G
Guest
REMINISCENCES OF THE GOLD FIELDS
THE many discoveries of gold in New South Wales in the fifties caused thousands of all classes of men, from various climes, to flock to the new rushes, in anticipation of making speedy fortunes, and, as was but natural, produced a condition of life incredible to those who have not experienced it.
I was stationed on the Braidwood gold fields in 1859, and for many years later, during which I witnessed many extraordinary phases of human character. In those days there were large populations settled at Crown Flat and Mudmelong localities, situated on the famous Araluen Eldorado, which subsequently developed into the most important alluvial diggings in Australasia. The richness of the place, and the prosperity of its large population, gained for it the sobriquet of "The Happy Valley." It was surrounded by vast
mountains 2000 feet high, and the supplies for publicans, storekeepers, and others had, in the absence of roads or tracks, to be taken down the mountain spurs on slides. Mr. Blatchford had large stores established at Crown Flat and Mudmelong, and used to supply the principal publicans with spirits, all of which had to be taken down the Major's Creek mountain on slides. One afternoon I was informed at Major's Creek that a miner named Lionel Rochester was accidentally killed in his hut down the mountain. On my way to the locality I met the slide man, who informed me that a terrible accident had
taken place; that, while proceeding down the range, having a hogshead of rum on his slide, the horse swerved, brought the slide against a rock, the result being that the hogshead slipped off and rolled down the mountain. On reaching a prominent point it bounded and lodged directly on the miner's hut, demolished it, and exploded with a
terrific report, resembling the discharge of a cannon. We went to the hut, expecting to find the miner dead, but found he had marvelously escaped, and had succeeded in saving a bucketful of rum. On seeing us, he remarked, ''It is a bad wind that does not blow fair for somebody." He was a man of fine physique, about 50 years old, well-set, good-looking, and of a military cast. There was a sapling resting on two uprights in
front of the wrecked hut, from which were suspended about forty dead snakes of various colours and sizes. After a brief conversation as to his narrow escape from the rum fiend, I asked where he got so many snakes. "I killed them, and a number of others, during my two months' encampment here. I have been in the British Army in India; have been mining in California, where I have seen thousands of reptiles, but I have never seen so many snakes as I have on this mountain. Look at this one," pointing to a peculiar brown snake about twelve feet long; "it's like a large gutta-percha tube. See, it has a prominent ligament from the head to the tail, along the ventral side. This snake is
known as the Rota Anguis, probably the most dangerous of all." "Where did you get it?" I inquired. "I killed it this morning close by, at very great risk. While going up the mountain, I saw what I thought was a cask-hoop, but soon discovered it was a hoop snake. I endeavored to strike it with my sapling, but failed. I saw from the gyrations it made that my position was serious, and ran down the declivity to an ironbark tree, when lo! I heard the whizzing of the wheel serpent, which I saw was almost upon me. I moved beside the tree, and, just as it glanced the ironbark, I struck it with my sapling and fractured the vertebra. There is sure to be another of the class about, and, as my hut is now demolished, I think it is a good omen for me to leave, and I will do so this afternoon, and go to Crown Flat. I have now had two marvelous escapes, and I think these are sufficient for one day."
Taken from
Australian Reminiscences
By
Martin Brennab 1907
THE many discoveries of gold in New South Wales in the fifties caused thousands of all classes of men, from various climes, to flock to the new rushes, in anticipation of making speedy fortunes, and, as was but natural, produced a condition of life incredible to those who have not experienced it.
I was stationed on the Braidwood gold fields in 1859, and for many years later, during which I witnessed many extraordinary phases of human character. In those days there were large populations settled at Crown Flat and Mudmelong localities, situated on the famous Araluen Eldorado, which subsequently developed into the most important alluvial diggings in Australasia. The richness of the place, and the prosperity of its large population, gained for it the sobriquet of "The Happy Valley." It was surrounded by vast
mountains 2000 feet high, and the supplies for publicans, storekeepers, and others had, in the absence of roads or tracks, to be taken down the mountain spurs on slides. Mr. Blatchford had large stores established at Crown Flat and Mudmelong, and used to supply the principal publicans with spirits, all of which had to be taken down the Major's Creek mountain on slides. One afternoon I was informed at Major's Creek that a miner named Lionel Rochester was accidentally killed in his hut down the mountain. On my way to the locality I met the slide man, who informed me that a terrible accident had
taken place; that, while proceeding down the range, having a hogshead of rum on his slide, the horse swerved, brought the slide against a rock, the result being that the hogshead slipped off and rolled down the mountain. On reaching a prominent point it bounded and lodged directly on the miner's hut, demolished it, and exploded with a
terrific report, resembling the discharge of a cannon. We went to the hut, expecting to find the miner dead, but found he had marvelously escaped, and had succeeded in saving a bucketful of rum. On seeing us, he remarked, ''It is a bad wind that does not blow fair for somebody." He was a man of fine physique, about 50 years old, well-set, good-looking, and of a military cast. There was a sapling resting on two uprights in
front of the wrecked hut, from which were suspended about forty dead snakes of various colours and sizes. After a brief conversation as to his narrow escape from the rum fiend, I asked where he got so many snakes. "I killed them, and a number of others, during my two months' encampment here. I have been in the British Army in India; have been mining in California, where I have seen thousands of reptiles, but I have never seen so many snakes as I have on this mountain. Look at this one," pointing to a peculiar brown snake about twelve feet long; "it's like a large gutta-percha tube. See, it has a prominent ligament from the head to the tail, along the ventral side. This snake is
known as the Rota Anguis, probably the most dangerous of all." "Where did you get it?" I inquired. "I killed it this morning close by, at very great risk. While going up the mountain, I saw what I thought was a cask-hoop, but soon discovered it was a hoop snake. I endeavored to strike it with my sapling, but failed. I saw from the gyrations it made that my position was serious, and ran down the declivity to an ironbark tree, when lo! I heard the whizzing of the wheel serpent, which I saw was almost upon me. I moved beside the tree, and, just as it glanced the ironbark, I struck it with my sapling and fractured the vertebra. There is sure to be another of the class about, and, as my hut is now demolished, I think it is a good omen for me to leave, and I will do so this afternoon, and go to Crown Flat. I have now had two marvelous escapes, and I think these are sufficient for one day."
Taken from
Australian Reminiscences
By
Martin Brennab 1907
