I have not been there, but have seen the produce of that gold field, which outrivals even Ballarat. Hundreds of pounds weight have been picked up from the surface, after a shower of rain, and a friend of mine picked up 357. worth before breakfast. It is amazing to see the quantity daily. Capitalists are pretty well cleaned out already, and the banks are charging seven per cent. discount. It is proposed to raise a company of gold purchasers amongst the townsmen and diggers. There is stated to be a ton and a half of gold on the two gold fields, awaiting escort. Independent of these gold fields, new ones are springing up daily, and the produce of gold increases with every rising sun. The whole of the soil of the Geelong and neighbouring districts is surcharged with gold. It is as the Times said of the Corn Laws, a 'great fact. Government clerks have given notice of resignation, tradesmen are abandoning their business, policemen the protection of the public; in a word, the towns are migrating to the bush. Society is convulsed, servants have become masters, the world here is so turned upside down, and nothing is talked of but gold! gold! incessantly gold, and I, smitten with the fever, can write of nothing else. I would advise all parties doing indifferently at home, to scrape all together, and immigrate to Geelong. There is

room for thousands, every chance for doing well, and no remote prospect of making fortunes. Provisions are moderate, the gold fields are within. two or three days' journey of Geelong, and the inconveniency of a bush life is recompensed a thousand fold by the profits of gold digging."

*

:

An intelligent compositor, writing from Melbourne in November last, thus describes the effect of the discoveries above alluded to, and the state of affairs at that period in Melbourne :"Three or four weeks ago there was an overplus of printers; now there is not only not one out of work, but they cannot be got for love or money. There are nine wanted for government office, six for the Argus office, three for the Herald, and six for our place, the Daily News. You will, perhaps, be anxious to know the reason of all this; if you refer to the accompanying papers you will see that it is all owing to the diggings.' We have most extensive gold fields within sixty miles of us, a three days' journey, and it is to this field that most people are wending their way. In fact, such is the excitement in town, that no one is satisfied to remain behind, but off they must go to try their fortune.

"Last Saturday the armed escort came down

*The writer only alludes to his own trade, but the same result was apparent as regards every other branch of industry.

from Mount Alexander, and so heavy was the quantity of gold sent down, that two horses could not carry it, and they were obliged to employ a dray to convey it to town. The amount was the enormous sum of 200,000%., all collected (so it is said) in the course of one week. Such an amount was staggering, and it has given me even a touch of the gold fever, and I have made up my mind to join a party of three steady men who are about to go upthree who can be depended on. To this end I have written out my notice to leave, and in a fortnight from this I shall be on my way, if all is well, to the gold field. From this you will see how changeable things are here-one day here, another day there-no certainty. I know not how long we may remain at the diggings, but we take provisions for at least three months, so it is most likely you will not receive any letters from me for that time. When I return I will immediately send you word how we got on; and, if successful to any amount, will send you a good nugget' or two; if very successful, I would not mind taking a trip home again and then returning to Australia. Do not on any account make yourselves the least uneasy, as, if I am not successful, there is plenty of work in the town for the next two or three years."

The following letter, which was addressed to Mr. Wharton, of Claywood Cottage, Sheffield, gives a still more graphic account of the effect of the gold discovery :—

"You cannot conceive the revolution it has caused here. There are not less than 20,000 men gold digging, besides women and children, all of whom two months ago were in Melbourne or Geelong, at work in their proper trades; and now, save and except drapers, grocers, and ironmongers, we are at a dead stop. Two hands are worth five heads, and men who for a life have been slaving for 25s. or 20s. per week, are now earning 20%., 30l., 40l., or 50l., and as much as 60%. per week, digging up gold by pounds, picking it out in lumps with the point of a pocket-knife, and walking into a draper's shop, and clothing their wives and children in silks and satins, or fooling and drinking away their money in a style that would startle you Sheffielders out of your senses. We are paying 3s. for water, where we paid 1s.; 1s. 4d. for bread, where we paid 8d.; 6s. for carriage, where we paid 1s.; and so on, all the way through; while, on the other hand, we have a 6 government escort,' or conveyance, bringing every week into town, from the gold field, a ton of gold. We turn up our noses at California, and treat with contempt all the

other gold mines in the world. Ours lies on the surface, and after a shower of rain, you may see it with the naked eye, and a child can put in a spade, and dig that with his little hands in one minute, which many of you in England wear your eyes and heart in getting. The gold is found all over the country nearly, and there is enough to satisfy reasonably all the people that may come either in a direct or indirect way; and from the surface down to twenty feet in the ground, you may get more or less. It is a common thing to see in dozens of shop windows, and there is nothing else thought or talked of. It is worth 37. 17s. 10d. in England, and has been selling here at 37. 18. up to 31. 2s. 6d. It now has fallen to 27. 14s. 6d. per ounce, because, listen,-We have not sufficient money in the colony to buy it; there is so much of it brought, and likely to be brought, into the market. And now, you ask, what am I doing? Why, I am gold digging as soon as I can; I could not honourably go before, because I must attend to those who employ me: but now my occupation's gone,' and I am off as soon as possible, that is, as soon as I can find a suitable party; for, in this way we all go, in companies of three, four, five, or six, or more together, for mutual protection, as well as for increased labour. The gold is found in the