down, usually called the "Kyneton Road," is much shorter, and at all times better for foot-men, in consequence of the great number of accommodation houses which are situated along the whole road at about the rate of one to every two or three miles. The roads at this time of the year are in splendid condition, and, as there is abundance of grass and water, nothing can be more agreeable than travelling on them. There is no lack of public-houses, moreover, where the weary traveller may solace himself with a cheering cup, but for which he has to pay at rather a high rate: spirits and beer at nearly all the inns are 1s. 6d. per glass. Provisions, too, are far dearer than at the diggings. The four-pound loaf is 5s., and beef is 9d. per pound at the Bush Inn, which is only thirty-six miles from Melbourne.
On Wednesday morning we were up by day-break and on the road. We walked ten miles to the Robert Burns hotel, where we had breakfast, which, considering the price of things, was not very dear, being only 3s. Here we got a lift in a cart for £1 each as far as the Broad Meadow, which is within ten miles of Melbourne. The number of people whom we met on their way to the diggings was astonishing. Most of them were evidently new arrivals; and being unaccustomed to carrying heavy swags, many of them appeared to be quite worn out. More than one-half of those whom we met wore veils, and at a distance might easily be mistaken for women.
Women, too, there were in abundance bound for the gold-fields, many of them with large families, seemingly bent upon making the diggings their home for some time. The country through which we passed was most beautiful, being luxuriantly grassed and but lightly timbered. In fact it might be described as a succession of undulating plains, there being scarcely trees enough to relieve the scenery from the charge of monotony. We had dinner at the Columbine where there is a township, which seems rapidly progressing; wooden houses, some of them very elegant, springing up in all directions. The Columbine was running at the time with a considerable body of water, which was as clear as crystal. In the middle of summer, however, the country is completely parched up, and there is not a drop of water to be had on the road for miles. The government has at length bestirred itself with regard to the road, and there are now numerous parties at work metalling it. When approaching Kyneton, we met six men drawing a laden cart, arranged in the form of a wedge, one leading, two in the middle and three behind. This is no uncommon thing to see on the diggings, but it is rather unusual on the roads from Melbourne. They appeared to be a party of recent arrivals from England. We passed through Kyneton, which, since the diggings have commenced, has been making considerable progress, being the principal town between them and Melbourne. About three miles from Kyneton is Carlsruhe, where there is a large police-station. As we were passing there was a sergeant drilling about a dozen recruits, most of them boys, in every variety of costume, from the blue shirt to almost no shirt at all; but in this respect they are only like the rest of the Victorian police. It was impossible to refrain from laughter while watching their movements, which disrespect on our part caused the sergeant to look austere, although he said nothing. After going about three miles beyond Carlsruhe we camped for the night.
"Thursday morning we were on the road as soon as we had breakfast, and after travelling about three miles came to the entrance of the "Black Forest," of evil memory. During the more lawless days of the Victorian gold diggings, it was the custom for travellers to wait on the verge of the forest until a sufficient
