The Sun.
London, England, 1854-09-15 00:00:00

LIFE IN AUSTRALIA.

The following extracts from the correspondence of a
man who gave up a good situation of 3001. a-year to go
to the diggings give a lively picture of the ups and
downs of life in Australia :

MELBOURNE, April 13.—1 am once more in this city ;
driven to it by continued ill-fortune at the diggings. For
the last six months I have been floundering about on the
confines of desperation, working like a horse, and existing
God knows how !—and how I am to exist for the future is
still A great puzzle. I have been knocking about the
country everywhere, but the fiend ill-fortune has taken me
under herspecial protection, and dogged my heels so closely
that I have been unable, even since I came here, to obtain
any, the meanest, employment. I am now on the eve of
Good Friday, obliged to retire into the bush, and there to
exist, as best I can, until the holydays are over, my means
being quite exhausted, and I am unable to "raise the
wind" anyhow, even for a few days. But I shall get over
it, as I have got over other as bad fixes during the above
period, and will write to you again shortly, when I feel a
little more comfortable. I have not the heart to'write to
—, but if any inquiries are made you can simply state
that I am quite well, and have come here on account of
my ill success at the diggings.
May 19 —I wrote to you on the 13th ult. At thattime my
exchequer was so low that I was, as I told you, obliged to
go and pass the Easter holydays in the bush. Since thenfor-
tune has played so many queer pranks upon me in such
rapid succession that I can hardly yet take them for n
reality. I will, however, endeavour to give you a rapid
account of what has occurred to me during this short, but
eventful period. After I had finished my letter to you of
the 13th ult , I took my carpet-bag to an old acquaintance

to get it stored for a while, until I could look out for em-
ployment. On my going to him, whom I had not seen for
a twelvemonth previous, of couse numerous inquiries were
made on both sides as to how the " world wagged " with us.
I frankly confessed that it was very "hard cheese" with me.
and that I would freely take anything I could get to keep
me afloat. I said nothing about the state of my purse, nor
that I had been forced to go and "hide my diminished
head" in the bush during the holydays ; but told him I was
going in search of employment up the country. This
brought about a conversation as to the sort of situation I
had been accustomed to at home. Upon my informing him,
he said, " Why our governors (storemen) are in want of a
clerk; if you like, I will go and speak to Mr. -- on the
subject." " But," says I " look at my dress (I was in dig-
ger's weeds), I cannot appear before him in this raiment.
" Never mind your dress," he replied, " Mr. -- was
obliged to go a-shepherding when he came to the colony,
and can therefore the more easily understand your case.''
"All right," says I ; " go and pave the way for my ap-
pearance before him." Go he did, and in a few minutes
I was in the presence of Mr. --. The interview was
very 'short. He eyed me most closely from head to foot
with a look of astonishment, I supposed, or rather inferred,
from my impudence in applying for the situation in such
attire ; asked what I had been doing since I came to the
colony, my employment at home, Sz,c., and then told me
they would consider about it, and let me know in a few
days. I concluded that this interview in my digging attire
had made a damping impression to my prejudice, but I de-
cided on remaining in town for a short time to hear the
result. Nothing came of it after waiting for nearly a
week ; I therefore left, and passed the next night in the
bush, a few miles from town, with little to satisfy the
cravings of the inward man. Next day, starvation staring
me in the face, I parted with my faithful old dog, Rattler,
who has been, as I told you before, my constant companion
ever since I came to this colony, for three sovereigns only,
and then turned my nose the road towards the interior
in search of work, but could obtain none. Three days after-
wards I found myself at Castlemaine, and now determined
on going to the Avoca diggings to see my brother and tell
him how I was situated. In two days more I reached that
place, with only a few shillings in my pocket. He, like a
brother, came forward at once and offered me a yeceipt for
25 oz. of gold, deposited with the commissioner at Bendigo
and gave me 2/. to see me to that place. I did not want
so much, but he insisted on it, so I took it and left the
same evening for Bendigo. I made six miles that night,
and about 30 miles the next day brought me to the crossing
place on the Loddon River, about 12 miles from Castle-
maine, when a heavy thunderstorm was impending, which
obliged me to halt and put up at a pseudo-refreshment
tent for the night, contrary to my usual practice when
travelling in this country in any reasonable weather. I
generally light a fire in the bush, and rig up a " mi-mi"
of boughs, and avoid these accommodation places by the
road-side, as they are known throughout the diggings for
their bad repute, with very few exceptions. Well, it was
here that I met with an adventure which nearly cost my

life. I cannot go into full details—that must be left for a

long winter evening's tale by a cosy fireside, if ever I am
spared to enjoy that comfort again. This refreshment
place was a den of bushrangers and robbers, they managed
to hocus me in a glass of soda-water, but, thank God, the
dose had been got up by an inexperienced hand, and to
this fact alone do I attribute my safety and ultimate escape
from these scoundrels. The dose, instead of stupifying
me, as they undoubtedly intended, only excited my
brain. 'The moment I felt its effects I bolted out of the
place, between 10 and 11 o'clock at night, with only my
shirt and trowsers on, and ran into the bush as fast as my

legs would carry me, in order to save my life ; the villains
pursued me on horseback, but the s wiftness of my flight,
the darkness of the night, and afterwards, by what I can-
not but think was a special interposition of Providence in
directing my course, the voice of a bird—the " maw-paw,"
or Australian cuckoo—saved me. The effects of the drug
produced ou my imagination were most extraordinary ; I
was under the influence of a very strange feeling for
six hours afterwards—not like that of drink; I cannot
describe it. I was perfectly conscious of everything,

yet could fix no object steadily in my eye ; every-
thing seemed as reflected through a mirror ; I
got over the ground so light and airily, if you
can comprehend me, that though my body felt keenly
the cold morning air, and the pricks and scratches of the
stones and brushwood upon my feet, it seemed as if
tenanted by something supernatural, which lifted me above
the things of the earth, and divested me of fatigue—l
cannot toll you how. My brain must have been in a very
strange state from the effects of the drug, for, although
this bird, the maw-paw, undoubtedly accompanied me for
miles, yet the most curious part is, that I interpreted its
sayings into directions which way I was to run, &c.—for
instance, "going astray," " follow that star," " stop
"rest," "look up," "follow the star again," &c., all of
which I imagined I heard as plainly and as clearly as any.
thing I ever head in my life, and which I implicitly fol-
lowed, putting myself entirely under the protection and
guidance of this voice. Next morning 1 found that this
bird had led we through the bush, over ranges and galley'
for a *am of Neva or Oieit jot o, droplet* lino

~ .~/ ~GiG

K-7

[PRICE SD.

than it was possible I could have gone over this unknown
ground in broad daylight. Next morning at daybreak I
found I was in the township of Muckleford, about five
miles from Castlemaine, where I related what had hap-
pened to me, and claimed protection from the villains who
would be prowling about the road in search of me—their
crd being "Dead men tell no tales." I was told there
were no police nearer than Castlemaine, and that many
robberies had been heard of lately at the very same place.
They gave me a pair of old shoes, and furnished me with
a breakfast. While I was partaking of it, who should
pass the door of the house but one of the gang of scoundrels
on his way from Castlemaine, and, from the direction be
was taking, it was clear that he must have been pro -
hug about the road all the night, or got on to where I sal% hint before daylight. I felt quite sure be was lookinL,
after me, and if he had met me on the road my life woUl,i
have been sacrificed. I had left all my " swag"behind
me
when I bolted out of the robber's tent, and was anxious to I
get it back, and on arrival at Castlemaine I applied to the
police magistrate to assist me, and send some troopers to
arrest the vagabonds, but was politely informed that,
although he had heard a great deal of these fellows' mis-
deeds, he could not assist me. Finding I could get no re-
dress, I went on to Bendigo, and ordered the gold to be
sent down by escort to town, and returned there myself
with all haste. I there found that Mr. -- had been in-
quiring of my old acquaintance for me, and I was to be
set to work to bring up the stock-book, and, if I suited, I
was to be taken on as shipping clerk, and to display my
abilities in this schoolboy's work. I had seen the same
day that Mr. -- was advertising for a book-keeper, and,
finding it was likely to be a first-rate berth, I told my ac-
quaintance I should apply for it. He furnished me with
pen, ink, and paper, and I sat down and penned an appli-
cation accordingly. Next morning I got my. trunk, rigged
myself out in a civilised manner, and then delivered my
letter in person. Mr. read it, looked at me and
smiled, asked to see my testimonials, then asked me a few
questions about them, and at once offered to take me on
at 3001. per annum to begin with, promising to increase
that sum if I continued in his employment and gave satis-
faction. I accepted the offer and took my seat in the office
instanter, thinking myself lucky-in obtaining the situation
so easily and unexpectedly. In a few months it will be
worth 4001. per auntrtn ; indeed, I could get that sum
now, but I prefer waiting awhile before I ask for it, and
until I get more knowledge of the business transactions of
this city. I have now given you a history of my ups and
downs in Victioria, extending over a period of only three
weeks, and I leave you to judge if they have not been of a
very varied and uncommon character. The fact is, a man
may as well be withbut his head as without money here,
and is far better at home. If I had a few hundred pounds
to start me with, I would not be the servant of any one,
for, altered as things are here of late, I would soon be on
the high road to fortune. I have hitherto followed gold
digging on the plan of " something or nothing," in hopes
of dropping on something, but nothing has been my lot.
11l health for more than six weeks was the cause of my be-
ing " stumped out" on Campbell's Creek, where I was
workkg quite alone.

- ,
e

• these difficulties with the assistance of Schweigger's and
Ampere's inventions, and those gentlemen in 1837 took
out a patent for a needle instrument, and in July of the
same year it was laid down between Euston-sgtiar -ased
Camden-town stations, and although apparently surer.
ful it was ordered to be again removed.
i„The baffled, but not disheartened inventors, free.
ceeded, however, in having in 1839 an experimental
length on the Great Western Railway from London to
Slough ; but here it remained for some years without
exciting public attention, and was considered a fano..
by the two most important railways in the kingdom
while the Government had previously, in reply to an
application, statel that " the telegraph was of no use ist
time of peace, and that the Semaphore in time of was.
answered all the required purposes."
In 1844 I examined carefully its action on the Great
Western Railway, in order to form a judgment of how
far it admitted of certain action, and was not liable to
interruption ; and being satisfied on these points I re-
commended its adoption on the South-Eastern Railway,
. when I was the principal engineer, and described, is
addition to its advantages of safety, that of the econorer
which would arise from the saving in pilot
plant, &c., and my recommendation was carried into
effect ; and without claiming anymerit to neyeelf beyond
' pointing out its advantages, I confidently believed that
' had not the South-Eastern directors adopted it, and
had they placed the invention in the hands of a lees
able and scientific manager than Mr. C. V Walker, it
might still have been years before the electric telegraph
had arrived at its pre-ent perfection and extensive appli.
cation, or even before capital could have been raised to
carry out the Telegraph €.;ompany, which has now above
25,000 miles of wire.
the directors to maakned
areWegituh raneyfehruenmcbelet,o the submarine telegraph my claims
ecxopnesirsitmsei
bility, and insure to them its advantages-
nmipslytointerester pmreacntdiica.ng
The great difficulty to overcome was the perfect insu-
lation of thewires, which was accomplished by Mr. Wal,
ker who succeeded in sen ding submarine mehsages by gotta
percha wire at Folkestone before the cable was proposed ;
and it is therefore the more to be regretted by the
South-Eastern Railway that the submarine Telegraph
has fallen into other hands, from the effect it would have
exercised on the continental traffic ; and it is to be
equally regretted that an arrangement was not made
with the Submarine Company when they had first esta-
blished the water communication, and before they had
obtained the power to extend it on land from Dover t)
London—an arrangement which would have been mu-
tually adyantageous to both companies.
I accompanied the expedition to lay the mbalarine
cable as a visitor only, and was no less delighted at the
end of that anxious day to be able, in a gale of wind, to
send a message 'to England, than were Mr. Wollaston
and Mr. Crampton, the engineers ; brit I have not in-
tended to imply for an instant that the successful resutt
of that difficult operation was otherwise than due alone
to these gentlemen.
It will be satisfactory to me, and is, I think, due to
the engineers above-mentioned, that you should publish
this communication.

PETER W. BARLOW.
•
26, Great George-street, Westminster, Sept. 14.

THE AUSTRIANS IN WALLACHIA.

(Prom the Daily Newe.)

The officers of the Austrian army of occupation
in Wallachia are conducting themselves at Bucha-
' rest with the same insolent brutality which they
have for years been excercising at the expense of
' the inhabitants of the Lombardo-Venetian terri-
tories. The letter of our correspondent at Bucha-
rest, which we published yesterday, contained an
account of their intolerably overbearing demeanour,
in so far as the Turkish Government was concerned.
The letter from the same gentleman, which we pub-
lish to-day, contains an account of their treatment
of private individuals. The magnanimous General
Popovitch performs a prominent part in the drama.
This gallant hero, who in 1848 saved his skin
by surrendering to a much inferior force under
Guyon, and quietly remaining a prisoner to the
end of the war, is now displaying his valour
at the expense of the lodging-house keepers and
ladies of Bucharest. Because an unfortunate house-
, owner, whose apartments have pleased him, refuses
to unlock the rooms of two lodgers who are in the
country, and give them up to the Austrian general,
Popovitch aim* beats the doors off their hinges.
If he ultimately gained admission—a matter still in
doubt—it is to be hoped the absent lodgers ob-
tained a good account of the property they had
left behind them under lock and key. Popovitch
did not come off - so scathless in his attempt to
insult a lady of Bucharest upon whom he wished
to quarter some of his staff. Omer Pacha in-
terfered ; told the Austrian hero in the plainest
language what he thought of his conduct; and Po-
povit‘i apologised. In so doing he acted in ser-
vile imitation of his Commander-in• Chief. General
Hess advanced towards Bucharest, distributing
right and left handfulls of a proclamation, in which
he ordered the Wallachian authorities to apply to
his aide-de-camp for instructions in everything.
Omer Pacha protested against this order, repre-
senting to Feldzeugmeister Her; that as general of
a friendly army of occupation he had nothing to
do with the civil government of Wallachia, which
va.s,vested in him, Omer Packa.__Tkie. geldzepg-
meister apologised
t;
rowed he had no intention
to encroach upon tile jurisdiction of the Pacha ;
and, to prove this, showed the proclamation in the
original German, where the Wallachian authorities
were only instructed to apply to his Adjutant in all
things connected with the Austrian troops. It was
curious that this important mission in the Walla-
chian translation was never discovered till after
Omer Pacha had remonstrated. The apology of
General Popovitch was an equally tardy and un-
gracious compliance with a broad hint from Omer
Pacha. Will Feldzeugmeister Hess and General
Popovitch be equally amenable to the rebukes of
the Pacha after the Austrian army of occupation
has been concentrated around Bucharest f They
are both trying how far they may venture to
go ; and in future the amount of their power
will be the exact measure of the insolence of the
one in his intercourse with the Turkish authori-
ties, and of the brutality of the other in his inter-
course with the non-official Wallachians of every
rank, age, and sex. The spirit of Radetzky, the
oppressor of Italy, animates Hess ; the spirit of
Haynau, the woman-flogger, has migrated into
Popovitch. The Government of Vienna already
regards the Danubian Principalities as equally its
own property in perpetuity with Venice and Lom-
bardy. It is governing the new acquisition in the
same spirit that it has ruled tie old. By the con-
vention of the 14th of June last the Porte has
bound itself to admit the advance of Austrian
troops into the Principalities, and to allow them
to remain there until a new special convention regu-
lating their retreat has been concluded between the
Austrian and Turkish Governments. The Aus-
trians having taken the precaution to prevent their
being forcibly expelled from
,Wallachia and liol-
davia, are already beginning to show their deter-
mination to act there not as friendly allies, but as
masters. They will take upon them an authority
they are not entitled to, like Feldzeugmeister Hess
In his proclamation ; they will continue to act as
if their authority were real if not resisted ; if op-
poied, they will laugh the matter off as a mistake,
but repekt the experiment on the first opportunity;
and they will end by carrying their point.
The fate of the Porte in regard to the Danubian
Principalities is the exact counterpart of the fate of
one of the animal heroes of au /Esopian fable. The
horse begged the huntsman to avenge it on its
enemythe stag. The huntsman consented, on condi-
6,

on that the horse would take a bridle in its mouth,
and a saddle on its back, and allow him to mount
it for the chase. The hon4e consented, but when
;
the stag was killed, and the chase was at an end,
the horseman refused to dismount. The friendly
huntsman was an enemy not so easily got rid of
e
arry sahretthsl huntsmanst whatag .
hiTs
historical
ia
really
Fhroaerll Ipmeel
yd
tithsoi c
anlo
killt
tehz exact
parallel c
evert
stag in
tialisl el
Austrians have had no hand in beating back the
Russians. The horse had nothing b
u.. its own folly
to thank for its subjection to the h man
the Turks are groaning under theunts . When
Austrian friendship they can turn infliction of.
Government of England, and round upon the
say, "It was your
advice that brought 113 into tt •
Il
10th of June Lord Stratf s scrape."
On the
ord de Redcliffe wrote
to the Earl of Clarendon
tion between Austria a i
Tn relation to the conv!n-
-m
urkey application from Resebl•ci. : " In reply to an
Pacha, I have advised a
simple acceptance of the Austrian draft. On the 2124
of June Lord
~Clarendonl replied to Lord Stratford
de Redcliffour have to acquaint y
Excel-
lency that her •
Majesty's Government approve the
course which you ado din 1• - the Turkish
pte a vising e
Ministers to accept the draft of treaty." Here are
both their hands—the hands of England's Foreign.
Minister and of England's Ambassader at Constan-
tinople—to the confession that the occupation of
Wallachia by the Austrians is their work. The
effect of that occupation has already been to para-
lyse and strike despondency to the heart of
Omer Paoha ; to disorganise his army by de-
prfving him of his best—his only reliable offi-
cers ; to subject the Wallachians, men and women,
to the brutalities of men bred in the schools of
Radetzky and IlaYnall ; and to consign to Aus-
trian fortresses and dungeons the residue of the
Hungarian patriots who have not yet been hanged,
shot, or imprisoned in Austria, and have not
found refuge in England or America. And all
these consequences must have been foreseen by
ministers and diplomatists who have been long
conversant with the Austrian Government. 'This
wretched transaction is a terrible stain on the
escutcheon of England; it is as bad as the national8
breach of faith to Sicily and Genoa in the earlier e earlier
part of the century. To take • arms against Russia
in order to wrest Moldavia •
and Wallachia from its
grasp, and then to play those provi •
nces into the
hands of Austria, is one of
the Moat derading
. farces recorded ill history.
- -

11 OW TO SUBDUE SMOKE : being Popular
Information on various Practic dale Means; with Compara-
tive Results, and a Few Words about Fuel.
Including an examination of the respective systems adopted by
°TETE" HAZELDINS, PRIDEktX, BRISTOW and ATTWOOD. CHANTER,
LEE STEVENS,-ROBERTSON, and JARRARD.
London: Effingham Wilson, 11, itoyal Exchange; Edward Stan-
ford, 6, Charing-Cross. Price Sixpence ; and remitted by poet on
receipt ofeight postage-stamps.

TELEA.TRE ROYAL, DRURY-LAE.
Lessee, Mr. E. T. SMITIL—The great Tragedian, G. V.
BROOKE, for Seven Nights only, previous to his departure for
A.ustralia.—Public attention is respectfully directed to these, the final
performances of Mr. G. V. Brooke in England.—Monday, October 2,
VIRGINIUS ; Virginias, Mr. G. V. Brooke. Tuesday, Oct. 3, The
Hunchback : Master Walter,Brooke. Wednesday, Oct. 4,
Richard 111. ; Gloeester, Mr. G. V. Brooke. Thursday, Oct. 5, The
Stranger; the Stranger, Mr. G. V. Brooke. Friday, Oct. 6, Othello;
Othello. Mr. G. V. Brooke. S*turday, Oct 7, Hamlet ; Hmlet, Mr.
G. V. Brooke. And on Monday, Oct. 9, for Mr. G. V. Brooke's
Benefit, Macbeth; Macbeth, Mr. G. V. Brooke (his last appearance).

LYCEUM THEATRE.-HENRY RUSSELL,
for Thirty Nights. THIS EVENING (the 17th tome), Sept.
15th, and every Evening. Many friends having expressed a vci.h
that Mr. Russell should appear again previous to finally withdraw-
ing his Entertainment, he has, in compliance with their re L
quest
will
,
raade arrangements to appear ever; evening. Air RUSSEL
present THE FAR WEST ; or, THE PROGRESS of thBURANT
e EN
from the OLD WORLD to the NEW. Mr. Russell will relate his
anecdotes, and sing several new songs, " Cheer, Ruh eye. cheer' " Far,
far upon the Sea," " Sunshine after Rain," " Land I Land! Land 1"
" The Falls of Niagara," " Long have we been parted," "I'm
Afloat," " Many changes have I seen," " The Icebergs" (descriptive
song), " Newfoundland Dog," " The Gambler's Wife," &C. The
Second Part of the Entertainment trill
consist of a Series of
Pit, Is. ; Gallery, 61.
Wretches, entitled NEGRO LIFE in Freedom and Slavery.
Dress Circle, 2s. 61. ; Upper Boxes, Is. 6,1- ;

---
THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE.
The public is respectfully informed that this Theatre is OPEN,
under an entire new direction. for Three Weeks on"y.—.-THIS EVE
ING her Majesty's s rva Du e wil perrm Wallace's Opera, MARI-
TANA. Charles 11., Mr. Dusek l ; Don Cxsar de Bazan, Mr. Elliott
Galer ; Don Jose de Santarem, Mr. H. Corti ; Marchloneis de Mon.
teflori, Miss :-elbY Mantana, Mme. kudersdorff.—To conclude
with a new Ballet Divertissement, entitled D'ISI.E DE NYMPITES.
—upper Gallery, 6d. ; Lower Gallery, 14. ; Pit, 25.: Upper Boxes,
38, ; Dress Circle, 45.; Stalie, 55.; Private Boxes, 155., 1/. Is., 11.
ILL 6d., and 21.25., to be had at the Box-office, and of the principal
ibrszians and music-sellers.

THEITRE ROYAL IIAYMARKLT.
Under the management of Mr. lanckstone.
THIS EVENING, SEPT. 15.

Will be P^rformed SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER. Characters
by Messrs. Chippendale, Howe, Rogers, and Compton; Miss Rey-
Bolds, Mrs. Poynter, and Mrs. Buckingham.

Followed by the SPANISH DANCERS in a NEW BALLET.
After which, SHOCKING EVENTS.
To conclude with till Spanish Dancers in a New Ballet.

STRAND THEATRE.

S,le Lessee Mr. F. W. Allcroft.
THIS EVENING, Six. 15,

Wlll be performed HARD TIMES.

Followed by FAUST A`l3 M kIiGUERITE. Mephistopheles,
Mr. Halford; Faust, 3iss G. Hodson; Marguerite, Miss H. Gordon.
-;! ens, 49.; Boxes, 2s. 6d.; Pit, Is.; Gallery, 6d.; Private Box, s•
£1 Is., .o oe had of Mr. Ailcroft, 15, Sew Bond-street.