The Delaware herald., 1854-06-28
Life in the Australian mines.

AllO al Ill6 huSIIdIldu u4lUSS,
An intelligent American who is seeking, and
we trust finding, his fortune in the Australian
Gold Mines, is writing to the Williamsburg
Times, a series of letters, in which labor and
society at the Mines are described with good
deal of tact and skill. From his last letter,
dated at Forest Creek, Australia, we extract
the following:
The only amusement in our vicinity is Cir
Gus, and slngularly enough the only amusement
that coarse minds enjoy; Of course the pro-
gramme is the same over and over again, but
many diggeFs miss not a single night, and laugh |
as heartily at Wltlcsm the thousandth time, |
as when they first heard it. The negro melo-
dies are just imported, and are creating sem
sation. AprOpos of negroes, the colored peo-
pie almost without exception are doing well
here; they are lucky as diggers, and always
find employment as cooks, at good wages
Close by us, two black men took out eighteen
thousand dollars from their claim. Mrs. Stoves
work having reached the colony, good deal of
sympathy is manifested for the colored people
who come from America, while those from the
East Indies perish like animals. The first step
of colored man, when he arrives, is to get
married to q white woman, and pretty one at
that. Sundays, no black man is seen without
a white lady hanging on his arm. If the Eng
lsh men We're only one-half as democratic as
the English women, Victoria would SOON be
Republic. ] asked a very respectable looking
woman why she marrleda colOred man, and she
replied, a" because he would treat Inc better than
an Engishman; all the Americans do" Do
what "Why, treat women we'll" What
makes you think so! 81 see it there are
good many Americans about here married and
they do not strike or kick their wives" Isaid,
in England the laboring men always give their
money TO their wives; i'll America they seldom
do. | thought that great compliment to the
women. She replied May be that is what
makes the laborlng classes so poor i'll England ;
at any rate would sooner be the rife Of a
black man than the slave of a white one; be-
sides, my husband is just as much Of an Aneri-
J can as you are; he was born in the State of
Massachusetts,. lsuppose you thought to shame
me; but no, do not feel ashamed" That,
madam, is very evident; you probably have the
same idea of shame that a blind man has OF
colors. "Well, you are a gentleman, amt
you!" | think so, and presume you TO be a
lady, from the exquisite delic ICY of your taste.
Z" Yes have you read Uncle Toms Cabin -
} There now" Yes, replied. "Well what do
you think of it--of Mrs. Stowe 3" Why, |
think Mrs. Stowe has made more money out OF
the niggers than any slave-dealer that ever
lived.
This slavery question meets native of the
Republic at every turn, and all opportunity il
never let slip to throw it in our teeth-thel
}, think they have us on that, but | think it il
rather compliment to us, seeing it is the only
d thing they can bring against us, if | can use
such a term; but whatever mans opinion may
be at home, here he is a slavery man. Not one
American in a thousand but advocates slavery
u when talking to John Bull. Ialways "go in
: for slavery, and having seen the rules of the
l. English in 4 number Of their remote possessions
| can generally resort with interest, particular
ly when | aIlude to the aboriginalS of thi
e colony, who have been and are slain like wilC
+ beasts. One squatter who was annoyed very
'f much by their begging, determined to rid him
e self of them, and invited all far and near t.
n come to feast; they came, all ages and bot
rs sexes, and were plentlfully supplied wit
ID poisoned bread-twO Thousand died, and nov
o natives shun the place, calling it "no goo
Al damper ground" Society here is at its loves
x ebb-few are married, the diggers preierrin
2, Inistresses to wives: they go to Melbourne an
rs hire women for from three to ten dollars pc
I'd week--llve with them until they wish
r change, and then get another. The women al
l. treated most shametully, beaten and kicke
IN about worse than slaves. | speak now OF tn
ut best but there are females who drink to e.
cess-dsgusting creatures--that lie dow
to where night overtakes them. Sometimes
re woman takes a notion to leave, and then hi
>" lord gives her terrible beating, which answe
lie for divorce, and they remain good frient
ly "My Master"