Passage back to
England, where, doubtless, he will swell the number of those whose lack
of success in the colonies, and vituperations against them, are only
equalled by their unfitness ever to have gone there.
Thursday was past in puddling and cradling, with rather better results
than on the first day, still it was not to our satisfaction, and on
Friday two pits were sunk. one was shallow, and the bottom reached
without a speck of gold making its appearance. The other was left over
till the next morning. This was altogether very disheartening work,
particularly as the expenses of living were not small. There were many,
however, much worse off than ourselves, though here and there a lucky
digger excited the envy of all around him. Many were the tricks
resorted to in order to deceive new-comers. Holes were offered for
sale, in which the few grains that were carefully placed in sight was
all that the buyer gained by his purchase.
A scene of this description was enacted this Friday evening, at a
little distance from us. The principal actors in it were two in number.
One sat a little way from his hole with a heap of soil by his
side, and a large tin dish nearly full of dirt in his hand. As he
swayed the dish to and fro in the process of washing, an immense
number of small nuggets displayed themselves, which fact in a loud tone
he announced to his "mate", at the same time swearing at him for
keeping at work so late in the evening. This digger, who was shovelling
up more dirt from the hole, answered in the same elegant language,
calling him an "idle good-for-nought." Every now and then he threw a
small nugget to the tin-dish-washer, loudly declaring, "he'd not leave
off while them bright bits were growing thick as taters underground."
"Then be d - - d if I don't!" shouted the other;" and I'll sell the hole
for two hundred yeller boys down."
This created a great sensation among the bystanders, who during the
time had collected round, and among whom was a party of three,
evidently "new chums."
"It shall go for a hundred and fifty!" again shouted the washer, giving
a glance in the direction in which they stood.
"Going for a hundred, tin-dish as well!" letting some of the
water run off, and displaying the gold.
This decided the matter, and one of the three stepped forward and
offered the required sum.
"Money down," said the seller; "these here fellers 'll witness it's all
reg'lar."
The money was paid in notes, and the purchasers were about to commence
possession by taking the tin-dish out of his hand.
"Wait till he's emptied. I promised yer the dish, but not the stuff in
it," and turning out the dirt into a small tub the two worthies
departed, carrying the tub away with them.
Not a grain of gold did the buyers find in the pit next morning.
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 2. - This day found the four hard at work at an early
hour, and words will not describe our delight when they hit upon a
"pocket" full of the precious metal. The "pocket was situated in a dark
corner of the hole, and William was the one whose fossicking-knife
first brought its hidden beauties to light. Nugget after nugget did
that dirty soil give up; by evening they had taken out five
pounds weight of gold. Foolish Richard! we all regretted his absence at
this discovery.
As the next day was the Sabbath, thirty-six hours of suspense must
elapse before we could know whether this was but a passing kindness
from the fickle goddess, or the herald of continued good fortune.
This night, for the first time, we were really in dread of an attack,
though we had kept our success quite secret, not even mentioning it to
our shipmates; nor did we intend to do so until Monday morning, when
our first business would be to mark out three more claims round the
lucky spot, and send our gold down to the escort-office for security.
For the present we were obliged to content ourselves with "planting"
it - that is, burying it in the ground; and not a footstep passed in our
neighbourhood without our imagining ourselves robbed of the precious
treasure, and as it was Saturday night - the noisiest and most riotous at
the diggings - our panics were neither few nor far between. So true it is
that riches entail trouble and anxiety on their possessor.
Chapter VIII.
AN ADVENTURE
SUNDAY 3. - A fine morning. After our usual service Frank, my brother,
and myself, determined on an exploring expedition, and off we went,
leaving the dinner in the charge of the others. We left the busy throng
of the diggers far behind us, and wandered into spots where the sound
of the pick and shovel, or the noise of human traffic, had never
penetrated. The scene and the day were in unison; all was harmonious,
majestic, and serene. Those mighty forests, hushed in a sombre and
awful silence; those ranges of undulating hill and dale never yet
trodden by the foot of man; the soft still air, so still that
it left every leaf unruffled, flung an intensity of awe over our
feelings, and led us from the contemplation of nature to worship
nature's God.
We sat in silence for some while deeply impressed by all around us,
and, whilst still sitting and gazing there, a change almost
imperceptibly came over the face of both earth and sky. The forest
swayed to and fro, a sighing moaning sound was borne upon the wind, and
a noise as of the rush of waters, dark massive clouds rolled over the
sky till the bright blue heavens were completely hidden, and then, ere
we had recovered from our first alarm and bewilderment, the storm in
its unmitigated fury burst upon us.
