HISTORY OF THE DIGGINGS.
Sir R. Murchison, from observations at the Ural gold diggings, and his knowledge of the geology of New South Wales, concluded that in our eastern ridge the treasure would be found. The Rev. W. B. Clarke of Sydney, some years ago made a similar announcement, and in fact discovered gold in the valley of the Macquarie. Mr. Edward Hammond Hargraves arrived in Australia from California, resolving to find a gold field in our adopted land. On the 12th of February, 1851, he sighted the favored locality. Disappointed in his application for £500 bonus from government, he at length threw himself upon the liberality of the authorities, and made known the lucky spots on April 30th. The Government geologist reported favorably of the discovery, and Mr. Hargraves afterwards received £500 and an appointment of Commissioner of Crown Lands. The first party of diggers left Bathurst on May 6th. The scene of labor was Ophir, at the junction of the Summerhill Creek with the Lewis’ Ponds Creek, near the river Macquarie, and 30 miles from Bathurst. The Turon became known June 16th, and Louisa Creek the month after. The metal is now known to exist more or less from the Manero Plains to Moreton Bay. The Bathurst gold was found alloyed with silver in the proportion of 30 grains to an ounce. Platina and the precious stones are also found.
The Port Phillip people were alarmed at the good fortune of their neighbours. A gold committee offered a reward for the discovery of a gold field here. It was known that the precious material had been seen. The Clunes diggings were announced on July 8th, 1851. They were on Deep Creek, a tributary of the Loddon, 100 miles to the west of Melbourne. The Buninyong followed in August 9th, being 25 miles nearer our capital. But the great revelation was made at Ballarat, on September 8th, which was 75 miles from Melbourne and 54 from Geelong. On September 17th, the press declared that “Geelong is mad, stark staring gold mad.” The following “symptoms of insanity created some amusement at the time:—”
1. Rising early and proceeding to the creek, pulling the stones about, and washing the sand and gravel, then placing it in a box resembling a cradle, imagining the stones and sand to be achild of earth with golden hair; rocking the child to sleep; then taking the mud and gravel out, and putting it into anexpecting dish, mixing it with water and shaking it, all the while looking at the slush with the fondest solicitude for its safety; ultimately throwing it away with disgust, and assuming the appearance of intense disappointment.
2. Repeating the above strange proceeding day by day.
3. Troubled sleep at night, with frightful dreams of being pelted by Midas with lumps of gold, upwards of 106 lbs weight, and being unable to pick them up, or of smaller nuggets sticking anywhere, but in your breeches pocket.“
The wonderful Mount Alexander diggings were visited in September 10th. Bendigo followed soon after, but remained for a time in obscurity. The Jim Crow range diggings near the Loddon have recently attracted attention. The following licenses were taken out at Ballarat; in September 532, October 2261, November 885. At Mount Alexander there were in October 221, in November 4678. The number of late on the ground has ranged from 30,000 to 50,000. What will be the number on the return of the Colonial emigration in Spring, and on the advent of the English gold diggers? It is not easy to calculate the produce of the mines. In August last we exported 18 ounces, and for July it rose to 180,000 ounces. The escort is no criterion, as many men convey their gold to town themselves. The amount raised in 24 years from the only paying English gold mine in South America was worth £1,300,000. Only a few years ago the total value of the world’s gold was estimated at nine millions a year. Now Russia produces four millions and California above a dozen millions annually.
Australia is eagerly competing with the American El Dorado, and it is thought that in Victoria alone the yield for 1852 will very nearly equal that of California, if not exceed it. But how long are our Gold Fields to last? Some will talk of hundreds of years at the present amount. This is impossible. It is highly improbable that as they are now wrought they will continue twenty years. But even should they continue as briskly as ever for four or five years more, this colony will be placed upon a very comfortable footing. Even when the scrambling and wasteful diggings are over, and the lottery runs out, it will be discovered that judicious and systematic working of places not paying now, and even going over the old claims again, will in the hands of gold companies profitably employ a large population at excellent wages, or furnish individual miners a most respectable maintenance. Having then no fears of the future, we can with joyful voice exclaim, “Advance, Victoria.”
A few stories were given as connected with the discovery of certain gold localities. A shepherd was the first who brought gold to Melbourne from the Pyrenees. A boy at one of Dr. Barker’s huts, Mount Alexander, is said to have brought in some shining stuff which he had found to his father, and that originated a gold field. Gold districts have been made known by holes being dug for posts. A horse’s hoof, or the wheel of a dray, unfolds to view a glittering lump. A bullock driver spied a nugget at the foot of a tree; he scratched up a handful of beauties, and the gully was soon known as the rich Eagle Hawk. The celebrated Peg Leg Gully yielded its gold through the surfacing of a man whose wooden legs forbade him sinking. Part of Friar’s Creek became an Ophir through some passing shearers who washed some of its sands in a tin plate. Golden Gully, near there, gave up its hidden wealth through a man idly pulling up a root of grass, under which was a lovely nest of nuggets. Mr. Gibson is said to have been scratching with his knife on the banks of the Bendigo, and accidentally turned up a piece of gold. Telling his men, they feasted awhile by themselves upon this dainty repast. But I had another story given me, which I must tell, although conscious that there is a fearful scandal in it. Mr. Gibson’s shepherd there told his wife privately of the treasure. She told it in the strictest confidence of secresy to another woman, who conferred a similar favour upon a female neighbour of hers, who might in the fulness of her heart have bound a friend in the same ties of anti-revelation, and so it went on, I suppose, till a man knew it, for it soon got blazed about far and near.