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 herspectal 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 Lhere on account of
my ill success at the diggings.

May 19.—1 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 Easterholydays 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 a
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 let ter to you of
tho 13th ult., I took nay 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 dross (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.',
•`AII right," says I ; " go and pave the way for my ap-
pearance before him." Go ho 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, &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 receipt 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 mo 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 loft 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
le,s would carry me, in order to save my life ; the villains
pursued me on horseback, but the swiftness 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 on 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
'his 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, Szc.a---l-lfoolf•
instance, "going astray," " follow that star," " stop,”
" rest," " look up," " follow the star again," &e.,
which I imagined I heard as plainly and as clearly as any-
tiong 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 I found that this
bird had led me through the bush, over ranges and galleys
for a distanee of coven yr eight miles, in 4 straighter line

[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
I creed 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 ono of the gang of scoundrels
on his way from Castlemaine, and, from the direction he
was taking, it was clear that he must have been prow-
ling about the road all the night, or got on to where Isiasw
him before daylight. I felt quite sure he was looking
after me, and if he had met me on the road my life would
have been sacrificed. I had left all nay "swag"behind me
when I bolted out of the robber's tent, and was anxious to
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 fellowe' na

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-
quaintanco 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 annum ; 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 without his head as without coney 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
worklig quite alone.