A DIGGER'S DIARY at the THAMES.

Wellington Independent, Volume XXII, Issue 2612, 21 December 1867, Page 6

A DIGGER'S DIARY at the THAMES.

— _^.— =y _- ! Unlodked-I'Ou G-enehositt. — The following advertisement appeared in tho Aberdeen Herald : — " If tho person who took (ifc is concluded by mistake) tho whito waterproof coat belonging to Mr Fitfc Taylor on Tuesday last, will apply at the barracks, ho can have tho pojj ifc used to hang upon, aa ifc is of no further use to fclio owner. My first is what lies at my door ; my second is a kind of a corn ; and my third is what nobody can do without, und my whole ia one of tlio United States. Mat-ri-mony.

[From the Southern Cboss]. November 28. Take the diggers on the whole, they are an agreeable set of fellows ; ready to do a good turn, ready to render a helping hand, ready to sympathise, to give good advice to all who are in need of it. Yet there are many very indifferent characters among them, ready to take every mean advantage of ignorance, simplicity, or helplessness. For instance, a poor fellow has labored for five weeks steadily, manfully, and anxiously, and after doing an immense amount of work, he is at laat rewarded by the discovery of gold. Certain fellows, like birds of prey, scent him out, and watch him with an evil eyo, ready at any time to pounce upon their prey should an opportunity offer. The honest, hardworking digger is quite ignorant that the artful, designing enemy is so near at hand, and is working on with renewed vigor and energy, possibly thinking of home, of wife, and family, and all who are dear to him, whom he fondly hopes to surprise and cheer by the welcome intelligence that a bright future is in store for them. The excitement brings on a temporary illness, and he fails to attend his claim for one day. The prowling, dastardly enemy knows it ; ho plants himself at the claim, and there, demon-like, he pa-tiei-tfy waits during the absence of his future victim. This, in the language of the diggers, is called " shepherding a claim." At the end of twenty-four hours ho seizes it, and at once appropriates to his own insatiable and greedy appetite the whole of the hardearned proper ty of the sick man. What the feelings of the'diijheartened, cast-down man are, may be more easily imagined than described. He returns to find the unfeeling wretch, with several other great hulking creatures of his class, exulting and chuckling over the ill-gotten and easily-acquired claim ; and this is occurring daily. November 29. The bakers evidently cousider that discretion is the better part of valor, and having probably a wholesome dread of the effects of the resolution, which was placarded in the town, have lowered the price of their bread not only to what it was last; week, but actually a half-penny less ; the price of the 21b loaf being now 4|d. Possibly they are well aware that diggers' law is not only summary, bub sharp and to tho point. November 30. Four half-shares of .Barry's claim were sold yesterday for the handsome sum of £2,200. There are wonderful accounts of the richness of the Prospectors?' claim, about three miles behind Tookey's. A great rush took place lasfc week, and every inch of vacant ground was speedily taken up. The specimens are certainly richer than any I have ever seen yet. Sunday, December 1. The Rev. Mr Buller preached in the morning and evening at the Court House, and in the afternoon on the flat. There were large I gatherings of attentive hearers at each ser- I vice. The rev. gentleman said that he felt great pleasure in seeing such a numerous assemblage on these occasions. When he was at the West Coast diggings, the first time he preached, though there were thousands of people in all directions, yet he had but twenty to hear him on the Sunday morning. Mr, Buller announced that on the following clay the ground would be selected on which the chapel was to bo built. It would be a commodious one, and would bo proceeded with ' at once. The quantity of timber which lias been promised amounts to 5000 feet ; money has been collected and promised, and a considerable number will give their labor in erecting it. The Rev. Mr Maunsell, of the Church of England, preached at tho Court House this afternoon. We have thus had Wesleyans, Presbyterians, Catholics, Episcopalians.; but where are the Independents and Baptists? Are they extinct in Auckland, ov are they asleep ? Why doesn't the Rev. Mr Corn ford or the Rev. Warlow Davies come down and stir us up with their eloquence and zeal F ' Many are enquiring why. December 2. It is no easy matter in our present, shall I say uncivilised, state — well, at least in our prpsent awkward and unfurnished state — to write letters to frieuds ov any one else. Friends say, " Write often, write long letters, toll us everything." Of course they are anxious to know all about us ; but they litllo think what difficulties we are under when writing. We have no chair, or table, or desk, or inkstand. We make up a scat by rolling up a few blankets tightly; but wo no sooner sit down to write on the lid of a box than over we go backwards ; we gob to rights again, when the rain begins fco pour down the back of our neck. Again we lalo* up (ho i pen ; it wrm'fc write, with all our <;o,ixin ■; mid ! twisting, for Tom, (ho oIJ soi'lier. u-r'vi it last, i'.iid as he knows moro Jib.mb h-:iiliing j Dm; cil' Armstrong's gnus l!;,",u he ilivs ;i ju'n, la* is in the habit of usin-- umluo viu!;.'iicc riih this useful article, till at last it has the ■unhappy tendency of making only double strokes or none at all. Then a.^ain we get to rights, but two of the cords of tho tent swap; n*e are therefore compelled immediately to got 'needle and thread and repair the damage, or the whole establishment will bo upset. Down we sifc again, quite out of temper, and for a line or two sail- on quietly, when a white head is suddenly thrust into the tent, just, do-sa to our face, and the baker calls out, "Any bread?" "No, no," is the answer ; he goes off with a grunt. After a second we suddenly recollect that if wo don't call him back we shall havo no breakfast tomorrow ; and thus we are worried and bothered, when we are endeavoring to gratify our friends and make ourselves agreeable. JN T o wonder, therefore, if wo should at timea appear to be somewhat incoherent or out o^ temper. December 3. I see that tenders are" advertised for a Catholic chapel. I should also havo stated that on Sunday afternoon a Sabbath School was announced in a large tent. It will be carried on in the chapel when finished. Today we found a vein of antimony in our claim. I hope our next find will bo gold. I send the specimen of antimony to tho Editor of tho Cross for exhibition. Surely this is a wonderful place— platinum, copper, silver, iron, arsenic, antimony, all being found among these extraordinary mountains. TnEorniLua Cooper.