The Express.
London, England, 1853-03-26 00:00:00

AUSTRALIAN EXPERIENCES.

The following are extracts from private letter
reeeived at Southampton yesterday. The first gives a gra-
phic picture of a trip to the diggings, and the second an
emigrant's impressions on landing at Melbourne, and the
state of things there :

Melbourne, Dee. 5, 1862.
As the mail steam ship Sydney is expected to leave here
to-morrow for England, I take the opportunity of sending
you a line or two. Since I out the last (by the Australian)
1 have been at the gold digg,nge. We (a party of four)
started from Melbourne, on the 26th of beptemitier, for the
Bendigo fields and as you may like to hear a taw of our
adventures, I shall briefly describe them. There are two
roads from this city to Forest Creek. Mount Alexander,
and 13.mdigo ; one through the Black Forest and the other
through the township of Kihnore ; the latter route we took,
although the farthest, for at the time we started the roads
were in a dreadful state, owing to the late winter rains and
the vat amount of traffic en the roads. Well, we started
with our swags on our backs, fee here was scarcely any-
Viing but bullock drays on the roads at the time, and they
were charging 1401. per ton for luggage. Sometimes we
were up to our knees its mud, at others up to our necks in
water; but somehow or other we got through it all very
well till we came to the river Cumpassby. And here we
were puzzled to know how 4o cross, for there was nothing
but a tree, which had fallen across, that we could walk on,
and even that hail a bend in tree middle which was about
two feet under water. We, however, attempted to cross on
this, and two got over; but myself and another of our
party went in head and ears. The next day we reached
Bendigo. We were obliged to leave one of our party behind
at the above river, but he got a lift on a bullock dray, and
reached the diggings two days after us Our hest thing was
to get • tent, w Inch we gut already erect* if, and also a
quantity of tools ready ter use for 161. The next day we
commenced operations. After the first two days' work, one
of our mates left us, and returned dir. ctly to town, without
• peunyweight of gold, and 1 end another that we left be-
hind, was laid up for six days with sore feet, owing to the
state of the roads. After that we three went to work for
several days without any success. WO sunk about a
dozen holes without getting anything, but after-
wards we were more successful, taming out
neoey two pound weight of gold in a fortnight.
We only took out one license, for which the dioger has to
nay 30s. per month. About the end of the month' reports
were circulated that large quantities of gold ht.! been dis-
covered near the Oven River, and the diggers Hocked
thither from Bendigu by thousands, and your humble ter-
, rant and party were amongst them ; we took our tent and
a few tools with us, on a two horse dray, for which we paid
101. per cert. Tnis journey occupied us right days, a dis-
tance of nearly 200 miles; we had capital roads, and walked
shout 30 miles a day. We had to cries the Compasshy
again, but in another direction ; we got over there all right.
The neat river we had to cross was the Goulborne, and
here a scene presented itself which baffles description ; we
reached the river at 4 p.m., on November 7, and were
obliged to wait for 24 hours before we could get across.
Here they have • miserable punt, hardly tit to take a per-
son over on; the river is wide and deep ; there were up-
wards of 100 drays waiting for their turn when we got
there. We, however, got over all right, sad encamped for
the night. They charged '2s. Gd. for a foot passenger, 10e.
fur a horse, and 20s. fur • dray. NV hile we were waiting
there, two men and several horses and buhocke were
drowned in attempting to swim over. The next morning
we started on our juuruey and reached the Sydney-road,
near the Broken River, that night. The next day we came
near the Oven River, but were disappointed on reaching
the diggings, to find that the water wss then so abundant
as to hinder the diggers from working to any advantage.
These 4iggings are eituated nut far from the NIONy Moun-
tains, and therefore cannot be worked at certain seasons of
the year. We then resolved to return to Melbourne im-
mediately, which we did, coming down the Sydney-road
And here the aspect of affairs was altered much since we
lett ; the vast influx of people from all parts has filled all
vacant workshops ; and out only that, but numbers of me-
chanics have returned from the digging., to await the dis-
covery of some new held. The Great Britain is now at
Sydney ; she is expected to leave this port on the Ist
of January. The Chuun is daily expected from
Singapore, the Cleopatra from England, and about
60 others. Carpenters' wages are from 11. to 11. 6s. per
day ; there are upwards of 5,000 people living in tents
i at the present time, outside the town; houses are being
built in all directions (especially wooden ones). Many of
the public works, which had been stopped tor. want of
hands, are uuw going a-head rapidly. Homes hate been
built ter the newly arrived by the government, the Wes-
leyan', the Baptists, the Jews, rte. Many of the new an
rivals are badly off after they land, fir they sell off all their
clothes before they can get off to the diggings. Our wharf
is a regular rag fair; we can buy anything there. The
40th Regiment affords some little amusement for the Mel-
bourne folks, about 20 of them having already deserted.
Since we left there has been rather a serious row at the
Ovens between the diggers and the authorities.

Hobson's Bay, Port Phillip, Nov. 24, 1862.
Where to begin the detail of our troubles I scarcely know.
We • d here on the 13th November, and for some days
were kept at the entrance of the bay, some 40 miles from
Melbourne ; at last a pilot came on board, and we dropt
anchor about three miles from Hearty's beach and eight
miles from the town. The third day after, I went with our
party to Melbourne, and the sight it presented of bustle, con-
fusion, and swearing, approached more to Babel than any
scene 1 eye, witnessed. Nu lighters or boats could be procured,
except on the most ruinous terms, to convey our things en
shore; a single box cost from 3ds. to 21. before it got out-
aide the wharf, and we calculated that the whole of our
common stock would swallow up full 1001. even to get to a
store-house. We tried every means to find a cheaper mode,
but all was of no avail; if you even presumed to question
the price asked, the lowest of abuse was freely given; so to
end matters we have resolved to go to Geelong, and there
to store our boxes, stc., with a brother of one of our party,
an Exonian, son of Mr. Rodier, who is established in that
town u a builder, fur which we are to pay 461. per ton
for a transit o. only thirty miles. Many, from our ship and
others, have, in a few days. expended all their cash in
merely living in the town. We have kept on board, and
resolved not to leave till our luggage is got out of the hold
of the vessel, and in this way we save at least .51. a day.
Only fancy what estate of things, with bread at 2e. 9d. the
quarters loaf, Is. 6d. a pint for milk, 4d. each egg, beer,
very poor staff, 2s. the quart, mutton and beef 6d. per lb.,
(where it used to be sold at lid. and Pd. the lb.), pork Ir.,
brandy, knoblen," about sufficient to fill a large tooth,
6d., cabLeges Is. each, water 10s. for nine-gallons, and
lodgings, the meet shabby and uncomfortable, 21. per week,
or 30s. if four in the same sleeping-room be tolerated. The
result of all this is, that in the suburbs of the town, tents
are pitched in all direction., where you can see every into.
gluts:, character and every rustic style of cooking, hots
We iron tripod to the full equipped cooking range. All this
while the gold diggers are driving about, fouvin-hand,
end spending the money they have made by their hard
work in the most riotous manner—thorough roughs, look-
ing like tall blown navies, with horny hands bedecked with
rialto, and wearing chains of every make and size. Pew
are said to sews their galas, end hundreds drink themselves
to death. Le ws MUM het week, and not the mat 111-
emedacted, dstsr diode assumed from delirium frensint, be.
sides three nrerhere in the street in which it is situate.
True who aro Making large sums of money are the publire.
house keepers, wharf-owners, and store-house keepers; 21.
per week for keeping safe boxes, he. is a common pile,
brides a la. whenever they are opened. Hundreds of per-
sona may be seen daily, who have reesatly arrived, selling
their things in the streets rather than pay the price of stor-
ing them; and shirts, clothing, ite., may be bought In this
way for one-third the original price. Doubtless much
' money is to be made in the colony, but if persons arrive
with but little money the whole must go before they min
comfortably be lodged. Labour fa very well paid—car-
penters get from 26e. to 301. per day ; working at the
wharves, 124. to 14s. per day, and se on in proportion for
all mechanical employment; but clerks, and those who
csi.not work like hone., only get abuse and are asked why
they left England. I confer, I have had my gloomy mo-
ments, and have asked myself why I left England. Com-
plaints are heard en all sides of tee weakness of the autho-
rities here, and the governor (Charley Latrobe, as he is com-
monly called) is looked upon in the light of an innocent
old woman, and turned by every wind that blows. Soon I
expect all authority will be cast to the wiads, especially if
the set should pass placing an export duty on gold. The
diggers, to a man, threaten to take the upper band, and
tarn the gove roar arid his esthete the right-about. We intend,
after our goods are stored, to go to Ballarat and try our
luck, leaving one or two in the town to make money lay
carting goods from the wharves. The climate is certainly
a lovely one; but very hot, and every day makes it hotter.
Green peas and poaches are very near at hand, and nice
prices they will bring if the high prices continue. Much
talk we hear of the Ovens diggings, but from what I can
gather, and I speak to all I can on the subject, I don't
think the yield will be anything like Mount Alexander—
Forest Creek is declining fit in digging estimation.

Geelong, Nov. 27, 18-52.
We are all here, and intend within the nest few days to
get our cart loaded with provisions, and then to start for
thillarat diggings; from thence I will write to you lull par-
ticulars. In this place there is neither lodgings nor houses
to be had, and bread 3s. the 41b. loaf, and everything in
proportion. Thu is a most lovely spot, commanding a full
view of the bay, and the land in the neighbourhood is most
prolific. The copper coinage is quite set aside for the pre-
sent, and unless the exact money be tendered the article to
be bought is refused. I never could suppose such a state of
things in nay place under the sway of Queen Victoria.
Carpenters, Welder's, and such like trades, can get any
money by their narking.

CURE FOR YELLOW FEVER.—The following is an
extract of a private letter from her Majesty's vice-consul at
Cape Bolivar to her Majesty's acting consul-general at
Caracas:—" Au old woman, named Mariquita Orfla,hu
discovered a perfect remedy for the black vomit and yellow
fever, by means of which several persons have been corn•
plettly cured after a consultation of doctors had declared
that the cases were quite hopeless, and that the patients
must die in a few hours. The remedy is the juice of the
pounded le sues of the " verbena," gisen in small doses three
times a day, and injections of the same evc ty two hours,
until the bowels are emptied. The 'verbena' is a wild
shrub, to be found growing almost everywhere, and parti-
cularly in low, moist ground. All our doctors have adopted
its use, and now few or none die of those Iste fearful dis-
eases. There are two kinds of it, male and female; the
latter is the one that is moat used."—Lirerpool rinses.