the
business of the office is conducted. I wonder some efficii-nt
person is not appointed to sweep out this Augean stable. A
person well up to the postal business in Eoglaod would be
invaluable. I know several merchants in Melbourne who
complain most bitterly of the difficulty they have with all
persona connected with the office.
On my road from Ballarat through the bush to this town
an incident worth relating took place. About half way is
a public house, known as Rice's. Having slept the night
at the house, and passed a most agreeable evening with
some half-dozen persons, all more or less to appearance re-
spectable, at the breakfast table next morning we all met
before taking our different roads. Judge of my surprise to
see some half-dozen troopers ride up sad secure four of the
party. On inquiry I was told I had chummed with some
of the most desperate bushrangers, and that the four were
taken for their part in a most brutal murder at Bates's
Ford, about a week previous; one of the party being
known 1111 the person who assisted, if he did not really per.
petrate the murder. On their person was found the watch
and gold-dust bag belonging to their victim. Such are the
pleasant bits of life often met with here. They had been
tracked by the natives for some days. It is marvellous the
facility the natives have in following the track of men or
beasts. If cattle stray, which is often the ease, only give
a native a stick of tobacco, and he will speedily give you the
direction and even locality where the cattle are to be
found.