ated from the hole where it
and his leg had parted company. A piece of wood, which his imagination
transformed into a shoe-horn, was in his hand. "Put it into the
larboard side," (suiting the action to the word), "there it goes--damn
her, she won't come on! Put it into the starboard side there it
goes--well done, old girl," and he triumphantly rose from the ground,
and reeled away.

With a hearty laugh, we proceeded on our road, and after passing
two or three coffee-tents, we arrived at Gregory's Inn. The landlord is
considered the best on the road, and is a practical example of what
honesty and industry may achieve. He commenced some nine months before
without a shilling--his tarpaulin tent and small stock of tea, sugar,
coffee, &c., being a loan. He has now a large weather-board house,
capable of making up one hundred beds, and even then unable to
accommodate all his visitors, so numerous are they, from the good name
he bears. Here we got a capital cold dinner of meat, bread, cheese,
coffee, tea, &c., for three shillings a-piece, and, somewhat refreshed,
went forwards in better spirits, though the accounts we heard there of
the bad roads in the Black Forest would have disheartened many.

Mount Macedon now formed quite a beautiful object on our right: a
little below that mountain appeared a smaller one, called the Bald
Hill, from its peak being quite barren, and the soil of a white
limestone and quartzy nature, which gives it a most peculiar and
splendid appearance when the sun's rays are shining upon it. As
we advanced, the thickly-wooded sides of Mount Macedon became more
distinct, and our proximity to a part of the country which we knew to
be auriferous, exercised an unaccountable yet pleasureable influence
over our spirits, which was perhaps increased by the loveliness of the
spot where we now pitched our tents for the evening. It was at the foot
of the Gap. The stately gum-tree, the shea-oak, with its gracefully
drooping foliage, the perfumed yellow blossom of the mimosa, the
richly-wooded mountain in the background, united to form a picture too
magnificent to describe. The ground was carpeted with wild flowers; the
sarsaparilla blossoms creeping everywhere; before us slowly rippled a
clear streamlet, reflecting a thousand times the deepening tints which
the last rays of the setting sun flung over the surrounding scenery;
the air rang with the cawing of the numerous cockatoos and parrots of
all hues and colours