roductiveness. We mean comparatively so, as those at Gympie are
also of great promise. The "Lady Mary" claim in this district is known
all over Australia for its profitable yield. The Mount Morgan mine near
Rockhampton, on a branch of the river Dee, is thought by some to be the
richest gold mine in the world; nor should it be supposed that the
auriferous fields in Queensland have all been discovered. It is the same
here as among our own rich gold and silver leads. Take those of Montana
for instance; no one who knows anything about that Territory believes
that one lead has been found out of one hundred that are in the hills
awaiting the prospecter's pick: yet Montana has sent within the last
year,--1887,--the extraordinary sum of thirty-five million dollars in
gold and silver to the mint.

An extremely pleasant trip may be enjoyed up the Brisbane River and
Bremer Creek, on which latter stream Ipswich is situated. It is twice as
far by water as by land, but the sail is delightful. The visitor often
gets a charming view of the city from the river, while at the same time
passing suburban residences, flourishing farms, banana-groves,
cotton-fields, sugar-plantations, orange-orchards, and the varied
scenery which borders the river's course. If one has time for but a
single excursion from the capital of Queensland, let him go to Ipswich
by the river. We would also advise him not to miss the trip from Sydney
to the town of Parametta up the river of the same name.

The unreasonably high rates demanded as wages, we were told, had the
effect of crippling many industries at Brisbane, and especially of
hindering the successful development of agriculture, farmers in many
instances being unable even to harvest their crops. This is a natural
sequence of the mining attractions of the country. Queensland is
probably as rich as any portion of Australia in other mineral deposits
as well as in gold, abounding in copper, silver, tin, and coal, so that
mining, first and foremost, absorbs the attention of large numbers at
the expense of other enterprises. The immediate need of this province is
more population and more laborers. We were told that liberal inducements
were held out to acceptable people to come hither from the old country,
but just what these inducements were it was not so easy to ascertain.

It is for the common interest both of England and her South Sea colonies
that the rough, rude men who throng to the gold-diggings of those