The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1854-01-29

extending rom Keior 10 the Gap Ina distance OF
fourteen miles-to travel which No macadamzed
road was necessary; the soil being extremely hard,
and the drsymen seldom taxing the one line, that
The road or plain is very little cut up. At the farther
end OF the paln-and just whers y begins to slope
s SI by the hope Of enjoying beautiful
prospect, 10 ascend high hill which arose on
The right, a little off the road. IL was a high
conicalshaped hill, treeess and shrubless,
but the view fro whose summit l felt certain would
compensate me for the fatigue OF asceudingit. En-
couraging myself (or had a. this time walked
about fourteen miles, and yet had not dined) with
mentally expressed opinions on the subject, con-
tinued TO ascend, marking stages Of the ascent as
proceeded till at last reached the top where,
i expected, / was well rewarded for my trouble
An Immense landscape lay before ne-a vast plain,
over whose surface nothing Of lite was to be seen;
not tree or sarub waved 10 the breeze; II seemed
valley OF silence without motion, without lile the
shadows cast upon the earth by the clouds passing
over the sun appeared 10 glide more specially and
solemDly than wont, as they pursued each other
across the desolate plain. On the right, however
the scene was changed; here appeared ranges OF
wooded ravines, gulehes and hls rising one above
another III lofty rivslry, height behind height re
firing far back till they seemed 20 be the props OK
one more mighty than the rest, whose dark crest
towering to the heavens, ffo1ned upon the pigmy
works ~ its base. As my eyes wandered over the
scene, ! beheld rome twenty miles distant, Port
Phillip and the shipping at anchor IN the waters of
Hobsons Bay, and the course II the Yarra Yarra to
the ocean was trsceable for miles, while behind me,
stretching away IN northeast direction, was the
chain OF beautifully wooded hills which terminate
Ii Mount Macedon the grdDdest object OF forest bill
scenery that is possible 10 conceive. At the foot
OF the hill on which Stood green fertile spot,
was large encampnent oi travellers like ourselves
proceeniDg 10 tie land OF 0phr. They had encanp-
ed for dinner, in The preparations OF which could
see them nnsily engaged rs hey moved around the
camp fires, ana AID anon went and re turned
from the oIays with some essential. The smoke
nom n r camp fires asceLded ipto the bright, clear
air in blge ara fantastic wreafhs which, seen from
whore strod, gave sort of fancy charm to the
scene. The teams OF oxen, loosened rom the dray,
wandered er the lovely spot in search of pasture,
while The lnctssnp tinkling # their sss stole in soft
and gentle harmony upon my ear, commenced my
descent on the side overlooking the eucampment
as some Of my party were nov restiHs themselves on
that part of the y ain. AS | descended started
flock OF birds very much resembling the plover or
peewit IN size and plumage; these simitudes OF a
bird which early "reminiscences make a iavorite OF
mine, Kept continually flying short distances in
advance CT me, 3nd slightng until came up again;
they appeared exceedingly tsme, and to have shot
some or tfem had been provided With gun,
would have been au easy matter. we were forced
to continue our weary march beyond the
all TIE water thai could be found IN the
neishboIhcod, or having, by driving 10 the
lullocks, made il unfit for use. little farther
the Gap Inn where the whole party refreshed
themselves with nobbess OF brandy and made pur-
chases OF bread and meat There Is no village here
II IS roadside inn or the outskirts Of the bash, and
distant about twenty-five miles from Melbourne We
found here patty of Deargoites who had preceded
Us, and had resche this place in the morning; but
their horses had given up, and they were forccj to
ercsmp for the day and night. We resumed our
march, and proceeded about halt mile further, when
having foupc some water. halted for dinner. Orr
party Immediately dig'ced Itself. Some went for
water, some for trewood. while Others spread
ont aud prepared The essentials. Not long
dinner ia course OF psraton, long we Ia
disposiDg of it. good dsal refreshed, &c retched
ourselves along tie green hill SIDE, aod in the full
ness CT our Enjoyment, patroDziDgly iniimsted 10
onr wsgoners, Patsy ard Pat that they might not
be in the least bury harDSssng. Patsy seemed con
sideraby struck with words aid air, aud ex
claimed, Husba thin sbai do you take me for at
ALL ard regardless OF our coaifort, Immediately
Commenced Harvesting. 10 less than an hour we
were again in motion; we were now proceeding
through the bush, wbtre travelling is much more
pleasant ana agreeable than on the plains We bad
LEFT behind About six miles from the Gap,
we elcamped for the night, When Patsy decided on
stopping, we turned off the line of road short dis.
tapce end selected the greepest aud incest spot
for an encampm.nt The evening vas delightful the
cool bret yes which bad blown all forenoon and aier.
noon bad DIED away, aud there a calmness acd
peaceulness resting on the periumed cir, which
delicious, while every object sround glo~ed in the
golden beams of the setting SUI. But there WAS
little time for The enjoyment of external objects,
water &as to be procured, but how where was the
question We inquired of a party who had lust
rested Il emselves, and we're absut renewing their
journey, Melbourne wards. After some directioos
myself and Sharpe, the Epelshman, volunteered To
30, expecting ~ meet with the described hole or
POND mile or / gave dire ,tions to have large
ir- blazing TO direct us on our return as 1t was al
ready getting oark. After about an hours staying
sEd stumbling about (there was no moon to guide
us,) at last succeeded In getting some water and
having filled cur turned faces in the direc
ticn Of the bivouac but at this time, in the neigh
borbood Of the encsmp merit there were twenty fires
burning on every side, which quite bcwildered IS,
aod we knew not where to turn. We got as Gloss to
fir a.
without being heard or seen. and than, as der-,e
'ssrf, gave the old familiar wbe0p, which to our
delight Was answered from the nearest watcnfre
As we came near l was struck with the strange and
hai dit looking appearance OF the group around the
fire. party Of twelve, wearing whskers and NOUS
taches, were s ting in front Of an immense fire,
soRe with their backs against fallen tree, others
stessy stretched In various attitudes on tue grass,
all with the red or blue outside shirt, the Californian
white or The broadleaed straw hat orDamented vith
green veil, broad black belts round their waists, ia
which hung prepared the neverfaipg Colts revolver
ard behind the knife and sheath, d Ia ndtsot, and
as they smoked and oled amongst each other Ia the
red gsre Of the blazing fire. they were the very i'm
peronston Of bigsnd band in their forrest retreat.
singing until a late hour. We did not put up our
tent, the night was delightful and Californian
blankets wrapped well around us, we committed our
selves to the good genius Of the bush and fell into
profound sleep, butbeore we did So we discharged
our revolver. This ceremony was performed by all
the different parties in the surrounding encampments,
and revolvers, rifles aud blunderbuses were dis
charged in all directions giving notice that all where
prepared TO repel the attack Of tie midnight ma
rsuders.
Wednesday-Staited from our bivouac at sunrise.
As il too far 10 go for water for breakfast Patsy
started Of at once The morning was beautiful in
the extreme. the linking oftbe bells upon the necks
OF the bulocEs and The loud reports Of the drovers
thongs as they cracked them, and with many
whDop and yell collected them together, broke the
silence OF the carly morning, and mingling with the
shr chat or OF the ma gpie, and the dsoordant
Of the laughing jsckass, echoeS far aud nesr
through. the Silent forest bush, and but Ill
accorded with the beauty of the surrounding
s'etery. After travelling sbrut an hour, Se
arrived at the Bush lun-now growing
up ard promising to become large village. On
my going up it contained only o few wooden shan
e- besides the inp and tents; but 1t ~ siuce
considerably improved, and there are nov mary
large wooden houses Ia course Of erection. There
are numerous tents along the plain, where live the
liborers, great number Of whom are here employed
on the road. We here purchased some bre,d aud