|
This extract is taken from Australia Visited and Revisited. A Narrative of Recent Travels and Old Experiences in Victoria and New South Wales, by Samuel Mossman and Thomas Bannister, Addey and Co., London, 1853.
pp. 179-190.
“WHEN the discovery of gold in Australia was publicly announced by Mr. Hargraves - with whose name we shall always couple the merit of demonstrating this great fact to the world, notwithstanding the claims of scientific men for the honour, for we consider him the practical man who pointed out the way to the gold-fields, - when this gentleman first published the names of the various localities where he had been successful in finding gold, many intelligent settlers in other parts of the colony ascertained the nature and description of the rocks occurring in the vicinity of the deposits, and immediately set to work in their own localities to search for the hidden treasure, instead of flocking with the multitudes to the Bathurst mountains, concluding wisely that these comprised only a small section of the great mountain-chain where it existed. Like the industrious tenants of an Australian ant-hill suddenly roused, the whole community of bushmen became alive amongst the rocks and valleys of the colony. Stock-whips and shepherds’ crooks were thrown aside for pickaxes and shovels, with which adventurous men might be seen exploring the gold region, and with what success is now well known to the world. Amongst other localities which have not only equalled but surpassed in richness the original gold-field at Summer-hill Creek, those of Braidwood and Araluen are not the least productive; and as we were at this stage of our journey within a short distance of them, we resolved upon paying them a visit.
“The distance from Mr. Murray’s [Murray’s Parliamentary Career] residence at Winderadeen [ also spelt Winderradeen; near Collector see also RTA listing] to the town of Braidwood is about thirty-six miles. For two-thirds of the way the country may be described as hilly, with rocks jutting out occasionally, intersected by veins of mineral quartz and iron-stone; and here and there you meet with with granite boulders. These hills are thinly timbered by gum and iron-bark trees, with here and there belts of dense brushwood, alternating with some fair land for sheep-walks; and half-way on the road, at Mr. Hyland’s, of the ‘Long Swamp,’ a considerable extent of good land free from trees, well-grassed, and finely-watered. The homestead at this station is that of a substantial farmer. Further on you come to Arnprior, the estate of Mr. Ryrie in the county of Murray, on the Shoalhaven River, about 152 miles from Sydney. Here there is a considerable quantity of land enclosed, but the property is not highly esteemed; gold has been found upon it, however; and we sincerely hope that it will ultimately be of great value to its possessors. From this spot the remaining twelve miles of the road is through a good open forest country, which must soon become valuable land, as there seems now to be no doubt but that the country within the vicinity of Braidwood is exceedingly rich in mineral wealth, and that therefore the population which continues flocking to it from remote districts will create a large town in time; and this rich country in arable land and pasture, as well as in the precious metals, must become densely peopled [Aboriginal History of the Area].
“As the discovery of gold draws the population away from districts and towns where it is not found, to those localities where it abounds in large quantities, towns will spring up in favourable situations among those mountain districts, which, unless such a discovery has been made, would have taken years, perhaps generations, to attract a numerous population to their out-of-the-way situations. Braidwood is one of those spots, situated among the mountain-ranges of the great cordillera some 2000 feet above the level of the sea, to which multitudes of people from the low countries have resorted in pursuit of the one great object - gold ! It is finely situated on Mankitee Creek [Monkitee Creek], under the mountain Jillamatong, within the county of St. Vincent, a hundred and sixty-four miles from Sydney. Before the gold-discovery it contained about fifty houses, and three hundred inhabitants; now we should say in its vicinity there may be found as many thousands. It is only twelve miles from the gold-diggings at Major’s Creek, and something more from those of Bell’s Creek and the Araluen gold-fields. This small village, therefore, was becoming a place of considerable importance when we passed through it; all was activity; every one was looking forward with hope; and property in the neighbourhood was rising in value. Every day brought intelligence of fresh discoveries, all tending to prove that the whole district was exceedingly rich in gold, and it was said in other minerals also. So, what with the beauty and fertility of the surrounding country, and the rich mineral treasures to be found, there seems to be little doubt but that the prosperity of this quarter will be permanent.
“Before visiting any portion of the gold-fields, we proceeded through Braidwood to Mr. Wallace’s of Nithsdale, situated on the right bank of the Shoalhaven River, sixteen miles distant. This river divides the counties of Murray, Argyle, and Camden from St. Vincent, taking its rise in the district of Maneroo [Monaro], from whence it flows in a northerly direction parallel with the coast, until it passes through one of the Shoalhaven gullies, where it flows into the sea at Coolangatta, about a hundred miles from Sydney. The road we were directed to take was little better than a rough bush-track, of which there were amny intersecting and branching from each other at the outskirts of the town, rendering it difficult for a stranger to follow the right path; and so it happened; we had not proceeded far when when we found that we had taken the wrong one. As it turned out, we were not at all disappointed at our mistake; for we thereby had an opportunity of passing through Farringdon, a fine property on the left bank of the river, belonging to Sir Charles Nicholson, the Speaker of the Legislative Council, situated at the foot of Mount Ebrington, [Mount Elrington] - a magnificent object in the landscape seen from the spot where you ford the river. This is a large, and will become exceedingly valuable estate, not only from the abundance and richness of the alluvial land it possesses for agricultural purposes, but from the extent of its grazing-land for cattle; and it would appear, from what we heard, that the mineral wealth of the country extended to the mountain-ranges near it. There are considerable improvements already going on within its boundaries, and much greater are in progress. In a happily-chosen spot at the entrance of a valley or gully leading into the high-lands is a grassy knoll commanding an extensive view of the valley and the broad flats on the banks of the river; upon this knoll a residence is being built, and, when finished, this spot, in the course of time, will become one among the choice places in New South Wales that will attract the stranger.
“From Sir Charles Nicholson’s to Mr. Wallace’s, at Nithsdale, on the opposite or eats bank of the Shoalhaven River, is about five miles, the road passing through rich grassy land until you again ford the river, where it is a clear running stream, and then in a couple of miles more you arrive at Nithsdale. Mr. Wallace was in his shearing-shed superintending his shearers, when we arrived; the operations of sheep-shearing, washing, and wool-sorting requiring the attendance of the proprietor. Nithsdale, though not so picturesque place as Farringdon, is well situated; and it has also the advantage of commanding a view of Mount Ebrington [Mount Elrington] and a range of mountains, at the back of which are the Manerro Plains [Monaro Plains]. This residence is built in the cottage style, with the back of it towards the river, having in front one of the finest gardens in the colony, regularly planned out by one evidently skilled in horticulture, and possessing every kind of European fruit, besides a few from warmer regions. At this altitude, although in latitude 35 degrees, the climate is cool, enabling the proprietor to grow currants and gooseberries; at the same time, it is exposed to summer frosts, in common with all these mountain ranges, even as far north as the tropics in Australia. Mr. Wallace is well known throughout the colony for his kindness and hospitality to strangers; and we had another opportunity, at his delightful residence, of seeing a colonist fully employed upon his estate in the multiplicity of occupations which an Australian settler has to attend to, although in these times they are much interfered with. He was about building a more substantial residence than the one he had hitherto occupied. This is the usual course of successful men in Australia: they commence with a little, and, backed by industry and perseverance, they prosper; as soon as they have taken firm root in the country, and can spare the means, they then erect habitations in the wilderness they have reclaimed, which, as we have already stated, would be creditable in any part of England for the residences of country gentlemen or substantial farmers. A stop, however, was put to Mr. Wallace’s intentions for the present, from the scarcity of workmen and the high wages demanded. The change brought about by the gold-discovery in this respect had made it unwise for the time to enter upon any building project or other improvement that required the labour of many hands; consequently the means he had provided and laid apart for the purpose of erecting a permanent dwelling were likely to be employed in speculating in gold. Men must go along with the general movement thus, no matter in what sphere of life they move, or they and their families will not keep their places in the social scale. It is all very well to say that ‘Jack is as good as his master’ in the scramble for gold; in one sense he has always been so, and will be so long as each depends upon his bodily strength and luck at the diggings; but in the race for fortune, which has now begun under a new phase in this new country, the same faculties that raised most of the leading men to their present position will carry them on foremost in the race. And as it would appear that the great mass of mankind are destined to be hewers of wood and drawers of water, after a short time matters in these gold regions will go on much as usual; men will find their places in the community best suited to them for the benefit of all classes of society.
“We met here a brother of our host’s, Dr. Wallace, well known throughout all circles of Sydney society as the most attentive and amiable practitioner in the city. Alas ! poor man, he was suffering in the last stage of consumption [pulmonary tuberculosis], with no hope before him; and since then he has been relieved from his earthly troubles [Dr. Wallace died at Nithsdale on the 23rd of January 1852, in his early forties]. He was a most agreeable and superior man; and though one felt sad at beholding the wreck of such a noble vessel in the prime of life, yet the resignation with which he bore his fate commanded our respect in the highest degree, and was a lesson to us to bear with fortitude the ills to which our nature is subject.
“On the following morning we left the hospitable dwelling of Mr. Wallace; and his poor sick brother most kindly shewed us part of the way to Major’s-Creek diggings, distant from Braidwood about twelve miles. We pursued the path round the side of Mount Ebrington [Mount Elrington], and managed again to take the wrong track, which led us to the side of a rocky range, separating the waters that fall into the Shoalhaven River from those that flow into Major’s Creek. However, we gained the right path, after catching a view of Mount Ebrington [Mount Elrington], which served as a guide, by which we threaded our way thorugh brushwood, crossing ridges of rough and barren hills, until we emerged from a forest upon some enclosures of cleared ground. We had now reached the property of Mr. [Andrew] Badgery, the proprietor of the Major’s-Creek gold-fields, which are two miles distant from his residence. Following a well-beaten road from Braidwood, we kept along the fences of Mr. Badgery’s cultivated land, and in due time came to where there were said to be nearly 900 persons at work in and around the creek. Every one was said to have been successful, more or less, in finding gold, and some were realising large sums of money. At Major’s Creek the land is particularly good, and the country around is a very fine open forest, with plenty of grass of the best description, possessing fattening properties; in proof of which we may mention, that the finest fat cattle which used to arrive in the Sydney market were sent from this property. Alas for the Sydney people ! unless matters change greatly, it will be some time before they will receive any more of them. There is now collecting a multitude of people on the spot, who will soon consume the produce of this and many other estates in the neighbourhood, at prices remunerative to the stockholder, without the expense attendant upon driving the animals such a distance to market.
“The trees about Major’s Creek are the white-gum and wolly-butt, with some stringy-bark upon the back-land. The rocks are chiefly granitic, and the soil at the banks of the creek a dark mould. The gold is here found in granite in a state of decay or disintegration; we think that geologists call it at this particular locality hornblende granite, among which it occurs in finer particles, and is of a darker hue than that found at the first discovered spots on the Turon and at Ophir, where the matrix is quartz. We were somewhat pleased at this fact of gold being found in granite; for upon our mentioning to one of the learned, during our travels, that we had seen what appeared to us to be granite near a rich deposit of gold, we were politely corrected, and assured that it could not be granite, as gold was never found in that formation. However, Major’s Creek, and the fold-fields about Braidwood, prove that it is not well to be too confident. Not only had this locality disproved the assertions of learned pundits in this respect, but it has completely upset the conclusions that a gold country must necessarily be an unfertile country; for here the land is very excellent for cultivation immediately above the gold alluvium. Altogether the Major’s-Creek discovery has puzzled those who assume to know more than others do about the hidden treasures of Australia, and of nature generally.
“At this spot ‘the diggings’ are upon private property; and the profit to the proprietor of the land is half the monthly license fee of 30s. from each person at work[Gold Digging at Badgery’s]. We have mentioned that the fortunate possessor of this estate is Mr. Badgery; who, besides receiving this ample income from his land, realises large profits by supplying the diggers with butcher’s meat and all sorts of necessaries from his store. In this he is assisted by Mrs. Badgery; a tidy, clever, bustling little woman, who, though probably never before accustomed to such an occupation, was, under the circumstances, quite equal to the task; in fact, what a wife should be, particularly in this young community - a helpmate to her husband. We heard an opinion of her, expressed loudly to himself, from a huge fellow who was leaning his heavy shoulders against the door-post, and watching her. ‘Ah !’ said he, ‘that’s what I call a nugget of a wife.’ Now, Such of our readers as may not know what a ‘nugget’ is, we beg to inform them that it is a smooth, water-worn piece of shining gold, varying from the size of a pea to a large turnip, and what the Californian and Australian gold-diggers consider the most satisfactory thing imaginable to possess. To liken Mrs. Badgery to a ‘nugget,’ was in his mind the greatest compliment he could possibly pay her.
“Bell’s Creek diggings are situated below Major’s Creek, and farther down you come to those at Araluen River; the two former creeks may be considered the sources of the latter stream, which is a tributary of the Deua River, and forms a branch of the Moruya River, which flows into the sea 190 miles south of Sydney, in the vicinity of Broulee. These auriferous streams intersect the table-land around Braidwood; and for several miles below the junction of Bell’s Creek with the Araluen the rocks are mostly granite. Below that again we were informed that there is a great deal of clay slate. The altitude of these deposits is not less than 1500 feet above the level of the sea, although scarcely a degree of longitude from the coast. The country in many places has a most park-like appearance, particularly at Araluen Vale, where all concur in describing the scenery as very fine and beautiful. Time did not admit of our going through these localities, in which large bodies of people were at work. We were informed that precious stones had been found amongst the gold, which were then in the possession of a jeweller in Sydney. Certainly this gold-finding, with such discoveries added to it, has become a most exciting employment. In the fortunes which turn up to some, it becomes a species of gambling, and the feeling which prompts the many to encounter the task is the same that moves the gambler. But there is this difference; the gambler, in addition to the love of gold, conducts his labours under the influence of the worst passions of our nature, and is often tempted to commit frauds upon his fellow-creatures; whereas the gold-digger, earns his prize nuggets by the sweat of his brow. This is a very important difference, as it seems to us; and it is our hope that the result to the fortunes of the two classes will be as great.
“We returned to Braidwood, and journeyed from thence to Arnprior, where we met a minister of the Scottish church, a Mr. [William] Ross [of Goulburn], who was on his way to the diggings, attracted by a sense of duty for the good of others. From Arnprior we started for Springfield, the estate of William Pitt Faithful. a distance of thirty-four miles, passing Boro on the way. The road goes through a very poor and scrubby country as far as the latter place, some sixteen miles distant. There is but one spot, about half-way in a valley, where there was any land worth attention; and as some persevering settler had built a neat house upon it, with some improvements, we inferred that there was some better land away from the track than that through which we passed. Before you come to Boro, which is merely a public-house [see also], there is a little tolerably good pasture-land, near a creek, which at this time of the year is a chain of ponds. We saw some sheep feeding about in good order. In a few miles after leaving Boro, the aspect of the country improves greatly, and as you approach Springfield it becomes very fine. This place is within twelve miles of Goulburn, and probably it may challenge New South Wales for order, and, as far as we could perceive, good management. The name is most appropriate, and there are few places that will bear comparison with it. It possesses almost very advantage in position, climate, in the lay of the land, and the richness of the soil; and what is beyond all price, we were informed that in the severest droughts there was always plenty of water. Nature here has left but little for man to do; the ground is in large open spaces ready for the plough, with grass of the finest description upon it for the support of cattle.
“Mr. Faithful, who was the first colonist to tread its greensward. at once fixed upon it for his future residence. The house and premises are situated upon a rising ground towards one side of a circle formed by hills, more or less distant. The higher hills are densely wooded, and look dark in the landscape; but the lower ones are only thinly timbered with the low-flooded gum, which affords ample shade. Upon the wide open flat around there are many clumps of trees, clear from underwood, while the ground is thickly covered with grass. Though surrounded by hills, the view is not confined, for over these wooded undulations you see other hills beyond, and again high mountains in the distance, in some places finely broken in the outline. The different shades occasioned by this variety of distance produce a very beautiful effect. Through one of these undulations the house is seen from the road. The diameter of what may be called the inner circle we should calculate to be about four miles. How large the whole estate is we so not know; judging from the number of sheep upon it, it must be very extensive, and valuable from the quality of the land. All the grazing and agricultural paddocks around the homestead are well fenced in, and every part about it has so much the appearance of comfort and order that we could imagine ourselves upon some well-managed large farm in England. The stables, the barns, and all the other buildings suitable for a farm of this magnitude, are most substantial. The garden is perfect of its kind; there are fruit-trees of every sort that will stand the climate, such as the peach, nectarine, loquat, apple, and the pear, with a beautiful show of flowers. Here we saw three siloes for storing grain, such as were constructed by the Egyptians to prepare for a dearth of corn in the land, which has often occurred in New South Wales, and may happen again during a long-continued drought. They are deep wells cut in solid rock, hermetically sealed, and shaped like a seltzer-bottle inside. One of them contained 1500 bushels of wheat. The place they were in was well chosen, and they were built in a workmanlike manner. Mr. Faithful said they answer the purpose admirably. It was impossible not to be struck with the difference in the appearance of such estates as this where the proprietor is resident, from those where he is not - the latter belonging to Sydney merchants, and the former possessed by bona-fide settlers. The dwelling-house on this estate is built in the cottage style, having been added to from time to time; it is the original house, and looks as if it had done its work; and the time has arrived for another to replace it, which we saw already being commenced. Perhaps, however, like all prudent men, its excellent proprietor will be in no hurry to continue in the present state of the labour-market.
“Leaving this beautiful residence, we once more pursued our way towards the main road, in the direction of Goulburn. The distance from Springfield to this town is twelve miles, over open plains, with the exception of a few trees on the higher parts of them to the left of the road; they were well grassed, and plenty of water on them. But again we were informed that this was a most favourable season; that often water was not to be procured upon them, and sometimes there was not a blade of grass. These plains are known as the Goulburn Plains, called by the aborigines Mulwarre: they contain from 25 to 30,000 acres of land clear of trees. Through them runs the Mulwaree and Wollondilly rivers, at the junction of which, nearly in the midst of these plains, si situated the town of Goulburn, 125 miles from Sydney. Before the gold-discovery it contained nearly 1400 inhabitants. It possesses upwards of 250 houses, of which 140 are built of stone and brick. Some of the public buildings would be ornamental in the largest cities of these colonies; and the hotels and shops are equally elegant. It has postal communication with Sydney four days in the week. Once a week there is published in it a very creditable newspaper, called the Goulburn Herald. It is the town of most importance in the district of the same name, which embraces the southern portion of the county of Georgiana, and the whole of the county of Argyle, a police district which contained upwards of 6000 inhabitants before the gold-discovery. Now, however, most of the men have left; and one of the questions which interest the people of Goulburn is, the effect this wonderful discovery will have upon their town, which had risen to a state of great prosperity entirely through the industry of the colony and the wealth of its flocks and herds. Its sprightly little newspaper thus consoles its readers : ‘The once busy, bustling town of Goulburn, is now reduced to a heretofore unknown state of quietude. Shops are lacking customers, some are closed; men are scarce; husbands have left their wives and families; servants have quitted their employment; in short, nearly all who could go have packed up and are off for the diggings around Braidwood. Success has crowned the labours of nearly all who quitted Goulburn for the gold regions in the neighbourhood. While we can deeply sympathise with the poor, bereaved, unhappy wives, and lament the apparent desertion of the male population, we can pleasantly console ourselves with the idea, that the ebb of its inhabitants will be succeeded by a flood of wealth and prosperity which those who have left it will bring back with them to their homes and families; but the present deserted condition of the town will not only be interrupted by the return of those who belong to it, but by thousands of others who will necessarily repair there as the general rendezvous of the southern diggings. We anticipate much. The good times are coming.’
Whether these prospects will be realised for this pleasant little town or not, time will shew; we wish the enterprising people of Goulburn all success.....”
|
