la was going further afield. A long way further. Two
continents had already been exploited. Now she would discover what a
fresh one held.

Her plan was to leave the Stars and Stripes for the Southern Cross. As
an initial step, "she sold her jewels for 20,000 dollars to the madam
of a fashionable brothel." Having thus secured adequate funds, she
assembled a number of out-of-work actors and actresses and engaged
them to accompany her on a twelve months' tour in Australia. Except
for Josephine Fiddes (who was afterwards to understudy Adah Isaacs
Menken, of _Mazeppa_ renown) and, perhaps, her leading man, Charles
Follard, they were of a distinctly inferior calibre.

The departure from California was duly notified in a paragraph sent
round the press:

"We beg to inform our readers and the public generally that on June 6
the celebrated Lola Montez left San Francisco, at the head of a
theatrical troupe of exceptional talent, bound for distant Australia.
The public in the Antipodes may confidently look forward to a rare
treat."

The voyage across the Pacific being in a sailing vessel, was a longish
one and occupied nearly ten weeks from start to finish. However,
anchor was dropped at last; and on August 23, 1855, a "colossal
attraction" was announced in "Lola Montez in Bavaria" at the Victoria
Theatre, Sydney. There, thanks to the interest aroused by her exploits
in other parts of the world, the newcomer was assured of a good
reception.

But theatrical stars were always accorded a special measure of
deference by the colonists. Thus, Miss Catherine Hayes, who was
playing at an opposition house, was invited to luncheon by the Bishop
of Sydney and to dinner by the Attorney-General; and a Scottish
conjurer, "Professor" Anderson, was given an "address of welcome" by
the Town Council.

While these particular honours were not enjoyed by Lola (who, for some
reason best known to herself, had elected to be entered in the
passenger-list as "Madam Landsfeld Heald"), she was none the less
accorded considerable publicity. "The eccentric and much advertised
Lola Montez," said the _Herald_ on the morning after her New South
Wales debut, "pounces upon us direct from California, and the
excitement of her visit is emptying the opposition theatre. Last night
the Countess looked positively charming and acted very archly.... On
the fall of the curtain, she presented Mr. Lambert (who played the
King of Bavaria) with an elegant box of cigaret