Another Of These Was An Architect, Who
Was Driven, As It Were, To The Diggings, Because His Profession, From
The
Scarcity of labour, was at the time almost useless in Melbourne.
The third was, or rather had been, a house-
Painter and decorator, who
unfortunately possessed a tolerably fine voice, which led him gradually
to abandon a good business to perform at concerts. Too late he found
that he had dropped the substance for the shadow; emigration seemed his
only resource; so leaving a wife and large family behind, he brought
his mortified vanity and ruined fortunes to begin the world anew with
in Australia. He was the only one whose means prevented him from taking
a share in our venture; but to avoid confusion, the Scotchman
subscribed twice the usual sum, thus securing double Profits.
The fourth was a gentleman farmer, whose sole enemy, by his account,
was Free Trade, and who held the names Cobden and Bright in utter
detestation.
As soon as the tents were pitched, all set to work to unpack the dray:
and after taking out sufficient flour, sugar, tea, &c., for use, the
remainder of the goods were taken to the nearest store, where they were
sold at an average of five times their original costs: the most
profitable portion of the cargo consisted of some gunpowder and
percusion-caps. The day after, by good fortune, we disposed of the dray
and horses for 250 pounds, being only 40 pounds less than we paid for
them.
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