n the almost dry bed of the creek,
which formed the main street of the village. Here the miners dwelt for
years, until the waters rose one night into a foaming flood, which
destroyed the houses and swept away several of their inhabitants.

In 1845 Burra Burra was a lonely moor; in 1850 it was bustling with men,
and noisy with the sounds of engines, pumps and forges. Acres of land
were covered with the company's warehouses and offices, and the handsome
residences of its officers; behind these there rose great mounds of
blue, green, and dark-red ores of copper, worth enormous sums of money.
Along the roads eight hundred teams, each consisting of eight bullocks,
passed constantly to and fro, whilst scores of ships were employed in
conveying the ore to England. From this great activity the whole
community could not but derive the utmost benefit, and for a time South
Australia had every prospect of taking the foremost place among the
colonies.

#5. Governor Robe.#--In 1841 Governor Grey had been of the greatest
service to the colony in changing the state of its prospects, but he was
not permitted to see more than the commencement of its great prosperity;
for, in 1845, he was sent to govern New Zealand, where troubles had
arisen similar to those which he had helped to cure in South Australia.
His place was filled by Colonel Robe, a military gentleman, of what is
called the old school, honourable and upright, but inclined to think
that everything ought always to be as it has been. He disliked all
innovation, and did what he could to prevent it, much to the discontent
of the young and thriving colony, which was of necessity the scene of
constant and rapid changes. He passed a very troublous time for three
years, and in 1848 was heartily glad to be recalled.

#6. Governor Young.#--The colony was then placed under the care of Sir
Henry Young, whose policy was completely the reverse. He sought by every
means in his power to encourage the ceaseless activity of the people.
His failing was, perhaps, an injudicious zeal for progress. For
instance, in his desire to open up the river Murray to navigation, he
wasted large sums of money in schemes that proved altogether useless. He
made an effort to remove the bar at the mouth of the river, but fresh
deposits of sand were constantly being brought down by the current, and
lashed up into a new bar by the waves that rolled ceaselessly in from
the Southern Ocean. He spent about L20,000