Dn.vß Brother,

Otago Witness, Issue 74, 16 October 1852, Page 2

Dn.vß Brother,-

—As I have made up my mind to sec Scotland before I return to New Zealand, I wish you would forward any letters for me either to Geelong or Sydney, to be left at the post office of either of these places. I will bo in Geelong the first "week of January, 1853 ; from thence I will proceed by Launceston to Sydney, where I intend to embark for England. I have been successful at the diggings as yet, and if God still continue his favour to me, I may yet become a New Zealand settler. I have come through a great deal of tough work — severe and trying scenes — in this province ; and although well paid for all, yet I know that in after life I will pay dear enough for this. The hardships are fearful ; and if people could live comfortable withoxit the diggings, they arc more than foolish to come here in any season. In the summer time the heat of the day is so intense, that the cold dew at night fixes in the head, and leads on to some other evil, until you are forced onto alleviate your troubles with the constant use of some strong stimulant. The scenes I have witnessed since I left you are so wild and curious, that I cannot set my mind at present to rehearse them. Drunkennesb, robberies, and murders prevail to a fearful extent. There scarcely passes a day but I have certain knowledge of some one being robbed, and every week one or more shot dead. The great curse is the Irish : take them from among us, and our lives and peace will be safe. If you were here for only one short week,

you would ever after look upon an Irishman as the most treacherous, revengeful wretch on the face of the earth. A convict is a hardened devil ; but treat him as your equal, and you are safe. Provisions are very dear here. Sugar, Is. 9d. <$f Hi. ; salt, Is. 6d. ; flour, 2s. (it was £23 for a 200 Hi. bag); biittor, 55.; cheese, 45.; tea, 43. Oats, £3 per bushel ; bran, 305. ; potatoes, Is. ffi Ift. Carriage from here to Melbourne (115 miles), £130 per ton. * *?■ * * -f I remain, Your affectionate brother, Giokge T. Chapmax.

Melbourne, June 14th, 1852. * * *• * We arrived safe at this port, after being hove-to for six days, the decks constantly being swept with heavy seas, making the passage eighteen days, of very severe weather, and not a leading wind the whole distance: but, thanks to Providence, our brig was a good sea boat. I have since heard of two vessels being lost in. the same gale. This place (Melbourne) is a horrid hole. Nothing but robberies and murders; so much so, that respectable people, having no wish to be " dirked," will not venture out after dark. Everything is very dear. I hear the roads to the Diggings are very bad; people counting themselves lucky if they don't get above the knees in mud. The distance is about 100 miles, and freight from £130 to £180 per ton. We have to pay £10 for li- cwt., and walking ourselves. Flour is £12 for a bag of 100 lbs., and more in some parts; in fact, everything equally dear; so we must get plenty to pay expenses. I start to-morrow to encounter the difficulties. I will write you soon.

In a letter from tbe Bendigo Diggings, dated 4th July, he writes, —

According to promise, I hasten to inform you that on the 16th ult. we started for these mines on foot, each carrying his " swag" — mine weighed 50 lbs. "We had no other alternative, for there was no dray to be got. I found the roads as I had heard. We saw about 100 drays on the road that could not proceed. We accomplished our journey in seven days. Owing to the shortness of the days, together with loads, we could not make more than 15 miles per diem. I was knocked up with cold, &c, on arrivai, owing to the wet state we were in. What with the heavy rains, and now and then wading through creeks up to the middle, myself and another got lost on the mountains for eight hours ; but, as luck would have it, we fell in with a person that had seen the rest of our party, which, when all mustered, consists of five. To-day ends our first week's labour : my share is £15, besides half-an-o\ince I made myself, which is not bad to a new arrival. I have better hopes here, the gold being more equally distributed. Now for the Diggings. It is an awful place. Xot a day but a murder or a robbery greets one's ears : men lying dead in holes, and are passed by with as little concern as if they were (legs. Lynch La.iv is carried out here to the fullest extent. Several diggers have a man now in custody awaiting their decision, whether they shall hang him to a tree, as. a warning to others, or give him fifty on the bare back. They go about anything very barefaced. The other day a man was stopped, and his gold, demanded from him : I don't know the result of thi s case ; but men are shot here like birds, and no more heard or thought about them. The only plan to save your "bacon" or your "gold' 1 is to have the first shot, or use the knife, there being no time for remonstrance. For my own part I prefer the knife, always keeping it slung round my waist; but I trust I shall never have occasion to use it.

From sunset to twelve o'clock at night one would think he was at some battle ; nothing but discharging of fire-arms ; in fact one continual bang ! bang ! bang ! You can imagine the rest, when I tell you there are 80,000 diggers.

In a subsequent letter the same writer, in describing his " garb," says, —

I at present enjoy very good health, otherwise it would be a very hard case, as doctors charge £5 os. for looking at you.

I am certain you would not know me in my present metamorphose. My hair is very long ; I wear an old cap, a flannel shirt next my skin, and a blue one over all, with belt round my waist, embellished with a brace of pistols and a knife 18 inches long, and a pair of anti-gropelos up to my haunches. This is my "rig,'' added to which I am always covered with mud and soaked in water. This weather will make great havoc on the constitutions of all, however strong, as you may judge from the fact that upon rising in the morning our blankets are covered with frost.