Columbia gazette., 1854-03-25
LETTER FROM AUSTRALIA.

L
We take the following paragraph
from letter, received by a gentleman
in Sonora, from his friend 1t the Aus
tralian mines:
"Taking our blankets on our backs We
Immediately started on foot for the dig
gings, there being no mode of convey.
ancc, as the roads are almost impossible
during the Wet season After tramp
ing through mud and mire for five days
we reached Bendigo, 11O miles from
Melbourne. These were represented
to be the best diggings in the country,
at this season of the year; but the pros
poets, at first, looked rather dismal to
us. All the gulches and ravines were
apparently tom up and completely
", rke 1 out Many Californians came
here with the idea Of working toms and
Sluiccs but such thing is impossible on
account Of the scarcity of water and tho
extent of ground allowed each man, be-
ing only twelve feet square Had wo
the privileges for obtaining water as
there are in California, and the same
quantity Of ground to each man as is
customary, in that country, there is
plenty Of ground here that would pay
one OF two ounces per day to the man.
The digeings here are from five to six
teen feet in depth; the gold is mostly
near the ledge; there is but four or five
inches of dirt that viii pay to wash 10y
the present mode of washing. 1t is
first puddlel in tub, or half barrel and
then put through the rocker. Nearly
all the pay dirt is dritted or tuneled.
lhrce of us have been working together
for the last six weeks, during that time,
we have averaged &c per day each by
hard work There are hundreds OF men
here that do little more than make
living; many are returning to California,
heartily sick of this country. If man
cannot make money in California, he
stands a very poor chnace to better his
con ltion by comm; here. There is no
chance to work out by the day in the
mines, as the claims are so small it will
not pay to hire. Wages on the roads arc
$3.50 per day exclusive of board
Those that have an idea of coming here
| should advise them to bring plenty Of
money, as there are many here tiom
California, that would return lad they
the means to do so. Numbers of A.
mcricans, have joined the foot police, to
hunt the miners, and fine those that
neglect to pay the monthly tax; they
are p:yed s. per day and ra,ions. The
tax is the same as it has been, $3.50
per month, but the miners are making
a strong cfort.t to have the license abol-
ishod or modifyed. Mass meetings have
been held throughout the miningrccion,
and a petition has been sent to the leg
lslature, signed by hundreds of miners,
praying the reduction of the tax. 1t
appears however they have refused to
take an action on it. Tie miners have
come to the conclusion to pay lut ten
shillings next month, which no doubt
they will agree to take, for should the
government oppose them now, it must
inevitably end in the total adjustment
of the tax to mine. The legislature of
Sydney or Sew South Wales lately pass
cd an act compelling all aliens to pay
double the amount charged British sub
jects, but when they come to collect the
tax they found it difficult to ascertain
who were foreigners, the Frenchman
hailed from Canada: the Cinnamon,
from Hong Kong, the Germans from
Hanover, and the Americans, from
British America. 1t has been abolish
ed, and they are about to do away with
the tax altogether in that Colony.