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on to Ballarat. T h e ladies were conveyed, some in a four-horse waggon like a brake, driven by Thomas, who, not only being a good doctor, was an excellent whip; whilst others were piloted by Mr. Lloyd Jones, in a two-horse carriage. Mrs. B r, another lady, Bunbury, and A'Beckett, travelled on horseback, and thefirstmentioned was thrown, but not hurt. In the evening w e got to Staughton's, where w e were hospitably entertained. T h e next day w e went via Griffith and Greene's Station to Labillieres, and on the way the pole of the principal vehicle broke several times, in consequence of the steep gullies to be got through, and the pole not yielding as Yankee poles do. The author of the well-known works on Australia, young Labilliere, was there, a precocious over-learned boy, with a strong Irish brogue. In the course of the next day's journey, rearward of the house w e had to ascend a very steep hill to get to Ballan, and the ascent of this was the finest piece of driving I ever witnessed. All the ladies had to walk up the hill, and at the summit was a stiff pinch for about fifty yards, with a narrow track only wide enough for one vehicle, and on the other side was a steep precipice of some hundred feet. Dr. T h o m a s had to get his four horses up this, and then turn the leaders before the wheelers to avoid going down the precipice. H e had taken the cross-country route, instead of the ordinary and present roadway, to escape the traffic and crowds which had cut up the thoroughfare ; but at Ballan, I think, w e must have joined the main track. O n w e went that night until dark, and had to put up with the bush, where w e had the enjoyment of good fires. When morning broke, w e had the mortification to learn that some of the horses were lost, but found after some trouble and delay, when w e started, and soon succeeded in making old Inglis's Station at Lai Lai; after this w e went right into Ballarat, where the diggings had only recently broken out. For miles the place was nothing but holes and quartz pebbles, tents, tin pans, and cradles for gold washing—no such object to be seen as a house. W e were cheered as w e passed along, being, no doubt, thefirstpleasure party that had ever visited a gold-field in Victoria. W e met with several Melbourne identities, who had temporarily abandoned their businesses and professions to try their luck there, such as Frank Stephen and his party, Alex. Hunter, J. B. Bennett, Solicitor, and others. W e slept at the camp, the ladies, if I mistake not, being accommodated on flour bags. There can be doubt that, at the time, the diggers knew but very little of the gold they found. I saw one of them offer a nugget as large as a walnut for £ 5 ; it must have been worth at least ,£20. T h e camp was on Golden Point (a contrast now and then). W e left there for Buninyong, and had it very rough all the way to Geelong. W e stopped for the night at a public-house kept by a Mrs. Jamieson, sleeping on chairs in the bar, and a large table in a room. T h e next night w e were more comfortably housed at Meredith, and finished off at Ceelong about the tenth day out. Next morning w e returned to Melbourne per steamer; but I cannot say whether Dr. T h o m a s despatched the traps and horses by road to Melbourne or not. This is all I can remember of the affair." The " R e d Rover" coach was now running between Ballarat and Geelong, and both it and the conveyance from Melbourne had rough times of it, in consequence of the manner in which the two main roads were ploughed up. Travelling by coach was then queer and ricketty work, from the frequent sticking in the "glue pots," the getting in and out of passengers up and down hill, the breaking of poles, snapping of harness, plunging, kicking, and stopping of horses, and other trifles too numerous to particularize. T h e following description of life at the diggings on 13th October is from the pen of Mr. Henry Lineham, once a proprietor of the well-known White Hart Hotel, Bourke Street •— "Picture to yourself a space of ground covered with tents! Thousands at work! Cradles, barrows, and pickaxes all going together ! Shouting, laughing and singing ! Such a confusion and a noise that you are bewildered! A n d then at night, all lighted up with about a thousand fires; and then old acquaintances, dressed in red shirts, and with long beards, tailors with moustachios, doctors, and tinkers, all working together. Picture to yourself Dr. Campbell carrying soil on his head in a tin dish, -n . T 1 1 . and Dal. Campbell rocking a cradle- next to him ic n„v 0 c ,„~ 1 • T. 1 ., T ,8 ' uext l0 n i m 1S> Uykes working. But I have done. D o not come! Stay at h o m e until I send for you ; and when I do that, be sure that I have found a Golden Mountain." A publican named Woodlock arrived in Melbourne on the 15th, from Ballarat, with a lump of gold weighing 8 lbs the largest single nugget yet found. It was exhibited for a few days at the Horse and Jockey Tavern in Little Bourke Street East, and the landlord m a d e a good thing