plying,
afford a more comfortable mode of transit.

The gold diggings of New South Wales are so well known as to
require but a cursory notice. The first official notification of the
fact of gold having been discovered bears date, May 22, 1851, and is
contained in a despatch from the Governor to Earl Grey. In it he
announced the existence of a gold field to the westward of Bathurst,
about one hundred and fifty miles from Sydney. At the same time, he
added his supposition that the gold sent for inspection was Califorian.

Mr Stutchbury, the geological surveyor, quickly undeceived his
Excellency. He wrote from Hill Creek reporting that four hundred
persons were hard at work, and that the gold existed not only in the
creek but beyond it. The following postscript was added to his letter:
"Excuse this being written in pencil, as there is no ink in this city
of Ophir." And this appropriate name has ever since been retained.

The natural consequences of this discovery was the flocking of hundreds
of the inhabitants of Sydney to Bathurst. Sober people began to be
alarmed at this complete BOULEVERSEMENT of business and
tranquillity. For the sake of order the Governor attempted to put a
stop to the increasing desertion of the capital by proclaiming that the
gold-fields were the prerogative of the Crown, and threatening
gold-diggers with prosecution. It was all in vain. The glitterings of
the precious metal were more attractive than the threats of the
Governor were otherwise. The people laughed good-humoured at the
proclamation, and only flocked in greater numbers to the auriferous
spot.

Government now took a wiser course, and finding it impossible to stem
the torrent, determined to turn the eagerness of the multitude to some
account. A licence-fee of 30s., or half an ounce of gold, per month was
imposed, which, with few exceptions, has always been cheerfully paid.

The Turon diggings soon followed those of Bathurst. This river flows
into the Macquarie after a course of a hundred miles. Along the entire
length auriferous discoveries are constantly being made, and it bids
fair to last for many years to come. The gold is not found, as many
erroneously suppose, so much among the sand as by digging in the soil.
It also exists in paying quantities on the shores and in the rive flows
of the Macquarie, the Abercrombie, and Belubula rivers. Major's Creek,
too, is a favourite locality, and was first made known by a prospecting
woman