d, as a plea for
men resorting so much as they do to public-houses, that there are few
other places where they can meet and exchange talk with each other.

That everybody may thrive here who will, is evident from the utter
absence of beggars in Australia. I have not seen one regular
practitioner. An occasional "tramp" may be encountered hard up, and in
search of work. He may ask for assistance. He can have a glass of beer
at a bar, with a crust of bread, by asking for it. And he goes on his
way, most likely getting the employment of which he is in search at
the next township. The only beggars I ever encountered at Majorca are
genteel ones--the people who come round with lists, asking for
subscriptions in aid of bazaars for the building of churches and the
like. Nor did I find much of that horrid "tipping" which is such a
nuisance in England. You may "shout" a liquor if you choose, but
"tipping" would be considered an insult.

There is an almost entire absence of coppers up country; the lowest
change is a threepenny bit, and you cannot well spend anything under a
sixpence. I never had any copper in my pocket, except only a lucky
farthing. Many asked me for it, to keep as a curiosity, saying they
had never seen one since they left home. But I would not part with my
farthing.

FOOTNOTES:

[Footnote 6: The following is from Mr. Brough Smyth's book:--

"I need only now speak of Majorca. Here a prospecting shaft
was bottomed in the beginning of March, 1863, in the middle
of a very extensive plain, known as M'Cullum's Creek Plain.
The depth of the shaft was 85 feet, through thick clay,
gravel, and cement. The wash-dirt was white gravel,
intermixed with heavy boulders, on a soft pipeclay bottom;
its thickness being from 2 to 3 feet. It averaged in some
places 3 oz. to the load. Finally, a rush set in, and before
three months had elapsed there were more than 15,000 miners
on the ground. The sinking became deeper as the work went
on, and was so wet that whims had to be erected; and at one
time, in 1865, over 170 might have been seen at work, both
night and day. Subsequently steam machinery was procured,
and now no less than ten engines, varying from 15- to
20-horse power, are constantly employed in pumping, winding,
and puddling. The lead in its lower part is 160 feet in
depth, and is evidently extending towards the Carisbrook,
Moola