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DIARY 


A   WORKING    CLERGYMAN. 


LONDON 
Printed  by  G.  Bakclat ,  Castle  St.  Leieester  Sq 


DIARY 


WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

IN 

AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA, 

KEPI  DDE1M  THE  ISAM  18W-185S; 


INCLUDING 


,s   ^    TO   ENOEANO   «   W«    OF   JAVA, 
SINGAPORE,  CEYLON,  AND  EcYPT. 


BY  THE 


»V.  .JOHN  DAVIES  MEREWEATHEB,  B.A. 

A»*or  .f  »  LIS  »  Board  »  ««*«*  ** 


LONDON : 
HATCKAKD  AND  CO.  187  PICCADILLY. 

MDCCCLIX. 


PREFATORY    REMARKS. 


In  the  year  18o2  I  published  a  little  work,  en- 
titled "  Life  on  Board  an  Emigrant  Ship,  being  a 
Diary  of  a  Voyage  to  Australia."  This  small 
volume  was  so  well  received  by  the  public,  and  so 
favourably  criticised  by  the  press,  that  I  am 
emboldened,  although  conscious  of  having  been 
already  treated  better  than  I  deserved,  to  give  to 
those  of  my  countrymen,  who  have  at  heart  the 
spiritual  and  temporal  welfare  of  their  compatriots 
at  the  Antipodes,  a  continuation  of  the  aforesaid 
Diary.  This  continuation  will  comprise  my 
doings  as  a  working  Clergyman  during  the  four 


VI  PREFACE. 


years  set  forth  in  the  title-page,  in  Van  Diemen's 
Land,  now  called  Tasmania;  in  the  vast  tract  of 
country  lying  north  of  the  Murray,  New  South 
Wales,  called  the  Edward  River  District;  and 
also  in  the  city  of  Sydney.  As  on  my  return  to 
England  by  way  of  Java,  Singapore,  and  the 
Overland  Route,  I  repeatedly  did  duty  in  Batavia, 
Ceylon,  and  on  board  the  Indian  steam-vessels, 
it  will  not  be  irrelevant  to  my  present  purpose 
to  include  in  this  publication  the  Diary  which  I 
kept  during  that  period.  Thus  the  present  pub- 
lication will  contain  notices  of  my  proceedings 
from  the  time  I  reached  Adelaide,  in  South 
Australia,  which  took  place  about  the  middle  of 
the  year  1850,  until  I  arrived  in  Southampton  in 
the  early  part  of  1854.  During  this  comparatively 
long  period  there  will  be  necessarily  numerous 
gaps  in  the  Diary.  The  occupant  of  a  quiet 
country  chaplaincy  in  Tasmania  does  not  en- 
counter very  exciting  adventures.  The  Clergyman 
of  the  Australian  Bush,  riding  from  station  to 
station  on  his  arduous  mission  —  now  fevered  with 
the  glare  of  the  summer  sun,  and  now  half- 
drowned  with  the   winter's  rains  and   floods,  is 


PREFACE.  Vll 

not  always,  after  a  long  clay's  journey,  capable 
of  committing  to  writing  all  that  he  has  seen,  or 
done,  or  thought  during  the  previous  four-and- 
twenty  hours.  But  all  that  can  prove  of  general 
interest  to  the  reader  will  be  introduced  into  this 
work.  I  allude  more  particularly  to  the  discovery 
of  gold  which  took  place  during  my  residence  in 
the  Australian  colonies ;  and  its  effects,  as  I  saw 
myself,  on  the  moral  and  religious  principles  of 
the  population.  Nor  is  it  possible  to  omit  some 
information  on  the  convict  population  of  Tasmania 
and  New  South  Wales.  The  aboriginal  popula- 
tion, too,  will  be  also  touched  upon.  This  Diary 
pretends  not  to  give  valuable  statistical  or  geo- 
graphical information  ;  it  contains  no  essay  on 
Church  Government  in  the  Colonies :  as  for 
Colonial  Politics,  it  is  a  blank  :  nor  does  it  contain 
sufficiently  exciting  episodes  to  satisfy  the  mere 
novel  reader.  It  is  a  plainly  written  account  of 
what  befell  an  English  Clergyman  who  went  to 
serve  his  Master  at  the  Antipodes ;  and  it  is  hoped 
that,  however  it  may  want  in  elegance,  not  an 
assertion  will  be  found  in  it  inconsistent  with 
the    strictest    unvarnished    truth.       In   Colonial 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

statements  there  is  an  exaggerated  tone,  which 
renders  it  very  difficult  for  a  stranger  to  get 
at  the  exact  truth  on  any  subject :  thus,  that 
I,  though  misled  myself,  may  not  mislead  others 
in  my  narrations,  I  will,  in  all  my  assertions  of 
which  I  am  not  positively  certain,  avail  myself 
of  the  wg  Xeyovai  of  the  veracious  old  historian 
of  Halicarnassus. 


DIAEY 

SfC. 


The  last  entry  which  appears  in  my  published 
diary  is  dated  Sunday,  the  16th  June,  1850,  and 
recounts  how  the  passengers  of  the  emigrant  ship 
and  myself  all  went  to  the  little  church  at  Port 
Adelaide,  to  return  thanks  to  Almighty  God  for 
having  extended  His  fostering  protection  over  us 
during  a  long  and  perilous  voyage.  For  138 
days  we  had  been  exposed  to  the  chances  of 
"lightning  and  tempest;  to  plague,  pestilence, 
and  famine;"  but  He  who  sits  above,  in  grandeur 
inaccessible,  had  of  His  tender  mercy  delivered  us 
from  them  all.  From  that  date  I  commence  my 
present  narration. 

June  17,  1850.  —  To-day,  though  in  mid- 
winter, we  have  a  glowing  sun,  modified  by  a 
balmy  breeze.  All  the  deck  is  in  confusion,  for 
the  emigrants,  who  go  no  further  than  Adelaide, 

B 


I  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

are  getting  out  their  baggage.  I,  at  the  request 
of  the  passengers,  drew  out  a  testimonial  for  the 
doctor,  which  was  unanimously  signed;  and  he 
deserves  this  mark  of  attention,  for,  profession- 
ally, he  has  been  most  assiduous,  and  socially, 
he  has  behaved  as  a  gentleman  should.  Many 
of  the  surgeons  on  board  of  emigrant  ships  are 
disreputable  characters  in  every  way.  In  the 
course  of  the  day  I  went  with  two  passengers  to 
Adelaide.  We  travelled  in  a  public  conveyance, 
which  was  a  Whitechapel  cart,  drawn  by  two 
horses,  tandem  fashion.  The  drivers  of  these 
vehicles  carry  as  many  passengers  as  they  can 
get.  We  were  said  to  be  lucky,  for  there  were 
only  six  besides  us  three.  The  road,  which 
passed  through  a  desolate  tract  of  country,  was 
full  of  large  holes,  which  by  recent  rains  had 
been  converted  into  round  ponds;  these  ponds 
we  had  to  coast  round,  making  a  great  half- 
circle,  so  that  instead  of  travelling  seven  miles, 
the  distance  between  Port  Adelaide  and  Adelaide, 
we  travelled  at  least  ten  miles.  On  our  way  we 
met  and  passed  innumerable  bullock-drays,  drawn 
by  eight,  or  ten,  or  twelve,  patient,  hard-tugging 
bullocks.  We  also  saw  several  of  the  aborigines, 
clothed  in  duty  blankets  and  kangaroo  and 
opossum-skins ;  they  looked  half-starved,  like 
the  dogs  that  followed  them,  and  were  hideously 
dirty  and  ugly.     Adelaide  strikes  me  as  a  very 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  6 

miserable,  squalid  place.  Wide  streets  are  laid 
out,  but  there  are  few  bouses  in  them,  and  those 
few  are  mean  and  wretched :  the  roads  are  full 
of-  holes,  receptacles  of  dust  in  summer  and  mud 
in  winter ;  public-houses  abound,  and  drunken- 
ness seems  everywhere  prevalent.  There  is  a 
substantial  Change  for  the  merchants  to  con- 
gregate in,  but  all  the  business  of  Adelaide 
seems  done  at  a  noted  public-house,  kept  by  a 
man  called  Coppin,  or  Choppin.  Here  is  to  be 
seen  a  strange  mixture  of  merchants,  newly- 
arrived  immigrants,  squatters,  bullock-drivers, 
shopkeepers,  loose  characters,  trafficking,  blas- 
pheming, laughing,  singing,  yelliug,  and  drink- 
ing innumerable  nobblers.  Everybody  goes  there, 
for  every  business,  rendezvous  is  made  at  Chop- 
pin's.  As  I  could  get  no  conveyance  to  the 
port  in  the  evening,  I  slept  at  an  inn  there. 
Each  bed-room  has  three  very  plain  sofa-couches; 
and  I  was  told  that  if  I  didn't  wish  companions, 
I  must  pay  for  all  three.  The  guests  here  live 
table-d'hote  fashion,  and  their  breakfasts,  dinners, 
and  teas,  are  served  with  a  monotonous  pro- 
digality. At  every  meal  there  are  beef  sausages, 
mutton  chops,  beef  steaks,  roast  mutton  and 
boiled  beef,  good  potatoes,  and  most  delicious 
bread;  and  of  these  three  substantial  meals  the 
guests  partake  with  the  most  persevering  elas- 
ticity.    The   table-talk   is   of  bullocks,    highly- 


4  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

flavoured  with  oaths,  and  each  person  seems  bent 
on  making  his  fortune  as  quickly  as  possible. 
I  can  imagine  the  early  Puritan  settlers  in  North 
America  to  have  been  a  very  different  set  of 
persons.  A  young  woman  at  table,  speaking 
contemptuously  of  some  newly-arrived  immi- 
grants ("  Jimmy  Grants,"  I  think,  was  the  slang 
term  she  applied  to  them),  I  asked  her  how  long 
she  had  been  out  herself?  "  Oh,"  she  said,  "  I 
have  been  out  six  weeks,  and  I  feel  quite  colonial 
already."  I  told  her  I  could  well  believe  her. 
But  the  affectation  and  pretension  of  these 
people  is  to  me  very  extraordinary.  To  hear 
them  talk,  you  would  suppose  they  had  held 
important  social  positions  in  their  fatherland, 
instead  of  which,  three  parts  out  of  four  have 
been  driven  out  of  it  by  hunger,  or  by  crime. 

June  18. —  I  returned  to  the  port  almost  blind 
with  the  dust.  Walking  out  with  the  doctor  in 
the  evening,  I  saw  ever  so  many  of  our  pas- 
sengers drunk,  some  of  whom  had  during  the 
voyage  made  many  promises  of  amendment  of 
life.  Now  I  am  quite  sure  that  these  men  were 
sincere  when  they  made  those  promises,  and  if 
they  were  to  renew  them  to-morrow  I  should 
believe  them  sincere,  although  perfectly  conscious 
that  they  would  relapse  at  the  first  temptation. 
St.  Paul  explains  all  this  when  he  says,  "  I 
delight  in  the  law  of  God  after  the  inward  man ; 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND   TASMANIA.  5 

but  I  see  another  law  in  my  members  warring 
against  the  law  of  my  mind,  and  bringing  me 
into  captivity  to  the  law  of  sin,  which  is  in  my 

members So  then,  with  the  mind  I  myself 

serve  the  law  of  God ;  but  with  the  flesh  the  law 
of  sin."  After  all,  perhaps,  evil  may  not  be 
without  its  uses :  the  moral  world  would  become 
flat,  stagnant,  and  inactive,  if  the  acid  of  sin 
were  not  introduced  into  its  composition  to  cause 
fermentation,  and  subsequently  purification.  As 
in  the  political  world,  so  in  the  moral  world, 
fermentation  is  more  wholesome  than  stupid 
stagnation. 

June  20. — To-morrow  is  mid-winter,  and  it  is 
very  hot.  What  must  the  summer  be  here ! 
Went  to  Adelaide  in  a  Whitechapel  cart  as 
before.  Saw  a  monument  erected  in  memory  of 
Col.  Light :  it  is  ugly  enough.  Walked  over  to 
Kensington  to  call  upon  the  Bishop  of  Adelaide, 
who  lives  in  a  charming  cottage  nestling  in  a 
flower-garden.  I  had  a  cordial  reception  from 
this  excellent  prelate,  who  combines  the  dignity 
of  a  high  ecclesiastic  with  the  simplicity  and 
goodnature  of  an  English  country  gentleman. 

June  22. — A  very  beautiful  day  again,  cloud- 
less and  warm  as  an  English  August  day.  In  ge- 
niality the  climate  here  far  exceeds  that  of  Italy 
in  winter.  There  is  no  wind  approaching  to  the 
piercing  Tramontana.      But  I  understand  that 


0  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

the  heat  here  during  the  summer  months  is 
frightful.  At  that  period,  during  a  hot  wind,  the 
thermometer  will  range  from  100°  to  120°  in  the 
house.  Visited  the  school  of  the  aborigines,  where 

1  found  thirty-three  boys  and  seventeen  girls. 
I  examined  them  before  the  inspector  and  master, 
and  they  answered  me  correctly  some  simple 
scriptural  questions.  I  was  shown  their  writing, 
and  one  of  their  copy  books  was  presented  to  me, 
which  I  have  now.  The  penmanship  is  capital. 
They  sang  one  or  two  hymns  very  nicely,  and  if 
I  had  not  had  before  me  their  swarthy  faces  and 
restless,  flashing  eyes,  I  could  have  fancied  my- 
self in  an  English  parish  school.  But  these  Aus- 
tralian aborigines  are  a  very  unsatisfactory  race 
of  people.  They  slip  away  from  the  grasp  of 
civilisation  in  the  most  extraordinary  manner;  and 
as  to  permanent  religious  impressions  they  are, 
as  far  as  I  can  judge,  incapable  of  them.  With 
very  acute  perceptive  faculties,  they  are  absolutely 
without  reflective  faculties,  and  it  is  next  to  im- 
possible to  create  the  simplest  religious  impres- 
sions in  the  breast  of  a  being  who  can't  think. 
These  people,  too,  are  pure  Atheists ;  they  do  not 
even  worship  idols :  but  they  have  a  childish  fear 
ef  some  harming  spirit,  equivalent  to  what  our 
children  call  Old  Bogie,  and  of  the  influence 
which  the  spirits  of  the  dead  may  have  over  them. 
They  believe,  too,  in  magical  powers.    They  cling 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  7 

to  their  boundless  plains  and  their  forests  with  a 
tenacious  animal  instinct  which  nothing  can 
quench,  neither  good  masters,  good  clothes,  good 
food,  nor  the  most  excellent  religious  instruction. 
I  can  give  two  or  three  examples  of  this.  A 
squatter  in  the  province  of  Victoria  took  a  black 
from  the  bush  and  made  him  his  servant,  cloth- 
ing him  well  and  teaching  him  to  be  generally 
useful.  At  the  end  of  a  year  or  two  the  master 
wished  to  pay  a  visit  to  England,  and  the  black 
implored  him  to  take  him,  too.  He  consented. 
The  man  accompanied  him  to  England,  and  dur- 
ing a  two-years'  sojourn  behaved  most  admir- 
ably, performing  all  the  duties  of  a  first-class 
man-servant.  He,  if  I  mistake  not,  learned  to 
read  and  write,  and  cast  up  little  accounts,  and 
was  always  delighted  at  the  idea  of  going  to 
church.  By  and  by  he  returned  to  the  colony, 
and  went  up  into  the  bush  with  his  master.  Not 
very  long  after  he  came  one  day  to  his  master, 
and,  looking  very  confused,  said  he  wished  to 
leave  him.  "Why?"  said  the  gentleman,  very 
surprised.  Well,  he  wanted  to  see  the  other 
black  fellows  in  the  bush.  "But,"  said  the 
squatter,  "you  are  in  the  bush  as  it  is ;  the  other 
black  fellows  are  always  camping  round  the  sta- 
tion :  however,  if  you  want  a  run,  go  by  all 
means,  and  then  come  back."  The  man  looked 
very  serious  at  the  concluding  order,  and  went 


8  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

out  of  the  room  without  saying  more.  In  the 
morning  he  got  out  of  his  bed  before  the  dawn, 
and  leaving  all  his  clothes  behind  him,  went  off 
entirely  naked.  He  never  came  back,  and  his 
master  subsequently  learned  that  he  was  roaming 
about  the  wilds  with  a  couple  of  wretched  women, 
living  on  the  precarious  product  of  the  chase,  an 
unclothed,  half-starved,  untameable  savage. 

Another  case  in  point  is  still  more  to  be  re- 
gretted. A  lady  took  a  girl  of  eight  or  nine  years 
old  out  of  the  Aborigines  School  at  Adelaide, 
and  brought  her  up  as  a  companion  to  her  little 
daughter.  The  child,  under  the  auspices  of  her 
kind  mistress,  read  well,  wrote  well,  ciphered 
well,  dressed  well,  was  cleanly  in  her  ways,  went 
to  church  regularly  twice  every  Sunday,  sang 
hymns  nicely,  and  said  her  Catechism  perfectly. 
This  lasted  about  three  years,  at  which  period 
the  girl  must  have  attained  the  age  of  twelve. 
One  day  she  came  running  in  to  her  mistress, 
looking  very  pale  (for  black  people  can  look  pale 
enough,  sometimes),  saying  that  she  had  seen  in 
the  street  the  young  man  destined  by  her  family 
to  be  her  husband,  and  that  he  wished  her  to  go 
back  with  him  immediately.  Her  mistress  en- 
deavoured to  quiet  her  by  telling  her,  that  if  she 
were  so  annoyed  again  the  offender  should  be 
given  into  custody.  She  also  ordered  the  girl  not 
again  to  go  out  alone.     For  two  or  three  months 


JN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  iJ 

all  went  well,  and  the  girl  had  almost  forgotten 
her  fright;  when,  one  unlucky  evening,  the  lady 
having  need  of  some  little  thing,  sent  her  to  a 
neighbouring  shop  to  purchase  it.  In  about  ten 
minutes  the  poor  girl  rushed  in  wildly,  and 
weeping,  told  her  mistress  that  she  must  now  in- 
deed leave  her,  for  her  lover  had  met  her,  and 
told  her  that,  having  given  his  sister  as  wife  to 
her  brother,  her  brother  had  in  return  given  her 
to  him  (this  exchange  seems  to  be  a  universal 
custom  among  the  Australian  aborigines)  that 
the  old  men  of  the  tribe  had  sent  to  say,  that  if 
she  would  not  obey  their  law  and  return  imme- 
diately they  would  solemnly  curse  all  that  she 
should  eat  or  drink;  and  that  she  knew  their 
power  so  well  that  she  dared  not  resist  it.  After 
this  second  interview,  not  all  that  the  lady  did  or 
said  could  tranquillise  the  mind  of  the  scared 
and  distracted  girl.  She  neglected  her  duties; 
she  sat  moodily  sighing  all  day;  she  sobbed  all 
night ;  she  refused  nourishment,  even  that  on 
her  mistress's  table,  saying  that  it  was  accursed  to 
her.  The  doctor  was  called  in,  and  both  his  rhe- 
toric and  physic  were  unsuccessfully  employed. 
They  began  to  have  serious  apprehensions  about 
her  health;  when,  one  morning,  her  bed-room 
was  found  untenanted — the  occupant  had  flown; 
yes,  had  jumped  out  of  the  window  before  the 
dawn  of  day  and  had  fled  away  naked  into  her 


10  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

native  woods,  unpossessed  of  a  single  article  of 
clothing  or  anything  else,  to  propitiate  the  anger 
of  the  old  men  of  her  tribe,  and  to  obey  the  mys- 
terious impulses  of  a  savage  nature.  In  about  a 
year  afterwards  there  came  up  to  the  door  of  the 
lady's  house  a  group  of  blacks  begging.  First 
came  an  ill-looking  savage,  with  features  scarcely 
human,  with  a  murderous-looking  spear  in  his 
hand  and  a  filthy  opossum  rug  thrown  over  his 
shoulders.  Behind  walked  an  ugly,  worn,  dirty 
woman,  seemingly  of  forty,  with  features  scarcely 
visible  from  the  clots  of  matted  hair  which  hung 
about  her  face.  The  rags  that  straggled  about 
her  served  rather  to  exaggerate  than  conceal  her 
nakedness,  and  from  her  long  breast,  thrown  over 
her  shoulder,  she  fed  an  unclothed  baby  which 
she  was  carrying  on  her  back.  Five  or  six  lean 
dogs,  of  indescribable  breed,  accompanied  and  fol- 
lowed this  miserable  couple,  carrying  their  noses 
to  the  ground,  and  every  now  and  then  silently 
swallowing  any  filthy  offal  lying  about.  The  wo- 
man was  the  once  neat  Sunday-school  child,  who 
used  to  love  going  to  church  and  saying  her  Ca- 
techism, and  she  had  come  to  see  her  former  kind 
mistress  and  to  beg  some  cold  meat.  She  was 
sufficiently  content  with  her  lot,  she  said,  and 
would  not  wish  to  come  back  to  her  former  ser- 
vitude. 

June   23    {Sunday).  —  Head    the    Litany    and 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  11 

preached  on  board  the  ship.  Went  ashore  after 
lunch  to  see  one  of  our  passengers,  who  is  lying 
very  ill  at  the  Commercial  Hotel.  He  was  the 
father  of  the  poor  little  child  who  died  on  the 
passage  out.  A  party  of  our  people  strolled  upon 
the  sea-beach  and  brought  back  pieces  of  coral, 
beautiful  shells,  bits  of  sponge,  and  pretty  peb- 
bles. Hear  that  the  Port  Church  was  well  at- 
tended to  day. 

June  24<. —  Mid-winter,  and  yet  it  is  a  lovely 
day,  with  a  hot  sun,  as  in  August  with  us. 
Transferred  my  effects  on  board  the  "  Sea  Queen, •' 

Captain  W ,   a  very  fine  barque,  originally 

intended  for  the  opium  trade.  The  London  ship 
goes  no  further  than  Adelaide,  and  has  contracted 
with  the  "  Sea  Queen"  to  take  on  to  Port  Phillip 
the  Melbourne  passengers.  Before  starting  I 
took  tea  with  my  good  friend,  the  surgeon  of  the 
ship  which  brought  me  from  London.  We  were 
put  into  a  very  nice  room,  with  a  good  carpet, 
mahogany  table,  wax  lights,  a  fire-hearth,  three 
couches  or  sofa-beds,  and  a  wash-stand.  At  night 
one  of  our  passengers,  who  was  very  drunk,  pass- 
ing from  one  ship  to  the  other,  fell  between  the 
two,  and  was  drowned.  His  brother,  who  was,  if 
possible,  more  intoxicated,  abused  the  captain  in 
unmeasured  terms  for  his  want  of  proper  pre- 
cautions. All  was  confusion  on  board  the  two 
ships.     Lights  were  waving  to  and  fro  amidst  the 


12  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

baggage  and  down  in  the  holds;  boats  were 
lowering  to  endeavour  to  find  the  drowning  man, 
women  were  screaming  and  crying,  men  were 
shouting  and  swearing,  whilst  in  the  midst  was 
the  brother,  sobering  by  degrees,  mingling  strong 
hysterical  sobs  with  his  imprecations.  The  body 
was  never  found. 

June  25. — We  were  towed  down  to  the  light- 
ship at  daybreak,  and  anchored  there.  The  poor 
people  were  huddled  together  below  without  com- 
fort, and  almost  without  decency.  Provisions  for 
a  fortnight  are  put  on  board. 

June  26. — Still  at  anchor,  waiting  for  the  cap- 
tain. One  of  the  emigrants  caught  a  strange  fisb, 
as  big  as  a  large  sole,  prickly  all  over,  with  two 
lateral  and  two  dorsal  fins,  which  has  the  power 
of  swelling  itself  out  like  a  toad.  It  was  a  very 
unkcd  specimen  of  the  finny  tribe.  Some  called 
it  a  sea-porcupine,  others  a  devil-fish,  others  a 
sea-toad.     All  the  three  names  are  applicable. 

June  28. — Weighed  anchor  at  day-break,  and 
stood  down  the  Gulf  at  eight  knots.  When  we 
got  to  the  entrance  of  the  Backstairs  Passage,  the 
wind  became  so  foul  that  we  were  obliged  to  let 
go  anchor  for  the  night.  Continue  giving  re- 
ligious instruction  to  some  of  the  passengers. 
My  two  boys  said  by  heart  the  Catechism  and  all 
the  more  important  Articles.  Where  we  anchored 
was  in  Kingscote  Bay,  Kangaroo  Island. 


IN    AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  13 

June  29. —  Fine  weather,  but  the  wind  foul  as 
it  can  blow.  Were  beating  through  Backstairs 
Passage  all  day,  and  at  night  got  no  further  than 
Antechamber  Bay  in  Kangaroo  Island,  where  we 
found  good  shelter  and  good  anchorage.  We 
have  already  consumed  five  out  of  our  fourteen 
days'  provisions.  An  old  woman,  of  at  least 
seventy-five,  assured  me  that  she  was  just  turned 
fifty-eight. 

June  30  (Sunday). — A  very  fine,  calm  day,  and 
inexpressibly  warm,  considering  it  is  midwinter. 
Left  Antechamber  Bay  at  daybreak,  and  got  well 
out  to  sea  before  nightfall.  Could  have  no  ser- 
vice in  consequence  of  the  confusion  which  pre- 
dominated down  below. 

July  3. — A  wonderfully  bright  day,  of  uncom- 
mon brilliancy,  but  no  wind.  The  emigrants  are 
looking  serious,  and  speculating  as  to  whether 
the  water  and  provisions  will  hold  cut;  for  we 
are  only  victualled  for  fourteen  days,  and  already, 
the  ship  not  having  made  half  her  passage,  we 
have  entered  upon  the  ninth  day.  We  were  told 
that  the  voyage  would  probably  last  no  longer 
than  a  week. 

July  5. —  A  fair  wind  sprung  up  during  the 
night,  which  took  us  abreast  of  Cape  Otway,  which 
lies  about  eighty  miles  from  the  entrance  of  Port 
Phillip.  In  the  afternoon  the  captain  caught  a 
shark,  six  feet  long,  with  my  hook.     After  he  was 


14  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

hooked  he  was  partially  lifted  out  of  the  water ; 
a  running  noose  was  then  run  down  the  line,  over 
his  head  and  under  his  fins.  He  was  then  hoisted 
by  this  on  to  the  deck. 

July  6. — A  calm  day  and  a  foul  wind.  The 
land  seems  to  be  flying  from  us  as  we  advance. 
Our  water  and  provisions  will  be  entirely  out  to- 
morrow or  next  day.  We  caught  two  barracootas, 
long  fish,  lean,  and  hungry-looking,  and  full  of 
bones.  They  are,  however,  very  eatable.  The 
sea  here  is  full  of  them.  A  captain  of  a  trading- 
vessel  between  Port  Phillip  and  Van  Piemen's 
Land  had  so  great  a  renown  for  catching  these 
fish,  and  giving  his  passengers  nothing  else  to 
eat,  that  he  was  called  "  Barracoota  Jack." 

July  7  {Sunday).  —  A  fair  wind  having  sprung 
up  during  the  night,  we  found  ourselves  off  Port 
Phillip  Head  at  early  morning.  At  the  entrance 
of  the  magnificent  sheet  of  water  called  Port 
Phillip  stand  two  points,  Point  Lonsdale  and 
Point  Nepean.  Between  these  two  points  a  strong 
tide  runs,  with  great  force,  through  a  narrow 
channel  two  miles  wide.  As  we  entered,  the  wind 
blew  from  the  south,  and  we  had  the  tide  against 
us,  so  that  the  water  was  turbulent  and  much 
agitated,  and  numerous  were  the  vortices  through 
which  the  ship  ploughed  her  way.  Pleasing  was 
the  sail  up  this  beautiful  bay,  which  has  a  length 
of  45  miles  and  a  breadth  of  40  miles.     The  blue 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  15 

sky  smiled  above  us,  and  the  blue  water  beneath 
us  responded  with  its  avriot&iiov  ye'kouff&a.  The 
atmosphere  which  we  breathed  was  as  pure  as  the 
purest  Italian,  and  all  felt  that  elasticity  of  spirits 
which  springs  from  clear  fine  air  passing  through 
the  lungs.  On  our  left  rose  boldly  against  the 
sky  the  picturesque  summit  of  Station  Peak;  in 
front  of  us  the  Mount  Macedon  range  of  blue 
mountains  mellowed  into  the  bluer  sky  ;  whilst  on 
our  right  the  distant  Alps,  stretching  away  into 
Gipps'  Land,  completed  a  scene  of  beauty  which 
I  had  then  never  seen  surpassed,  nor  have  I  yet, 
writing  this  as  I  do  after  a  lapse  of  many  years, 
and  after  much  travel.  Towards  the  gloaming  of 
the  evening  we  anchored  in  Hobson's  ^ay,  at  the 
entrance  of  the  Yarra  Yarra  (flowing,  flowing,  or 
everflowing),  river.  Stayed  on  board  all  that 
night. 

July  8. —  Left  the  "Sea  Queen,"  after  bidding 
farewell  to  the  amiable  captain,  and  went  aboard 
a  small  river  steamer  at  8  a.m.  Steamed  up  the 
Yarra  Yarra,  whose  banks  are  very  ugly.  They 
are  low,  covered  with  sad-looking,  short  scrub,  and 
studded  with  boiling-down  establishments,  which 
circumfuse  most  fetid  odours.  In  about  a  couple 
of  hours  arrived  at  Melbourne,  a  considerable 
town,  sufficiently  well  situated  on  two  hills  and 
the  intervening  valley.  The  main  streets  are 
wide — too  wide,  if  anything — and  the  drainage 


16  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

ought  to  be  perfect.  The  river  is  spanned  by  a 
handsome  stone  bridge  of  one  arch.  The  streets 
are  infested  by  enormous  dogs,  who  thrive  here 
on  the  cheap  butchers'  meat.  Went  to  a  very 
excellent  hotel  called  the  Prince  of  Wales,  where 
I  dined  and  slept. 

July  9. — Called  on  the  Anglican  Bishop  and 
on  the  Governor,  but  found  neither  at  home. 
They  inhabit  pretty  cottages,  surrounded  by 
grounds  and  gardens,  on  the  banks  of  the  Yarra. 

July  11. —  Received  an  intimation  from  the 
Melbourne  Club  that  I  was  received  as  an 
honorary  member.  Dined  there  with  my  in- 
troducer, an  old  member,  and  six  others.  We 
sat  down  ^at  six  o'clock  at  a  well-appointed  table, 
lighted  by  many  wax-lights,  and  we  were  waited 
upon  by  two  men-servants,  one  in  dress  livery 
the  other  out  of  livery.  At  night,  as  I  lay  in  an 
excellent  bed  at  the  hotel,  I  could  not  help 
making  the  following  reflections.  Here  am  I, 
after  a  voyage  of  thirteen  or  fourteen  thousand 
miles  through  the  great  ocean,  arrived  on  a 
vast  continent,  the  existence  of  which  was  un- 
known to  the  world  until  two  hundred  years 
ago,  and  which  was  not  inhabited  by  white  men 
until  sixty-two  years  ago.  More  than  that,  I 
have  been  partaking  of  an  excellent  repast, 
served  in  a  way  which  would  be  considered  cre- 
ditable in   London   or   Paris,   in    the    society   of 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  17 

educated  and  wealthy  men,  in  a  portion  of  that 
continent  which  was  only  discovered  seventeen 
or  eighteen  years  ago,  and  in  a  city  which  six- 
teen years  back  was  a  savage  waste,  trodden  by 
savage  men  in  chase  of  the  emu  and  the  kan- 
garoo. In  this  city  there  are  25,000  inha- 
bitants, surrounded  by  all  the  necessaries  and 
comforts  of  life;  there  are  well-built  houses; 
shops  filled  with  everything  one  can  require; 
two  churches,  besides  chapels  ;  active  Ministers 
of  all  denominations ;  a  well-managed  custom- 
house, gaol,  and  post-office;  numerous  colonial 
trading  vessels  clustering  at  the  river  quays ; 
whilst  at  the  mouth  of  the  Yarra,  by  William's 
Town,  lie  at  anchor  fourteen  or  fifteen  full-rigged 
ships.  What  wonderful  civilising  tendencies  the 
Anglo-Saxon  race  seems  to  have!  Instruments 
are  they  of  an  All-Wise  Providence  to  substitute 
in  the  remote  extremities  of  the  world  human- 
ising Christianity  for  savage  Paganism,  a  pure 
code  of  morals  for  abominable  impurities,  govern- 
ment for  anarchy,  peace  for  bloodshed,  industry 
for  idleness,  the  certain  fruits  of  agriculture  for 
the  precarious  yield  of  the  chase  !  An  English- 
man is  never  content  to  do  anything  that  he 
undertakes,  by  halves ;  he  will  pull  all  surround- 
ing influences  up  to  his  level ;  he  never  descends 
to  them.  It  is  the  genius  of  the  British  colonist 
to  reproduce   in  the   most   distant  regions,  and 

c 


18  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

under  the  most  unfavourable  auspices,  the  mi- 
nutest details  of  early  associations,  to  surround 
himself  at  the  antipodes  with  the  atmosphere  of 
home.  With  dogged  energy  he  never  rests  till 
he  has  reduced  to  practice  the  great  theories 
necessary  to  the  birth  and  existence  of  common- 
wealths, which  have  been  familiar  to  him  from 
his  childhood.  Thus,  in  the  colonies  we  find  the 
same  adoption  of  a  constitutional  form  of  govern- 
ment; the  same  regard  to  the  majesty  of  the 
law;  the  same  tendency  to  open  discussion  of 
religious  matters,  mixed  up,  however,  with  a 
profound  respect  for  religion  in  general ;  the 
same  appreciation  of  personal  liberty ;  the  same 
adherence  to  the  great  principles  of  commerce,  as 
we  find  in  the  fatherland.  And  this  imitation  of 
"  home"  is  carried  into  all  the  details  of  private 
domestic  life,  even  down  to  the  furnishing  of  a 
house  or  the  arranging  of  a  dinner.  Old  ideas 
born  in  him,  as  it  were,  and  customs  pertina- 
ciously upheld,  are  the  Sacred  Fire,  the  Penates, 
which  the  Englishman  carries  with  him  from  the 
old  shores  wherever  he  goes.  He  may  change 
the  soil  —  he  cannot  change  his  country,  for 
dear  Old  England  contains  him  still ;  an  England 
of  his  own  creation,  substituting  the  sunny 
beauty  and  brightness  of  youth  for  the  majestic 
vigour  of  age.  And  why  has  Providence  chosen 
England  from  all  other  nations  to  carry  Christ- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  19 

ianity,  and  its  offspring,  Civilisation,  into  the  far- 
away wildernesses  of  distant  lands,  inhabited  by 
savage  men,  devouring  one  another  ?  Other 
races,  other  empires  are  more  extensive,  more 
populous,  possess  more  natural  intelligence,  more 
taste  for  what  is  elegant,  are  equally  robust, 
equally  enduring.  But  the  glorious  office  of 
creating  light  in  an  atmosphere  of  moral  dark- 
ness, in  pouriug  spiritual  day  on  the  sightless 
eyeballs  of  the  heathen,  has  not  devolved  on 
them.  How  does  this  come  to  pass  ?  If  we 
may,  without  presumption,  canvass  the  designs 
of  Providence,  the  question  would  be  capable  of 
the  following  solution.  It  is,  then,  that  every 
Englishman  is  brought  up  from  his  earliest  in- 
fancy to  read,  learn,  and  digest  the  pure  and 
undefiled  word  of  God.  He  early  forms  a  ha- 
bitude of  judging  for  himself  in  religious  matters, 
biased,  perhaps,  but  not  peremptorily  dictated 
to,  by  any  man,  or  any  body  of  men.  And  this 
independence  of  judgment,  once  formed,  extends 
naturally  to  secular  matters,  and  prevents  the 
growth  of  vacillation  of  character.  And  more 
than  this,  he  learns  within  the  book  of  life  that 
every  man  should  consider  himself  a  responsible 
being,  gifted  with  certain  talents  by  his  Creator, 
of  which  he  is  to  make  use.  This  gives  him 
early  an  idea  that  he  has  an  object  in  life,  and 
that  he  must  not  run  to  seed  down  here;  and 


20  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

though  the  religious  part  of  the  matter  is,  alas  ! 
often  lost  sight  of,  yet  the  moral  tone  remains 
kneaded  into  his  character,  and  begets  in  him  a 
ceaseless  activity,  and  a  tenacious  perseverance  in 
carrying  out  all  that  he  begins.  To  this,  I 
imagine,  must  be  attributed  the  superiority  of 
the  English  national  character  over  all  other 
national  characters ;  and  this  is  why  he  is  called 
upon  by  Heaven  to  accomplish  that  in  which 
other  nations,  from  want  of  moral  ballast — fixity 
of  purpose,  would  fail. 

July  12.— Breakfasted  with  Mr.  N ,  the 

truly  excellent  incumbent  of  St.  Peter's  Church. 
He  lives  in  a  pretty  house,  quite  close  to  the 
church.  The  mud  renders  the  streets  almost 
impassable  :  it  rears  itself  up  above  the  boots. 

July  13.  —  Saw  the  Bishop  of  Melbourne  (Dr. 
Perry),  a  thin  and  very  acute-looking  prelate. 
Bought  a  Queen's  head  for  a  letter.  The  portrait 
of  her  Majesty  is  a  wonderfully  coarse  production 
of  art,  very  much  like  a  public -house  sign 
reduced. 

July  11  (Sunday). — Waded  to  church  through 
mud  four  inches  deep.  St.  James's  is  the  first 
church  that  was  built  in  Melbourne.  Its  external 
architecture  is  very  hideous  ;  internally  it  is,  if 
anything,  worse.  The  prayers  arc  read,  and  the 
sermOD  preached,  from  two  lofty  desks  of  polished 
wood  in  front  of  the  chancel.     The  font  is  placed 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  21 

between  these,  so  as  to  impede  the  view  of  the 
communion-table.  The  service  was  celebrated 
with  great  decorum,  and  the  Bishop  preached 
a  clear,  logical,  and  impressive  discourse,  of 
what  is  termed  the  Low-Chi*rch  School.  He 
took  his  text  from  the  3d  chapter  of  St.  John, 
the  3d  verse.  In  the  course  of  his  sermon  lie 
said  that  "  he  would  not  now  touch  upon  the 
connexion  between  baptism  and  regeneration,  but 
would  leave  that  to  a  future  opportunity;  that  in 
infant  baptism  regeneration  may  be  the  cause  of 
faith  and  repentance,  but  in  adult  baptism  it 
would  be  the  consequence;  that  instead  of  dis- 
puting upon  baptismal  regeneration,  we  should 
strive  to  realise  our  own  individual  regeneration." 
July  16.  —  Mr.  La  Trobe,  the  Superintendent 
or  Deputy-governor  of  the  Colony,  did  me  the 
honour  of  calling  on  me.  This  gentleman  is  a 
Swiss  by  birth,  and  has  distinguished  himself 
by  publishing  several  amusing  and  instructive 
works,  such  as  "  The  Alpenstock,"  "  Travels  in 
Mexico,"  &c.  It  requires  a  great  deal  of  tem- 
per to  be  governor  of  a  colony.  The  game  of 
"Ministerial"  and  "Opposition,"  "Conservative" 
and  "Liberal,"  is  played  out  here  just  as  in  the 
mother-country ;  but  it  is  done  in  a  coarser  and 
rougher  spirit.  The  head  of  the  Government  is 
always  the  butt  of  the  most  personal  and  virulent 
attacks  from  the  opposition  journals,  which,  like 


22  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

mosquitoes,  are  always  buzzing  about  his  ears, 
and  sometimes  they  sting  very  sharply.  A  nerv- 
ous, irritable,  or  a  refined,  fastidious  man,  had 
much  better  stay  at  home  tban  accept  such  an 
office.  • 

July  17.  —  Hear  that  the  climate  is  very  vari- 
able. Last  autumn  influenza  was  very  prevalent 
in  Melbourne,  and  all  the  blacks  retreated  from 
the  city  and  immediate  neighbourhood  into  the 
bush.  When  questioned  on  their  reasons  for 
leaving,  they  replied,  "No  good  stay;  white  man 
too  much  sniffle."  Hear  that  shepherding  is  such 
a  solitary,  idle  life,  that  some  of  the  men  become 
half-witted  and  foolish.  Walked  to  Richmond,  a 
pretty  village,  partly  seated  on  a  gentle  eminence, 
close  to  the  Yarra.  In  going  I  passed  a  stately 
house,  half-finished,  which  is  being  built  as  a  pa- 
lace for  the  Bishop.  In  Richmond  abound  wea- 
ther-board cottages,  nestling  in  flower-gardens. 

July  20.  —  Walked  over  the  fine  bridge  to  a 
pretty  village  on  the  shores  of  the  bay  called  St. 
Kilda,  about  three  miles  from  Melbourne.  Bath- 
ing would  be  delicious  here,  if  the  locality  were 
free  of  sharks.  Formerly,  there  were  none  here ; 
but  now  so  much  offal  floats  down  the  river  from 
the  boiling-down  establishments,  that  these  mon- 
sters prowl  about  everywhere.  Wherever  the  car- 
case is,  the  vultures  congregate. 

July  21.  —  A  most  brilliant,  clastic  day.    I  at- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  23 

tended  divine  service  at  St.  Peter's  Church,  a 
plain,  unpretending  building,  not  ugly  and  not 
handsome.  There  is  no  regular  reading-desk 
there  at  present ;  the  prayers  are  read  from  inside 
the  altar  rails.  In  the  afternoon  I  visited  the 
Cemetery.  It  is  a  melancholy  bit  of  ground,  of 
about  ten  to  twelve  acres,  laid  out  in  poor  taste 
and  wretchedly  kept.  A  few  dismal  trees  attempt 
to  flourish  among  the  graves  ;  long  coarse  grass 
springs  up  in  rank  luxuriance,  and  the  paths  are 
overgrown  with  weeds.  Some  of  the  inscriptions, 
both  Latin  and  English,  are  misspelt.  The  Latin 
word  "excelsis"  seems  to  puzzle  the  graver,  for 
in  one  inscription  there  is  "Gloria  in  excelces 
Deo;"  in  another,  "excelxis."  Only  two  monu- 
ments struck  me  as  interesting;  one  a  broken 
granite  column  in  memory  of  a  bank  clerk  cut 
off  at  an  early  age ;  the  other  in  memory  of  Dr. 
Hobson. 

July  22. —  One  of  the  immigrants  who  was  my 
fellow-passenger  out,  came  to  ask  me  what  he 
should  do  with  his  money,  saying  that  he  had 
had  pressing  offers  of  wonderfully  remunerative 
investment,  by  which  his  fortune  could  be  soon 
made  without  trouble.  Advised  him  to  thank  his 
disinterested  new  friends  for  their  kind  offers,  and 
to  peremptorily  decline  them  ;  to  place  one  hun- 
dred pounds  in  the  Savings'  Bank,  and  the  rest  in 
the  Union  Bank;   to  get  into   some  employ  at 


24  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

good  wages;  and  to  look  about  him  for  a  year 
until  he  became  colonialised.  After  that,  I  told 
him,  he  would  gain  sufficient  experience  to  be  en- 
abled to  invest  his  small  capital  with  advantage. 
This  man  was  a  respectable,  hard-working  agri- 
cultural labourer  of  the  better  class,  inDevonshire, 
who,  having  come  into  a  small  legacy,  determined 
to  bring  his  wife  and  family  to  Australia,  and  try 
his  luck  as  a  farmer.  Hear  that  every  newly  ar- 
rived immigrant  is  beset  by  sharpers,  who  do 
their  best  to  ruin  him.  Indeed  I  am  told  that  no 
new  man  is  good  for  anything  till  he  has  been 
clean  ruined.  Ruining,  they  say,  is  good  for  the 
experience.  This  means,  that  the  stupidest  dupe 
becomes  the  cleverest  knave. 

July  30. —  Walked  to  Heidelberg  and  back  to 
pay  a  visit  to  the  estimable  clergyman  there. 
My  way  lay  through  the  bush  till  I  came  to  the 
Merri  Creek.  Having  crossed  that,  I  found  a 
good  road  through  an  inclosed  country,  which 
took  me  to  Heidelberg.  This  township  straggles 
over  a  large  space  of  fertile  hill  and  valley,  and 
has  the  Yarra  running  through  its  precincts  be- 
tween very  deep  banks.  On  a  little  eminence 
they  are  building  a  substantial  stone  church. 
Land  here  is  high  in  price,  on  account  of  its  great 
fertility  and  its  proximity  to  Melbourne,  being 
about  seven  miles  off.  Walked  home  by  sunset 
with  the  greatest  ease.     The  air  is  so  transparent 


IX  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA. 


25 


and  elastic,  that  no  amount  of  exercise  seems  to 
tire.  The  thermometer  (in  the  shade)  during  the 
last  week  in  Melbourne  was  as  follows  : 


S£  A.M. 

2  J  P.M. 

Sun3et. 

9p.h 

Monday 

49° 

55° 

52° 

48' 

Tuesday 

41 

58 

54 

46 

Wednesday 

45 

58 

54 

50 

Thursday    . 

46 

47 

42 

38 

Friday    .     . 

38 

50 

50 

50 

Saturday 

52 

56 

54 

49 

Sunday  .     . 

48 

54 

54 

46 

Aug.  4.  —  Rambled  about  Melbourne,  and 
was  astonished  at  the  well-being  which  seemed 
to  prevail  everywhere,  at  the  well-filled  stores,  at 
the  number  of  butchers'  shops,  at  the  independ- 
ent, contented,  young  look  of  the  population. 
The  scarcity  of  old  people  is  very  striking.  The 
chief  streets  in  Melbourne  are  Collins  Street, 
Bourke  Street,  and  Lonsdale  Street,  running  east 
and  west ;  and  Elizabeth  Street  and  Swanston 
Street,  running  north  and  south.  These  are  very 
fine,  wide  streets,  but  the  east  and  west  streets 
have  a  little  street  running  parallel  with  them,  a 
sort  of  diminished  double,  all  of  which  are  ill- 
kept  and  have  miserable  buildings  in  them.  The 
inhabitants  are  low  and  dirty,  and  these  localities, 
seaming  as  they  do  the  very  centre  of  the  city, 
are  so  many  nuclei  of  bad  smells  and  disease.  At 
the  first  laying  out  of  the  town  it  was  intended 


26  DIARY  OF  A  "WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

that  these  streets  should  be  appropriated  as  mews 
to  their  big  brothers;  but  as  land  increased  in 
value,  men,  not  horses,  came  to  inhabit  them.  The 
west  end  of  one  of  them,  called  Little  Collins 
Street,  is  nicknamed  Chancery  Lane,  on  account 
of  the  great  congregation  of  lawyers  in  that  lo- 
cality. To  show  the  increasing  importance  of 
Port  Phillip,  as  well  indeed  as  of  the  whole  of 
Australasia,  I  give  the  value  of  the  exports  from 
this  group  of  colonies  to  Great  Britain  during  the 
past  year  (1849):  New  South  Wales,  1,260,600/.; 
Port  Phillip,  976,620/. ;  Adelaide  (S.  Australia), 
535,130/.;  Hobarton  (Tasmania),  215,500/.; 
Launceston,  180,180/.;  and  N.  Zealand,  10,000/. 
Wool  and  tallow,  and  the  copper  from  the  Burra 
mines,  compose  the  staple  commodity  of  this  vast 
commerce. 

Aug.  5.  —  Having  received  an  invitation  from 
a  wealthy  squatter  in  the  neighbourhood  of  Gee- 
long,  the  second  city  of  the  colony,  I  embarked  on 
board  a  small  steamer  at  the  Melbourne  Wharf  at 
eleven  o'clock,  and  reached  Geelong  at  half-past 
four.  The  Yarra  banks  were  as  desolate-looking  as 
ever,  the  boiling-down  establishments  defiled  the 
air  with  their  usual  smells.  When  we  reached 
llobson's  Bay  a  breeze  sprung  up,  and  carried  us 
gaily  onward  in  a  southerly  direction.  In  about 
two  hours  we  bore  westward,  and  entered  the  fine 
sheet  of  water  called  Geelong  Harbour.   We  soon 


IN  AUSTEALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  27 

crossed  the  Bar,  and  steamed  alongside  of  the 
wharf.  In  a  few  minutes  I  entered  a  fine  free- 
stone palace-looking  place,  called  Mack's  Hotel, 
where  I  slept,  partially  interrupted  in  my  slum- 
bers by  the  drunken  roarings  of  a  rich  proprietor 
in  the  neighbourhood,  who  was  trying  to  force  his 
way  into  somebody  else's  room. 

Aug.  6. — As  I  sat  at  breakfast  in  the  coffee- 
room  of  Mack's  Hotel,  a  coarse-looking  person, 
well  dressed,  entered  into  conversation  with  me. 
He  told  me  that  he  was  one  of  the  early  settlers 
in  that  part  of  the  country,  and  that  he  had  se- 
veral sheep-runs,  which  he  was  about  to  let  for 
two  or  three  years,  that  he  might  make  a  visit 
home  to  England.  He  said  that  his  property  was 
worth  to  him  from  2500/.  to  3000/.  a-year;  and 
did  I  think  that  he  could  get  on  in  England  with 
that?  I  asked  him  if  he  was  a  married  man.  He 
said,  No.  I  answered  him  that,  as  he  was  a  single 
man,  I  thought  he  might,  with  strict  economy, 
make  two  ends  meet  in  England  on  3000/.  a- 
year.  I  don't  think  he  quite  liked  my  answer. 
I  afterwards  learnt  that  he  was  as  rich  as  he  re- 
presented himself  to  be,  that  he  came  to  the  co- 
lony very  poor,  that  his  character  did  not  stand 
very  high,  and  that  he  was  much  given  to  boast 
of  his  wealth.  This  being  so,  I  am  glad  I  an- 
swered him  as  I  did.  After  breakfast,  took  a  sur- 
vey of  Geelong.     This  city,  which  from  its  situ- 


28  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

ation  is  more  worthy  to  be  the  capital  of  a  colony 
than  Melbourne,  is  built  on  a  steepish  declivity, 
which  commences  from  the  water.  It  has  fine 
wide  streets,  and  the  houses  are  for  the  most  part 
freestone.  Behind  the  city,  a  mile  or  two  away, 
runs  the  river  Barrabool,  which  sometimes  makes 
sad  devastations.  From  every  part  of  Geelong  is 
an  exquisite  view  of  the  harbour:  on  the  right  are 
high  clowns,  with  a  soil  of  wonderful  fertility; 
turning  round,  one  sees  in  the  background  the 
picturesque  summit  of  Station  Peak,  which  some 
one  told  me  bears  evidence  to  being  an  extinct 
volcano.  And  all  the  time  I  was  looking  about, 
there  was  a  glowing  sun  and  a  cloudless  sky,  and 
a  pure  elastic  air  quite  life-giving.  In  Geelong,  I 
hear,  there  is  a  great  deal  of  dust  in  summer  and 
inexpressible  mud  in  winter.  For  morality,  Gee- 
long is  no  worse  than  its  bigger  neighbour.  The 
crying  vice  is  drunkenness,  and  that  arises  from 
the  filthy  adulterations  practised  by  the  publicans 
more  than  from  the  quantity  drunk.  The  to- 
bacco that  should  be  in  the  cigars  which  they 
sell,  is  put  into  weak  rum  and  water,  to  give  it 
flavour  and  force  and  make  it  intoxicating.  It 
may  be  supposed  how  pernicious  such  intoxi- 
cation is.  My  hospitable  friend  came  into  Gee- 
long expressly  to  meet  me  ;  so  at  two  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon  we  mounted,  and  rode  over  the 
clastic  turf  nineteen  miles,  without  drawing  bridle, 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  29 

in  two  hours  and  a  half,  till  we  came  to  his  sta- 
tion near  the  Anakie  Hills. 

Aug.  7.  —  My  friend's  place  is  situated  at 
the  commencement  of  a  forest,  which  extends 
over  a  hill  at  the  back.  The  gum-tree,  the 
sheacke,  vulgarly  called  the  she-oak,  and  the  mi- 
mosa, flourish  abundantly  there.  The  house  in 
which  he  lives  is  rather  a  collection  of  many 
houses  or  hut3,  accumulated  as  necessity  required. 
It  is,  however,  rendered  very  comfortable,  and  as 
he  has  a  good  garden,  his  table  is  well  served. 
The  annual  income  which  he  derives  from  the 
wool  of  his  sheep  cannot  be  less  than  2000/. 
sterling.  After  breakfast  read  a  little  of  the 
"  Canterbury  Pilgrimage,"  which  I  found  in 
his  library,  then  mounted  on  horseback,  and 
rode  to  the  base  of  the  left-hand  peak  of  the 
Anakie  Hills.  It  consists  of  enormous  fragments 
of  rock  in  grotesque  shapes,  which  seem  to  have 
been  belched  up  from  the  plain  by  volcanic 
agency.  A  great  deal  of  soil  has  accumulated 
amid  the  interstices  of  these  rocks,  and  there 
are  to  be  found  rare  plants,  and  shrubs,  and 
heaths. 

Aug.  8.  —  Returned  to  Geelong. 

Aug.  9.  —  Intended  to  return  to  Melbourne, 
but  the  day  was  so  transparently  lovely,  and  the 
bay  smiled  so  brightly,  that  I  determined  to  stop 
to-day.     Wandered  on  the  banks  of  the  river, 


30  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

which  meanders  prettily  through  the  valley  after 
emerging  from  the  Barrabool  Hills.  The  soil 
seems  of  indescribable  fertility,  but  the  sad-co- 
loured foliage  of  the  trees  throws  a  dusky  veil 
over  an  otherwise  brilliant  landscape.  And  the 
leaves  of  the  trees  do  not  droop,  but  stick  out 
quite  stiff.  They  are  small,  too,  and  give  little 
shade.  As  scarcely  any  of  the  trees  in  Australia 
are  deciduous,  every  landscape  is  saddened  at  all 
seasons  by  this  dull  green  tint  everywhere  pre- 
vailing. All  is  monotony.  With  us,  on  the  con- 
trary, the  changes  of  our  foliage  keeping  pace 
with  the  seasons,  the  annihilation  in  winter,  the 
new  birth  in  spring  producing  the  radiant  green 
of  youth,  mellowing  into  the  rich  summer  tint, 
followed  up  by  the  "  sere  and  yellow  leaf"  of 
autumn,  bring  forth  those  strong  contrasts  which 
so  much  delight  tbe  lovers  of  nature.     Called  on 

a    Mr.    C ,    the    worthy   incumbent    of  the 

church  here,  who  received  me  with  much  hospi- 
tality. This  excellent  clergyman  has  laboured  in 
the  cause  of  his  Master  as  a  missionary  in  South 
Africa. 

Aug.  10. —  Returned  to  Melbourne  in  a  little 
steamer  called  the  "Vesta."  The  voyage  took  us 
six  hours.  The  bay  looked  as  brilliant  as  ever. 
The  mornings  are  crisp  and  cold.  The  thermo- 
meter in  the  sun  at  noon  is  105°. 

Aug.  11   (Sunday). — Assisted  the  incumbent 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  31 

at  St.  Peter's  Church,  Collingwood,  a  suburb  of 
Melbourne.  I  read  Prayers  in  the  morning  and 
preached  in  the  afternoon.  The  behaviour  of  the 
people  was  as  perfect  as  could  be — no  whisper- 
ing, no  fidgeting,  no  sleeping.  They  joined 
heartily  in  the  singing  and  responding.  I  could 
hardly  realise  to  myself  that  I  was  out  of  Eng- 
land. 

Aug.  12. — Went  to  see  some  gymnastic 
sports,  which  were  celebrated  to  day  on  the  race- 
course. All  was  confusion  and  careless  manage- 
ment. None,  save  those  in  the  front  rank,  could 
see  anything;  and  there  was  nothing  for  them  to 
see  worth  struggling  for.  Saw  a  man  haled  off 
by  the  police  for  picking  pockets.  All  put  me 
in  mind  of  the  old  country — the  want  of  arrange- 
ment, the  drinking,  the  cursing  and  obscene  talk- 
ing, the  prostitutes,  thieves,  and  policemen. 

Aug.  18  [Sunday). — Attended  divine  service  in 
the  morning  at  St.  James's,  the  Cathedral. 

Aug.  19. — Went  to  the  Botanical  Gardens,  a 
piece  of  twelve  or  fourteen  acres  on  the  other  side 
of  the  Yarra,  planted  and  arranged  in  a  very 
tasteful  manner.  There  are  gum-trees,  mimosas, 
cactuses,  apple-trees,  stocks  and  geraniums,  and 
many  other  trees  and  plants  which  I  cannot  par- 
ticularise. There  is  one  exceedingly  pleasant  seat 
under  a  gigantic  gum-tree,  commanding  an  exten- 
sive prospect. 


32  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

Aug.  22. —  Went  on  a  visit  to  a  worthy  clergy- 
man who  is  incumbent  of  Heidelberg.  He  lives 
in  a  pretty  weather-board  cottage  seated  on  an 
eminence.  From  the  broad  verandah  which  sur- 
rounds the  house  is  a  charming  view  of  the  vil- 
lage green,  and  of  the  half-built  church  on  a  little 
hill  in  the  midst.  The  course  of  the  river  with 
its  hidden  waters  can  be  traced  by  the  brilliant 
golden  blossoms  of  the  mimosa,  which  adorn  the 
precipitous  and  overhanging  banks.  It  looks  like 
a  gigantic  golden  serpent  stretching  its  sinuous 
length  on  a  brilliant  greensward.  At  intervals 
I  heard  the  liquid  tones  of  the  bell-bird,  and  the 
discordant  notes  of  the  bird  called  (from  his  me- 
thod of  expressing  himself)  the  laughing  jackass. 
My  friend  took  me  to  see  a  black  ant's  nest. 
These  insects  were  an  inch  and  a  half  long,  with 
an  immense  forceps  and  a  most  venomous  bite. 
Their  eyes  are  large  and  most  expressively  fero- 
cious. 

Aug.  25  {Sunday). — A  fine  day,  though  not 
without  rain.  Assisted  at  divine  service,  which 
was  held  in  a  little  school-room  built  of  logs  in 
the  bush  by  a  Quaker.  I  preached  to  about 
forty  persons  —  all  decent,  quiet  people,  who  re- 
sponded very  nicely  during  the  prayers.  Around 
us  were  waving  old  gum-trees,  which  fourteen 
years  back  were  waving  over  the  savage,  as  yet 
sole  proprietor  of  the  soil.     After  lunch  I  rode  to 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  33 

a  cottage  in  another  direction,  and  preached  to 
twenty  attentive  listeners  on  the  subject  of  re- 
wards and  punishments  bestowed  on  mankind  in 
this  world  as  well  as  the  next.  The  text  was 
from  the  8th  chap.  Ecclesiastes,  11th  verse.  Was 
shown  a  large  tract  of  land,  which  is  said  to  be- 
long to  some  titled  family  in  England.  It  is  now 
the  object  of  a  Chancery  suit.  It  will  in  time 
have  a  great  value.  Found  an  enormous  spider 
which  had  his  haunt  close  to  my  bed.  They 
called  him  a  tarantula.  He  had  a  hairy  body 
and  huge  hairy  legs.  When  I  turned  a  full-sized 
tumbler  down  upon  him,  I  could  not  inclose  his 
legs,  and  cut  one  of  them,  which  he  immediately 
put  into  his  mouth  and  began  to  suck. 

Aug.  26. —  llode  in  to  Melbourne.  The  sun 
shone  brightly,  and  the  birds  made  the  best  noise 
they  could.     They  do  not  sing  here. 

Aug.  28. —  Paid  a  visit  to  a  clergyman,  who  is 
the  incumbent  of  Brighton,  a  straggling  town- 
ship situated  on  the  shores  of  the  bay,  about  six 
to  eight  miles  from  Melbourne.  The  road  is  a 
track  through  a  forest  full  of  gum-trees,  sheackes, 
and  mimosas.  Passed  a  swamp  on  my  right 
thronged  with  rushes,  from  which  issued  a  sound 
as  of  heavy  castanets.  Who  were  the  performers 
I  did  not  see.  The  view  from  my  friend's 
verandah  was  enchanting.  The  laughing  waters 
of  the  bay  clapped  their  hands  under  the  bright 

D 


34  DIARY  OP  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

sunbeams.  The  soil  at  Brighton  is  light  and 
sandy,  and  excellent  vegetables  are  grown  there. 
Land  ranges  there  from'  twenty  to  forty  pounds 
an  acre. 

Aug.  30. —  Gave  half-a-crown  for  a  ticket  to  a 
lecture  on  mesmerism  at  the  Mechanics'  Hall,  and 
attended  the  lecture.  A  great  many  people  were 
there.  The  lecturer  operated  on  two  boys,  one  a 
white,  the  other  a  black  just  arrived  from  the 
Murray  River,  and  made  them  perform  a  variety 
of  wonderful  feats.  He  spoke  disjointedly  and 
unconnectedly,  and,  with  cool  audacity,  drew  a 
parallel  between  himself,  Mesmer,  Elliotson,  and 
Jesus  Christ.  The  effrontery  of  the  orator  was  to 
me  the  great  trick  of  the  evening. 

Sept.  4.  —  We  have  weather,  the  like  to  which, 
for  beauty,  I  have  never  experienced.  Mountains 
at  sixty  miles'  distance  seem  but  twelve  away,  and 
the  air  is  so  pure  and  fresh  that  one  feels  as  if  he 
were  inhaling  laughing  gas.  Took  a  long  walk 
in  the  environs  the  other  side  of  the  Yarra.  All 
is  beautiful,  but  the  parched-looking  green  colour 
of  the  trees  is  a  great  drawback.  Attended  a 
government  land  sale.  The  land  is  put  up  in  lots, 
varying  from  two  roods  to  six  hundred  acres,  at 
prices  varying  from  one  pound  to  three  hundred 
pounds  an  acre.  It  is  a  strange  sight  to  see  the 
rough-looking  bush  men,  mixed  up  with  tradesmen 
and  gentlemen,  eagerly  bidding  in  a  room  blocked 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  35 

up  with  stores,  some  sitting  upon,  others  strad* 
dling  across,  barrels,  cases,  chests,  and  boxes. 

Sept,  13. — In  the  afternoon  there  came  a 
tornado,  driving  before  it  an  incredible  quantity 
of  dust.     This  they  call  "  a  brickfielder." 

Sept.  22. — A  hot  north  wind  in  the  morning, 
a  cool  south  wind  in  the  afternoon.  These  north 
winds  come  from  the  Central  Desert,  and  during 
their  prevalence  one  feels  to  be  standing  at  the 
mouth  of  a  furnace.  The  thermometer  rises  to 
120°  in  the  shade;  books  get  dog-eared;  writing- 
desks  split ;  many  people  go  to  bed  ;  universal 
physical  demoralisation  prevails.  This  lasts  one, 
two,  and  even  three  days.  All  of  a  sudden,  the 
wind  chops  rounds  to  the  south  in  a  moment,  the 
thermometer  falls  to  60°,  all  nature  is  refreshed, 
and  people  resume  their  accustomed  activity. 
These  hot  winds  are  said  to  possess  great  purify- 
ing qualities. 

Sept.  25. —  One  of  the  Crown  Commissioners 
having  hospitably  invited  me  to  his  house  at  the 
township  of  Gisborne,  a  place  between  thirty  and 
forty  miles  to  the  north  of  Melbourne,  on  the 
Mount  Macedon  road,  I  started  with  my  friend 
from  the  door  of  the  Club  at  two  in  the  afternoon. 
We  had  three  spaniels  with  us,  and  a  greyhound, 
and  a  mounted  policeman  followed,  in  the  capacity 
of  orderly.  As  the  day  was  black  and  lowering, 
and  we  feared  rain,  we  put  our  horses  into  a  fast 


36  DIARY   OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

canter,  and  continued  them  at  it,  with  the  excep- 
tion of  five  minutes  for  watering,  until  we  arrived 
at  Gisborne  at  six  o'clock.  The  exact  distance  is 
thirty-three  miles.  This  is  not  particularly  fast, 
considering  that  we  traversed  dry,  springy  turf, 
and  that  the  weather  was  cool  and  bracing,  like 
an  autumn  day  in  England. 

Sept.  26. — My  friend  has  a  nice  cottage  in  a  fertile 
garden,  which  descends  to  a  stream.  It  contains 
all  the  comforts  and  luxuries  of  a  bachelor's  home 
in  England.     Started  after  breakfast  for  Pastoria, 

a  sheep-station  belonging  to  a  Mr.  P .     Our 

route  lay  through  the  Black  Forest,  which  extends 
under  a  lofty  ridge  of  Mount  Macedon.  The 
weather  was  most  malignant,  and  we  got  very 
wet.  The  rain  and  mist  prevented  us  from  seeing 
much  except  the  trees  on  either  side;  I  had, 
however,  one  momentary  glimpse  of  a  giant  cliff 
on  my  right.  After  a  wet  ride  of  eighteen  miles 
through  this  forest,  we  stopped  a  little  at  the 
Court-House  to  see  if  any  magistrates'  business 

was  to  be  done,  and  then  went  on  to  Mr.  P 's, 

where  we  had  a  warm  welcome  and  dry  clothes. 

Sept.  27. — Employed  all  the  morning  in  read- 
ing a  great  portion  of  Watson's  "  Apology  for  the 
Bible."  It  is  an  answer  to  Thomas  Puine's  "Age 
of  Reason,"  and  puts  me  in  mind  of  a  sturdy 
wrestler  throwing  his  adversary  heavily  at  every 
bout.  After  all,  I  am  convinced,  that  if  a  man  have 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  37 

an  evil  heart  of  unbelief,  no  Apologies  or  Analogies 
or  Evidences  in  the  world  will  argue  him  into  the 
right  path.  Infidelity  is  a  disease  of  the  heart, 
not  of  the  head.  Thus,  arguing  with  an  hardened 
unbeliever  is  time  thrown  away.  He  is  prede- 
termined not  to  be  convinced.  Reasoning  cannot 
touch  him — he  is  not  open  to  conviction;  whilst 
we,  who  are  open  to  conviction,  run  the  risk  of 
being  made  very  uncomfortable  by  his  weak  or 
lying  arguments,  speciously  dressed  up  and 
audaciously  advanced,  the  logical  defects  of  which 
we  cannot,  in  the  heat  and  hurry  of  argument, 
detect.  To  say  the  truth,  if  we  were  as  active  in 
the  cause  of  our  Master  as  sceptics  and  infidels 
are  in  the  cause  of  theirs,  the  religion  of  Christ 
would  have  a  much  more  extended  influence  over 
the  hearts  of  men.  At  two  o'clock  started  for  a 
large  sheep-station  on  the  Campaspie  River,  the 

hospitable  proprietor  of  which  is  a  Mr.  M . 

This  gentleman  has  just  built  a  fine  wool-shed, 
which  is  admirably  adapted  for  a  church.  Find 
in  the  house  every  comfort  one  can  possibly 
require.  The  Campaspie  has  the  characteristics 
of  other  Australian  rivers  :  in  the  dry  season  it  is 
but  a  chain  of  seemingly  stagnant  water-holes ; 
during  the  rains  it  is  a  raging,  rushing  torrent. 
Many  people,  however,  think  that  water-holes  are 
not  stagnant,  but  that  they  have  an  underground 


38  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

communication,  by  means  of  the  vanished  river 
running  in  a  subterranean  channel.  In  the  course 
of  the  day  stopped  at  a  shepherd's  hut  out  of  the 
rain,  for  an  hour  and  a  half.  The  sides  were  logs 
of  fir-wood  laid  horizontally  one  on  the  other ; 
the  roof  was  pointed  at  a  high  pitch  ;  there  were 
two  beds  on  stretchers  in  the  hut,  and  at  one  end, 
opposite  the  door,  was  a  huge  fire-place  built  of 
stones.  There  was  no  flooring.  To  the  roof  were 
hung  to  dry,  opossum-skins,  of  which  people  here 
make  rugs  to  keep  them  warm.  The  two  beds 
belonged  to  the  shepherd  and  his  mate,  the  hut- 
keeper — the  duty  of  which  last,  is  to  cook,  and 
make  everything  comfortable  for  the  other,  and 
make  himself  responsible  for  the  sheep  when  folded 
round  the  hut  at  night.  The  shepherd  takes  care 
of  the  sheep  by  day  in  the  pastures  round  about. 
The  hut-keeper  gave  us  all  he  could — a  disagree- 
able, bitter,  hot  syrup,  which  I  found  to  be  strong 
green  tea,  and  an  immense  quantity  of  coarse 
brown  sugar;  also  some  heavy  cake,  very  indi- 
gestible. This  was  "  damper,"  and  made  without 
leaven.  I  ate  of  his  bread  and  drank  of  his  tea, 
though  they  were  not  to  my  taste,  for  I  am  given 
to  understand  that  a  hut-keeper  feels  himself  very 
much  insulted  if  a  traveller — especially  a  gentle- 
man—  refuses  to  partake  of  the  poor  fare  he  can 
offer ;  and  it  is  the  poorness  of  the  fare  which  puts 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  39 

him  on  his  mettle  in  this  regard.  However, 
clamper,  if  it  be  very  well  made,  is  by  no  means 
bad  food. 

Sept.  28. — After  breakfast  started  for  Gisborne. 
Called  at  the  Court-House,  or  Bench,  as  I  believe 

it  is  called,  and  lunched  at  Mr.  J 's  station. 

This  gentleman  is  a  wealthy  squatter.  We  then 
rode  through  the  unamiable  Black  Forest  in  the 
midst  of  a  tempest,  and  arrived  at  Gisborne,  wet 
through  and  through,  after  a  day's  journey  of 
thirty-three  miles. 

Sept.  29  {Sunday).  —  A  stormy  wet  day  again. 

Bode  over  to  the  station  of  a  Mr.  R ,  who, 

with  his  partner,  Mr.  H ,  said  to  be  a  lineal 

descendant  of  Sir  William  Wallace,  are  wealthy 
squatters.  Celebrated  a  full  Service  in  the  draw- 
ing-room, to  a  congregation  of  twenty  people. 
The  singing  was  very  nice,  for  there  were  several 

ladies  present,  and  Mrs.  B accompanied  on 

the  piano. 

Sept.  30. —  Started  for  Melbourne  after  lunch, 
and  rode  there  in  four  hours,  stopping  for  twenty 
minutes  or  half-an-hour  at  the  house  of  a  rich 
importer  and  breeder  of  rams,  situated  on  a  plain 
of  wonderful  fertility.  The  last  fifteen  miles  we 
rode  in  an  hour  and  twenty  minutes,  without 
distressing  the  horses  at  all.  Thus  ends  my  tour 
in  the  Mount  Macedon  district,  in  which  I  was 
first  initiated  in  the  mysteries  of  squatting.     In 


40  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

my  childhood  I  always  pictured  squatters  as  a 
party  of  dirty  people,  squatting  and  lying  round 
a  large  cauldron,  full  of  inexpressible  things, 
suspended  from  three  sticks,  and  simmering 
over  a  fire.  That  idea  has,  I  confess,  a  little 
haunted  me  since.  At  all  events  I  never  thought, 
until  I  went  to  Australia,  a  squatter's  life  to 
be  an  agreeable  one ;  but  now  I  am  quite  un- 
deceived. I  find  well-educated  and  wealthy  gen- 
tlemen squatting  in  the  midst  of  their  flocks 
and  herds,  surrounded  by  every  comfort  and 
luxury,  and  enjoying  a  delicious  climate.  They 
have  nicely  furnished  dwellings;  their  dining- 
tables  sparkle  with  glass  and  plate,  and  they 
ride  the  best  of  horses.  Some  of  them  are 
married,  and  the  bush  ladies  make  excellent  ma- 
nagers, especially  those  that  are  gentlewomen  by 
birth.  They  have  good  gardens,  which  yield 
them  flowers  and  vegetables ;  and  they  are  per- 
mitted to  cultivate  as  much  land  as  their  home 
consumption  may  require.  As  they  have  vast 
tracts  of  fertile  land  given  them  by  the  Govern- 
ment for  sheep  and  cattle-runs,  at  almost  a 
nominal  yearly  rent,  it  would  not  be  just  to- 
wards the  farmers,  who  buy  land  at  a  high  price-, 
that  they  (the  squatters)  should  be  allowed  to 
sell  the  product  of  the  soil.  But  every  squatting 
has  its  drawbacks ;  the  sheep  are  liable-  to  three 
diseases,    one  troublesome    and  noisome,   called 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  41 

the  foot-rot,  the  cure  of  which  is  one  of  the  most 
disagreeable  operations  that  one  can  imagine ; 
the  other  two  mortal  and  ruinous  —  scab,  and 
the  terrible  catarrh.  Of  these  two  last,  the  first 
is  so  contagious,  so  expensive  to  treat,  and  the 
treatment  so  uncertain  in  its  results,  that  many 
sheep-owners  say  they  would  rather  that  sheep 
would  die  at  once,  and  thus  put  them  (the  sheep- 
owners)  out  of  the  misery  of  their  incertitude. 
As  to  the  catarrh,  it  is  positively  a  heart- 
rending disease.  A  squatter  on  Monday  morning 
may  find  himself  the  possessor  of  ten  thousand 
healthy  sheep,  worth  from  eight  to  twelve  shil- 
lings a-piece.  His  run  will  be  crossed  by  a  flock 
of  unhealthy  travelling  sheep ;  his  sheep  will  get 
infected;  they  will  show  the  symptoms  of  violent 
influenza ;  the  disease  will  make  most  rapid  pro- 
gress, and  by  Saturday  night  he  will  find  four 
thousand  remaining  out  of  his  ten  thousand — 
perhaps  all  will  be  taken ;  and  no  remedy  has 
been  found  for  this  accursed  and  mysterious  dis- 
ease. Sheep  with  foot-rot  and  scab  can  be  dressed 
with  mercurial  preparations  and  turpentine.  Loss 
and  trouble  enough  supervene  with  these;  but 
but  for  catarrh  there  has  been  no  remedy — no 
alleviatory  course  of  treatment  discovered.  The 
only  plan  is  to  cut  the  throats  of  those  sheep 
that  show  any  symptoms  of  the  disease,  and  draw 
off  the  unaffected  ones  to  a  distant  part  of  the 


42  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

ran,  leaving  that  part  tabooed  for  many  a  long 
day.  If  there  be  a  boiling-down  establishment 
near,  the  bodies  of  the  victims  can  be  converted 
into  tallow;  if  not,  they  must  be  burned  or 
buried,  and  then  the  loss  is  total.  Thus  squat- 
ters—  particularly  those  whose  runs  adjoin  the 
high  roads — have  always  the  sword  of  ruin 
hanging  over  their  heads.  They  are  subject,  too, 
to  drought,  when  the  stock  dies  from  the  drying 
up  of  the  water-holes.  Their  sheep,  also,  get 
rushed  and  worried  by  the  wild  dogs ;  and  some- 
times Government  steps  in,  when  the  lease  of  the 
run  is  up,  to  take  possession  of  the  land,  that  it 
may  be  surveyed  and  sold  in  lots  for  the  pur- 
poses of  cultivation.  In  that  case  the  squatter 
receives  just  compensation  for  the  buildings  he 
has  erected. 

Oct.  5. —  Hear  that  I  have  been  appointed  to  a 
Government  Chaplaincy  in  Tasmania.  A  Chap- 
laincy like  this  is  much  more  satisfactory  to  a 
clergyman  than  a  cure,  the  remuneration  of  which 
is  raised  by  the  direct  voluntary  system.  Coarse- 
minded  people  often  presume  upon  their  con- 
tributions towards  the  support  of  the  clergyman, 
and  dictate  to  him  in  an  indelicate  manner. 
People,  I  find,  will  contribute  freely  enough  to- 
wards the  support  of  a  minister  in  a  new  district; 
but  when  the  novelty  of  having  a  clergyman  is 
worn   oiF,   or  they  find  that  he   is   not   a    mere 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  43 

puppet  in  their  hands,  and  has  ideas  of  his  own, 
some  cantankerous  little-great  man  will  withdraw 
his  support,  and  persuade  others  to  do  the  same. 
Thus  the  poor  clergyman,  if  he  have  no  private 
means,  is  placed  in  a  very  awkward  position; 
and  the  laity,  in  a  colony  like  this,  should  reflect 
that  any  minister  coming  among  them  can  only 
be  actuated  by  pure  and  disinterested  motives  :  for 
there  is  scarcely  any  employment  which  is  not 
more  remunerative  to  a  man,  with  a  fair  share  of 
intellect,  than  that  of  the  cure  of  souls.  The 
Bishop,  they  say,  has  many  difficulties,  in  a  pecu- 
niary way,  in  regulating  this  diocese.  I  am 
much  surprised  that  colonial  bishops  in  general 
do  not  turn  their  attention  more  to  the  endow- 
ment system.  Nothing  makes  a  church  so  inde- 
pendent of  the  caprices  of  the  laity  as  endowment. 
In  this  colony,  judiciously  chosen  land,  bought 
at  the  present  price,  would,  in  fifteen  or  twenty 
years'  time,  if  not  before,  increase  twenty-fold  in 
value,  and  thus  would  give  to  the  clergy  increased 
means  of  doing  good.  At  all  events,  care  should 
be  taken  to  surround  every  new-built  parsonage 
by  an  extensive  glebe.  This  has  not,  as  far  as  I 
know,  been  done  in  this  diocese. 

Oct.  7. — Three  of  the  immigrants  who  came 
out  with  me  paid  me  a  visit  in  the  evening.  One 
was  an  old  man  of  seventy,  and  in  this  colony, 
where  everybody  is  young  and  vigorous,  it  is  rather 


44  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

a  refreshing  change  to  see  a  venerable  old  man. 
They  seem  happy  and  healthy,  having  got  work 
to  do  at  high  wages ;  even  the  old  man  is  not 
idle.  If  all  trades  were  to  fail  in  town,  they 
can  but  go  into  the  bush  and  take  employment 
as  shepherds  and  hut-keepers.  The  squatters 
would  receive  them  with  open  arms,  and  give 
them  between  twenty  and  twenty-five  pounds 
a- year,  together  with  excellent  rations  of  tea, 
sugar,  beef,  and  flour,  in  quantity  such  as  one 
stomach  could  never  digest.  This  is,  indeed,  a 
land  of  promise,  where  the  climate  excels  that 
of  the  much-vaunted  Ausonia,  and  where  famine 
and  ruin  are  unknown.  It  is  the  famished 
Englishman's  Paradise.  Thus,  those  who  think 
to  punish  convicts  by  sending  them  into  this 
quarter  of  the  world,  make  a  mistake;  they 
are  rather  rewarding  them ;  they  are  giving 
them  health  and  food,  and,  perhaps,  putting 
them  in  the  way  of  amassing  great  wealth.  The 
greatest  boon  that  good  people  in  England  can 
bestow  on  a  deserving  poor  family  would  be  to 
give  them  means  to  emigrate  to  one  of  the 
Australasian  colonies — it  docs  not  matter  where, 
for  throughout,  want  is  unknown  to  the  indus- 
trious, steady  man. 

Oct.  10.  —  Having  taken  leave  of  all  my  good 
Melbourne  friends,  1  embarked  at  the  wharf  on 
board  the  steamer  "  Shamrock,"  bound  for  Laun- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  45 

ceston,  the  second  town  in  Tasmania.  Steamed 
down  the  Yarra  in  the  evening,  and  passed  the 
night  at  anchorage  in   Hobson's  Bay. 

Oct.  11. —  At  daybreak  started  from  our 
anchorage.  When  I  went  on  deck  I  found  that 
the  vessel  was  battling  with  the  eddies  of  the 
Port  Phillip  channel.  Sea  smooth,  but  the 
"  Shamrock"  rolled  very  unpleasantly.  All  the 
day  crossing  Bass's  Straits. 

In  the  morning  at  daybreak,  I  entered 
Launceston  harbour,  and  steamed  up  the  river 
Tamar,  which  is  very  beautiful  indeed,  every 
now  and  then  swelling  into  lake-like  expanses, 
studded  with  green  islands,  and  surrounded  by 
graceful  declivities  wooded  to  the  summit.  Lay 
at  anchor  for  several  hours  in  a  pretty  reach, 
waiting  for  the  tide.  Discovered  that  the  boiler 
being  thin,  the  steam  had  escaped  through  a  hole 
close  to  my  baggage,  and  had  blasted  it  in  a  most 
extraordinary  manner.  The  effects  were  those  of 
a  damp  flash  of  lightning.  My  saddle  had  the 
leather  loosened  from  the  tree ;  a  large  black 
wood  trunk,  covered  with  leather  and  bound  with 
iron,  had  all  its  leather  torn  from  it,  and  this 
leather  was  hanging  about  it  in  pitiable  festoons. 
All  the  metal  that  was  touched,  was  discoloured 
with  a  sort  of  blue  mould,  and  the  bindings  of 
the  books  were  scarified,  and  the  leather  shrivelled 
in  a  most  deplorably  capricious  manner.     Every- 


46  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

thing  but  ray  clothes  was  more  or  less  injured. 
At  five  in  the  evening  I  landed  on  the  wharf  at 
Launceston,  and  very  shortly  afterwards  saw  a 
gang  of  convicts  in  their  dismal  attire.  Went  to  a 
very  excellent  inn,  as  good  as  any  English  country 
inn,  and  was  soon  surrounded  by  every  comfort  I 
could  wish.  Felt  a  little  fidgety  at  first  on  being 
told  that  the  intelligent  waiter,  who  was  so  atten- 
tive to  me,  had  probably  come  out  at  Her  Majesty's 
expense ;  but  the  feeling  soon  passed  away. 

Oct.  14. — A  cold,  piercing  wind,  with  a  hot 
sun.  Find  Launceston  to  be  a  spacious,  clean 
town,  with  very  good  shops.  There  are  too  many 
public-houses  in  it.  The  immediate  environs  are 
very  picturesque.  In  the  distance,  lofty  hills 
stand  out  sharp  and  clear  against  the  blue  sky. 

Oct.  15. —  Rode  out  to  Patterson's  Plains,  the 
scene  of  my  chaplaincy.  Patterson's  Plains  is 
the  name  given  to  a. fertile  valley  running  be- 
tween two  ridges  of  rather  lofty  hills,  watered  by 
a  limpid  stream  called  the  Esk.  About  five  miles 
from  Launceston,  at  the  left  side  of  the  road,  on 
a  slight  declivity,  where  the  hill-side  mellows  into 
the  plain,  stands  a  pretty  little  church,  called 
St.  Peter's.  It  will  hold  a  hundred  and  twenty 
people,  and  has  a  north  aisle,  a  porch,  and  a 
vestry.  It  has  also  a  bell  turret ;  its  lateral 
windows  arc  intended  to  be  in  the  style  of  Early 
English.     At  the  east  end  there  is  a  very  good 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  47 

triple  lancet  window.  It  has  too  small  a  reading- 
desk  and  too  large  a  pulpit.  The  view  from  the 
churchyard,  of  mountain  and  mountain-forest,  of 
smiling  valley  and  sparkling  stream,  of  bright 
villas  and  of  labourers'  cottages,  is  inexpressibly 
charming.  But  yet  the  sad-coloured  foliage  of 
the  trees  detracts  very  much  from  all  this  beauty. 
My  churchyard  is  full  of  lugubrious  wattle-trees, 
under  which  the  grass  does  not  grow  well,  so 
that  the  whole  area  has  a  spotted  appearance. 
In  the  evening,  attended  a  conversazione  held  at 
the  house  of  one  of  the  leading  ladies  in  Launces- 
ton.  A  merchant  who  was  present,  read  a  very 
nice  paper  on  Shakspere's  "  Antony  and  Cleo- 
patra," or  rather  on  the  dramatist's  conception 
of  Cleopatra.  When  I  looked  round  on  the 
elegantly-furnished  room,  and  the  well-dressed 
people  all  listening  intently  to  the  frequent  quo- 
tations from  one  of  the  finest  of  the  poem-plays 
of  the  myriad-minded  man,  I  could  hardly  be- 
lieve myself  to  be  in  the  great  convict  settlement 
of  Van  Diemen's  Land.  Probably  the  very  ser- 
vants who  were  bringing  in  the  refreshments, 
and  who  were  lingering  at  the  door  to  catch  the 
last  immortal  longings  of  the  dying  Egyptian 
beauty,  whose  "  infinite  variety  age  could  not 
wither,  nor  custom  stale,"  were  convicts  banished 
for  ever  from  their  country  for  some  hideous 
crime. 


48  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

Oct.  16.— Rode  to  the  White  Hills  district, 
which  is  to  be  united  to  my  Patterson's  Plains 
cure.  Rode  out  on  the  right  side  of  the  riyer 
and  back  on  the  other.  The  district  of  White 
Hills  adjoins  that  of  the  Patterson's  Plains,  but 
lies  farther  away  from  Launceston.  It  consists 
of  undulating  hills  of  wonderfully  corn-bearing 
capacity,  and  is  inhabited  by  a  hardy,  vigorous, 
independent  race  of  farmers.  This  district  ex- 
tends into  localities  as  yet  uncleared  of  its 
gigantic  timber,  but  is  everywhere  very  fertile. 
The  church  is  on  the  summit  of  a  hill  command- 
ing an  extensive  and  varied  view.  It  looks  pretty 
enough  with  its  lancet  windows,  but  it  has  been 
cheaply  and  flimsily  constructed.  It  is  cold, 
damp,  and  dirty  inside,  and  is  without  a  Com- 
munion-table. In  fact,  I  am  the  first  clergyman 
who  has  been  regularly  appointed  to  this  place. 
Am  told  that  I  shall  have  some  trouble  with  the 
people,  who  are  very  sore  at  having,  after  build- 
ing a  church,  to  remain  so  long  without  a 
minister.  I  do  not  at  all  despair,  for  I  find  that 
in  nine  cases  out  of  ten,  quarrels  between  clergy- 
men and  their  parishioners  arise  from  want  of 
judgment,  and  tact,  and  conciliatory  manners  on 
the  part  of  the  former.  From  St.  Paul's,  the 
name  of  the  White  Hills  Church,  I  rode  to  St. 
Peter's,  the  Patterson's  Plains  Church,  crossing 
the  foaming  torrent  of  the  Esk  on  a  very  pic- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  49 

turesque  and  very  insecure  bridge.  Close  to  St. 
Peter's  is  a  fine  house,  called  Mount  Esk,  now 
partly  inhabited  by  a  wealthy  yeoman.  It  has  a 
fine  garden,  and  overlooks  the  river  most  charm- 
ingly.    Here  I  have  arranged  to  fix  my  abode. 

Oct.  18. —  A  bright,  transparent  day,  with  a 
sun  darting  red-hot  beams,  and  a  keen,  piercing, 
searching  wind.  Attended  Divine  Service  at 
Trinity  Church,  one  of  the  two  churches  in 
Launceston.  It  is  St.  Luke's  Day,  and  the  Fes- 
tivals are  always  observed  in  this  church.  Walked 
to  the  Roman  Catholic  Cemetery  —  a  beautiful 
spot,  very  much  neglected. 

Oct.  19. — Bought  a  mare:  induced  to  do  so 
by  the  fact  that  she  had  just  been  brought  from 
Hobarton,  a  distance  of  120  miles,  in  two  days, 
having  been  one  day  driven,  the  other  ridden. 

Oct.  20  {Twenty-first  Sunday  after  Trinity). — 
Began  active  service  in  my  new  cure.  Had  Morn- 
ing Service  at  St.  Peter's,  Patterson's  Plains.  As 
I  was  something  new,  a  good  many  came.  There 
was  a  very  well-conducted  ladies'  school,  which 
filled  up  much  ;  also  a  neighbouring  magistrate 
with  his  family  ;  also  some  people  who  ordinarily 
frequent  the  Wesleyan  Chapel  close  by.  Some 
neighbouring  farmers  and  farm-servants  com- 
pleted a  congregation  which  was  much  more 
numerous  than  I  expected.  All  behaved  most 
admirably,   and,    there   luckily  being   no    clerk, 

E 


50  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

responded  perfectly  well.  Dined  at  the  hospitable 
table  of  the  magistrate  to  whom  I  have  just  re- 
ferred, and  then  rode  over  to  take  the  Evensong 
Service  at  the  White  Hills.  As  I  anticipated, 
things  were  not  so  satisfactory  at  St.  Paul's  as 
at  St.  Peter's.  All  looked  cold  and  neglected. 
Few  came,  and  some  of  those  behaved  as  if  they 
had  never  been  at  church  before  in  their  lives. 
A  woman  brought  her  child  to  be  publicly  bap- 
tized without  sponsors.  Of  course  I  refused  to 
baptize  the  child,  which  discontented  her  very 
much,  as  she  had  prepared  some  little  feast  for 
her  neighbours.  I  was  chagrined  at  being  ob- 
liged to  make  my  ddbut  under  such  an  unfavour- 
able light  among  a  set  of  people  rather  awkward 
to  deal  with,  but  I  always  find,  that  when  pal- 
pable right  and  palpable  wrong  are  laid  before 
us  for  choice,  it  is  our  best  policy,  leaving  alone 
all  higher  considerations,  to  boldly  choose  the 
right,  regardless  of  all  seeming  consequences. 

Oct.  23. —  Rode  over  part  of  my  district,  and 
called  on  some  of  the  inhabitants.  Some  of  these 
were  old  settlers,  who  had  been  induced  by  the 
cheapness  of  land  and  labour  to  choose  Van 
Diemen's  Land  for  their  home  ;  others  had  left 
their  country  against  their  will,  but  having  taken 
more  healthy  views  of  their  responsibility  as 
members  of  the  great  human  family,  had  become 
respectable  small  fanners,  anxious  to  promote  the 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  51 

moral  aud  religious  well-being  of  their  families 
by  every  means  in  their  power. 

Oct.  24. — Called  on   the  most  extraordinary 
person  in  my  district,  a  small  landowner,  of  the 

name  of  Dr. .     I  had  been   warned  to  be 

careful  with  him,  if  I  wished  to  make  the  slightest 
impression.  Some  call  him  an  Atheist — others 
an  astrologer — others  a  madman.  It  is  certain 
that  he  refuses  to  attend  a  place  of  worship,  and 
that  he  is  not  complimentary  to  the  clergy.  As 
he  is  a  very  old  man,  I  thought  it  my  duty  to 
try  what  I  could  do  with  him ;  so  I  rode  down 
to  his  house.  As  I  approached  the  domicile  of 
the  old  Doctor,  I  heard  an  unmeasured  barking 
of  dogs ;  and  when  I  entered  the  barton,  not 
without  spurring  my  unwilling  mare,  I  found 
myself  almost  surrounded  by  six  huge,  furious 
mastiffs,  whose  houses  were  stationed  in  a  sort 
of  semicircle  in  front  of  the  house,  and  who  were 
rearing  in  the  air,  hanging  on  their  chains,  fran- 
tically barking.  By  and  by  there  came  to  the 
door  a  lean,  withered,  very  old  man,  miserably 
dressed  in  a  shabby  paletot,  with  a  white  cotton 
nightcap  for  his  head-gear.  At  sight  of  him 
the  six  mastiffs  slunk  into  their  dens,  exhaling 
smothered  growls,  amidst  much  rattling  and 
trailing  of  chains.  He  welcomed  me  very  cor- 
dially, and  took  me  up-stairs  to  a  wretched,  dark 
little  room,  poorly  furnished.    Then  he  sat  down; 


52  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

and,  during  the  space  of  one  hour,  poured  forth 
the  strangest  jargon  I  ever  heard;  through  which, 
every  now  and  then,  gleamed  very  shrewd  and 
sensible  remarks.  He  talked  about  the  sun  and 
moon,  the  stars  and  clouds;  gave  them  fantastic 
names,  mixed  them  up  with  heathen  mythology ; 
and  gave  vent  to  some  strange  notions  about  the 
Deity.  He  told  me  he  was  eighty  years  old, 
was  the  son  of  an  archdeacon,  the  brother  of  an 
English  beneficed  clergyman,  and  that  he  had 
been  in  the  colony  forty-six  years.  He  showed 
me  the  genealogical  tree  of  his  family,  but  did 
not  seem  to  have  much  communication  with  his 
relations.  He  was  very  garrulous;  and  had  a 
sour,  disagreeable  eye.  I  sat  an  hour  listening 
to  him,  and  scarcely  saying  a  word ;  and  when  I 
rose  to  go,  he  said  1  had  made  him  very  happy 
by  my  visit,  and  requested  that  I  would  soon 
call  again.  I  am  anxious  about  this  poor  old 
man,  thus  living  by  himself,  at  the  mercy  of  his 
servants.  Some  say  he  is  rich ;  others,  that  he 
is  poor;  others,  that  he  is  bad;  all,  that  he  is 
half  mad.  His  case  requires  careful  handling, 
and  a  long  course  of  spiritual  medicine  admi- 
nistered in  infinitesimal  doses.  Too  premature 
a  zeal  will  spoil  all. 

Ocl.  25. —  Rose  early,  and  rode  to  Longford, 
a  substantial  country  town,  with  an  excellent  inn 
in    it,   called   the   Blenheim.     It    is   of  common 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  53 

occurrence  for  the  prisoners  here  to  start  an  inn 
as  soon  as  they  have  acquired  their  freedom,  and 
amassed  some  property.  And  these  inns,  with 
their  stabling  and  tap,  are  the  exact  counterparts 
of  substantial  English  inns,  and  are  kept  with 
every  regard  to  cleanliness  and  comfort.  As  the 
landlords  hold  land,  they  make  the  farm  help  the 
inn.  I  am  not  aware  that  these  hotels  are  very 
profitable  :  on  the  contrary,  I  have  been  told  that 
these  establishments  are  kept  more  for  amuse- 
ment than  anything  else.  The  masters  take  a 
pride  in  them.  They  remind  them  of  old  days 
in  the  old  country,  when  they,  too,  much  yearned 
after  the  public-house,  and  thus  got  into  trouble. 
Called  on  Dr.  Davies,  the  excellent  archdeacon 
of  Launceston,  who  is  the  incumbent  of  Long- 
ford. He  took  me  over  his  church,  which  is  very 
large,  cost  a  great  deal,  and  presents  few  points 
of  interest.  The  foundation  has  lately  been  dis- 
covered to  be  defective.  One  thing  interested 
me  very  much  ;  and  that  is,  a  magnificent  east 
window  of  the  finest  stained  glass,  made  by 
Wales  of  Newcastle.  My  way  home  in  the 
evening  lay  partly  through  a  pine-forest,  and  the 
trees  exhaled  their  delicious  perfume.  It  is  diffi- 
cult to  enjoy  a  more  agreeable  emotion  than  that 
of  riding  rapidly  through  the  sandy  soil  of  a 
pine-forest,  just  when  the  shades  of  evening  are 


54  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

closing  in,   thus  rendering  surrounding  objects 
uncertain  and  indistinct. 

Oct.  26.  —  A  hot  sun,  with  a  violent  cold  wind 
blowing  from  the  north-west.  The  climate  is 
said  to  be  most  healthy;  but  this  mixture  of 
glaring  sun,  and  keen,  penetrating  wind,  is  most 
trying  to  rheumatic  constitutions,  and  is  pro- 
ductive of  neuralgic  pains.  Called  on  several  of 
my  poorer  parishioners.  Many  of  them  have 
been  convicts,  or  (according  to  the  appellation 
which  they  prefer)  prisoners  of  the  crown.  When 
giving  an  account  of  themselves,  they  generally 
say  that  they  were  sent  out  for  poaching.  They 
received  me  very  cordially,  and  seemed  particu- 
larly anxious  that  their  children  should  be  brought 
up  morally  and  religiously. 

Oct.  27  (Sunday). — Took  the  Morning  Service 
at  Patterson's  Plains.  Congregation  remarkably 
attentive.  Gave  warning  for  the  celebration  of 
the  Holy  Communion  next  Sunday.  Head  the 
exhortation  all  through.  I  shall  always  do  that; 
for,  like  everything  in  our  Prayer-book,  it  em- 
bodies a  marvellous  amount  of  spiritual  teaching 
in  a  very  few  words.  The  cleverest  divines  of 
the  present  day  cannot  come  near  a  style,  which 
unites  lucidity  with  terseness,  and  infuses  im- 
mense vigour  of  expression  into  the  most  rhyth- 
mical  periods.     Took  Afternoon  Service  at  the 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  55 

White  Hills ;  a  better  congregation  than  on  last 
Sunday,  but  affairs  still  flat.  I  do  not  wish 
things  to  go  on  too  swimmingly  at  first:  the 
stronger  the  plant  is,  the  slower  it  grows.  Spoke 
to  some  young  girls  about  the  Confirmation, 
which  the  Bishop  intends  to  hold  here  shortly. 

Oct.  28. —  Held  a  churchwarden's  meeting,  at 
which  everything  passed  off  satisfactorily.  After- 
wards rode  in  company  with  the  Archdeacon  to 
Evandale,  and  was  introduced  to  the  good-natured 
pastor  thereof.  Evandale  is  a  dull  country  town, 
with  a  church,  one  or  two  chapels,  and  plenty  of 
public-houses.  Went  on  to  Longford  to  sleep. 
The  roads  I  find  very  good;  but  the  absence  of 
hedge-rows,  and  the  want  of  green  fields  and 
green  trees,  render  travelling  much  less  pleasant 
than  in  England.  The  land  is  inclosed  by  a 
strong  fence  of  posts  and  rails,  which  have  more 
utility  than  grace. 

Oct.  29. —  A  scorching  sun  and  wind,  dispen- 
sing rheumatism  to  the  rheumatic.  There  is, 
if  I  may  so  express  myself,  a  want  of  solidity  in 
the  atmosphere  here,  which  irritates  the  nerves. 
When  one  breathes,  one  fills  the  lungs  with  a 
cold,  dry  air,  which  keeps  life  going,  and  that  is 
all.  One  feels  no  satisfaction  in  a  gulp  of  air. 
After  breakfast,  the  Archdeacon  drove  me  to 
Christ  Church  College,  which  the  Bishop,  after 
great  difficulties,  has  founded  and  raised  to  its 


00  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

present  admirable  state.  It  is  intended  to  be  a 
place  of  education  for  youths  whose  parents  may 
wish  them  brought  up  on  strict  Church-of-Eng- 
land  principles.  Here  an  excellent  education, 
on  the  model  of  the  home  Universities,  together 
with  board,  and  two  excellent  rooms,  is  given  for 
the  trifling  sum  of  35/.  per  annum.  The  warden 
is  a  graduate  of  Christ  Church,  Oxford.     He  is, 

1  believe,  clever,  and  does  everything  he  can  to 
win  the  confidence  of  the  pupils  and  forward  the 
interests  of  the  institution. 

Oct.  31. —  Called  on  three  respectable  women, 
sisters-in-law,  whose  husbands  have  gone  to  Cali- 
fornia in  search  of  gold.  The  young  men  have 
written  to  say  that  the  climate  of  San  Francisco 
is  execrable;  that  a  thick,  damp  fog,  enwraps 
the  city  at  sun-down,  and  remains  till  about 
eight  or  nine  the  next  morning;  that  it  then 
suddenly  clears  away,  and  is  succeeded  by  a 
burning  sun  and  cloudless  sky,  which  lasts  till 
evening.  Thus  people  get  severe  colds.  Hear 
that  this  country  of  Tasmania  abounds  with  very 
venomous  snakes  —  such  as  the  black  snake  and 
the  diamond  snake  —  whose  bite,  unless  the  part 
bitten  be  instantly  cauterised,  will  cause  certain, 
speedy  death. 

Nov.  3  (Sunday). — A  tremendous,  un warming 
sun,  scorching  the  skin,  and  yet  leaving  a  chilly 
feeling.     Administered  the  Holy  Communion  to 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  57 

ten  persons.  The  communion  plate  is  very 
handsome :  it  was  presented  to  the  church  by  a 
wealthy  neighbouring  clergyman,  a  Tasmanian, 
who  was  educated  at  Cambridge.  Hear  that 
there  is  to  be  a  meeting  at  White  Hills  to- 
morrow, about   church   matters.     This   shows  a 

little  awakening.    Called  on  old  Dr.  A ,  who 

talked  his  insane  rant  about  wind-steeds  and 
cloud-chaos,  like  a  Shelley  run  mad,  but  he  was 
adroit  enough  to  slip  out  of  any  religious  con- 
versation ;  so  I  must  have  patience.  My  mere 
presence,  sitting  by  his  side,  may  be  of  some 
service  to  him. 

Nov.  4. — As  I  was  riding  through  Launceston 
I  saw  a  gang  of  convicts  clad  in  a  hideous  yellow- 
dress,  dragging  an  enormous  road-roller  after 
them.  Their  very  forbidding  look  was,  I  believe, 
mainly  owing  to  their  dress,  particularly  their 
cap,  and  the  way  they  wear  it.  The  convicts, 
after  being  subjected  for  a  certain  period,  which 
varies  according  to  their  behaviour,  to  prison  dis- 
cipline, are  released  with  a  ticket-of-leave,  and 
allowed  to  earn  their  bread  at  large  within  the 
island,  until  their  term  of  transportation  be 
expired.  When  that  comes  about,  they  consider 
themselves  quits  with  society,  and  they  ostenta- 
tiously assert  it.  These  ticket-of-leave  men  are 
spread  over  the  island,  some  in  service,  and  some 
practising  trades.     My  servant  has  a  ticket.     He 


58  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

has  no  peculiarities,  except  that  he  is  dirty,  and 
that  on  Sunday,  when  he  lays  the  dinner-table, 
he  crosses  my  knife  and  fork.  He  says  he  was 
sent  out  for  poaching,  but  I  believe  he  got  into 
trouble  for  something  very  much  worse  than  that. 
We  are  all  quite  safe  in  the  hands  of  those 
persons;  but  I  fear  that  the  neighbourhood  of 
so  much  crime  has  a  bad  effect  on  the  moral 
atmosphere  around.  In  old  times  a  different 
system  was  pursued.  As  soon  as  the  convicts 
arrived  they  were  let  out  to  masters  for  a  certain 
term,  who  treated  them  like  slaves,  got  as  much 
work  out  of  them  as  they  possibly  could,  and 
sometimes  treated  them  with  great  severity.  For 
a  very  little  fault  they  were  flogged.  I  hear  that 
when  a  master  was  dissatisfied  with  a  servant,  it 
was  not  uncommon  to  send  him  to  the  nearest 
Police  Magistrate  with  a  turkey,  and  a  note  to 

the   following    effect :    "  Mr. presents    his 

compliments  to  Mr. and  begs  him  to  accept 

the  accompanying  turkey.  He  will  thank  him 
to  give  the  bearer  three  dozen  for  misbehaviour 
and  send  him  back  as  soon  as  possible."  This 
harsh  discipline,  however,  produced  capital  serv- 
ants, who  could  turn  their  hands  to  anything,  and 
who  when  their  time  was  up  would  settle  down 
and  make  steady  fathers  of  families,  capable  of 
being  depended  on  in  everything  except  absti- 
nence   from    drink.      Now,    things    are    altered. 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  59 

Those  who  come  out  are  better  educated,  and  are 
good  for  nothing  as  far  as  general  usefulness  is 
concerned.  They  are  wonderful  talkers,  hate 
hard  work,  can  quote  Scripture  enough  to  dazzle 
the  clergyman,  are  clever  at  forgery  and  petty 
larceny,  are  sober  rather  than  otherwise,  have  no 
sense  of  honour  or  gratitude,  are  wonderfully 
plausible  and  soft  in  their  manners,  and  corrupt 
everything  about  them.  The  rough,  old,  brutal 
convict,  who  was  a  very  good  fellow  in  his  way, 
is  fast  disappearing,  having  amalgamated  with 
surrounding  society  :  the  new  style  of  people  still 
remain,  serving  their  masters  as  ill  as  they  can, 
having  no  triangles  and  a  three-dozen  in  the  per- 
spective. But  the  style  of  convicts  most  univer- 
sally disliked  by  the  gentry,  and  thoroughly  hated 
by  the  other  prisoners,  are  those  from  Penton- 
ville,  called  Penton  -Villains.  They  are  an  exag- 
geration of  all  the  bad  qualities  I  have  just 
enumerated.  Most  abominable  hypocrites,  one 
is  never  sure  of  them.  The  other  day  I  heard  of 
one  who,  if  I  recollect  right,  was  landed  at  Mel- 
bourne with  his  ticket  of  leave.  I  think  that 
some  were  foisted  off  on  the  unwilling  colonists 
there.  However  that  may  be,  this  youth  travelled 
up  northward,  crossed  the  Murray,  and  sought 
for  employment  of  a  publican  in  an  out-of-the- 
way  part  of  the  country,  away  to  the  westward, 
towards  the  Adelaide  side.     As  there  is  a  great 


60  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

prejudice  against  Penton -Villains  everywhere,  the 
landlord  at  first  refused  to  take  him  in,  but  as  he 
begged  very  hard,  and  wrote  a  beautiful  hand,  he 
gave  him  employment  as  barman  and  keeper  of 
his  accounts.  For  some  time  the  youth  served 
his  master  exceedingly  well,  and  was  accordingly 
treated  with  kindness  and  consideration.  But 
one  day,  the  master  hearing  half-stifled  cries  pro- 
ceeding from  an  outhouse  near,  found  the  servant 
on  the  point  of  treating  most  infamously  his 
daughter,  a  pretty  child,  thirteen  or  fourteen 
years  old.  The  incensed  father  stripped  him 
naked,  tied  him  to  one  of  the  posts  of  the  veran- 
dah, and  flogged  him  till  he  fainted.  He  then 
threw  a  bucket  of  water  over  him,  to  bring  him 
to  his  senses,  and  turned  him  out  into  the  bush, 
naked  as  he  was.  By  the  greatest  good  luck  in 
the  world,  he  fell  in  with  a  tribe  of  blacks,  who 
fed  him  and  gave  him  some  skins  to  cover  him. 
With  them  he  stayed  some  time,  and  then  went 
into  service  with  a  squatter,  who  ultimately 
placed  every  confidence  in  him,  and  made  him 
storekeeper.  I  Jim  he  defrauded  to  a  great 
amount,  and  escaped  to  Sydney  with  three  valu- 
able horses  which  he  had  stolen.  He  sold  these 
horses,  and  went  into  the  far  bush,  where,  report 
says,  he  is  slill  following  the  calling  of  horse- 
stealing and  horse-dealing.  And  he  gets  off  with 
impunity,  for  to  follow  a  fraudulent  person  three 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  61 

or  four  hundred  miles  in  a  country  like  Australia, 
to  prosecute  him  for  the  sake  of  a  hundred 
pounds,  would  be  most  prejudicial  to  one's  in- 
terests.   Whilst  on  the  subject  of  convicts  I  must 

narrate  what  I  have  heard  of *,  said  to  be 

the  original  of  the  character  of  Gabriel  Varney, 
the  hero  of  the  most  disagreeable  of  Bulwer's 
novels,  "Lucretia,  or  the  Children  of  the  Night." 
This  wicked  man,  although  he  was  very  strongly 
suspected  of  having  poisoned  several  people,  could 
only  be  convicted  of  forgery,  and  he  was  sentenced 
to  be  transported  for  life.  He  was  landed  with 
other  convicts  at  Hobarton,  and  in  process  of 
time  was  allowed  to  leave  the  prison  on  ticket  of 
leave,  and  then  followed  the  profession  of  portrait 
painter.  As  he  was  very  clever  at  this  art,  he  was 
much  patronised  by  the  first  people  in  Hobarton 
and  the  neighbourhood,  and  gained  a  very  good 
livelihood.  He  had  long  black  hair,  and  piercing 
dark  eyes,  and  thin  bloodless  lips,  and  a  hooked 
nose,  and  his  reputation  was  so  bad,  and 
his  manners  so  mysterious,  that  people  were 
afraid  of  him,  although  his  behaviour  out  here 
was  apparently  void  of  blame.  After  dinner  he 
would  send  for  his  landlady's  little  girl  to  give 
her  bonbons,  and  the  poor  woman  was  quite  per- 
turbed at  letting  her  go  to  him,  being  divided 

*  By  some  accident  I  have  lost  the  name,  which  I  have 
often  heard  mentioned. 


62  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

between  fear  of  offending  an  excellent  lodger,  and 
of  having  her  child  poisoned  off,  by  way  of  expe- 
riment, with  some  subtle  poison.  I  heard  a  story 
told  of  this  man  (it  was  told  me  by  a  clergyman),  so 
incredible  for  depravity  that  I  cannot  guarantee  its 
truth.  As  he  was  a  clever  surgeon  and  knew  a 
good  deal  about  anatomy,  he  was  employed,  dur- 
ing some  part  of  his  career — either  as  amateur  or 
paid  servant,  I  do  not  know  which — in  the  capa- 
city of  dresser  in  the  prisoners'  hospital  at  Hobar- 
ton.  Now  in  this  hospital  there  lay  a  man  on 
his  death-bed,  who  had  incurred  the  hatred  of 
.  When  this  poor  fellow  was  in  his  death- 
agony,  having  all  his  senses  about  him,  that 
wicked  man  glided  up  to  his  bedside,  bent  over 
him  and  whispered,  but  not  so  low  that  he  could 
not  be  heard  by  the  inmate  of  the  neighbouring 
bed,  "  I  wish  to  say  something  to  you  before  you 
die."  "  What  is  it?"  said  the  poor  wretch.  "  In 
five  minutes  your  soul  will  be  in  hell  flames,  and 
before  the  day  is  over  I  shall  have  my  dissecting 
knife  in  your  body."  And  the  poor  creature 
breathed  his  last  sigh,  staring  with  fright  at  the 
glittering  eye  and  satanic  smile  bent  upon  him. 
I  can  hardly  think  that  this  story  will  bear  sift- 
ing; but  yet  I  heard  it  from  a  good  source. 
This  person  died  suddenly,  not  without  strong 
suspicions  of  having  poisoned  himself. 

Nov.  7.  —  A    small    proprietor   in   the  White 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  63 

Hills  district  generously  offered  me  a  commu- 
nion-table and  a  cloth  for  St.  Paul's  ;  also  a  chair 
for  the  vestry  ;  also  one  pound  towards  the  liquid- 
ation of  the  debt.  Gladly  accepted  it  all.  Pre- 
pared a  young  married  and  a  young  unmarried 
woman  for  confirmation.  Hear  that  towards  Port 
Sorell  there  are  gigantic  nettles,  which  will  sting 
a  horse  to  death  in  a  quarter  of  an  hour,  causing 
lumps  as  big  as  one's  fist,  wherever  they  touch. 
Heard  of  two  cases  in  which  horses,  out  hunting, 
had  leaped  into  them,  and  actually  shrieked  with 
pain.  One  of  these  died  directly;  the  other  re- 
covered by  being  bathed  with  very  hot  water  for 
several  hours. 

Nov.  8.  —  Received  a  memorial  from  the 
White  Hills  people,  claiming  to  have  the  Sunday 
Morning  Service  alternated  there  with  Patterson's 
Plains.  This  is  very  satisfactory,  for  it  shows 
that  a  hitherto  neglected  district  is  beginning  to 
take  an  interest  in  church  matters.  Some  one 
told  me  that  he  had  this  morning  put  a  large 
scorpion  into  a  nest  of  black  ants  as  big  as  cock- 
roaches. They  soon  killed  him.  These  ants  are 
very  venomous ;  but  not  so  venomous  as  an  ant 
which  I  saw  yesterday,  of  the  tint  of  a  blue-bottle 
fly.  A  bite  from  one  of  these,  causes  intense 
agony  for  the  moment,  acting  sharply  on  the 
nervous  system. 

Nov.  10  (Sunday).^  At  White  Hills,  before  the 


64  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

sermon,  I  read  an  answer  to  the  memorial  in 
regard  to  alternation  of  services  according  to  the 
request.  I  then  passed  it  to  the  clerk,  that  it 
might  be  read  at  leisure  by  the  parishioners. 

Nov.  14. —  Called  on  some  of  my  people  in 
the  White  Hills  district.  They  are  very  civil, 
and  will  do  everything  to  please  me.  They  have 
filled  up  an  ugly  trench  in  the  churchyard,  and 
rooted  up  the  wattles.  One  of  them  told  me 
that  he  had  this  morning  killed  in  the  road  a 
diamond  snake,  five  feet  long.  If  people  are 
bitten  by  these  reptiles  when  out  shooting,  their 
best  plan,  if  they  wish  to  live,  is  to  boldly  cut  out 
the  part  bitten,  fill  the  wound  with  gunpowder, 
and  then  fire  it.  But  no  time  should  be  lost.  In 
the  evening  I  had  a  live  centipede  brought  me 
to  look  at.  It  was  about  four  inches  long,  of  a 
light  blue  colour,  with  red  legs.  The  bite  of  these 
disgusting  creatures  is  more  venomous  than  the 
sting  of  a  scorpion.  Hear  that  the  male  platypus 
has  spurs  on  the  hind  limbs,  which,  at  certain 
seasons,  are  venomous.  A  few  days  ago,  a  man 
having  wounded  one,  took  the  struggling  creature 
in  his  arms.  It  spurred  out  and  scratched  his 
arm,  and  almost  directly  he  became  black  in  the 
face  and  convulsed.  Strong  stimulants  were 
administered  to  him,  and  he  recovered  in  about 
two  hours.  These  platypi  abound  in  the  rivers 
in  this  district,  and  are  often  shot.     My  church- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  65 

warden  says  that  they  are  "  oviviviparous."  He 
killed  one  last  month  with  a  very  large  quantity 
of  eggs  in  it.  These  creatures  have  many  extra- 
ordinary characteristics,  which  are  not  generally 
known. 

Nov.  19. — Had  a  Morning  Service  at  St.  Peter's, 
Patterson's  Plains,  expressly  to  include,  after  the 
second  lesson,  the  baptism  of  a  child  of  one  of 
my  parishioners.  To  my  surprise  and  pleasure, 
although  it  was  not  a  Feast  day,  thirty- five  people 
attended.  The  farther  I  proceed,  the  more  do  I 
see  grounds  for  encouragement.  Afterwards  I 
was  on  horseback  all  day,  visiting  parts  of  my 
immense  district.  One  of  the  churchwardens 
accompanied  me,  mounted  on  a  Timor  pony 
of  astonishing  strength  and  endurance.  These 
creatures  are  about  thirteen  hands  high,  and  have 
an  easy  ambling  pace  of  five  to  six  miles  an  hour, 
at  which  they  will  continue  all  day.  Visited  a 
wretched  family,  occupying  a  small  clearing  in 
the  bush.  The  father  was  away ;  the  mother,  an 
unmarried  woman,  was  in  gaol  for  thieving.  Two 
children,  one  a  dirty,  stunted,  half-naked  little 
girl,  nine  years  old,  and  a  baby,  were  the  sole 
occupants  of  the  hovel.  The  girl  was  half-savage 
in  her  ways,  glaring  about  her  like  a  tiger  cat. 
Of  course  she  had  never  heard  of  God  or  Jesus 
Christ.  These  people  have  a  very  bad  character 
among  their  neighbours. 


66  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

Nov.  26. — Was  on  horseback  nearly  the  whole 
day,  visiting  from  house  to  house.  Called  at  the 
"White  Hills  school,  and  heard  three  children  say 
their  Catechism.  If  we  well  consider  the  matter, 
we  cannot  fail  to  see  in  the  Anglican  Catechism 
a  most  admirable  compendium  of  theology, 
combining  brevity  and  lucidity  and  catholic 
orthodoxy.  Not  a  phrase  is  there  too  much,  not 
a  phrase  is  there  that  could  be  spared.  Every 
high  Christian  doctrine  is  set  forth  there,  all 
Christian  practice  is  inculcated  there.  Thus  the 
child  who  has  got  it  thoroughly  by  heart  has 
always,  during  his  after  life,  with  its  cares,  follies, 
and  labours,  some  religious  recollection,  some 
spiritual  fortress,  some,  if  I  may  so  say,  "  wan- 
dering witchnote  of  a  distant  spell,"  on  which  he 
may  fall  back  and  cling  to.  When  young,  we 
learn  it  by  rote,  understanding  comparatively 
little  of  it  ;  we,  in  fact,  swallow  it  without 
mastication  :  as  age  creeps  on,  and  we  discover 
that  life  is  not  perpetual  sunshine,  we  bring  up 
from  the  depths  of  memory  little  detached 
passages,  to  be  meditated  on  at  our  leisure ;  and 
then,  during  this  process  of  after-digestion,  we 
discover  that,  unknown  to  ourselves,  we  have 
been  the  possessors  of  every  word  of  a  religious 
creed,  and  of  a  code  of  morals  which  have  been 
appointed  as  our  guide  through  life,  even  as  the 
pillar  of  fire  acted  as  a  night  guide  to  the  Israelites 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  67 

in  the  desert  of  the  Red  Sea.  I  consider  the 
inculcation  of  this  admirable  embodiment  of 
Christian  doctrine  and  practice  in  the  youthful 
minds  of  our  children  to  be  one  of  the  chief  causes 
of  that  high  sense  of  honour  and  morality  which 
certainly  characterises  the  English  to  a  greater 
degree  than  other  nations.  Let  the  seed  once  be 
sown  and  there  it  remains,  ready  for  practical 
development  in  after  life,  according  as  God  in  his 
own  good  time  shall  see  fit.  Walked  in  my 
churchwarden's  garden.  Saw  a  native  myrtle. 
Find  that  it  is  the  custom  here  to  grow  thyme 
borders  to  the  beds  instead  of  box. 

Nov.  30. — Visited  a  wealthy  clergyman  at 
Entally,  in  whose  park  a  return  cricket-match 
has  been  played  to-day  between  the  students  of 
Ch.  Ch.  College  and  a  Launceston  eleven.  The 
finest  park  in  the  island  belongs  to  a  Mr.  Cox  of 
Clarendon.  It  is  spacious  and  well  stocked  with 
deer.  This  gentleman  is  sufficiently  wealthy  to 
drive  four  horses  in  his  carriage. 

Dec.  1  {First  Sunday  in  Advent). — Was  driven 
to  Morning  Service  at  White  Hills  in  a  gig  with 
a  vicious,  lunging  horse.  Had  a  very  satis- 
factory congregation  of  forty-five.  Some  singers 
from  the  neighbourhood  having  volunteered  their 
services  I  accepted  them,  although  I  have  a  great 
dislike  to  these  amateur  perambulating  performers, 
who,    in    fact,   by    their    bellowing    destroy   all 


68  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

congregational  singing,  and  are  very  often  im- 
pertinent to  boot.  But  White  Hills  affairs 
being  in  rather  a  crude  state,  and  there  being 
none  of  the  congregation  who  could  lead,  I  gave 
them  permission  to  perform,  requesting  them  to 
sing  the  Glorias  and  the  Versicles  between  the 
Commandments.  They  got  on  more  subduedly 
than  I  expected,  except  that  they  alleluiaed  most 
uproariously.  So  far  so  good.  But  whilst  I  was 
taking  the  afternoon  service  at  Patterson's  Plains, 
where  ninety  people  of  a  more  refined  stamp  than 
the  St.  Paul's  congregation  were  assembled,  and 
quiet  congregational  singing  had  been  organised, 
at  this  juncture,  to  my  great  dismay,  in  walked 
my  White  Hills  singers,  who  doubtless  thought 
to  do  me  a  great  favour  by  coming.  Now  in 
St.  Peter's,  at  that  moment,  were  a  good  sprinkling 
of  Wesleyaus  belonging  to  the  neighbouring 
chapel,  so  that  I  had  about  me  the  elements  of 
very  imposing  melody.  But  I  did  not  anticipate 
what  followed.  After  the  third  Collect,  for  Aid 
against  all  Perils,  I  gave  out  a  psalm  that  had 
previously  been  agreed  upon  between  myself  and 
my  worthy  churchwarden,  who,  with  his  family 
of  young  ladies,  had  kindly  taken  in  hand  the 
musical  part  of  the  Service.  My  good  friend  had 
hardly  sung  five  notes  of  a  quiet  church  tune, 
followed  by  the  lady  part  of  the  congregation, 
when  the  White  Hills  choir  struck  up  a  jaunting 


IN  AUSTRALIA.  AND  TASMANIA.  69 

Wesleyan  air  with  tremendous  power,  in  which, 
of  course,  they  were  joined  by  the  members 
present  of  the  chapel.  The  effect  was  electric, 
for  one  half  of  the  congregation  were  singing  at 
the  top  of  their  voice — and  such  a  voice!  — 
against  the  other  half,  and  all  with  the  best 
intentions  in  the  world.  The  charivari  was  such 
as  to  equal  Rousseau's  first  debut  as  a  maestro. 
My  little  friend  looked  round  on  the  rebellant 
crew,  with  vexation  depicted  on  his  countenance. 
He  put  me  in  mind  of  Hogarth's  enraged 
musician.  Some  of  the  people  tittered,  some 
laughed  outright,  others  looked  disgusted,  others 
frightened;  but  the  "  cattivo  coro,"  went  on 
sereuely  singing  all  the  same,  thundering  forth  a 
succession  of  alleluias  at  the  end  of  each  verse. 
And  we  suffered,  too,  from  treachery  from  within, 
for  the  Wesleyans,  who  were  sitting  mixed  up 
with  the  regular  attendants,  ardently  joined  them. 
Thus  tranquil,  easy-going  orthodoxy,  was  strangled 
by  the  zeal  and  noise  of  the  heterodox,  for  the 
opposition  had  it  all  their  own  way.  Of  course 
the  decorum  of  the  rest  of  the  service  was  broken 
in  upon :  so,  after  all  was  over,  I  had  these  men 
down  to  my  house,  gave  them  two  bottles  of  wine, 
thanked  them  for  taking  so  long  a  walk  for  the 
sake  of  assisting  at  the  singing,  and  begged  them 
for  the  future  to  confine  their  talents  to  the 
White  Hills  district,  as  the  church  was  already 


70  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

provided  for  here.  So  I  hope  to  be  rid  of  them 
in  future.  Probably  all  these  men  have  been 
prisoners. 

Dec.  5. — Went  in  a  carriage  to  Bishopsbourne, 
passing  by  Entally.  The  road  was  excellent,  as, 
indeed,  are  all  the  roads.  There  was  a  com- 
memoration at  Christ  Church  College  previous  to 
the  vacation,  and  all  the  relations  and  friends  of 
the  students  were  invited.  The  Warden  made  a 
Latin  oration,  enumerating  the  occurrences  of 
the  past  year.  Archdeacon  Marriott  spoke, — 
and  spoke  well,  too.  Archdeacon  Davies  gave  a 
poor  account  of  the  finances.  A  very  good  feast 
ended  all.  This  college  seems  a  most  admirable 
establishment,  and  well  calculated  to  bring  up  a 
young  colonial  gentleman  to  talk  and  think  of 
something  else  than  "of  bullocks."  Yet  it  is 
not  as  popular  in  the  island  as  it  deserves  to  be, 
having  incurred  the  opposition  of  a  class  of  hard- 
mouthed,  influential  individuals  in  Hobarton, 
who  do  not  assist  the  bishop  in  his  designs  as 
much  as  he  deserves. 

Dec.  6.  —  Called  on  Mr.  Rose,  a  Scotch  gentle- 
man, who  is  a  great  breeder  of  thorough-bred 
horses.  He  showed  me  an  English  race-horse 
called  Jersey,  which  he  had  imported. 

Dec.  9. —  Had  a  meeting  at  the  Patterson's 
Plains  school-room  about  a  schoolmaster.  Had 
nine   children   guaranteed  for  one  year.      I  am 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  71 

obliged  to  make  the  parents  sign  a  paper  to  that 
effect,  otherwise  they  would  keep  the  children  at 
home  on  every  little  excuse,  and  the  poor  school- 
master would  be  deprived  of  his  miserable  daily 
pittance.  I  find,  however,  that  ignorant  parents 
are  sufficiently  anxious  that  their  children  should 
receive  education,  though  they  will  not  make 
any  sacrifices  to  obtain  it  for  them.  But  there 
is  no  doubt  that  it  is  the  duty  of  a  Government 
to  provide  for  the  compulsory  instruction  of  all 
members  of  the  commonwealth  in  the  rudiments 
of  knowledge,  such  as  reading,  writing,  and  the 
four  rules  of  arithmetic.  This  foundation  once 
laid,  the  clever  will,  even  in  spite  of  all  obstacles, 
advance  onwards  in  the  path  of  knowledge. 

Dec.  16. — Was  introduced  to  Dr.  Nixon,  the 
Bishop  of  Tasmania,  who  received  me  with  great 
goodnature,  and  talked  much  and  well  on  many 
subjects.  Dr.  Nixon  is  by  no  means  an  ordinary 
character.  Gifted  with  great  impromptu  elo- 
quence, he  is  a  sound  divine,  for  he  has  published 
a  standard  work  on  our  Catechism,  the  best  that 
we  have.  He  plays  the  organ  admirably,  and 
can  compose  music.  He  is  an  excellent  painter 
in  oils  and  water-colours,  and  sketches  beau- 
tifully. He  is  a  good  scholar,  and  is  inde- 
fatigable in  his  pastoral  labours.  Yet  this 
excellent  prelate  has  very  many  enemies  in  his 
diocese,  of  whom  some,  I  am  sorry  to  say,  call 


72  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

themselves  Church-people.  He  is  a  firm  friend 
to  all  his  right-thinking  clergy,  and  supports 
them  to  the  uttermost  in  carrying  out  that  which 
he  conceives  conducive  to  the  interests  of  the 
Church. 

Dec.  18. — Was  on  horseback  from  nine  until 
seven,  making  a  round  of  visits  in  my  two 
districts.  Visited  the  White  Hills  school  and 
catechised  the  children.  Heard  a  story  of  a 
young  lady  of  the  north  of  the  island,  who  not 
long  ago  was  married  to  a  respectable  farmer. 
Her  husband  took  her  for  a  wedding-trip,  and  on 
their  return  introduced  her  to  her  future  home, 
where  was  a  table  nicely  laid  for  supper,  and  two 
excellent  mould-candles  burning.  She  had  no 
sooner  entered  the  room  than  she  burst  into 
tears ;  her  husband,  who  was  a  very  good  fellow, 
was  alarmed  at  her  hysterical  sobbing,  and 
begged  her  to  explain  herself.  At  last,  after 
sedatives  had  been  administered  to  her,  she  gave 
vent  to  her  agitated  feelings,  and  pumping  up 
her  words  at  intervals,  said,  "  I  didn't  think,  when 
I  left  a  comfortable  home  and  took  you  for  my 
husband,  that  I  had  married  into  mutton  fats/' 
The  fact  was  that  the  young  lady,  who  probably 
was  the  daughter  of  a  convict,  was  chagrined  at 
finding  mould  candles,  instead  of  wax  or  sperm, 
on  the  table. 

Dec.    19. —  The    usual   weather  —  a   scorching 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  73 

sun  and  a  withering  wind.  Went  to  a  Clergy 
meeting  at  Longford,  at  which  the  Bishop  pre- 
sided. Prayers  were  read  in  the  church  at  eleven, 
and  then  we  retired  to  the  vestry,  where  his 
lordship  gave  us  a  very  interesting  address  con- 
cerning the  doings  of  the  six  bishops  at  Sydney, 
whence  he  is  just  returned.  These  six  bishops 
were  the  Bishops  of  Sydney,  of  Newcastle,  of 
Melbourne,  of  Adelaide,  of  Tasmania,  and  of 
New  Zealand.  The  Bishop  of  Sydney  presided 
as  Metropolitan  (by  courtesy).  During  their 
various  meetings  they  cordially,  and  with  the 
greatest  harmony,  interchanged  their  experiences 
as  chief  pastors  of  dioceses  remote  one  from 
another,  and  there  is  no  doubt  that  the  Colonial 
Church  will  benefit  greatly  thereby.  They  were 
all  unanimous,  with  the  exception  of  Dr.  Perry, 
the  Bishop  of  Melbourne,  on  the  doctrine  of 
regeneration  by  baptism.  That  prelate,  in  the 
minutes  of  the  Sydney  Conference,  protested 
against  their  views  of  the  question,  although 
towards  the  end  of  his  rather  long  protest  he 
states  that  it  is  more  charitable  to  suppose  that 
children  are  made  regenerate  by  baptism,  or 
words  to  that  effect. 

Dec.  20. —  Distributed  prizes  to  the  children 
of  the  White  Hills  school. 

Dec.  22.  — Held  Matin-Service  at  White  Hills; 
Even-Song  at  Patterson's  Plains.  It  being  Christ- 


74  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

mas  time,  the  people  are  beginning  to  get  drunk, 
and  very  drunk  too.  Only  twenty  assisted  at 
the  Morning  Service,  and  I  could  not  have 
singing,  because  my  choir-leader  had  been  sent 
to  the  treadmill  for  two  months.  The  clerk, 
too,  if  he  was  not  tipsy,  resembled  a  tipsy  man 
very  much.  He  made  the  responses  with  a  most 
startling  fervour. 

Dec.  25  (Christmas  Day). — Rose  at  five,  and 
went  into  the  garden  to  cull  roses  and  lilies  for 
the  altar  at  St.  Peter's  :  "  Manibus  0  date  lilia 
plenis"  Made  up  three  beautiful  bouquets.  I 
had  Morning  Service  at  St.  Paul's,  White  Hills, 
at  ten,  a.m.  My  schoolmaster,  who  acts  as  clerk, 
came  to  church  so  drunk  that  I  was  obliged  to 
turn  him  out.  He  had  this  time  advanced  be- 
yond fervour,  and  got  into  the  realms  of  inarti- 
culation  and  partial  inanition.  Thirty  attended, 
of  which  a  great  portion  were  orderly  and  well- 
behaved  children ;  and  in  the  afternoon,  at  Pat- 
terson's Plains,  thirty-seven  were  present.  Christ- 
inas time  is  quite  a  saturnalia  here,  and  drunken- 
ness abounds. 

Dec.  27. —  Presided  at  a  meeting  for  choosing 
churchwardens.  Began  it  with  prayer,  and  closed 
it  with  the  blessing.  Three  churchwardens  were 
chosen,  and  three  trustees, —  all  people  of  great 
respectability.  There  arc  nine  more  seats  taken 
than  last  year. 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  75 

Dec.  29  (Sunday). —  Opened  the  Sunday-school. 
About  twenty  children  came,  and  two  or  three 
families  of  young  ladies  from  the  neighbourhood 
came  as  teachers.  My  White  Hills  clerk  never 
came  to  the  service  ]  he  is  still  drunk,  I  fear. 

Dec.  31. —  Hot  and  cold  together — weather 
that  stirs  all  rheumatism  to  the  depths.  Pre- 
sided at  a  churchwardens'  meeting  in  the  White 
Hills  district.  Had  a  very  satisfactory  attend- 
ance of  neighbouring  farmers,  who  seem  now  to 
take  a  great  interest  in  Church  matters  in  this 
hitherto  neglected  locality.  Let  nine  seats,  at 
the  rate  of  3s.  a  sitting.  Many  people  paid 
up  their  arrears,  so  that  the  church  received 
71.  5s.  in  cash,  and  4/.  Is.  in  I.  0.  UVs.  Three 
substantial  landowners  were  chosen  wardens,  and 
three  others  trustees.  All  these  officers  have 
been  hitherto  quasi  in  abeyance.  Now  all  is  re- 
organised ;  the  church  debt  is  in  a  fair  way  of 
getting  paid,  and  people  are  in  great  good- 
humour.  This  is  a  cause  of  great  thankfulness 
to  me,  because  I  had  been  led  to  apprehend  that 
I  should  meet  with  nothing  but  dogged  oppo- 
sition in  this  district.  I  have  found  that  quarrels 
between  clergy  and  laity  often  take  their  rise 
from  some  little  want  of  straightforwardness, 
often  unintentional  on  the  part  of  the  former, 
and  that  if  a  clergyman  behaves  to  his  flock  with 
thorough    single-miudedness,    he    can   have    his 


76  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

own  way  with  them.  The  harmony  with  which 
we  all  parted  is  an  excellent  closing  scene  of  this 
year,  and  makes  a  good  augury  for  the  next. 

Jan.  5,  1851.  —  At  Patterson's  Plains  Church 
I  preached  a  sermon  on  the  subject  of  Circum- 
cision being  the  type  of  Baptism.  Some  of  the 
people  affixed  their  names  to  a  petition  for  con- 
secration of  the  churchyard,  which  has  hitherto 
been  delayed,  chiefly  for  want  of  a  resident 
minister. 

Jan.  6. — To-day  was  appointed  for  the  Con- 
firmation, and  Consecration  of  the  Churchyard. 
The  Bishop,  the  Archdeacon  of  Launceston,  and 
one  or  two  of  the  neighbouring  clergy,  breakfasted 
with  me.  At  eleven  o'clock  Divine  Service  began, 
the  church  being  crowded.  I  read  the  prayers ; 
the  chief  clergyman  of  Launceston,  the  Lessons 
and  Epistle.  After  the  Nicene  Creed,  the  con- 
firmation began,  and  was  conducted  in  a  most 
impressive  manner  by  the  Bishop.  The  candi- 
dates numbered  thirteen,  two  males  and  eleven 
females,  and  were  of  the  respective  ages  of  21,  19, 
16,  14,  18,  17,  21,  16,  14, 13  and  9  months,  20, 
19,  19.  These  young  people,  children  of  neigh- 
bouring gentry  and  farmers,  behaved  most  be- 
comingly, as  if  fully  impressed  with  the  quasi- 
sacramental  nature  of  the  rite  of  Confirmation, 
that  coping-stone  of  the  edifice  of  Baptism.  The 
girls  all  wore  white  dresses,  and  most  of  them 


IX  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  77 

long  white  veils.  The  Bishop  gave  two  most  elo- 
quent extempore  addresses,  one  immediately  be- 
fore the  Confirmation,  the  other  immediately  after 
it.  These  addresses,  dwelling  forcibly  on  Baptism 
and  its  pendent,  Confirmation,  seemed  to  make 
a  very  serious  impression  on  the  congregation, 
The  offertory  amounted  to  6/.  4s.  Afterwards  the 
Bishop  consecrated  the  churchyard.  Thus  every- 
thing passed  off  most  satisfactorily.  All  was  a 
reproduction  of  the  old  country. 

Jan.  9.  —  On  horseback  nearly  ten  hours,  mak- 
ing visits  in  the  White  Hills  district. 

Jan.  12  (Sunday).  —  Had  Morning  Service  at 
Patterson's  Plains,  and  commenced  the  bi-monthly 
offertory.  The  collection  was  8s.  l\d.  Was  at 
the  Sunday-school  an  hour  previously.  At  the 
White  Hills  Evening  Service  I  had  a  good  con- 
gregation of  fifty-five  persons.  Examined  the 
children  there  in  their  Catechism. 

Jan.  14.  —  The  gaol-chaplain  in  Launceston 
took  me  to  the  gaol,  where  he  is  preparing  for 
eternity  three  poor  fellows  who  are  condemned  to 
be  hung  for  deeds  of  violence  and  robbery.  One 
killed  his  rival  in  a  fit  of  jealousy.  The  others,  I 
think,  were  highway-robbers.  They  seemed  very 
penitent. 

Jan.  18. —  Rode  about  twenty  miles,  and 
called  on  fourteen  people,  all  farmers.  People 
like  very  much  to  be  called  on  by  their  clergy- 


78  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

man.  Whether  it  is  that  they  are  anxious  to  im- 
bibe religious  knowledge  from  his  mouth,  or 
whether  they  take  it  as  a  personal  compliment, 
certain  it  is  that  a  clergyman  can  make  more  way 
with  his  people  by  house-to-house  visitation  than 
by  pulpit  eloquence. 

Jan.  22. — Just  after  I  had  risen  in  the  morn- 
ing I  felt  something  cold  crawling  rapidly  up 
my  foot.  I  stamped,  and  the  thing  fell  off. 
Turned  quickly  round  and  saw  a  centipede, 
two  and  a  half  inches  long,  running  away  at  a 
great  pace. 

Jan.  25  (Saturday :  Conversion  of  St.  Paul). — 
Had  Morning  Prayers  and  gave  a  short  sermon 
at  Patterson's  Plains.  Two  neighbouring  families 
attended. 

Jan.  28.  —  Visited  some  of  my  people  at  the 
further  extremity  of  the  White  Hills  district,  quite 
in  the  bush.  Found  a  great  many  children,  dirty, 
untidy,  ignorant,  and  healthy.  They  had  all  been 
baptized.  Rode  for  about  ten  miles  through  forest 
land.  Discarding  the  track,  we  rode  by  the  sun. 
The  leaves  of  the  gigantic  trees  overhead  sighed, 
stirred  by  the  soft  wind.  These  trees  seemed  con- 
versing together  in  fitful  whispers.  Many  of  their 
brothers  had  fallen,  blasted  by  thunderbolts,  and 
impeded  our  way.  Their  withered,  leafless  bran- 
ches could  not  join  in  the  conversation.  In  the 
midst  of  the  forest  a  strange  incident  occurred. 


IN  AUSTRALIA.  AND  TASMANIA.  79 

A  black  snake,  ten  feet  long,  disturbed  by  our 
approach,  undulated  gracefully  towards  some  long 
grass  near.  Now  it  happened  that  my  companion, 
a  young  Tasmanian  gentleman,  was  one  of  the 
most  modest,  taciturn  people  I  had  ever  met.  But 
when  he  saw  the  great  reptile  gliding  off  to  his 
hole,  his  nostrils  dilated,  his  eyes  glared,  the  veins 
of  his  forehead  stood  out,  and  his  whole  nature 
seemed  changed.  "  Hold  my  horse,  sir  !  hold  my 
horse  V  he  cried  with  a  voice,  half  frantic,  half 
dictatorial;  "let  me  kill  the  beast. "  So  saying  he 
jumped  off,  and  followed  the  snake.  And  then  it 
was  curious  to  see  his  immense  excitement  and 
his  evident  fear,  and  in  spite  of  that,  the  fascina- 
tion, which  drew  him  on  to  the  creature's  cover. 
For  a  considerable  time  he  showered  great  sticks 
and  stones  at  the  serpent,  one  of  which  lighting 
on  his  head,  killed  him.  And  then  there  were 
great  exclamations  of  triumph.  But  I  was  not 
allowed  to  approach  till  the  beast's  head  was 
smashed  into  an  undistinguishable  mass.  Having 
contemplated  the  object  of  his  victory  for  some 
time  in  utter  silence,  the  placidity  and  taciturnity 
of  my  companion  returned;  he  mounted  his  horse 
and  resumed  his  journey,  silent  as  before.  The 
fact  is,  that  all  the  snakes  in  this  country  are 
highly  venomous,  their  bite  quickly  destroying 
life,  unless  immediate  aid  be  at  hand;  and  there- 
fore the  people  of  the  country,  though  very  much 


80  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

afraid  of  them,  think  it  their  bounden  duty  and  a 
point  of  honour  to  kill  them  whenever  they  see 
them.  It  is  strange,  that  we  are  all  so  moved 
with  disgust  at  the  sight  of  a  serpent,  whether  it 
be  venomous  or  not ;  for,  indeed,  a  snake,  glis- 
tering with  its  many  colours  in  the  morning  sun, 
rolling  along  with  head  erect  through  the  dew- 
spangled  grass,  is  a  beautiful  object.  It  must  be 
a  traditional  terror  which  we  feel,  I  suppose,  en- 
grafted in  us  from  the  time  when  "the  spirited 
sly  snake  "  worked  our  common  mother's  fall. 

Jan.  30. — Bought  sufficient  red  cloth  of  a 
tradesman  in  Lauuceston  for  an  altar-cloth.  I 
intend  it  for  White  Hills  Church. 

Feb.  6.  —  Rode  into  Launceston  and  back.  The 
heat  was  intense,  and  there  was  a  fog  in  the  after- 
noon, like  a  London  November  fog.  People  left 
off  work  two  hours  before  their  time,  thinking  it 
was  sun-down. 

Feb.  9  (Sunday). — Administered  the  Sacrament 
at  St.  Peter's  to  twelve  communicants.  Used  a 
new  white  cloth,  which  has  had  a  beautiful  fringe 
crochctted  for  it  by  the  ladies  of  the  district.  Took 
the  new  crimson  altar-cloth  to  the  White  Hills 
Church.  The  people  were  much  pleased  with  it. 
They  had  never  seen  one  before. 

Feb.  12. — To-day  took  place  a  great  cricket- 
match  between  the  gentlemen  of  Port  Phillip  and 
those  of  Tasmania.     The   Port   Phillipians  have 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  81 

come  over  expressly,  and  are  of  course  treated 
by  the  Van  Diemonians  with  great  consideration 
and  hospitality.  The  islanders  beat  those  of  the 
continent,  with  three  wickets  to  go  down. 

Feb.  17.  —  The  Victoria  cricketers  left  the 
Launceston  wharf  in  the  "  Shamrock  "  steamer, 
amid  much  shouting  and  noisy  adieux. 

Feb.  20. — One  of  my  people,  a  respectable 
small  farmer  and  father  of  a  family,  met  me  on 
the  road,  grasped  my  mare's  bridle,  and  fran- 
tically waved  a  letter  before  my  face.  It  was  a 
dirty  valentine,  containing  an  ugly  caricature, 
which  he  had  received  by  the  post.  He  suspected 
that  certain  relations,  thoughtless  young  girls, 
had  sent  it  him.  Hinc  furor.  I  promised  him  I 
would  use  my  influence  that  the  insult  should 
not  be  repeated.  I  could  hardly  help  laughing 
when  I  saw  it  first.  If  I  had  laughed,  it  is 
probable  that  the  Wesleyans  would  have  gained 
a  very  decent  family. 

Feb.  21. — Fished  all  the  morning,  and  caught 
one  (so-called)  herring,  and  three  dozen  (so- 
called)  trout.  The  fish  here  are  soft,  and  require 
soaking  a  night  in  salt  and  water,  or  water  with 
vinegar,  previous  to  cooking.  Dreadful  details 
are  reaching  us  of  the  great  bush  fires  which 
took  place  at  Port  Phillip  on  the  6th  of  this 
month.  It  was  the  smoke  which  caused  the 
thickness    of    atmosphere    here    on    that    day, 

G 


82  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

although  the  seat  of  the  fire  was  150  miles  away, 
and  Basses  Straits  lay  between.  This  great  fire, 
caused  by  the  imprudence  or  carelessness  of  some 
camping  bullock-drivers,  devastated,  with  the 
rapidity  of  lightning,  a  great  part  of  the  western 
portion  of  the  province  of  Port  Phillip.  It  ran 
along  the  dry  grass  of  the  plains  with  incredible 
swiftness,  destroying  the  stock.  When  it  reached 
a  forest,  the  fiery  hurricane  leaped  from  tree  top 
to  tree  top  faster  than  the  speed  of  a  galloping 
horse,  forming  a  terrible  roof  for  the  affrighted 
traveller,  whilst  slower  fires  burned  downwards, 
and  completed  the  devastation  of  the  trees.  The 
occupants  of  sheep-stations  and  shepherds'  huts 
could  only  save  themselves  by  precipitate  flight, 
leaving  the  folded  sheep  to  their  inevitable  fate. 
In  one  instance  the  devouring,  insatiable  element, 
rushed  on  so  fast,  that  the  inhabitant  of  a  cottage 
had  barely  time  to  jump  up  to  his  neck  in  a 
water-hole,  whence  he  saw,  without  a  possibility 
of  assisting  them,  his  shrieking  wife  and  six 
children  consumed.  The  loss  of  human  life,  of 
sheep,  of  cattle,  of  houses,  of  pasture,  has  been 
terrible,  and  many  families  have  been  reduced  to 
utter  ruin.  Already  it  would  seem  that  the 
appellation  of  "  Black  Thursday "  has  been 
given  to  the  Gth  February,  1851,  for  it  was  on 
that  day  that  the  fires  raged  with  the  greatest 
fury. 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  83 

Feb.  22. —  Read  the  following  "  Pensees  de 
Pascal/'  which  seem  to  have  a  happy  con- 
nexion. 

"  II  est  dangereux  de  trop  faire  voir  a  l'homme 
combien  il  est  egal  aux  betes,  sans  lui  montrer 
sa  grandeur.  II  est  encore  dangereux  de  lui 
faire  trop  voir  sa  grandeur  sans  sa  bassesse.  II 
est  encore  plus  dangereux  de  lui  laisser  ignorer 
Fun  et  l'autre.  Mais  il  est  tres  avantageux  de 
lui  representer  Fun  et  l'autre." 

Now  he  show's  man's  bassesse  : — 

"  Voila  notre  etat  veritable.  C'est  ce  qui 
resserre  nos  connaissances  en  de  certaines  bornes 
que  nous  ne  passons  pas,  incapables  de  savoir 
tout,  et  d'ignorer  tout  absolument.  Nous  sommes 
sur  un  milieu  vaste,  toujours  incertains,  et  flot- 
tants  entre  l'ignorance  et  la  connaissance ;  et,  si 
nous  pensons  aller  plus  avant,  notre  objet  branle 
et  echappe  a  nos  prises;  il  se  derobe  et  fuit  d'une 
fuite  eternelle :  rien  ne  peut  l'arreter.  C'est 
notre  condition  naturelle,  et  toutefois  la  plus 
contraire  a  notre  inclination.  Nous  brulons  du 
desir  d'approfondir  tout,  et  d'edifier  une  tour  qui 
s'eleve  jusqu'a  Pinfini.  Mais  tout  notre  edifice 
craque,  et  la  terre  s'ouvre  jusqu'aux  abimes." 

Sad  enough.  Now  for  the  more  exalted  side, 
the  grandeur' : — 

"  L'homme  est  si  grand,  que  sa  grandeur 
parait  meme  en  ce  qu'il  se  connait  miserable.  Un 


84  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

arbre  ne  se  connait  pas  miserable.  II  est  vrai 
que  c'est  etre  miserable  que  de  se  connaitre 
miserable;  mais  aussi  c'est  etre  grand  que  de 
connaitre  qu'on  est  miserable.  Ainsi  toutes  ces 
miseres  prouvent  sa  grandeur.  Ce  sont  miseres 
de  grand  seigneur,  miseres  d'un  roi  depossede." 

Thus,  then,  does  the  great  writer  first  lay 
before  us  our  bassesse,  and  then  our  grandeur. 

March  2  (Sunday). —  Service  at  White  Hills 
Church  in  the  morning.  Some  incendiary  has 
burnt  300  bushels  of  wheat  and  19  tons  of  hay 
in  the  close  vicinity  of  the  church.  A  great 
many  Methodists  assisted  at  the  Evening  Service 
at  Patterson's  Plains. 

March  5  (Ash- Wednesday). —  Rode  to  White 
Hills  and  read  the  Commination  Service  to  nine 
children  and  four  adults.  A  gentleman,  a  squat- 
ter of  the  Edward  River  district,  in  the  province 
of  New  South  Wales,  called  upon  me,  and  of 
himself,  and  in  the  name  of  his  neighbours, 
begged  me  to  act  as  chaplain  to  the  sparse  and 
isolated  white  population  of  those  remote  parts. 
He  candidly  told  me  that  the  country  was  not 
very  inviting,  being  subject  to  great  heats  in 
summer  and  heavy  rains  in  winter;  but  that  the 
people  there,  chiefly  consisting  of  shepherds  and 
hut-keepers,  were  sadly  in  want  of  pastoral  super- 
intendence, which,  until  now,  they  had  not  been 
able  to  obtain.     No  clergyman  had  as  yet  been 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  85 

found,  he  said,  to  undertake  the  arduous  charge. 
I  determined  to  go  there,  thinking  that  there  is  a 
greater  want  of  a  clergyman  in  such  a  district 
than  in  such  a  settled  and  orderly  diocese  as 
Tasmania. 

March  12. — Wished  a  great  many  of  my 
parishioners  good-by.  Had  a  fine  stuffed  male 
platypus  given  me,  which  had  been  caught  in  a 
river  of  my  district. 

March  16  (Sunday). —  Read  the  Prayers  at 
Trinity  Church,  Launceston.  The  Bishop  preached 
a  very  excellent  sermon  on  baptismal  regene- 
ration. In  the  evening  the  Bishop  read  Prayers, 
and  I  preached. 

March  17. — Breakfasted  with  the  Bishop,  at 
the  house  of  a  mutual  friend.  Afterwards  I 
explained  to  his  lordship  that  I  was  anxious  to 
enter  upon  a  sphere  of  labour  more  arduous  than 
that  of  a  parish  in  Tasmania ;  that  a  gentleman 
from  the  remote  district  of  the  Edward  River  had 
entreated  me  to  undertake  a  very  difficult  charge 
in  those  regions,  which  no  one  else  could  be 
found  to  undertake,  and  that  I  had  decided  to  go 
there,  and  do  my  best  in  a  country  which,  in  an 
ecclesiastical  sense,  seemed  as  unpromising  as  any 
I  could  weil  have  chosen.  The  Bishop  expressed 
his  regrets  for  the  decision  I  had  made,  and 
wished  me  every  success  in  my  new  undertaking. 
Thus  finished  my  interview  with  one  of  the  most 


86  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

worthy  and  talented  bishops  which  the  Anglican 
Church  possesses.  Afterwards  I  rode  back  into 
the  country,  and  took  affectionate  farewells  of 
several  of  my  late  parishioners. 

March  18. —  Left  the  Launceston  Wharf  in 
the  "  Shamrock"  steamer,  and  steamed  down  to 
George  Town  at  the  mouth  of  the  Tamar,  where 
we  anchored  for  the  night. 

March  19. — All  day  at  sea,  but  hugging  the 
land.  We  have  between  thirty  and  forty  cuddy 
passengers  aboard,  and  one  hundred  and  thirty 
steerage.  At  sunset  we  arrived  at  Circular  Head, 
a  promontory  to  the  extreme  north  of  Tasmania, 
where  we  landed  some  of  our  passengers. 

March  20. — All  day  at  sea,  traversing  Bass's 
Straits.  At  noon  arrived  in  the  soft,  delicious 
Australian  atmosphere.  At  three  we  entered 
Port  Phillip  Heads,  and  in  the  evening  anchored 
at  Hobson's  Bay,  under  a  bright  moon's  rays. 

March  21. — Weighed  anchor  early.  Steamed 
up  the  Yarra  with  its  thousand  smells,  and  at 
seven  debarked  at  the  Melbourne  Wharf. 

April  4. —  A  gentleman  here,  who  is  an  enthu- 
siastic believer  of  all  the  marvels  of  animal  mag- 
netism, begged  me  to  pass  the  evening  with  him, 
that  I  might  see  a  black  from  the  Murray  ex- 
perimented on.  This  gentleman,  I  hear,  con- 
ceives that  animal  magnetism  acts  as  a  valuable 
substitute    for  all    revealed    religion ;    and   that 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  87 

Christ  becomes  a  dead  letter  by  the  side  of 
Mesrner.  The  Murray  boy  when  magnetised 
went  through  a  number  of  wonderful  feats,  which 
could  hardly  have  been  the  result  of  collusion 
with  my  host,  who  is  a  man  of  character.  For 
instance,  the  operator  drew  an  imaginary  circle 
round  him,  and  he  tried  in  vain  to  overstep  it. 
His  limbs  were  rendered  cataleptic,  and  were  held 
motionless  for  a  longtime  in  strained  and  painful 
positions.  The  science  of  phrenology  was  brought 
into  play,  too.  When  his  organ  of  combativeness 
was  touched,  he  wanted  to  fight  everybody :  the 
operator's  finger  on  the  bump  of  benevolence 
caused  him,  with  the  rapidity  of  lightning,  to 
commence  divesting  himself  of  his  clothes  to  give 
tbem  away,  which  display  was  effectually  stopped 
by  the  finger  being  shifted  to  secretiveness  or 
acquisitiveness  ;  and  so  on.  I  could  hardly  doubt 
that  it  was  a  bond  fide  transaction.  In  the  per- 
formance of  the  evening  I  saw  nothing  to  con- 
vince me  that  Christianity  is  in  danger  from 
mesmerism,  but  I  saw  sufficient  to  convince  me 
that  mesmerism  is  a  science  which  might  easily 
perplex  superficial  and  unstable  minds.  Mesrner, 
I  find,  was  born  in  1734;  in  Vienna,  it  is  be- 
lieved. In  1766  he  took  his  degree  of  Doctor 
of  Medicine  in  Vienna.  The  subject  of  his  thesis 
on  that  occasion  was,  "  The  influence  of  planets 
on  the  human  body."     The  conclusion  he  arrived 


88  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

at  in  this  theme  was,  that  as  the  planets  act  the 
one  on  the  other,  as  the  sun  and  moon  act  on 
our  atmosphere  and  on  our  seas,  so  these  great 
bodies  act  on  animated  bodies,  especially  on  the 
nervous  system,  by  means  of  a  very  subtle,  all- 
penetrating  fluid.  And  also,  that  as  under  this 
influence  there  exists  in  the  sea  the  perpetual 
operation  of  a  flux  and  reflux,  so  also  in  animated 
bodies  there  is  a  tension  and  relaxation,  just  like 
the  tides.  This  subtle  fluid,  the  general  agent  in 
these  changes,  resembles  very  much  the  magnet 
in  its  properties ;  consequently  its  name  should 
be  Animal  Magnetism. 

April  13  {Sunday  in  Passion  Week). —  Heard  a 
very  good  sermon  from  the  Bishop  of  Melbourne. 

April  1 8  ( Good-Friday). —  The  terrible  drought 
still  continues  drying  up  all  the  feed  for  the  stock. 
In  the  neighbourhood  of  Melbourne,  oxen  are 
dropping  down  in  the  yoke  from  starvation. 
Witnessed  a  wonderfully  beautiful  sunset  from 
the  Botanical  Gardens. 

Aprils. —  Rode  to  St.  Kilda,  and  then  along 
the  beach  to  Brighton.  The  day  was  most  trans- 
lucent; the  bay  like  a  tranquil  lake;  and  to  the 
westward,  the  mountain  called  Station  Peak 
stood  out  bold  and  sharp  against  the  clear  blue 
sky.  Saw  the  carcases  of  bullocks  dead  of  star- 
vation lying  about  ;  and  on  the  banks  of  the 
Yarra  there  arc  numberless  carcases  to  be  seen. 


TN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  89 

Weak  with  hunger,  the  poor  beasts  stagger  down 
to  the  river  to  drink,  get  bogged  in  the  mud, 
are  unable  to  disengage  themselves,  and  so  die 
lingeringly.  And  very  piteous  it  is  to  see  them 
thus  dying  by  inches,  all  helpless  and  mute. 

May  1. — Received  a  letter  from  the  Bishop  of 
Sydney,  licensing  me  to  the  Edward  River  dis- 
trict. 

May  15. —  Started  with  my  friends  into  the 
interior,  to  take  possession  of  my  pastoral  charge. 
We  lunched  first,  and  did  not  get  away  till  four 
in  the  afternoon.  I  find  it  is  the  custom  of  the 
settlers  here,  when  undertaking  a  long  journey, 
to  make  a  short  spell  on  the  evening  of  the  first 
day.  Two  of  my  companions  drove  a  tandem  ; 
another  and  myself  rode  together  on  horseback, 
each  leading  a  horse.  If  a  horse  is  well  trained 
to  follow,  this  leading  is  pleasant  enough,  for 
two  horses  travel  together  better  than  one,  but 
if  a  led  horse  jibs  or  shies,  he  makes  himself  very 
troublesome  and  uncomfortable.  After  dark  we 
arrived  at  Keilor,  where  there  is  a  good  inn. 
These  country  inns  are  becoming  very  valuable 
property.  Five  days  ago  the  inn  at  Seymour  was 
sold  for  4900/.  The  quantity  of  spirits  sold  at 
the  bar  is  great,  and  an  immense  profit  is  made 
somehow  by  that  which  is  sold. 

May  16. — Rode  to  Carlsruhe,  a  distance  of 
about  forty  miles,  where   we  arrived  nearly  be- 


90  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

nighted,  very  tired,  and  very  cold.  The  ride 
through  the  Black  Forest  was  wet  and  dreary. 

May  17. — Rode  through  a  fertile,  undulating 
country,  for  thirty  miles,  and  slept  at  FarreFs 
inn. 

May  1 8. —  Lunched  at  Mr.  E 's  station,  and 

by  nightfall  arrived,  after  a  forty-mile  ride,  at  an 
excellent  inn,  called  the  Campaspie  inn,  kept  by 
a  most  respectable  man  of  the  name  of  Barrow. 
On  the  table  in  the  sitting-room  were  a  quantity 
of  books,  among  which  I  noticed  the  "  Penny 
Magazine,"  some  of  Chambers'  Works,  and  Bul- 
vver's.  A  few  yards  from  the  doors  were  savages 
sleeping  around  their  watchfires.  Strange  mixture 
of  barbarism  and  civilisation  ! 

May  19.  —  Still  continued  our  course  north- 
ward, over  fertile  plains  devoted  to  sheep  pas- 
tures. Lunched  at  Mr.  Sims's  station,  and  ar- 
rived at  Hopwood's  inn,  on  the  Murray,  at  night- 
fall, after  a  ride  of  thirty-five  miles.  Having 
crossed  the  Murray,  I  am  no  longer  in  the  Port 
Phillip  province,  but  in  that  of  New  South  Wales, 
the  capital  of  which  is  Sydney.  I  now  enter  on 
my  clerical  duties. 

May  20.  —  Rested  all  day,  and  was  hospitably 

entertained  by  a  Mr.  S ,  who  has  a  boiliog- 

down  establishment  in  the  immediate  neighbour- 
hood. Baptized  a  child.  Held  Divine  Service  in 
the  wool-shed.    Twenty  persons  attended,  chiefly 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  91 

people   employed   by   Mr.  S .     Although   it 

was  not  Sunday,  they  dressed  for  the  occasion, 
and  behaved  most  decorously,  making  the  re- 
sponses with  an  aptitude  which  would  shame 
the  old  "  Parson-and-Clerk"  system  of  some 
churches  in  England.  They  are  a  very  rough 
lot  though,  induced  by  a  restless  spirit,  or  per- 
haps something  worse,  to  come  into  this  remote 
district.  The  inn  where  I  slept  is  nothing  but  a 
large  weather-board  hut,  with  three  or  four  bed- 
rooms and  a  sitting-room ;  but  it  is  clean  and 
comfortable,  and  has  some  entertaining  books  in 
the  sitting-room ;  such  as  Bulwer's  "  Godolphin," 
the  u  Penny  Magazine/'  Chambers,  and  Gifford's 
translation  of  "  Juvenal  and  Persius."  It  is 
almost  entirely  supported  by  the  bar  business. 
The  Murray  just  here  is  about  eighty  or  a  hun- 
dred yards  across,  running  between  high  banks. 
The  depth  is  about  fifteen  to  twenty-five  feet.  It 
never  dries  up,  like  most  of  the  Australian  rivers, 
but  is  navigable,  save  at  certain  periods  of  the 
year,  from  Albury  to  the  sea.  Thus,  to  compare 
very  small  things  with  very  great,  it  may  be 
called  the  Mississippi  of  Australia.  It  must  here- 
after act  a  great  part  in  developing  the  internal 
resources  of  Australia. 

May  21. — Although  the  days  are  very  fine 
the  nights  and  eai'ly  mornings  are  intensely  cold, 
so  that  we  were  not  very  much  surprised  at  seeing 


92  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

the  horses,  which  had  been  out  in  a  paddock  all 
night,  look  very  much  tucked  up.  Started  early, 
and  passed  through  a  dismal  tract  of  country, 
consisting  of  ungrassy  plains,  lugubrious  gum- 
trees,  and  stunted  bushes,  called  salt-bush.  I 
am  told  that  these  salt-bushes  afford  a  most  suc- 
culent nourishment  for  the  sheep,  when  there  is 
no  grass.  Lunched  from  provisions  we  had  with 
us  around  a  fire  which  we  made.  We  then  left 
the  beaten  track,  and  plunged  into  a  forest  of 
thick  brushwood,  travelling  by  the  sun.  After  a 
long  and  weary  ride  in  the  dark,  we  arrived  at 
a  Mr.  C 's  station.  The  horses,  after  travel- 
ling thirty -six  miles  without  baiting,  were  put 
into  a  paddock  with  no  grass  in  it.  I  under- 
stand that,  in  this  country,  horses  can  travel  very 
far  on  very  little  nourishment. 

May  22. —  Baptized  the  female  child  of  my 
host,  and  travelled  for  sixteen  miles  through  a 
thickly -wooded  country  to  a  small  hut,  where 
we  slept  on  the  floor.  We  should  have  had  no- 
thing for  supper  if  we  had  not  killed  a  poor  old 
hen,  who  was  unconsciously  roosting  on  the  roof 
of  the  hut. 

May  23.  —  Started  at  daybreak,  and  travelled 
till  long  after  dark.  A  most  uninteresting  coun- 
try, consisting  of  grassless  plains,  studded  with 
the  withered-looking  salt-bush,  and  bounded  by 
forests  of  the  gum-tree,  with  its  foliage  of  faded 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  93 

green.  Had  no  food  at  all  till  two  in  the  after- 
noon. Late  in  the  evening  arrived  at  a  township 
on  the  Edward  River,  called  Moolamon,  wearied 
out,  having  ridden  forty-six  miles  at  least.  This 
locality,  consisting  of  an  inn,  a  store,  a  court- 
house, and  two  sheep-stations,  and  a  few  other 
miserable  wooden  huts,  must  be  considered,  I 
suppose,  the  chief  place  of  my  district. 

May  24. —  Bi'eakfasted  with  an  Australian 
gentleman,  a  squatter  here,  and  afterwards  rode 
for  twenty-two  miles  along  the  banks  of  the 
Edward  River,  until  I  came  to  a  station  called 
Moolpar,  which,  for  the  present,  I  am  to  make 
my  head-quarters  and  home.  I  am  very  glad  to 
have  done  with  travelling;  for  I  am  quite  tired, 
having,  since  the  lcth  of  this  month,  ridden  280 
miles. 

May  25  (Sunday).  —  Before  breakfast  read  one 
of  the  admirable  Family  Prayers  of  Bishop  Blom- 
field.  At  eleven  the  servants  of  the  home-station 
were  called  in,  and  I  read  the  Litany  and 
preached  a  sei-mon.  All  were  very  attentive. 
Before  going  to  bed  I  read  the  Evening  Prayers, 
and  preached  a  second  sermon. 

May  26.  —  Strolled  about  the  environs  of  the 
station,  and,  by  means  of  a  small  bit  of  tobacco, 
made  friends  with  an  intelligent  black  fellow, 
named  Charley.  Tried  to  get  out  of  him  some 
definite  information  about  a  wonderful  creature, 


94  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

much  talked  of  here,  called  the  bunyip.  Some 
say  it  is  an  amphibious  animal,  which  makes  its 
home  at  the  bottom  of  deep  water-holes  in  the 
beds  of  rivers,  and  which  draws  down  blacks, 
whilst  bathing,  to  devour  them ;  sometimes  even 
pursuing  them  on  the  banks.  Others  assert  that 
it  is  a  beast,  like  a  small  hippopotamus,  which 
lives  among  the  reeds  in  the  marshes  by  the  side 
of  rivers,  and  which  causes  great  harm  and  loss 
to  the  indigenes,  by  sallying  out  at  night  and 
destroying  the  apparatus  for  catching  fish  :  others 
declare  that  it  is  a  gigantic,  blood-thirsty  otter, 
that  eats  children  when  it  can  catch  them.  When 
I  asked  Charley  to  portray  me  one  on  the  dust 
with  the  point  of  my  stick,  he  drew  a  great  bird. 
I  suspect  that  this  creature  does  not  exist  now, 
even  if  it  has  once  existed.  The  savages,  how- 
ever, unanimously  declare  that  some  voracious 
animal  exists  in  or  about  their  rivers,  and  they 
have  a  great  dread  of  it.  It  may  be  a  tradition 
that  they  have,  just  as  we  have  of  dragons. 

May  27. — Took  a  survey  of  the  sheep-station 
where  I  live,  and  its  position.  It  stands  on  the 
north  bank  of  the  Edward  River,  which  is  an 
offshoot  of  the  Murray,  on  the  verge  of  an  exten- 
sive plain,  which  reaches  to  the  Murrumbidgce 
River.  Close  by  it  is  an  extensive  paddock,  in 
which  are  kept  visitors'  horses,  and  those  horses 
of  the  establishment  which  are  required  for  im- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  95 

mediate  service.  There  is  also  a  piece  of  land 
laid  down  with  oats,  which,  for  the  last  three 
years,  have  grown  up  very  well,  and  just  when 
ready  to  be  cut  have  been  blasted  by  the  furnace- 
like north  wind.  The  station  itself  is  a  large 
cottage,  partly  constructed  of  weather-board  and 
partly  of  rough  planks,  fitting  into  grooves,  top 
and  bottom,  which  are  cut  in  the  main  timbers. 
A  large  apartment,  with  an  immense  fire-hearth, 
serves  as  the  living-room,  whilst  around  are  con- 
structed five  or  six  little  dens,  which  serve  as 
bedrooms.  The  out-buildings  consist  of  a  store 
—  where  are  kept  the  flour  and  other  provisions 
of  the  establishment  —  a  stable  and  a  dray-shed. 
Farther  off  is  a  small  paddock,  called  a  stock- 
yard, inclosed  by  a  high,  strong  rail,  into  which 
the  horse  and  cattle  stock  are  driven  for  inspection 
or  otherwise.  The  Edward  River  partakes  of  the 
nature  of  most  of  the  Australian  streams.  At 
times  it  is  full  to  overflowing;  at  times  entirely 
dried  up;  but  contains,  at  intervals,  deep  ponds 
or  water-holes,  of  fresh,  clear  water,  which  seldom 
or  never  dry  up,  and  which  alone  render  this 
country  habitable.  It  is  now  so  empty  of  all 
moisture,  that  I  can  hardly  picture  it  to  myself 
as  what  it  must  be  when  the  great  rains  com- 
mence. Close  to  the  head-station  is  a  camp  of 
the  natives,  consisting  of  fifty  or  sixty  men, 
women,  and  children,  and  innumerable  mongrel, 


96  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

mangy  dogs.  These  poor  people  pick  up  what 
they  can  get,  and  make  themselves  useful  in 
many  ways.  But  they  like  their  wild  life,  and 
cannot  be  prevailed  on  to  enter  into  regular 
service. 

June  1  {Sunday). —  Rode  into  the  township  of 
Moolamon  to  hold  Divine  Service.  It  is  a  dis- 
tance of  about  twenty-two  miles,  and  the  road 
lies  through  forest  and  plain,  by  river-side  and 
over  sand-hill.  These  sand-hills  are  studded  over 
the  vast  plains  of  the  district,  and  are  thickly 
planted  with  pine-trees,  which  at  early  morning 
and  at  evening  send  forth  a  most  grateful  fra- 
grancy.  And  most  refreshing  is  it,  after  tra- 
versing in  the  drought  season  dreary  wastes, 
barren  of  all  verdure,  to  enter  the  domains  of  a 
sand-hill,  standing  like  an  oasis  in  the  desert, 
with  its  green  grass  and  its  innumerable  shade- 
giving  pines.  How  they  came  here  no  one  seems 
to  know  ;  perhaps  they  were  caused  by  the  eddies 
of  a  great  flood,  which  might  some  time  have 
swept  over  the  face  of  the  country.  When  I 
arrived  at  Moolamon  I  found  a  congregation 
of  about  thirty  people,  chiefly  women  and  chil- 
dren, waiting  for  me  in  a  log- building,  called 
the  Court-House.  After  the  second  lesson  I 
baptized  three  children,  to  see  which  ceremony 
numbers  of  blacks  crowded  the  door.  My  chief 
supporter  here  —  an  Australian  gentleman — could 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  (J7 

not  attend,  being  laid  up  by  that  curse  of 
Australia,  ophthalmia,  or  sandy  blight.  His  eyes 
are  bandaged  over,  and  he  is  suffering  excruci- 
ating pain.     Got  back  to  my  station  by  dusk. 

Jane  3. — Tried  to  find  out  a  neighbouring 
station  by  compass,  but  could  not.  Experienced 
bush  men  say  that  a  compass  rather  perplexes 
them  than  otherwise.  They  guide  themselves  in 
day-time  by  the  sun,  and  by  the  Southern  Cross 
at  night.  Was  present  at  the  slaughtering  of 
a  beast  for  home  consumption.  A  large  lot  of 
cattle  had  been  driven  from  the  plains  into  the 
stock-yard,  and  there  the  creatures  were  huddled, 
all  in  confusion,  and  looking  very  wild,  lowing, 
butting  one  another,  and  making  short  runs, 
trying  to  find  a  way  of  exit.  The  superintendent 
came  with  a  fowling-piece  loaded  with  ball,  picked 
out  a  likely  beast  to  kill,  and  aimed  at  the 
centre  of  his  forehead,  wishing  to  kill  him  at  one 
shot ;  but  the  creature  would  not  stand  steady, 
and  shifted  his  position  continually :  then  he 
picked  out  another,  but  neither  would  he  stand 
steady ;  and  then,  tired  of  waiting,  and  out  of 
temper,  he  aimed  at  a  steady  old  cow,  great  with 
calf,  and  shot  her  dead.  In  a  moment  the  rails 
of  the  entrance  to  the  stock-yard  were  thrown 
on  the  ground,  and  all  the  herd  rushed  furiously 
out,  and  galloped  towards  the  plains, — all  save  the 
defunct  animal,  which  lay  dead.     Her  throat  was 

ii 


98  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

then  cut,  and  she  was  hoisted  up  with  tackling, 
and  skinned  and  quartered  in  an  incredibly  short 
space  of  time.  Then  the  blacks,  with  great  glee, 
gathered  round,  and  carried  off  the  head,  the 
feet,  the  heart,  liver,  &c,  in  immense  triumph  to 
their  camp  ;  and,  joy  of  joys  to  them,  the  calf 
was  nearly  full-grown,  and  its  poor  little  carcase 
was  trailed  along  the  ground,  followed  by  an 
infinity  of  dogs,  all  licking  it.  Although  it  has 
been  said  that  we  are  all  of  us  at  heart  only 
savages  dressed  up,  I  must  confess  that  this  was 
a  sufficiently  disagreeable  sight  to  me,  and  I 
never  wish  to  witness  the  slaughtering  of  a  beast 
again. 

June  4. —  On  horseback  from  eleven  until  six, 
visiting  the  out-stations.  These  stations  are  in- 
habited by  two  men, — the  one,  a  shepherd,  who 
takes  care  of  the  sheep  by  clay ;  the  other,  a  hut- 
keeper,  who  cooks  for  his  mate,  and  is  responsible 
for  the  sheep  by  night.  The  hut  is  rudely  built 
of  logs  or  planks,  has  a  large  chimney  also  of 
wood,  and  contains  two  stretchers  and  a  few 
utensils.  At  the  fire  is  a  pannikin  of  tea  always 
to  be  found.  Far  away  in  the  plains,  at  a  dis- 
tance of  perhaps  twenty  miles  from  the  head- 
station,  do  these  poor  exiles  stupidly  vegetate, 
tending  stupid  sheep,  for  sheep  are  the  most 
stupid  of  animals.  Now  and  then  some  blacks 
puss  by.    Once  a- week  they  get  their  rations  from 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  99 

the  head-station.  At  times  the  superintendent 
rides  over  to  see  how  the  stock  is  getting  on. 
With  these  exceptions,  their  life  floats  by  them 
like  a  lazy  dream.  The  sheep  here  run  in  flocks 
of  from  1500  to  3000,  and  if  the  shepherd  is  worth 
anything,  he  ought  to  keep  them  moving  gently, 
so  to  eat  clown  the  run  fairly.  But  very  often 
it  happens  that  he  goes  to  sleep,  or  leaves  them, 
whilst  he  idles  at  the  hut,  and  so  the  sheep  loiter, 
and  do  not  get  well  pastured,  for  a  sheep  is  a  most 
uninstinctive  beast,  and  must  not  be  left  to  itself : 
it  is,  as  a  young  shepherd  once  remarked  to  me, 
"  the  most  spooney  of  animals,  I  assui-e  you, 
sir."  The  shepherds  about  here  are  many  of 
them  old  convicts  from  the  Sydney  side,  many 
of  them  fugitives  from  the  sea-board  for  some 
crime,  but  nearly  all  of  them  have  brought  on  a 
premature  old  age  from  early  excesses,  and  are 
suffering  from  various  chronic  diseases.  One  of 
the  men  whom  I  visited  to-day  is,  I  am  assured, 
so  accustomed  to  take  corrosive  sublimate,  that 
he  will  lick  it  up  from  the  palm  of  his  hand  :  his 
name  is  Mulligan,  and  he  is  an  excellent  shep- 
herd. At  the  end  of  their  year's  engagement 
they  go  to  the  home -station  to  get  their  wages, 
which  amount  to  between  18/.  and  25/.  Then 
comes  a  fierce  change,  from  fasting  in  the  desert 
for  a  year  on  salted  meat  and  tea  and  un- 
leavened bread.     They  take  their  wages  to  the 


100  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

nearest  public-house,  and  begin  eating  and  drink- 
ing furiously.  I  have  heard  of  a  man  eating  two 
bottles  of  pickles  without  stirring  from  the  spot. 
And  as  to  drinking,  it  is  really  frightful.  They 
will  drink  all  sorts  of  liquors  till  they  get 
delirium  tremens,  whilst  the  whole  vicinity  of  the 
public-house  resounds  with  drunken  impreca 
tions.  By  and  by  they  awake  from  the  sick 
lethargy  into  which  they  have  fallen,  and  find 
that  all  their  earnings  have  melted  away  in  ale 
and  porter,  wine  and  rum.  They  then  sadly  and 
slowly  wend  their  way  to  their  solitary  hut  in  the 
plains,  to  resume  for  another  year  their  deaden- 
ing life  of  petrifaction.  I  believe  that  all  the 
liquors  sold  at  the  "  publics "  are  terribly  adul- 
terated, the  rum  with  tobacco  especially  ;  and  it 
is  this  adulteration  which  induces  delirium  tre- 
mens. To-day  I  have  seen  seven  or  eight  shep- 
herds and  hut -keepers,  of  whom  two  are  old  "  lags" 
(so  convicts  are  called),  and  two  from  Pentonville, 
or  as  they  arc  called  here,  "  Penton-Villains." 
They  were  all  very  civil  and  teachable.  I  tried 
to  impress  on  them  that  I  took  a  personal  interest 
in  their  welfare,  and  that  they  might  look  upon 
me  not  so  much  in  the  light  of  a  paid  Minister 
as  of  a  personal  friend.  There  is  no  feeling  so 
demoralising  to  a  man  as  that  of  being  alienated 
from  all  surrounding  human  sympathies.  Such  a 
Jceling  with  some  produces  recklessness  {iucuria), 


IN   AUSTRALIA   AND  TASMANIA.  101 

with  others  despair.  The  former,  among  the 
lower  classes,  sometimes  leads  to  terrible  results. 
Their  hand  is  against  every  man.  If  a  clergyman 
would  bear  in  mind  that  great  truth  propounded 
by  Rochefoucault,  that  self-love  is  the  spring 
of  all  men's  actions  and  determinations,  he  would 
make  personal  appeals  to  his  flock  in  private, 
rather  than  appeal  to  them  in  the  mass  from  his 
pulpit ;  for  there  is  nothing  that  we  like  so  much 
as  being  taken  notice  of  by  our  superiors :  it 
touches  our  self-love.  That  which  I  endeavoured 
chiefly  to  persuade  these  poor  men  was,  that  they 
should  not  spend  their  wages  in  those  horrible 
drinking-bouts,  but  save  them  until  they  could 
get  sufficient  to  establish  themselves  in  some 
more  lucrative  mode  of  life ;  but  they  answered, 
"  Ah,  sir,  if  you  lived  here  by  yourself  a  whole 
twelvemonth,  with  nothing  but  salt  rations  and 
that  raking  green  tea,  you  would  like  a  change 
sometimes."  And  I  can  believe  them,  for  my 
food  is  coarse  enough,  and  I  have  nothing  to 
drink  but  coarse  green  tea,  tasting  strongly  of 
copper,  mixed  with  coarse  brown-black  sugar, 
flavoured  with  the  perambulations  of  large,  strong- 
smelling,  red  ants.  This  tea,  which  for  the  most 
part  is  drunk  without  milk,  owing  to  their  indo- 
lence in  not  breaking  in  cows  for  milking,  costs 
only  Is.  a  pound  in  Melbourne,  and  is  as  near 
poison  as  can  be :  the   sugar   alone   renders  it 


102         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

endurable.  As  for  eating,  I  have  salt  beef,  fatless 
(for  they  always  slaughter  the  poorest  beasts  for 
home  consumption),  hot  for  dinner  and  cold  for 
breakfast.  Vegetables  are  rarely  seen  in  these 
quarters,  and  the  bread  is  of  coarse  flour,  and 
unleavened.  I  rejoined,  that  this  miserable  fare 
was  the  very  reason  why  they  should  get  into 
another  mode  of  life  as  soon  as  they  could  save 
a  little  money,  and  entreated  them  to  consider 
their  responsibilities  as  Christian  men.  I  told 
them  that  their  master  took  as  much  interest 
in  their  spiritual  welfare  as  I  did,  and  that  he 
would  willingly  keep  their  money  for  them.  I 
gave  them  some  books  to  read,  and  so  went  my 
way,  they  thanking  me  very  cordially,  I  said 
very  little  to  them  on  religious  matters,  this 
being  my  first  interview  with  them,  for  there 
is  nothing  that  the  lower  orders  of  English 
dislike  so  much  as  having,  as  they  term  it,  re- 
ligion thrust  down  their  throats  by  a  person  who 
is  strange  to  them.  Let  us,  clergymen,  show  our 
people  that  we  have  their  welfare  at  heart,  and 
they  will  submit  to  as  much  exhortation  and 
reproof  as  we  like  to  give  them.  Rode  through 
a  forest  of  short  trees,  consisting  of  innumerable 
stripling  trunks  springing  from  one  root.  This 
is  called  Malice  scrub,  or  Eucalyptus  Dumosa, 
and  is  almost  impenetrable  to  man  and  horse. 
1'iisscd  over  vast  grassless  plains,  of  a  light  clayey 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  103 

soil,  thickly  variegated  by  sickly-looking  prickly 
brush.  In  the  distance  I  saw  careering  a  mob  of 
five  emu,  with  the  speed  of  a  race-horse.  The 
grass  not  having  sprung  up  yet,  the  whole 
country  has  a  most  miserable  aspect;  but  yet 
the  sheep  are  looking  admirably,  owing  to  the 
succulent  verdure  of  the  salt-bush  which  grows 
on  the  plains.  It  is  this  shrub  which  makes  this 
hot  district,  which  is  called  the  India  of  Australia, 
so  valuable.  The  saline  succulence  of  the  salt- 
bush  is  meat  and  drink  to  the  sheep  during  the 
greatest  droughts.  Although  our  horses  had 
been  out  seven  hours  in  a  hot  sun,  without 
refreshment  of  any  sort,  they  showed  no  fatigue ; 
owing,  I  suppose,  to  the  dryness  and  elasticity  of 
the  air. 

June  9. —  Heavy  rain  from  morning  until  night. 
Find  that  the  blacks  construct  their  shelters  so  as 
to  be  impervious  to  wet.  They  have  no  huts,  but 
support  pieces  of  bark  in  a  sloping  position  on 
sticks.  As  the  wind  shifts,  they  shift  their  bark. 
They  lie  with  their  heads  and  shoulders  inside, 
and  their  feet  towards  the  entrance,  where  a  fire 
is  kept  up.  Last  night  a  black  woman  was  de- 
livered of  a  half-caste  child.  I  sent  her  some 
gruel,  but  found  that  she  shared  it  with  all  around 
her.  She  talks  of  killing  (he  child,  but  I  hope, 
by  threats  and  bribery,  to  dissuade  her  from  so 
great  a  sin.     I  am  told  that  probably  she  will  not 


104  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

do  it  now,  but  will  let  it  grow  even  until  it  attain 
the  age  of  four,  five,  or  six  years,  and  then  it  will 
mysteriously  disappear.  She  will  deny  that  it  has 
been  killed,  and  on  being  questioned,  will  coolly 
remark  that  it  was  taken  ill  and  died  suddenly. 
This  conduct  probably  arises  from  the  fear  that 
if  the  half-castes  were  permitted  to  live,  they 
would  obtain  too  great  an  influence  in  their  re- 
spective tribes. 

June  11.  —  Went  fishing  with  Charley  the 
black,  but  was  unsuccessful.  He  used  a  spear, 
and  watched  motionless  until  fish  should  pass, 
that  he  might  pierce  them ;  but  none  came. 
Charley  does  not  seem  to  have  an  idea  of  a  good 
creative  Spirit,  but  has  much  fear  of  a  bad  de- 
structive spirit,  whom  he  calls  debil-debil.  But 
the  error  of  devil-worship  is  not  peculiar  to  the 
Australian  indigenes.  Went  on  the  plains  to 
gather  mushrooms,  which  have  sprung  up  in  great 
abundance  during  the  late  rain.  They  have  an 
excellent  taste.  The  blacks,  however,  prefer  a 
poisonous -looking,  disgusting,  yellow  fungus. 
They  are  very  odd  in  their  tastes.  They  will  not 
touch  salt ;  and  they  think  delicious,  wild-fowls' 
eggs,  when  the  chicks  are  near  ready  to  be 
hatched. 

June  13. — During  the  last  two  days,  and  to- 
day, the  rain  has  descended  in  torrents.  I  have 
employed  a  considerable  portion  of  to-day  in  ex- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  105 

amining  a  map  of  the  country  which  the  Bishop 
of  Sydney  has  allotted  to  me  for  my  pastoral 
labours.  I  find  that  between  the  Adelaide  bound- 
ary westward,  to  Albury,  eastward,  there  are  six 
degrees  of  longitude  ;  and  that  from  the  Murray, 
at  the  junction  of  the  Campaspie,  south,  to  the 
Murrumhidgee,  at  the  junction  of  the  Lachlan, 
north,  there  intervenes  a  degree  and  a  half  of 
latitude.  My  district,  then,  is  comprised  between 
141°  and  147°  east  longitude,  and  between  about 
34°  and  36°  south  latitude.  All  this  vast  country 
lies  in  the  interior,  at  the  back  of  the  colony  of  Port 
Phillip,  or  Australia  Felix,  as  it  is  appropriately 
called,  and  has,  I  believe,  been  penetrated  and 
taken  up  by  squatters  only  within  the  last  six  or 
seven  years.  The  Government  map  chai*acterises 
it  as  consisting  of  "  table  land,"  "  supposed 
hilly  country,"  "  dense  mallee  scrub/'  "  exten- 
sive open  plains,"  "  polygonum  scrub,"  "  low, 
level,  timbered  country,"  "forest  and  scrubby 
country,"  "  barren  country,"  "  open  forest  coun- 
try;" whilst  towards  the  east  exist  ''granitic 
ranges."  It  is  copiously  watered,  and  during  a 
portion  of  the  year  flooded,  by  the  rivers  Mur- 
ray, Murrumbidgee,  Lachlan,  Darling,  Edward, 
Neimur,  and  Wakool,  which  three  last  are 
nothing  more  than  branches  of  the  Murray, 
leaving  the  parent  river  through  the  channels  of 
what  are  called  the  Gulpha  and  Tuppal  Creeks, 


106  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

meandering  in  tortuous  windings  through  a  hun- 
dred miles  of  country  in  a  westerly  direction,  and 
uniting  in  one  common  stream  called  the  Logan, 
through  the  bed  of  which  the  errant  waters 
hasten  to  rejoin  their  long-abandoned  parent. 
Two  other  small  water-courses,  called  creeks,* 
the  Yanko  and  the  Billebong,  at  one  period  of 
the  year  dry,  at  another  full  of  water,  serve,  the 
one  to  connect  the  Murrumbidgee  with  the  Ed- 
ward, the  other  to  render  habitable  a  large  tract 
of  arid  country.  To  the  westward  is  the  Golgol 
Creek,  containing  backwater  from  the  Murray; 
also  the  Bengallow.  Several  lakes,  too,  exist  in 
this  vast  district,  such  as  Benanee,  Paika,  Tala, 
Yanga ;  but  they  get  very  dry  during  the 
droughts.  The  s;eneral  characteristics  of  this 
country  are,  I  am  told,  immense  plains,  bounded 
by  belts  of  forest  land,  in  which  the  gum-tree 
predominates,  but  which  also  contain  the  sheacke 
and  the  box,  the  polygonum  scrub,  and  the  tea- 
tree.  Here  and  there  are  to  be  seen  sand-hills, 
covered  with  innumerable  pine-trees.  The  plains 
would  be  unfit  for  the  pasture  of  sheep  during  a 
great  portion  of  the  year,  if  it  were  not  for  the 
salt-bush,  prickly  bush,  and  pig-face,  which  stud 
them  thickly  over,  and  fatten  sheep  where  not  a 
blade  of  grass  is   to  be  seen.     Over  the  country 

*  Creek  is  a  term  used  by  the  early  explorers,  to  denote  the 
smaller  interior  streams,  cither  tributary  or  independent. 


IN  AUSTRALIA   AND  TASMANIA.  107 

which  I  have  been  just  endeavouring  to  describe 
are  distributed  eighty  to  a  hundred  squatters,  who 
all  pasture  sheep  or  cattle,  and  who  rent  from  the 
Government  large  tracts  of  land,  thoroughly  use- 
less for  any  other  purpose.  Some  of  these  reside 
on  their  stations,  some  are  absentees ;  some  are 
small  stockholders,  having  their  thousand  or  two 
thousand  sheep,  or  their  four  or  five  hundred  head 
of  cattle ;  whilst  others  have  their  twenty  or  thirty 
thousand  sheep,  or  their  four  thousand  head  of 
cattle.  Of  these  squatters  many  are  educated 
gentlemen,  many  are  enterprising  Scotchmen; 
all  are  intelligent  persons,  well  calculated  to  cope 
with  the  difficulties  which  surround  them.  Many 
of  them  began  life  as  prodigals,  and  have  now 
tamed  down  into  wealthy  proprietors.  This  dis- 
trict is  thinly  populated  by  innumerable  small 
tribes  of  blacks,  whom  some  call  Malays,  others 
Australian  negroes.  To  those  poor  savages  the 
arts  and  sciences  are  quite  unknown.  Strongly 
gifted  with  the  perceptive,  entirely  wanting  in  the 
reflective  faculty,  they  pass  their  time  living  on 
the  precarious  tenure  of  the  chase,  too  idle  to  till 
the  ground,  and  too  careless  even  to  construct 
huts.  The  kangaroo,  the  emu,  the  wild  turkey, 
the  opossum,  and  fish,  afford  them  food,  and 
these  they  kill  with  the  spear  and  the  boomerang, 
for  they  have  not  arrived  even  at  the  art  of 
making  bows  and  arrows,  nor  are  fish-nets  by  any 


108  DIARY  OP  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

means  general  amongst  them.  The}'  are  divided 
into  small  tribes  or  clans,  to  which  tradition  has 
appropriated  a  certain  district,  which  is  never 
overpassed  with  impunity,  unless  by  a  friendly 
tribe.  Each  clan  has  a  nominal  chief,  who  is 
expected  to  head  them  in  their  fights;  but  he, 
with  the  rest,  is  subject  to  a  senate,  which  is 
composed  of  the  old  men  ;  who,  in  their  turn,  can 
only  act  on  the  usages  established  among  them 
from  time  immemorial.  Whether  their  chieftain- 
ship is  elective  or  hereditary  I  cannot  learn.  I 
suspect  that  it  is  hereditary,  with  exceptions  in 
certain  cases.  With  regard  to  religion,  they  come 
up  to  my  idea  of  pure  Atheism,  for  they  have  no 
idea  of  a  God,  no  name  for  him,  no  worship  of  any 
sort — not  even  idol-worship.  They  have  no  definite 
idea  of  an  evil  spirit,  nor  have  they  any  idea  of 
an  after-life ;  though,  for  some  time  after  the  death 
of  one  of  their  tribe,  they  have  a  perfect  horror 
of  the  dark,  and  on  no  account  mention  the 
name  of  the  deceased.  This  they  carry  to  such 
an  extent,  that  should  the  dead  person  bear  the 
name  of  any  object,  animate  or  inanimate,  that 
name  is  immediately  changed.  In  morals  they 
are  Socialists,  and  Socialists  to  the  most  ex- 
aggerated extent.  I  cannot  repeat  all  that  I 
have  heard  on  this  subject.  AVith  regard  to 
their  wives,  a  man  has  seldom  more  than  two, 
and  the  second  is  rarely  taken  until  the  first  is 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  109 

old  and  worn  out.  The  new  wife  then  acts  as 
handmaid  to  the  other.  If  a  wife  is  discovered 
to  be  unfaithful  to  her  husband,  which  is  not  a 
common  occurrence,  she  receives  a  good  beating 
from  him,  and  the  affair  passes.  Infidelity,  how- 
ever, with  a  white,  is  esteemed  an  honour  to  the 
tribe  ;  and,  considering  their  ugliness  and  filthy 
habits,  not  without  reason,  one  would  imagine. 
The  poor  creatures  have  much  perceptive  intelli- 
gence :  shoot  well,  ride  well,  make  excellent 
mounted  police,  are  very  honest,  not  addicted  to 
pilfering,  great  newsmongers,  wonderful  mimics, 
and  pick  up  our  language  very  rapidly  :  but  they 
cannot  count ;  they  can  relate  no  traditions  of 
the  past,  and  seem  utterly  impervious  to  all 
religious  teaching  :  not  that  they  resist  it  at  all; 
they  are  delighted  with  the  honour  done  to  them, 
especially  when  the  doctrine  is  accompanied  by 
tobacco  ;  but  it  all  passes  through  their  heads 
and  hearts  as  water  through  a  sieve.  Each  tribe 
has  an  individual  who  is  set  apart  to  perform  the 
functions  of  medical  man  and  magician.  Him 
they  call  "  Doc-doc,"  and  he  is  expected  to  cure 
diseases,  which  he  sometimes  does  by  a  mesmeric 
process,  to  charm  down  rain,  or  to  curse  the 
unruly  members  of  the  tribe.  These  things  he 
does  at  the  request  of  the  old  men,  whose  tool  he 
is.     So  that,  alter  all,  their  form  of  government 


110  DIARY  Of  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

is  nothing  new.  Other  nations,  not  calling  them- 
selves barbarous,  have,  and  have  had  in  times 
past,  their  nominal  chief,  their  oligarchy,  and 
their  established  church.  The  men  and  women 
go  entirely  naked  in  summer  ;  in  winter  they  wear 
opossum-skins.  This,  then,  is  my  district,  and 
it  is  my  duty  to  visit  from  station  to  station,  to 
hold  morning  and  evening  prayers,  and  to  endea- 
vour to  impart  spiritual  knowledge  and  religious 
consolation  to  the  white  people  scattered  up  and 
down  in  this  wilderness.  May  God  grant  me 
power  to  do  it  as  I  should  !  I  am  not  sent  as 
missionary  to  the  blacks,  but  I  will  study  their 
character  closely,  and  prevent  the  publicans  from 
giving  them  fermented  and  spirituous  liquors. 

June  15  [Trinity  Sunday).  —  Rode  to  the  Poon 
Boon  station,  belonging  to  the  Royal  Bank 
Company,  where  there  are  no  less  than  35,000 

sheep.      A    Mr.    M ,   a    very    gentlemanlike 

young  man,  is  superintendent  of  this  important 
property.  He  is  evidently  anxious  to  forward 
my  views  in  every  way  that  he  can.  As  he  was 
not  certain  of  my  coming  to-day,  he  could  only 
get  together  a  congregation  of  ten.  There  are 
two  unbaptized  children  in  the  neighbourhood, 
whose  parents  defer  baptism  under  various  flimsy 
pretexts.  Returned  to  my  head-quarters  to  a 
seven-o'clock  dinner,  after  a  fatiguing  ride  over 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  Ill 

boggy  plains,  with  difficulty  fording  the  Wakool 
river,  and  had  evening  service  before  going  to 
bed. 

June  18. — Received  letters  and  newspapers 
from  Melbourne,  which  last  are  full  of  accounts 
of  the  discovery  of  gold  in  New  South  Wales. 
This  discovery  is  occasioning  immeasurable  ex- 
citement. 

June  19  — Rode  to  a  small  station  about  twenty 
miles  away,  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Logan.  The 
track  lay  through  extensive  plains,  rendered  soft 
by  the  late  rains.  The  host  and  hostess  were  hard- 
working, aud  in  every  way  respectable  Scotch 
people,  of  the  Presbyterian  persuasion,  who  re- 
ceived us  most  hospitably.  On  the  river's  bank 
near  there,  a  solitary  rock  of  red  sandstone  seems 
to  have  grown  up  like  a  plant,  and  protrudes 
far  into  the  river's  course.  Before  retiring  for 
the  night  I  read  the  Lessons  for  the  evening, 
expounding  as  I  read,  and  some  of  the  prayers. 
My  accommodation  for  the  night  was  coarse,  but 
the  hearty  welcome  refined  everything. 

June  22  (Su?iday).  —  Had  Divine  Service  at  the 
Court- House,  Moolamon.  Thirty-five  were  pre- 
sent. Baptized  two  children  after  the  Second 
Lesson.  The  blacks,  as  before,  crowded  the 
door;  and  I  understand,  on  account  of  the  part 
I  take  in  this  ceremony,  they  have  given  me  the 


112  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

title  of  "  Maker  of  children  to  the  white  men." 
They  also  call  me  "  White  man's  Doc-doc." 

June  24. —  Commenced  a  visitation  in  the 
eastern  part  of  my  district.  Commenced  by 
having  the  horses  swum  over  a  creek :  then  sad- 
dled them,  and  proceeded  due  east  on  the  north 
bank  of  the  Edward.  Our  journey  was  extremely 
fatiguing,  for  the  heavy  rains  which  had  fallen 
had  saturated  the  clayey  soil,  so  that  at  times  the 
horses'  going  was  a  succession  of  plunges.  In 
places,  too,  the  river  had  overflooded  its  banks, 
so  that  we  had  to  wade  through  water  for  miles. 
It  was  chiefly  low  forest-land  where  the  floods 
were,  and  the  ragged-looking  gum-trees,  with 
their  withered  or  broken  limbs,  had  a  most  lu- 
gubrious aspect  under  the  threatening  sky,  sur- 
rounded as  they  were  by  the  seemingly  inter- 
minable flood.  After  thirty-two  miles  of  this 
wearisome  riding  I  arrived  at  a  large  wood  hut, 
which  was  a  public-house  kept  by  a  Scotchman. 
The  good  landlady  gave  me  an  excellent  bed. 

June  25.  —  Whilst  paying  my  bill  to  the  land- 
lady, she  told  me  that  the  men,  when  drunk,  use 
the  most  horrible  language,  and  she  feared  her 
children  would  become  corrupted.  She  said  (so 
I  understood)  that  she  paid  250/.  a-year  rent  for 
this  road-side  inn;  and  I  suppose  that  these 
enormous  rents  force  the  innkeepers  to  adulterate 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  113 

their  liquors.  Gave  her  some  advice  about  keep- 
ing her  family  away  from  the  influence  of  the 
tap,  and  at  eve  prosecuted  my  journey.  Found 
travelling  a  repetition  of  yesterday  —  saturated 
clayey  plains,  and  flooded  forest-land  at  the  river- 
side. Came  to  a  station  where  I  was  warmly 
received  by  three  ferocious  bull-dogs  and  coolly 
received  by  the  master,  so  I  rode  on  through  the 
slush  in  the  midst  of  a  mournful  silence,  which 
seems  characteristic  of  nature  here.  Called  at  a 
hut  where  lived  a  woman  with  several  daugh- 
ters ;  she  was  an  Irish  Romanist,  and  very  bi- 
goted. Came  up  with  the  postman,  who  was 
riding  a  Timor  pony  of  thirteen  hands,  or  less  ; 
these  little  creatures  have  a  peculiar  run  of  about 
"five  and  a-half  miles  an  hour,  which  they  can  keep 
up,  I  hear,  for  eighty  miles,  with  scarce  a  stop- 
page. They  are  highly  valued  on  account  of 
their  hardy,  indefatigable  habits.  Just  at  sunset 
we  lost  our  track  in  a  most  dismal  swarrfp,  from 
which  I  thought  we  never  should  have  emerged. 
After  much  difficulty  we  arrived  at  the  Sand  Hills 
public-house  at  Deniliquin,  having  waded,  as  it 
were,  our  horses  for  thirty-five  miles. 

June  26.  —  Rested  a  'little.  Called  on  a  sur- 
geon who  is  settled  in  this  district.  He  seems 
a  quiet,  gentleman-like  man,  and  people  say  that 
he  is  clever.  Conversed  with  a  poor  fellow  suf- 
fering from  ophthalmia,  commonly   called  sandy 

i 


114        DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

blight.  He  told  me  that  the  pain  was  intense, 
especially  at  night ;  and  I  could  well  believe  him, 
for  his  eyes  were  covered  with  a  purulent  dis- 
charge. This  painful  disease  is  very  prevalent 
here.  It  weakens  the  organs  of  sight  very  much, 
and  the  first  attack  renders  them  sensitive  and 
more  obnoxious  to  successive  visitations.  People 
are  by  no  means  agreed  as  to  how  it  is  caused. 
Some  say  it  is  the  bite  of  a  fly ;  others,  grains  of 
sand  blown  by  the  wind;  others,  heat  of  blood, 
and  fever  thereupon  ensuing.  To  this  last  ex- 
planation I  am  disposed  to  incline.  The  best 
course  to  be  adopted  during  an  attack  is  to  stay 
quiet,  living  very  temperately  indeed,  and  taking 
daily  small  doses  of  cooling  medicine,  not  for- 
getting to  bathe  the  eye  with  a  mild  lotion  of 
sulphate  of  zinc.  This  being  done,  the  malady 
must  be  patiently  allowed  to  have  its  course ; 
which  may  occupy  one  week,  or  may  occupy  four, 
as  the  case  may  be. 

June  28. — The  mornings  and  evenings  are  cold, 
although  the  weather  from  ten  to  four  is,  beyond 
all  expression,  elastic  and  enjoyable.  Called  on  a 
sawyer's  wife;  distributed  tracts;  baptized  three 
children;  tried  an  old  entire  horse,  which  is  to  be 
lent  me  for  my  excursion  up  the  Billibong.  He 
is  a  cream-coloured  Arab,  and  is  rather  stiff  in 
the  joints.  My  companion,  who  also  wants  a 
fresh  horse,  cannot    get  one.     It  is  the  custom 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  1 1  i ~) 

here,  when  horses  are  not  immediately  wanted, 
to  turn  them  out  on  the  vast  plains.  So  long  as 
you  do  not  require  their  services,  you  are  sure 
to  see  them  every  now  and  then  either  hovering 
about  the  station  or  coming  into  the  river  to 
drink.  But  if  one  wants  them  particularly  for 
some  special  and  urgent  service,  the  perverse 
animals,  as  if  moved  by  some  special  instinct  of 
contrariness,  are  never  to  be  found ;  and  per- 
haps one  has  to  wait  a  week  to  catch  a  glimpse 
of  a  horse,  which  but  a  few  days  ago  was  always 
in  sight. 

June  29  {Sunday). — Rode  to  one  of  Mr.  B 's 

stations,  which  is  on  the  Edward.  Was  most 
hospitably  received  by  two  steady  and  intelligent 

young  Australians  of  the  name  of  H ,  but  in 

consequence  of  all  hands  being  employed  lambing 
at  the  out-stations,  could  only  get  together  a  con- 
gregation of  seven.  To  these  I  read  the  Prayers 
and  Litany  and  preached,  and  afterwards  bap- 
tized a  child.  Find  many  Romanist  families  all 
about,  but  they  will  in  no  wise  avail  themselves 
of  my  ministry.  Their  nearest  clergyman  is  at 
Kilmore,  forty  miles  from  Melbourne.  Rode  back 
to  Warbreccan,  and  read  the  Evening  Service  to 
nine  persons. 

June  30. —  Started  on  a  journey  of  fifty  or  sixty 
miles,  along  the  banks  of  Billibong  Creek,  to  visit 
three  or  four  home-stations.     The  morning  was 


116  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

intensely  cold,  in  consequence  of  the  sharp  night- 
frost  ;  but  when  the  sun  exerted  his  power,  all 
thawed,  and  the  road  became  a  channel  of  half- 
solid  glue.  The  scenery,  as  usual,  grassless  plains 
skirted  by  belts  of  timber.  Overtook  a  Billibong 
squatter,  struggling  homewards  through  the  mire 
with  his  wife  and  family,  in  two  carriages,  each 
drawn  by  three  horses.  He  was  returning  from 
Melbourne.  He  told  us  that  he  could  not  lend 
us  horses  on  to  the  next  station  after  his ;  so  we 
turned  back,  I  resolving  to  visit  this  district  at 

a  more  favourable  season.     Returned  to  B 's 

station,  after  a  ride  of  four-and-twenty  miles, 
dined,  and  before  going  to  rest  had  in  eight  or 
nine  of  the  servants,  to  whom  I  read  and  ex- 
pounded the  Lessons  of  the  day,  and  afterwards 
availed  myself  of  the  Bishop  of  London's  Prayers. 
July  2. —  My  mare  came  in  from  the  plains 
dead  lame.  This  is  a  most  provoking  and  disap- 
pointing country  for  locomotion.  Horses  are 
numerous  as  the  leaves  on  the  trees,  and  yet  never 
to  hand ; 

"  Water,  water  everywhere, 
And  not  a  drop  to  drink." 

Either  they  are  lame,  or  in  foal,  or  out  of  condi- 
tion, or  they  have  sore  backs,  or  they  are  out  on 
the  plains  ;  there  is  always  some  hitch  with  these 
indispensable  animals.  At  last  a  horse  was  lent 
me,  and  1  rode  across  a  vast  plain  covered  with 


IN  AUSTRALIA   AND  TASMANIA.  117 

tufts  of  prickly  bush,  and  admirably  adapted  for 
pasturage.  Rested  for  the  night  at  a  most  hos- 
pitable station,  the  lady  of  which  is  a  Uoman 
Catholic.  Had  prayers  at  eight  p.m.,  and  ex- 
pounded the  15th  chapter  of  St.  Luke  to  eleven 
persons,  including  servants. 

July  3. —  Had  prayers  non  pr&ter  solitum,  before 
breakfast,  and  baptized  a  child  immediately  after 
breakfast.  My  kind  host  lent  me  a  strong  grey 
horse,  and  offered  me  pasturage  for  my  lame 
mare,  and  then  I  rode  twenty-five  miles  to  the 
station  of  a  Mr.  L ,  one  of  the  most  intelli- 
gent and  right-thinking  men  whom  I  have  yet 
met  in  this  country.  He  was  busily  engaged  in 
painting  his  hut  when  I  rode  up,  and  did  not  give 
me  a  particularly  warm  reception  at  first,  which 
is  often  the  case  with  downright,  sterling  people. 
But  I  soon  learned  to  appreciate  him.  He  is  very 
anxious  to  get  up  a  National  School  at  a  Township 
sixteen  miles  off,  called  Maiden's  Punt,  where  is 
an  important  ferry  over  the  Murray.  My  friend 
knows  Shakspeare  almost  by  heart ;  for  often,  in 
times  past,  when  keeping  sheep  in  the  wilderness, 
has  he  sat  in  a  rude  log-hut,  round  which  the  un- 
reclaimed savage  was  sleeping  and  the  wild-dog 
howling,  and  kept  himself  awake  during  the 
anxious  night  by  reading  at  the  light  of  a  half- 
extinguished  fire  the  grand  philosophy  of  the 
"  o'erthrown  mind  "  of  Hamlet,  the  eccentricities 


118         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

of  Launce  and  his  "  cruel-hearted  cur/'  Crab,  or 
the  inextricable  woes  of  "  the  gentle  lady  married 
to  the  Moor."  Before  going  to  bed,  I  gave 
prayers  and  explication  to  a  congregation  of  ten. 

July  4.  —  After  Morning  Prayers  baptized  a 
child.  Saw  a  young  half-caste,  who  had  none  of 
the  Malay  features.  Hear  that  the  indigenes  here 
prefer  lending  their  daughters  to  the  white  people 
to  marrying  them  to  their  black  comrades.  If 
that  be  the  case,  the  race  must  soon  disappear, 
for  the  half-caste  children  are  all  eventually  put 
out  of  the  way. 

July  5.  —  Rode  to  Maiden's  Punt,  where  an 
enterprising  individual  from  the  Sydney  side  has 
arranged  a  ferry  over  the  Murray,  and  started 
a  very  good  inn.  Here  is  already  formed,  or  will 
shortly  be  formed,  a  Township.  The  hamlet  now 
consists  of  an  inn  and  about  eight  or  ten  huts,  with 
a  population  of  about  thirty  persons,  of  whom  half 
are  children,  all  very  much  neglected. 

July  6  (Sunday). — Visited  the  people.  Find 
only  one  Romanist  family  of  four  children.  About 
twelve  persons  attended  Divine  Service  at  the  inn. 
Baptized  two  children.  The  mother  of  one,  a 
Romanist,  made  a  great  resistance,  but  the  hus- 
band—  a  stanch  Protestant  —  doggedly  insisted 
on  the  Sacrament  taking  place.  1  did  not  inter- 
fere in  the  slightest  degree,  but  let  them  arrange 
it  between  themselves.     I  hope  gradually  to  do 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  119 

something  in  this  wild  district ;  but  I  foresee  that 
all  progress  will  be  very  gradual.  I  shall  not 
see  this  progress  myself,  but  I  pray  that  my  suc- 
cessor may. 

July  7. —  Rode  to  a  station  belonging  to  Messrs. 

H and  B ,  who  are  both  lately  married, 

and  who  have  everything  very  nice  about  them. 
Had  family  prayers  in  the  evening.  One  of  the 
ladies  had  been  used  to  attend  St.  Paul's,  Knights- 
bridge. 

July  9. —  Travelled  to    Mr.   L 's,  on    my 

return  to  the  Edward. 

July  10. —  After  a  ride  of  twenty-five  miles  of 
intricate  steering  through  the  bush,  arrived  at 
Mr.  B 'a,  where  I  found  my  mare  sound. 

July  11. —  Arrived  at  the  Edward  River. 

July  15. — Travelled  to  M 's  public-house, 

a  distance  of  thirty-five  miles.  Was  subjected  to 
most  disgusting  noises  all  night.  There  were 
dogs  barking;  babies  crying;  mothers  making 
even  more  noise  by  endeavouring  to  tranquillise 
them  ;  drunkards  blaspheming  ;  —  all  this  was 
going  on  in  a  room  or  rooms  contiguous  to  mine. 

July  16. —  Rode  on  in  the  wet  to  Moolamon,  a 
distance  of  forty  miles.  The  creek  there  being 
swollen,  my  poor  mare  had  to  be  swum  across  it 
before  her  heavy  day's  work  was  done.  I  was 
kept  awake  a  great  pai't  of  the  night  at  the  public- 
house  by  the  most  horrible  blasphemies,  uttered 


120  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

by  drunken  men.  To  swear  by  "  the  Holy 
Ghost "  seems  very  much  the  custom  here.  But 
all  my  experience  in  swearing  sinks  into  insigni- 
ficance in  the  face  of  what  I  heard  to-night. 

July  17. —  Summoned  the  landlord,  and  asked 
him  how  he  could  permit  such  language  as  I  heard 
last  night,  and  at  so  late  an  hour.  He  apologised, 
and  assured  me  that  the  man  who  was  the  chief 
offender  in  the  disgusting  scene  of  the  previous 
evening  was  a  shepherd  in  the  employ  of  a  neigh- 
bouring squatter,  and  that  he  had  the  reputation 
of  being  a  steady  respectable  man  when  sober, 
but  that,  when  drunk,  he  was  outrageous.  1  told 
him  that  it  was  impossible  that  the  utterer  of  such 
language  could  ever  be  respectable.  Two  reflec- 
tions crossed  my  mind :  one  is,  that  rum  adulte- 
rated with  tobacco  is  the  most  infernal  brewage 
that  can  be,  for  it  makes  men  demons  when  under 
its  influence,  and  brings  on  delirium  tremens  in  a 
very  short  space  of  time;  the  other  is,  that  if  we 
are  not  directly  responsible  for  our  words  and 
actions  during  the  temporary  madness  of  intoxi- 
cation, we  are  equally  responsible  indirectly  for  all 
this  by  departing  from  the  strict  line  of  sobriety. 
Every  man  knows  the  peculiar  influence  that  liquor 
has  on  him,  and  therefore,  at  the  first  departure 
from  sobriety,  he  becomes  responsible  for  all  the 
moral  phenomena  which  may  become  apparent 
during  his  sequent  ebfiety.     The  wretched  sinner 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  121 

of  last  night  is  as  amenable  to  the  punishment  of 
God  for  his  dreadful  blasphemies  as  if  he  had 
uttered  them  when  perfectly  sober,  because  he  was 
well  aware  that  excess  of  liquor  had  always  that 
peculiar  effect  on  him.  Often  had  he  been  drunk 
before,  and  as  often  had  he  uttered  this  frightful 
language. 

July  20  (Sunday). —  Had  Morning  Service  at 
the  Court-House;  thirty  were  present.  Exhorted 
them  against  the  sin  of  drunkenness.  The  Even- 
ing Service  I  held  at  the  house  of  the  magistrate 
of  the  district.  Twenty-seven  persons,  nearly  all 
men,  attended,  and  behaved  most  decorously.  A 
very  satisfactory  day  altogether. 

July  23.  —  Rode  to  my  head-quarters  on  the 
Edward  River,  having  finished  my  first  progress. 
I  feel  convinced  that  it  is  absurd  for  any  clergy- 
man to  undertake  the  pastoral  charge  of  this  dis- 
trict, unless  he  be  possessed  of  an  iron  consti- 
tution and  great  patience ;  and  be  cheered  by 
religious  enthusiasm.  He  must  combine  physical 
strength  with  moral  determination,  and  above  all, 
he  must  look  for  approval  to  a  higher  Power  than 
his  fellow-men.  I  am  not  aware  that  my  motives 
for  living  among  the  wild  population  of  these 
parts  are  as  much  appreciated  as  one  would 
imagine  they  would  be. 

July  24. — A  part  of  to-day  has  been  employed 
in  entering  my  Baptisms  into  the  book.   Received 


122  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

a  very  interesting  letter  from  a  young  Australian, 
who  is  a  superintendent  of  a  neighbouring  im- 
portant station.     It  runs  thus  :  — 

"  Rev.  and  dear  Sir,  —  Your  request,  that  I 
would  read  parts  of  the  Scripture  and  a  short 
sermon  to  my  household  on  each  returning  Sab- 
bath, is  highly  becoming  in  one  of  your  sacred 
calling,  and  I  hope  I  shall  never  live  to  doubt 
the  excellent  effect  of  spending  the  Sabbath  in 
the  manner  you  point  out;  although  many  trivial 
causes,  the  whole  of  which  put  together  would 
not  amount  to  anything  like  a  reason,  have 
hitherto  prevented  me  from  doing  so.  The  sub- 
ject has  often  had  my  serious  consideration,  and 
I  once  commenced  to  read  prayers  on  Sunday, 
but  failed  to  carry  it  through,  in  what  I  thought 
an  acceptable  manner,  and  so  I  dropped  it  alto- 
gether. But  I  purpose,  God  willing,  in  accord- 
ance with  your  request,  to  commence  the  practice 
again. — I  have  the  honour  to  be,"  &c.  &c. 

When  I  consider  that  this  young  man  has  not 
had  the  advantages  of  an  early  education,  but  has 
fairly  worked  himself  into  his  present  position  by 
his  industry  and  steady  good  sense,  with  but 
little  time  to  improve  his  mind,  I  am  the  more 
struck  at  the  simple  good  taste,  and  something 
more  also,  which  dictated  this  letter. 

July  25.  —  In  the  evening  I  witnessed  a  very 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  123 

striking  ceremonial  among  the  blacks.  A  neigh- 
bouring tribe  has  been,  and  is,  in  great  trouble ; 
for  two  of  them,  named  Billy  Button  and  Lon- 
don, had  killed  a  black  boy,  called  Aladdin.  For 
this,  another  black  had  remonstrated  with  them, 
and  they  actually  killed  him  too,  but  not  before 
London  had  been  pierced  from  behind  with  a 
jagged-headed  spear  through  the  reins  and  groin. 
All  this  occasioned  immense  scandal,  as  occurring 
among  people  of  the  same  tribe.  I  was  visiting 
London,  examining  his  wound,  which  was  mortal, 
when  all  of  a  sudden  some  children  rushed  into 
the  camp,  saying  that  some  strange  blacks  were 
approaching.  In  a  moment  all  was  bustle.  The 
men  put  on  their  opossum -cloaks,  seized  their 
spears,  and  went  out  to  meet  the  strangers. 
These  consisted  of  five  of  a  friendly  tribe,  who 
came  to  give  them  counsel  and  condolence.  They 
had  their  heads  plastered  over  with  white  clay, 
and  their  faces  smeared  with  the  same ;  they 
wore  white  blankets,  carried  spears,  and  looked 
most  hideously.  On  arriving  within  sight  of  the 
camp,  the  group  separated  into  two  bands  ;  and 
one  band  commenced  an  ululation,  or  wild  howl  of 
woe,  whilst  the  other  took  it  up  and  prolonged  it. 
At  an  eminence  within  an  arrow's  flight  of  the 
camp  they  stood  still  and  waited  until  some  fire 
should  be  brought  them,  for  it  is  a  most  import- 
ant and  indispensable  custom  among  the  Austra- 


124         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

lian  indigenes,  that  an  encampment  should  not 
be  approached  by  a  visitor  until  he  shall  have 
made  a  fire  from  fire  brought  out  of  the  encamp- 
ment. He  must  then  wait  by  the  side  of  it,  until 
the  people  come  out  to  him.  If  they  will  not 
bring  fire,  it  is  a  sign  of  enmity.  On  this  occa- 
sion the  hot  embers  were  brought  out,  the  fire 
was  kindled,  and  they  sat,  or  rather  crouched, 
around  it  and  about  it  for  a  full  half  hour,  mo- 
tionless and  in  absolute  silence,  with  their  heads 
buried  between  their  knees.  It  was  an  impres- 
sive sight  to  see  these  crouching  men,  all  be- 
smeared with  mud,  sitting  motionless  as  corpses, 
in  the  midst  of  entire  silence — a  silence  which 
was  responded  to  by  all  the  tribe  in  the  camp. 
For  thirty  minutes  at  least,  not  a  child  cried,  not 
a  dog  barked.  I  could  not  prevent  my  mind 
from  reverting  to  the  following  verse  or  two  in 
Job :  "  Now  when  Job's  three  friends  heard  of 
all  this  evil  that  was  come  upon  him,  they  came 
every  one  from  his  own  place ;  Eliphaz  the  Te- 
manite,  and  Bildad  the  Shuhite,  and  Zophar  the 
Naamathite .  for  they  had  made  an  appointment 
together  to  come  to  mourn  with  him  and  to 
comfort  him.  And  when  they  lifted  up  their 
eyes  afar  off,  and  knew  him  not,  they  lifted  up 
their  voice  and  wept ;  and  they  rent  every  one  his 
mantle,  and  sprinkled  dust  upon  their  heads 
towards  heaven.      So  they   sat  down   with    him 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  125 

upon  the  ground  seven  days  and  seven  nights, 
and  none  spake  a  word  unto  him  :  for  they  saw 
that  his  grief  was  very  great."  By  and  by  the 
visitors  broke  through  this  dead  silence,  and 
raised  a  long,  plaintive,  and  not  inharmonious 
wail,  which,  after  a  momentary  pause,  was  re- 
sponded to  and  prolonged  by  the  blacks  in  the 
encampment.  This  was  interpersed  with  sobs  and 
cries  on  the  part  of  the  women.  During  the 
whole  of  the  night,  with  short  intervals,  did  this 
wild  ululation  fill  the  glades  of  the  surrounding 
primeval  forest;  and  some  of  the  mourners  made 
gashes  on  their  foreheads  and  backs  with  burn- 
ing sticks,  sharply  pointed. 

July  26. — Visited  the  blacks'  camp.  The 
visitors  of  yesterday  were  gone.  Not  seeing 
London,  the  wounded  black,  I  was  going  to  ask 
for  him,  and  had  pronounced  his  name  as  far  as 
Lou — ,  when  a  naked  old  crone  springing  up 
from  the  ground,  put  her  hand  on  my  mouth  and 
shook  her  head.  This  was  an  intimation  that  he 
was  dead,  and  that  his  name  must  no  more  be 
spoken;  for  they  believe,  that  a  dead  man's  spirit 
hovering  about  will  highly  resent  the  mention 
of  his  name.  Thus  the  word,  whatever  other  idea 
it  may  represent,  must  never  more  be  spoken.  As 
is  often  the  case  in  civilised  countries,  these  poor 
savages  substitute  unmeaning  superstitions  for 
the  rational  worship  of  the  living  God.    And  yet, 


126         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

before  we  condemn  all  superstition  in  toto,  we 
must  recollect  that  it  is  the  sole  restraining 
power  to  which  many  savage  natures  can  be  sub- 
jected.    It  is,  in  fact,  religion  in  embryo. 

July  27  (Sunday).  —  Had  two  Services.  The 
servants  of  the  station  attended.  Walked  out  for 
four  miles  on  the  plains  in  the  afternoon,  when  I 
saw  a  very  great  thunder-storm  approaching.  I 
made  up  my  mind  to  get  very  wet,  when,  by  a 
fortunate  chance,  I  saw  my  mare,  which  had  been 
turned  out  on  the  plains,  grazing  within  fifty 
yards  of  me.  I  went  up  to  her,  jumped  on  her 
back,  and  galloped  home  in  an  incredibly  short 
space  of  time,  thus  avoiding  my  wetting.  But  I 
made  the  experience,  that  when  a  horse  is  out  of 
condition,  as  mine  is,  it  is  better  to  ride  him  with 
a  saddle  than  without. 

July  30. —  Am  completely  imprisoned,  for  my 
mare  is  too  thin  for  work,  and  I  cannot  walk,  on 
account  of  the  country  being  saturated  with  wet. 

Awj.  6.  —  Started  to  visit  some  of  the  western 
portions  of  my  district.  Slept  at  the  hut  of  a 
small  squatter,  a  Scotchman,  who  is  so  much 
esteemed  by  his  neighbours,  that  he  is  called 
"  Honest  John/' 

Aug.  7.  —  Rode  on  further  fourteen  miles,  to 
the  hut  of  another  small  settler,  who  has  been  a 
prisoner  of  the  Crown,  but  who,  by  hard  work 
and  good  conduct,  has  amassed  a  little  property. 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  127 

I  was  received  by  him  very  cordially,  as  I  always 
have  been  by  persons  of  his  class,  and  I  promised 

to  call  again.     Then  I  rode  on  to  Messrs.  P 

and  C 's  important  station  on  the  Murrum- 

bidgee,  where  Mr.  P received  me  most  cour- 
teously and  kindly.  Mr.  P is  a  very  well- 
educated  man  (I  believe  he  is  a  graduate  of 
Trinity  College,  Dublin),  and  has  the  best  poets 
and  prose-writers  in  his  book-cases.  In  the 
evening,  before  retiring  to  rest,  I  pursued  my 
usual  course  of  reading,  and  expounding  as  I 
read,  the  Lessons  of  the  day,  and  then  offering 
up  Bishop  Blomfield's  Prayers. 

Aug.  8. — Made  a  pastoral  visit  to  some  of  the 
people  about,  and  employed  the  rest  of  the  day  in 
reading  Cary's  translation  of  Dante.  Mr.  Cary 
has,  with  such  marvellous  accuracy,  transfused 
into  his  work  both  the  letter  and  spirit  of  the 
man  who  " bad  seen  hell;"  his  versification  is  so 
harmonious,  his  language  so  original  and  incon- 
ceivably majestic,  that  if  we  must  not  rank  him 
with  the  great  Florentine  himself,  and  the  great- 
est poets  of  the  past,  I  know  not  in  what  circle 
of  poets  he  may  be  ranked.  While  I  read  the 
translation  with  the  original  at  my  side,  I  seem 
not  to  be  reading  a  translation,  but  I  fancy  to 
myself  that,  by  the  process  of  metempsychosis, 
the  soul  of  Dante  has  passed  into  the  body  of  an 
English  clergyman,  and  that  the  Italian  has  re- 


128         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

written  his  "  Divina  Commedia"  in  the  widely- 
spread  language  of  a  more  puissant  nation,  of  a 
people  more  capable  of  appreciating  his  divine 
excellencies. 

Aug.  9. — Rode  to  Kieta,  a  large  station  on  the 
Murrumbidgee,  belonging  to  Mr.  Wentworth  of 
Sydney,  and  managed  by  a  shrewd,  active,  and 
good-natured  Scotchman.  In  the  evening  I  ex- 
pounded to  twenty  persons,  whose  behaviour  was 
most  exemplary.  There  are  no  less  than  ten  huts 
about  the  chief  hut,  three  of  which  are  occupied 
by  married  people.  A  large  tribe  of  blacks,  too, 
are  permanently  encamped  in  the  immediate 
neighbourhood. 

Aug.  10  (Sunday). —  Held  Divine  Service  at 
Kieta,  consisting  of  the  two  Lessons,  Litany,  and 
a  sermon :  about  twenty-five  persons  attended. 
Churched  a  woman  and  baptized  a  child  after  the 
second  lesson.  I  then  rode  to  Eanranald,  a  town- 
ship, in  which  there  are  two  inns,  a  court-house, 
and  five  or  six  huts.  I  there  read  the  full  Evening 
Service  to  twenty  persons:  baptized  a  child  there 
also.  People  very  decorous.  Distributed  some 
tracts  among  them  before  I  left,  and  addressed 
the  eight  or  ten  children  whom  I  found  there. 

Then  I  rode  back  to  Mr.  P 's  and  had  another 

Service,  at  which  ten  or  twelve  attended.  The 
group  of  places  which  I  have  visited  to-day 
musters  for  me  about  fifty  persons. 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  129 

Aug.  11. —  Strolled  along  the  banks  of  the 
muddy  and  rapid  Murrumbidgee.  Could  not 
help  reflecting,  how  that  the  world  is  near  6000 
years  old,  and  that  this  river,  and  even  the  sea 
into  which  it  rolls,  has  only  been  known  to  civil- 
ised man  for  comparatively  a  few  years.  This 
river  is  now  rolling  a  few  yards  from  a  hut  con- 
taining the  intellectual  emanations  of  ancient  and 
modern  authors,  who  nearly  all  have  thought  and 
written,  totally  unconscious  that  such  a  river 
existed,  or  even  the  vast  continent  which  it  helps 
to  water.  How  gradual,  and  yet  never  ceasing, 
are  the  developments  of  Providence  ! 

Aug.  15. — Rode  to  a  station  called  Poon  Boon. 
Visited  the  blacks'  camp  there,  and  endeavoured  to 
explain  who  I  was,  but  experienced  great  difficulty ; 
for  I  find  that  the  language  of  the  tribe  twenty 
or  thirty  miles  off,  of  which  I  know  something, 
is,  in  a  great  measure,  unknown  here.  As,  when 
a  black  dies,  his  name  must  no  more  be  uttered, 
and  as  many  blacks  are  named  after  surrounding 
objects,  such  as  tree,  sun,  moon,  stars,  water,  it 
follows  that  these  objects  are  continually  changing 
their  names.  It  is  this  which  will  always  render 
difficult  missionary  enterprises  among  these  poor 
people.  And  then  it  is  sad  to  see  how  quickly  a 
tribe  melts  away  after  contact  with  civilisation. 
Before  the  whites  came  they  wTere  always  un- 
clothed;   now  they  are  clothed   in    our    cast-off 

K 


130         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

clothes  half  their  time,  and  unclothed  the  other 
half:  so  then  they  catch  cold,  and  die  of  con- 
sumption. And  I  find  that  they  cease  to  repro- 
duce. I  have  as  yet  scarce  seen  any  babies  or 
very  young  children.  I  believe  that  they  have  a 
sort  of  mysterious  feeling  that  their  time  is  come, 
and  that  a  superior  race  has  fixed  its  dominion 
over  the  ruins  of  theirs.  With  regard  to  the 
difficulties  which  the  anomalous  state  of  their 
language,  combined  with  their  transitory  exist- 
ence, has  placed  in  the  way  of  religious  teaching, 
I  have  heard  recounted  an  anecdote  concerning  a 
worthy  minister  of  religion,  on  the  Sydney  side, 
who,  that  he  might  humanise  and  christianise  a 
large  tribe  of  indigenes  in  his  neighbourhood, 
began  compiling  a  dictionary  and  grammar  in 
their  language;  but,  unfortunately,  either  on 
account  of  the  worthy  old  gentleman's  tardiness, 
or  unusual  mortality  among  the  poor  blacks,  it 
came  to  pass,  that  by  the  time  the  ponderous 
dictionary  and  grammar  had  gone  to  press,  every 
individual  of  the  tribe  had  died  off,  save  one  very 
very  old  woman,  and  she  was  blind  and  deaf. 
The  few  words  of  the  blacks'  language  with  which 
I  have  made  myself  acquainted,  belong  to  a  tribe 
on  the  Edward  River,  and  are  the  following : — 


Nawhingee 

.    Sun. 

Willangee 

.  Rain. 

Bbckudo 

.  Moon. 

Outungee 

.    Man. 

katinru 

.   Water. 

Murrain  en 

.  Old  Man 

IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA. 


131 


Kallou      . 

Old  Woman. 

Naraiigee 

.   Small. 

Biipu  .     . 

Child. 

Guraniantu 

•  Big. 

Outu    .     . 

.  Body. 

Warrou    . 

.  Bad. 

Bourbii     . 

.  Head. 

Dalgo 

.  Good. 

Mirmu     . 

Eyes. 

Kokiana  . 

.  To  come. 

Gintu  . 

.  Nose. 

Kanta 

.  To  call. 

Ouranu     . 

.  Mouth. 

Yanna 

.  To  go. 

Wimpulu 

.  Ears. 

K  um  pa     . 

.  To  sleep. 

Liantuk    . 

Teeth. 

Wirana     . 

.  To  swim. 

Nia-Bourbu 

Hair. 

Tanga 

.  To  eat. 

Munnanu 

.  Hand. 

Kopa   .     . 

.  To  drink. 

Trattu      . 

Arm. 

Okiana     . 

.  To  give. 

Garru 

Leg. 

Wiripia     . 

.  Good-day 

Goumanu 

Foot. 

Warrigal  . 

.  Wild  Dog 

Bano   .     . 

Little. 

Budge  ree 

.  Beautiful. 

But  I  cannot  guarantee  the  exact  correctness 
of  these  words.  In  this  camp  at  Poon  Boon  I 
saw  a  case  of  leprosy  on  the  hips  and  back  of  a 
black  girl :  the  natives  call  it  "  debil-debil."  The 
part  affected  was  covered  with  hard  pustules  and 
scales,  of  a  very  dingy  white  colour;  she  walked 
lame,  and  was  scratching  herself  in  a  way  painful 
to  see.  She  told  me  that  the  only  cure  was  the 
kidney  fat  of  a  black  of  a  hostile  tribe.  This  she 
said,  because  she  considered  herself  the  victim  of 
enchantment  on  the  part  of  a  "  doc-doc/5  or 
magician  of  a  hostile  tribe.  Her  brothers  are 
now  looking  out  for  some  one  on  whom  to  exer- 
cise their  vengeance,  and  from  whom  to  bring 
deliverance  for  their  sister. 

Aug.  16. — An  intensely  hot  day,  with  the  mos- 
quitoes very  troublesome.     Bode  to  Mr.  P 's 


132  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

station  at  Swan  Hill,  on  the  Murray.  The  near- 
est way  was  twenty  miles,  but  we  went  ten  miles 
out  of  our  way  to  look  at  a  large  lake  eight  miles 
round.  All  the  plains  on  our  right  were  inun- 
dated by  the  overflowing  waters  of  the  Murray. 
The  station  is  on  a  low  sand-hill,  rising  out  of 
the  plains,  and  has  a  most  desolate  appearance, 
there  being  no  timber  near.  The  Murray  is  quite 
close,  though  scarcely  visible,  winding  as  it  does 
through  an  extensive  reedy  flat:  it  has  now 
overflowed  its  banks,  so  that  its  exact  course 
is  not  to  be  distinguished.  I  understand  that 
these  unfertile,  reedy  flats,  extend  for  thirty 
miles  above  and  thirty  miles  below  Swan  Hill. 
One  of  the  routes  from  this  part  of  the  coun- 
try to  Melbourne  passes  by  here :  the  distance  is 
210  miles. 

This  Murray  is  a  much  more  important  river 
than  I  imagined.  The  sources  of  some  of  its  tri- 
butaries are  within  200  miles  of  Moreton  Bay, 
on  the  east  coast  of  the  continent.  At  Albury  it 
becomes  an  important  stream,  aud  is  styled  the 
Murray,  having  before  borne  the  name  of  the 
Hume.  From  Albury  it  flows  in  a  westerly 
direction,  bearing  slightly  northward,  forming 
the  northern  boundary  of  the  province  of  Port 
Phillip,  and  falls  into  Lake  Alcxandrina,  on  the 
south  coast,  in  the  province  of  S.  Australia,  which 
lake  is  connected  by  a  narrow  channel  with  the 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  133 

ocean  at  Encounter  Bay.  Taking  its  very  nu- 
merous windings  into  consideration,  the  course 
of  the  Murray  from  Albury  cannot,  I  hear,  be 
less  than  2000  miles.  But  it  is  only  at  certain 
periods  of  the  year  that  the  Murray  can  be  called 
a  fine  river,  and  be  made  available  for  navigation. 
At  the  junction  of  the  Darling,  between  100  and 
200  miles  lower  down  than  this  place,  its  rise 
usually  commences  in  June,  and  it  ordinarily 
attains  its  highest  level  in  October,  after  which  it 
begins  falling,  and.  descends  to  its  lowest  point 
about  April,  at  which  epoch  it  may,  in  numerous 
places,  be  crossed  on  horseback.  Thus,  when 
the  Murray  is  full  to  overflowing,  it  is  a  magnifi- 
cent stream ;  but  when  low,  comparatively  insig- 
nificant :  for,  indeed,  at  the  entrance  of  Lake 
Alexandrina,  it  cannot  be  less  than  200  yards 
wide  and  10  fathoms  deep ;  thence  to  the  junc- 
tion of  the  Darling,  the  width  averages  from  100 
to  150  yards,  though,  during  great  floods  or 
droughts,  this  average  cannot  of  course  be  per- 
mitted to  hold  good.  The  Murray,  I  conceive, 
may  be  considered  navigable  up  to  the  Darling 
for  eight  months  in  the  year,  and  as  far  as  Swan 
Hill  for  six  months.  As  I  was  retiring  to  rest 
for  the  night,  I  perceived  a  large  hole  in  the 
flooring  of  my  room ;  for  this  hut,  unlike  the 
generality  of  the  head-station  huts  in  my  district, 
had  a  wooden  flooring.     "  Do  not  be  alarmed," 


134         DIARY  01  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

said  the  sonant  who  showed  me  to  my  bed- 
chamber, *'*'  if  you  should  see  a  large  black  snake 
come  out  ot'  that  hole  in  early  morning,  lie  is 
wry  quiet  if  he  is  not  disturbed,  and  merely 
takes  a  turn  round  the  room  to  pick  up  anything 
lie  can  get ;  that  done,  he  retires  to  his  hole."'  I 
asked  if  these  reptiles  were  considered  venomous, 
and  was  answered  that  their  bites  caused  certain 
death  in  eight  or  ten  hoars.  I  saw  nothing  of 
him.  however.  And  this  puts  me  in  mind  of  a 
woman  somewhere  near  here,  who  was  bitten  in 
the  ankle  by  a  death  adder  at  eight  o'clock  in  the 
evening.  Being  far  from  medical  assistance,  she 
resigned  herself  to  inevitable  death.  She  called 
her  husband  to  her.  recounted  to  him  all  the 
business  transactions  which  had  taken  place  in 
his  absence  (he  was  just  returned  from  a  jour: 
gave  advice  as  to  his  future  management  of  his 
family  and  stock,  and  after  vainly  attempting  to 
shake  olY  the  drowsiness  which  oppressed  her. 
tranquilly  yielded  up  her  spirit  in  a  deep  sleep  at 
midnight. 

Aug.  \7  {Sunday).  —  Had  service  at  Swan  Hill 
—  the  Lessons,  Litany,  and  Sermon.  Six  only 
were  present.  Afterwards  rode  back  to  Toon 
;.  and  read  the  Evening  Service.  I  am  sorry 
I  have  no  surplice  with  me.  for  I  think  that  peo- 
ple have  a  right  to  expect  that  the  priestly  func- 
tions  should  be  exercised   in   priestly  robes  ;   but 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AXD  TASMANIA.  135 

it  is  impossible  to  carry  a  large  starched  vest- 
ment in  a  horse  valise. 

Aug.  25. — Visited  a  poor  shepherd,  who  is 
lying  in  a  miserable,  helpless  plight,  suffering 
from  the  effects  of  having  caught  cold  on  mer- 
cury. The  country  is  so  healthy  that,  with  the 
exception  of  such  a  malady  as  this  and  ophthalmia, 
illness  is  unknown.  Found  the  following  valu- 
able specimen  of  French  fine  writing  in  ?\Iichelet's 
"  History  of  France,"  which  I  took  from  the 
bookshelf  of  the  hut.  "  Wool  and  flesh  are  the 
primitive  foundations  of  England  and  the  Eng- 
lish race.  Ere  becoming  the  world's  manufac- 
tory of  hardware  and  tissue,  England  was  a 
victualling  shop.  From  time  immemorial  they 
were  a  breeding  and  pastoral  people — a  race 
fatted  on  beef  and  mutton.  Hence  that  freshness 
of  tint,  that  beauty  and  strength.  Their  greatest 
man,  Shakspeare,  was  originally  a  butcher.'" 

Aug.  29. —  Started  alone  for  a  station  thirty- 
five  miles  off.  Owing  to  the  track  being  faint, 
I  missed  my  way  to'  the  public-house  where  I 
wished  to  pass  the  night,  and  got  at  nightfall, 
after  riding  fifty  miles,  into  the  middle  of  a  forest- 
swamp.  In  my  confusion  I  forgot  the  direction 
by  which  I  had  come,  and  felt  very  forlorn  in- 
deed, for  the  water  was  up  to  my  horse's  shoulders. 
Darkness  came  on  rapidly;  and  then  I  discovered 
a  dull,  red  light,  on  an  eminence  at  a  great  dis- 


136         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

tance.  Spurred  my  floundering  beast  towards 
it,  and  found,  to  my  great  joy,  that  the  light  was 
a  pine-tree  on  a  sand-hill,  burning  itself  out. 
The  fire  was  devouring  its  interior,  and  burst 
through  the  bark  at  intervals,  and  blazed  up 
through  the  top.  Thus,  when  I  had  given  my- 
self up  for  lost,  He  who  feeds  the  ravens  gave 
me  a  dry  soil  and  a  good  fire,  not  the  less  accept- 
able from  my  having  been  wet  through  several 
times  during  the  day.  Soon  after  a  shepherd, 
who  had  lost  his  way,  came  up,  also  attracted  by 
the  light,  so  that  we  sat  upon  a  trunk  of  a  tree 
together  all  the  night,  as  near  the  burning  tree 
as  we  could  get,  whilst  my  wearied  horse,  care- 
fully hobbled,  grazed  near.  As  to  any  supper,  it 
was  out  of  the  question.  Good  bushmen  never 
think  it  necessary  to  take  any  food  in  their  pockets 
in  the  shape  of  lunch ;  and  I,  who  am  not  at  all 
a  good  bushman,  had  foolishly  followed  their  ex- 
ample. And  the  shepherd  related  to  me  his  past 
life,  and  told  me  how  silly  he  had  been,  and  how 
bitterly  he  repented  of  his  folly — which  I  have 
no  doubt  was  quite  true,  for  he  seemed  miserable 
enough;  and  how,  if  he  had  to  live  his  life  over 
again,  he  would  live  it  over  in  quite  a  different  way 
—  which,  I  dare  say,  was  not  quite  true,  though 
be  believed  it  all  at  the  time.  And  then  I  ex- 
horted him  to  make  good  resolves  for  the  future, 
instead  of  regretting  the  past;  and  he  said  he 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  137 

would  try.  But  my  exhortations  were  continu- 
ally sliding  down  to  mere  worldly  advice.  Yet 
this  is  a  wrong  course  of  action.  I  have  often 
found  myself  giving  mere  moral  and  worldly 
advice  to  worldly  people,  instead  of  purely 
spiritual  exhortation,  forgetting  that  these  same 
persons  are  themselves  as  capable,  perhaps,  of 
doing  that  as  I  am.  It  is  in  practice  where 
the  generality  of  people  fail,  not  in  theory;  and 
it  is  only  religious  considerations  that  will  touch 
that. 

Aug.  29. — When  day  dawned  I  found  the 
right  road,  and  after  twelve  miles'  riding,  heard 
the  crowing  of  cocks,  and  soon  after  the  baying 
of  dogs;  and  then  saw  white  buildings  shining 
among  the  trees  in  the  early  sun-beams ;  and 
then  I  entered  the  little  room  in  the  roadside 
hostelry,  and  broke  my  twenty-four  hours'  fast. 
The  crow  of  a  cock  has  in  this  country  warned 
many  a  lost  traveller,  faint  with  hunger,  that  he 
was  near  human  habitations.  In  the  course  of 
the  morning  I  baptized  a  baby,  and  then  exa- 
mined my  hostess's  children  in  Scripture,  writing, 
and  arithmetic.  They  came  off  very  well.  I  can 
hardly  see;  for  last  night  I  rode  up  in  the  dark 
against  a  branch  of  a  tree,  with  such  force,  striking 
myself  just  under  the  eye,*  that  I  was  knocked 
off  my  horse.  I  am,  consequently,  nearly  blind 
with  the  swelling.     My  landlady  did  her  utmost 


138  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

to  give  me  a  good  dinner,  and  she  succeeded,  for 
she  cooked  admirably  a  wild  goose. 

Aug.  31  {Sunday). — Celebrated  Morning  and 
Afternoon  Service  at  the  Court-House  in  Moola- 
mon.  As  rain  descended  in  torrents  all  day,  and  the 
tracks  are  in  a  frightfully  boggy  state,  few  attended. 

Sept.  2.  —  Could  not  catch  my  mare,  which 
is  in  the  Government  paddock,  in  bad,  loose,  un- 
steady company.  Horses,  like  men,  learn  bad 
ways  more  quickly  than  good  ones.  Called  at 
the  Moolamon  Court-House,  where  petty  sessions 
are  held  to-day.  Publicans'  licenses  are  also  re- 
newed now.  If  a  publican's  license  is  refused 
it  is  a  very  serious  affair  for  him,  and  the  fear 
of  such  a  loss  alone  keeps  them  in  order.  Owing 
to  the  inebriety  of  the  working  population,  these 
people  get  rich  too  fast.  Visited  a  poor,  wretched 
old  fellow,  who  is  at  the  last  stage  of  life,  from 
general  decomposition  of  blood,  the  fruit  of  past 
errors.  He  is  very  poor,  and  seems  very  peni- 
tent. From  the  side  of  his  pallet  I  went  to  the 
inn,  which,  owing  to  so  much  business  going  on 
in  the  place,  was  full  of  people.  I  represented 
the  pitiful  case  to  them,  and  begged  them  to  do 
something  for  the  poor  creature.  They  responded 
in  the  affirmative  very  cheerfully.  This  occurred 
at  two  in  the  afternoon  ;  and  to  my  pleasurable 
surprise  I  learned,  at  live,  that  16/.  lGs.  6d.  had 
been  collected  for  him. 


IN   AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  139 

Sept.  5. — Went  to  a  wool-shed  to  see  the  sheep- 
shearing.  The  shearers  finish  off  the  sheep  with 
incredible  alacrity;  others  fold  the  fleeces  and 
arrange  them.  The  proprietor  sits  in  the  middle 
to  keep  the  men  up  to  their  work,  and  preserve 
order.  Some  of  the  shearers  earn  very  much  in 
the  day,  and  drink  their  earnings  as  fast  as  they 
make  them.  Hear  that  yesterday,  at  the  wash- 
ing, one  of  the  washers  was  bitten  on  the  foot 
by  a  venomous  water-snake,  and  that  he  suffered 
intense  agony  for  several  hours.  But  it  was  not 
a  water-snake;  it  was  a  land-snake  swimming 
about  in  the  river  for  his  amusement,  as  the 
snakes  here  are  wont  to  do.  The  man  is  well, 
I  believe,  to-day,  though  weak;  but  he  cannot 
be  prevailed  to  go  again  into  the  water. 

Sept.  7  (Sunday).  —  Had  Service  twice.  The 
shearers  were  very  attentive.  I  exhorted  them 
not  to  dissipate  their  hardly-earned  wages.  Look- 
ing accidentally  into  some  of  the  books  that  the 
station  possesses,  I  alighted  on  two  admirable 
translations,  one  by  Williams,  of  that  portion  of 
Moschus'  "  Lament  for  Bion,"  which  begins 
with — 

A",  a",  ra)  f£ct\x-£cti  ftzv  Icrav  Kara  xa-Tav  oXuvtcci. 

"  Ah  !  mallows  in  the  garden  die, 
Parsley,  and  blooming  dill ; 
Yet,  wakened  by  the  vernal  sky, 
Again  their  course  fulfil. 


140  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

Whilst  we,  the  wise,  the  strong,  the  brave, 

Have  no  fresh  spring  in  store  ; 
But  silent  in  the  hollow  grave 

Sleep  on  for  evermore." 

The  other  is : 

"  Alas  !  alas  !  when  in  a  garden  fair, 

Mallows,  crisp  dill,  or  parsley  yield  to  fate ; 
These,  with  another  year,  regenerate  : 
But  when  of  mortal  life  the  bloom  and  crown, 

The  wise,  the  good,  the  valiant  and  the  great, 
Succumb  to  death,  in  hollow  earth  shut  down, 
We  sleep,  for  ever  sleep — for  ever  lie  unknown." 

The  old  pagans,  with  all  their  exquisite  suscep- 
tibilities and  melodious  thoughts,  needed  indeed 
a  great  many  chaplets  of  "late"  roses  and  myrtle; 
a  great  many  goblets  of  grief-dispelling  wine,  to 
smother  such  uncomfortable  thoughts  about  the 
dark  future.  Why  !  it  must  have  been  like  a 
phantom  at  all  their  banquets.  What  an  entirely 
different  tone  of  mind  does  our  Christian  notion 
of  the  eternity  of  the  soul  engender !  How  much 
more  healthy,  fresh,  and  anti-morbid  is  our  moral 
atmosphere  than  theirs  ! 

Equally  beautiful  with  the  above  lines,  and  far 
more  cheering,  is  the  "Elegy  on  Lycidas,"  by  him 
who  "  soared  with  no  middle  flight  above  the 
Aonian  Mount :" 

"  Weep  no  more,  woful  shepherds,  weep  no  more, 
For  Lycidas  your  sorrow  is  not  dead, 
Sunk  though  he  be  beneath  the  watery  floor: 
So  sinks  the  day-star  in  the  ocean-bed, 
And  yet  anon  repairs  liis  drooping  head, 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  141 

And  tricks  his  beams,  and  with  new-spangled  ore 

Flames  in  the  forehead  of  the  morning  sky  : 

So  Lycidas  sunk  low,  but  mounted  high 

Through  the  dear  might  of  Him  that  walked  the  waves  ; 

And  hears  the  unexpressive  nuptial-song 

In  the  blest  kingdoms  meek  of  joy  and  love. 

There  entertain  him  all  the  saints  above, 

In  solemn  troops  and  sweet  societies, 

That  sing,  and  singing  in  their  glory  move, 

And  wipe  the  tears  for  ever  from  his  eyes. 

Now,  Lycidas,  the  shepherds  weep  no  more." 


Sept.  8,  9,  10.  —  Hunting  for  my  mare,  which 
has  been  hovering  about  close  to  the  hut  for 
the  last  month.  Now  that  she  is  wanted,  the 
aggravating  animal  has  galloped  off  to  the  back 
plains,  and  cannot  be  found. 

Sept.  11.  —  Having  found  my  horse,  I  rode  to 
Moolamon,  the  chief  place  of  the  district.  Find 
that  the  Edward  is  rising  very  rapidly,  and  that 
all  the  tributary  creeks  are  full  to  overflowing, 
This  is  very  bad  news  for  me,  as  all  my  district  is 
full  of  creeks  and  rivers.  Formed  innumerable 
plains  for  proceeding. 

Sept.  12.  —  Charley,  the  black  fellow,  came  to 
me,  humbly  petitioning  that  I  would  persuade  a 
young  girl  to  give  herself  up  to  him  as  his  wife. 
Lucy,  it  seems  (for  that  was  the  girl's  name),  had 
taken  refuge  in  a  hut  belonging  to  a  station 
close  by,  and  would  not  come  out  to  Charley,  al- 
though by  the  laws  of  the  blacks  she  justly  be- 


142  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

longed  to  him,  ber  brother  having  taken  Charley's 
sister.  Her  reason  for  so  acting  I  discovered, 
was,  that  she  abhorred  submitting  herself  to  some 
impure  rites  which  accompany  the  nuptials  of  the 
savages.  I  therefore  reminded  Charley,  that  he 
had  a  wife  (Polly)  already,  and  that  he  had  better 
give  up  all  thoughts  of  Lucy.  Then  he  became 
excited,  and  said,  that  if  she  did  not  come  out  to 
him  he  would  kill  her;  but  if  she  would,  that 
what  she  feared  should  not  happen  to  her.  I 
told  him,  that  it  was  not  in  his  power  to  prevent 
it;  advised  him  to  be  content  with  Polly,  who 
was  already,  I  heard,  furiously  jealous  of  the  girl, 
and  threatened,  that  if  harm  came  of  his  threat 
it  should  be  the  worse  for  him.  He  was  very 
dissatisfied,  and  looked  into  the  hut  with  the  sa- 
vage gaze  of  a  panther  at  the  poor  girl,  who  was 
crouching  near  the  fire  like  a  timid  fawn.  He 
dared  not  enter,  but  he  could  watch  until  she 
should  come  out ;  and  I  left  him,  watching  and 
looking,  as  if  he  meant  mischief.* 

*  I  am  grieved  to  add,  that  after  staying  in  her  refuge  two 
or  three  days,  she  darted  out  of  the  hut  in  the  middle  of  the 
night,  during  a  terrihle  tempest,  and  plunged  into  the  Edward, 
which  flowed  close  by,  with  the  intention  of  getting  to  her  own 
tribe,  ten  miles  off,  unseen  by  Charley;  and  that  subsequently 
her  body  was  discovered  in  an  adjoining  forest.  Her  skull  had 
been  clef!  or  battered  by  a  waddy  (tomahawk).  Inquiry  was 
made  as  to  who  was  the  murderer  ;  but  the  natives  have  mys- 
terious ways  with  them,  and  baffled  all  our  endeavours  to  ob- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  143 

Sept.  13. —  Started  up  the  river  from  Moola- 
mon  towards  Deniliquin.  Had  the  advantage  of 
society ;  for  the  chief  constable  is  escorting  some 
prisoners  towards  Goulburn,  where  they  are  to  be 
tried,  and  I  was  glad  to  go  with  the  party  for  so^ 
ciety;s  sake.  We  were  seven  in  number :  the 
head  constable  and  two  aides,  the  clerk  of  the 
bench,  a  clever  and  worthy  man,  and  two  prisoners. 
One  of  these  is  aPenton-Villain,  accused  of  forgery, 
a  pet  crime  of  the  rascals  which  Pentonville  turns 
out.  The  other  is  a  very  athletic,  gloomy-browed 
black  savage,  called  Billy  the  Bull,  who  is  accused 
of  murdering  a  white  man.  This  wretched  crea- 
ture was  conducted  on  horseback,  carefully  hand- 
cuffed, for  the  blacks  have  such  small  bands  and 

tain  sufficient,  even  circumstantial,  evidence  of  anybody's  guilt. 
For  my  own  part  I  have  little  doubt  that  Charley,  after  my 
visit,  never  left  entirely  the  neighbourhood  of  the  hut,  but  re- 
mained watching  near,  day  and  night,  and  that  he,  too,  de- 
tecting her  flight,  plunged  into  the  dark  waters  of  the  rushing 
river,  and  following  the  poor  girl  fleetly  running,  brained  her 
with  his  deadly  weapon.  When  I  saw  him  some  time  afterwards 
he  looked  very  foolish  and  guilty  ;  but  when  I  asked  him  who 
killed  Lucy,  declared  that  he  had  not  the  slightest  idea.  I  am 
not  aware  that,  according  to  his  laws,  he  had  committed  a 
crime.  Lucy  had  broken  her  laws  by  refusing  to  live  with  a 
man  whose  property  she  legally  was.  He  punished  her,  as  we 
might  punish  a  refractory  animal.  Although  Charley  was  a 
decent  fellow,  and  could  make  himself  useful  about  a  station, 
I  never  could  look  on  him  with  pleasure  again,  nor  did  I  ever 
give  him  any  more  clothes. 


144         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

wrists  that  few  handcuffs  are  to  be  found  which 
they  will  not  slip;  and  the  bones  of  the  murdered 
man  were  hanging  in  a  bag  down  one  side  of  the 
saddle,  dangling  against  his  leg.  He  has  escaped 
once,  and  I  have  little  doubt  will  escape  again, 
before  he  gets  to  Goulburn.  He  looks  very  un- 
comfortable on  the  horse,  and  being  naked,  with 
the  exception  of  some  rug  thrown  over  his  shoul- 
ders, has  already  galled  himself  very  badly.  On 
leaving  Moolamon,  we  found  that  the  river  had 
overflowed  its  banks,  consequently  we  had  to  wade 
through  a  mile  of  water.  After  this  we  progressed 
favourably,  until  we  arrived  at  the  Deep  Creek, 
which  we  found  much  swollen.  We  tried  one  of 
our  horses  over  it,  and  found  that  he  was  forced 
to  swim.  At  this  juncture  the  clouds  seemed  to 
burst  over  our  heads  and  let  down,  not  rain,  so 
much  as  volumes  of  water.  This  effectually  cooled 
our  travelling  ardour;  we  turned  our  horses' 
heads  all  of  us,  and  came  back  drenched  and  dis- 
pirited, as  fast  as  our  horses  could  bring  us,  Billy 
the  Bull  swaying  about  in  his  saddle,  and  bruis- 
ing his  shin  against  the  murdered  man's  bones, 
looking  the  picture  of  misery.  I  have  little 
doubt  that  the  murder  was  fully  avenged  by  his 
miserable  feelings  on  that  morning.  Thus  ends 
my  second  attempt  at  a  progress  in  this  difficult 
country. 

Sept.  18. —  A  bridge  which  has  been  thrown 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  145 

over  the  Edward  at  the  head-station,  where  I 
reside,  has  been  swept  away  by  the  force  of  the 
floods.  We  hear,  too,  that  there  are  great  inun- 
dations up  the  Murray. 

Sept.  26. —  Made  a  third  attempt  to  get  east- 
ward. Accompanied  by  a  barman  of  the  inn  at 
Moolamon,  I  crossed  the  Billibong  in  a  canoe, 
or  rather  a  little  bark  raft.  It  would  only  hold 
one  at  a  time,  together  with  a  black  girl,  who 
managed  the  frail  skiff.  I  had  to  kneel  and  keep 
myself  motionless,  or  there  would  have  been  an 
inevitable  upset.  Every  now  and  then  the  water 
came  trickling  through  the  little  clay  barricade, 
which  alone  rendered  the  raft  tenable.  I  was 
then  necessitated  to  lean  forward  with  great  cau- 
tion, and  patch  up  the  barricade.  As  it  was,  my 
knees  were  quite  wet  with  the  encroaching  water. 
We  then  had  a  toilsome  ride  of  forty  miles  across 
the  plains,  scorched  by  the  sun,  and  bitten  very 
badly  indeed  by  the  mosquitoes.  My  companion 
related  wonderful  things  of  the  customs  and  rites 
of  the  blacks,  connected  with  their  arrival  at  the 
age  of  puberty  and  their  marriages.  According 
to  him,  and  I  have  reason  to  believe  that  he  was 
not  far  wrong,  their  impurity  is  something  fright- 
ful, and  cannot  here  be  described — not  even  veiled 
under  another  language. 

Sept.  27. —  Had  another  ride  of  forty  miles,  to 
get  to  Deniliquin.     The  river  was  so  flooded  that 

L 


146  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

we  had  to  keep  out  six  miles  in  the  back  plains. 
At  nightfall  I  arrived  at  my  place  of  destination, 
baked  with  the  sun,  my  face  seamed  with  mos- 
quito bites,  and  with  a  large  swelling  behind  each 
ear  from  the  same  cause.  Had  Prayer  and  Ex- 
position in  the  public  room  at  the  inn  before  re- 
tiring for  the  night. 

Sept.  28  {Sunday). —  Had  Divine  Service  at 
the  inn  at  Deniliquin.  Seven  or  eight  persons 
attended.  A  forge  w7as  at  work  near,  but  I 
stopped  it.  The  people  here  are  very  careless 
about  religious  observances.  This  is  chiefly  owing 
to  the  irreligion  of  a  person  who  is  superintendent 
of  the  Royal  Bank  sheep-station  here.  1  went  to 
this  station  in  the  afternoon  to  hold  Afternoon 
Service  :  this  person  saw  me  coming,  ordered  his 
horse,  and  galloped  away  from  the  back-door. 
But  I  was  very  nicely  received  by  his  subalterns, 
who  welcomed  me  most  courteously,  and  mustered 
sixteen  well-behaved  people  for  my  congregation 
in  the  wool-shed. 

Sept.  29. —  As  the  height  of  the  Murray  and 
Edward  prevents  the  ferries  from  working,  I 
determined  to  visit  two  stations  on  the  Billibong, 
one   belonging   to  two   nephews   of  a  late  Lord 

Chancellor,    the   other    to    a    Mr.    K .     My 

guide  was  a  handsome  black,  called  Simon,  lie 
swaggered  up  to  me  with  a  jaunty  air  at  an  early 
hour,  all  prepared  and  equipped  for  his  journey. 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  147 

This  preparation  and  equipment  consisted — and 
consisted  alone — in  somebody's  cast-off  old  black 
hat,  without  either  crown  or  brim.  For  the  rest 
he  was  entirely  naked.  He  was  rather  surprised 
when  I  hinted  to  him  that  I  considered  his  toilet 
defective.  I  at  last  got  something  for  him  to 
put  on,  and  we  started.  For  thirty-five  miles 
we  kept  on  and  off  the  Billibong  Creek,  or  rather 
river.  This  Billibong  resolves  itself  into  water- 
holes  in  summer.  It  is  now  running  bank  high. 
After  passing  through  the  usual  succession  of 
gum-tree  and  box  forest,  and  seemingly  intermin- 
able plain,  my  sable  guide  and  I  arrived  at  the 

Messrs.  B 's  station,  called  Kurrabungainum, 

where  I  was  cordially  received  by  the  proprietors. 

Oct.  1. — Rode  twenty  miles  to  Jareeldree,  the 

station  of  Mr.  K ,  who,  I  am  told,  has  lost 

10,000  sheep  by  catarrh  this  year.  I  was  most 
kindly  and  hospitably  received  by  the  gentle- 
men and  Mrs.  K and  her  daughters.    Their 

style  of  living  is  superior  to  anything  I  have  yet 
seen  in  this  country,  and  their  house  has  an 
excellent  flower-garden,  and  also  a  kitchen-garden, 
attached  to  it. 

Oct.  2. —  Rested  to-day.  The  heat  and  mos- 
quitoes are  insupportable.  Walked  to  see  an 
Irishwoman,  and  at  her  request  baptized  her 
child,  although  she  professes  Romanism.  She 
told  me  that  no   Romanist  clergyman  had  ever 


148  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

been  in  that  district.  At  this  station  there  are 
two  half-caste  young  people,  who  talk  of  making 
a  marriage  between  them.  Conversed  with 
Selina,  the  young  woman,  about  religious  matters, 
for  I  should  object  to  marry  them  until  they  had 
been  baptized. 

Oct.  3.— Rode   back   to    Mr.  B 's.     The 

plains  are  entirely  covered  with  a  thick,  coarse 
herbage,  which  is  in  full  flower,  and  my  horse 
had  to  wade  for  miles  and  miles  through  beautiful 
wild-flowers,  yellow,  white,  crimson,  lilac,  and 
purple,  with  yellow  predominating.  From  an 
eminence  to  behold  the  interminable  plains  thus 
veiled  with  this  wondrous  mosaic  was  a  sight  never 

to  be  forgotten.     At  Mr.  B 's  a  quantity  of 

bottles  of  water,  covered  with  wet  flannel,  are  kept 
constantly  hung  out  in  the  sun.  Thus  they  have 
always  deliciously  cool  water  ready. 

Oct.  4. —  Returned  to  Deniliquin,  quite  scarred 
from  mosquito  bites. 

Oct.  5  {Sunday). — Married  a  man  and  woman 
at  the  inn.  I  only  had  notice  of  it  last  Sunday, 
and  I  wished  the  marriage  to  be  delayed  for  a 
week  or  two ;  but  the  mother,  with  tears  in  her 
eyes,  implored  me,  now  that  the  man  was  in  a 
humour  for  the  marriage,  not  to  delay  enabling 
him  to  make  an  honest  woman  of  her  daughter. 
I  then  catechised  some  children.  After  that  I 
rode  over  to    the  wool-shed    of  the    Company's 


IN   AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  149 

station.  Found  that  the  chief  superintendent 
had  left  in  the  morning,  hearing  that  I  was 
coming,  and  had  advised  his  people  to  bring  up  a 
large  flock  of  weaning  ewes  close  to  the  wool-shed 
as  soon  as  I  should  begin  the  Service,  so  that 
their  bleating  might  prevent  my  being  heard. 
This  is  the  man  who  is  appointed  chief  manager 
of  by  far  the  most  important  stations  in  my 
district.  Close  by  the  wool-shed  I  found  all  the 
washers  and  shearers  amusing  themselves  with 
horse-racing,  and  I  had  to  wait  until  two  or 
three  heats  were  over  before  they  would  come  in 
to  Prayers.  After  the  Service  was  over  I  rode 
back  to  the  inn,  and  found  a  mob  of  men  savagely 
drunk.  On  seeing  me  they  dispersed,  and  I  gave 
a  second  Service  to  a  few  steady  people.  This 
unsatisfactory  state  of  things  entirely  arises  from 
the  great  man  of  the  place  being  an  immoral, 
irreligious  character.  At  my  friend's  station  on 
the  Edward,  the  washers  and  shearers  behaved 
in  the  most  orderly  manner. 

Oct.  6. —  Crossed  the  Edward  with  my  two 
horses;  but  first  I  had  to  swim  them  across  the 
creek  close  to  the  inn.  A  black  rode  one,  leading 
the  other.  As  soon  as  the  mare  got  out  of  her 
depth  she  reared  up  in  the  water  and  threw  the 
man  off,  who,  after  swimming  a  stroke  or  two, 
adroitly  caught  hold  of  her  tail,  and  so  was  towed 
ashore.     But  the  black  would  not  undertake  to 


150  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

guide  them  across  the  river,  and  the  consequence 
was  that  one  of  them  was  carried  too  low  down 
by  the  force  of  the  current,  and  with  the  greatest 
difficulty,  exhausted  as  it  was,  could  crawl  up  the 
precipitous  banks.  I  gave  him  up  as  certainly 
lost.  I  crossed  on  a  frail  bit  of  bark  in  a  kneeling 
posture,  ferried  over  by  a  black  girl.  When  I 
considered  how  wide  and  deep  the  river  was,  and 
how  strong  the  current  ran,  I  considered  I  had 
great  canse  for  thankfulness  in  getting  safely  over. 
Continued  my  journey  to  Ward's  Inn  on  the 
Gulpha  Creek,  where,  previous  to  retiring,  I  had 
Prayers  and  Exposition. 

Oct.  7. — Rode  to  Maiden's  Inn  on  the  Murray, 
where  I  received  letters  which  w.ill  cause  me  to 
ride  down  to  Melbourne  directly. 

Oct.  8. —  Swam  my  horse  over  the  swollen  Mur- 
ray. Owing  to  the  inundations,  the  punt,  as  the 
great  ferry-boat  is  called,  has  ceased  to  work  for 
five  or  six  weeks.  My  horse  was  towed  behind  a 
boat,  and  in  the  middle  of  the  river,  getting  entan- 
gled with  the  branches  of  an  uprooted  floating  tree, 
was  very  nearly  drowned.  I  went  round  in  another 
boat  a  distance  of  two  miles.  On  the  Melbourne 
side  saw  a  great  number  of  drays  camped,  await- 
ing the  resumption  of  the  ferry,  ltode  to  Bar- 
row's Inn  over  thirty-five  miles  of  well-grassc  d 
plains.  My  horse  is  an  old  Sydney  horse,  with 
a  great  deal  of  Arab  blood  in  him,  and  very  much 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  151 

addicted  to  stumbling.     In  fact,  he  fell  with  me 
once  in  the  journey. 

Oct.  9. — Accompanied  by  a  friend,  who  was 
going  to  Kilmore,  I  rode  to  the  Mac  Ivor  inn,  a 
distance  of  forty  miles,  through  a  rich  and  pic- 
turesque country. 

Oct.  10. —  Starting  early,  I  rode  to  Kilmore,  a 
distance  of  twenty-six  miles,  to  breakfast,  through 
a  most  beautiful  country,  combining  granitic 
ranges,  conical,  volcanic,  well -wooded  hills, 
smiling  valleys,  and  park-like  tracts  of  country. 
Found  that  a  party  of  twenty-five  had  left  this 
place  yesterday  for  the  diggings  at  Ballarat.  The 
land  about  Kilmore  is  of  black  loam,  and  is  con- 
sidered eminently  fertile.  At  one  in  the  after- 
noon I  started  from  Kilmore,  and  by  dint  of  per- 
severing and  steady  riding  reached  Melbourne, 
a  distance  of  over  forty  miles,  by  eight  in  the 
evening.  Thus  I  accomplished  about  seventy 
miles  with  one  horse,  on  the  third  day  of  a  jour- 
ney of  a  hundred  and  fifty  miles.  To-day,  as  it 
was  a  long  way,  I  stopped  to  rest  and  bait  for  two 
hours.  The  other  days  I  adopted  the  custom 
here,  and  did  not  stop  at  all  during  the  journey. 
But  I  allowed  the  horse,  hot  as  he  might  be,  to 
drink  as  often  as  he  liked.  Horses  can  drink 
when  warm  in  this  country,  without  rendering 
themselves  liable  to  inflammation.  The  great 
secret  of  riding  horses  long  journeys  is  to  ride 


152  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

them  steadily,  and  not  to  keep  tbem  too  long  at 
the  same  pace.  My  journeys  average  a  pace  of 
six  miles  an  hour. 

Oct.  11. —  Walked  about  Melbourne,  which, 
owing  to  the  auri  sacra  fames,  has  quite  a  de- 
serted appearance.  Many  of  the  shops  are  shut, 
the  occupants  having  given  up  sure  and  pro- 
fitable trades  that  they  may  have  a  chance  of 
getting  rich  suddenly. 

Oct.  23. — People  mad  about  the  Mount  Alex- 
ander Diggings.  Four  hundred  Van-Diemonians 
have  just  arrived  from  Tasmania,  on  their  way  to 

them.     Dined  with  a  Mr.  B ,  one  of  the  first 

merchants  here.  He  is  a  well-disposed,  charitable 
man,  and  a  great  supporter  of  the  Bishop  of  Mel- 
bourne. He  takes  a  great  interest  in  the  religious 
and  social  progress  of  my  district,  and  highly 
approved  of  my  scheme  of  making  every  im- 
portant head  sheep-station  a  nucleus  from  which 
religious  knowledge  might  be  diffused. 

Nov.  1. —  On  my  way  back  to  my  district  rode 
through  the  Black  Forest  to  Kyneton,  where  the 
large  inn  is  full  of  people  going  to  and  returning 
from  the  diggings,  eighteen  miles  off.  People 
drinking  and  making  a  noise  all  night.  No  talk 
but  of  gold,  and  of  the  great  yield  of  the  mines. 
The  maid-servant,  an  Irish  girl,  as  savage  as  the 
surrounding  aborigines,  pulled  out  of  her  dirty 
pocket  three  or  four  nuggets  of  gold  to  show  me, 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  153 

worth,  at  least,  12/.,  which  a  digger  had  given 
her. 

Nov.  3. — Visited  the  Mount  Alexander  Dig- 
gings, accompanied  by  a  mounted  policeman. 
Ilode  along  a  mountainous  road  until  we  came  to 
the  locality  where  the  gold  was  found.  In  a 
narrow  valley  between  two  ranges  of  lofty  vol- 
canic-looking hills  were  assembled,  on  the  borders 
of  a  nearly  exhausted  stream,  about  three  thou- 
sand men,  some  digging  earth  from  pits  eight 
feet  square;  others  washing  this  earth  in  what 
are  called  "cradles;"  and  others  washing  the 
bottoms  of  the  contents  of  the  cradles  in  tin 
dishes.  In  the  back-ground,  away  from  the 
stream,  were  an  infinite  number  of  tents  and 
shelters  of  every  description.  Looking  by  chance 
into  one  of  the  numerous  pits  I  recognised  a 
friend  of  mine,  a  young  gentleman  from  Tas- 
mania, who,  with  five  others,  were  come  here, 
hoping  to  make  their  fortune.  After  digging 
through  four  feet  of  gravel  they  had  come  to  a 
stratum  of  decomposed  slate,  which  they  were 
washing  to  great  advantage.  I  saw  my  friend 
pick  with  his  penknife  into  a  tin  box  from  the 
sides  of  the  pit  a  great  number  of  small  bits  of 
very  pure  gold,  about  four  times  as  large  as  a 
pin's  head.  On  Friday  last  they  got  two  ounces; 
on  Saturday,  three ;  and  to-day  they  had  already 
got  five,  when  I  was  there.     It  is  a  very  exciting 


154         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING   CLERGYMAN 

occupation.  The  sight  of  a  quantity  of  rich 
virgin  gold  just  taken  from  the  surrounding 
mould  agitates  the  nerves  strangely. 

Nov.  8. —  Arrived  in  my  district  across  the 
Murray.  Found  a  mob  of  drunken  men  and  a 
conjurer  in  the  public  room  at  Maiden's  Inn. 
This  vice  of  drunkenness  prevails  to  a  frightful 
extent  everywhere  here.  And  thus  it  comes  to 
pass.  It  is  rarely  the  custom  to  keep  wines,  or 
beer,  or  spirits  at  the  sheep-stations.  So  people 
when  at  home,  whether  masters  at  the  chief  hut, 
or  shepherds  at  the  remote  outstanding  hut, 
drink  nothing  but  raking  green  tea,  which  I  be- 
lieve would  be  poisonous,  if  the  effects  of  the 
copperas  were  not  neutralised  by  an  enormous 
quantity  of  sugar.  Drinking  several  times  in  the 
day  of  this  liquid,  they  get  their  stomachs  into 
such  a  nervous,  sensitive  state,  that  when  they 
have  occasion  to  visit  a  public-house,  requiring 
some  tonic,  they  drink  madly  of  spirituous  and 
fermented  liquors.  And  to  drink  moderately  of 
wholesome  drink  would  be  advantageous  to  them, 
but  as  the  rum  is  strongly  tinctured  with  to- 
bacco, the  beer  embittered  with  strychnia,  and 
the  wine  is  some  odious  fabrication  into  which 
juice  of  the  grape  enters  not,  those  who  drink 
with  comparative  sobriety  earn  a  headache,  those 
who  drink  to  excess  subject  themselves  to  delirium 
tremens. 


JN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  155 

Nov.  12. — After  a  solitary  ride  of  fifty-two 
miles,  churching  a  woman  on  the  way,  I  arrived 
at  Moolamon,  the  township  nearest  to  my  head- 
quarters. These  long  journeys  ridden  com- 
panionless  are  very  disagreeable  to  me.  For  the 
people,  by  not  entering  into  sufficiently  minute 
details  with  regard  to  my  route,  often  mislead 
me,  although  unintentionally.  And  not  having 
confidence  in  their  directions,  I  am  often  in  a  state 
of  great  uncertainty  for  six  or  seven  hours  as  to 
whether  I  am  going  right  or  not ;  whether  my 
road  may  take  me  into  some  inundated  tract  of 
country,  or  may  turn  out  to  be  a  mere  cattle- 
track,  leading  nowhere.  In  spring-time,  when  the 
verdure  is  abundant,  it  is  difficult  to  trace  out  a 
comparatively  frequented  road,  whilst  all  vestiges 
of  secondary  tracks  are  grown  over  with  grass; 
and  to  lose  one's  self  in  this  district  is  a  serious 
matter.  About  three  weeks  ago  a  shepherd, 
having  occasion  to  go  about  forty  miles  on  horse- 
back, lost  his  way  from  the  floods  having  covered 
the  usual  track  j  he  left  his  master's  station  on 
Monday  morning  after  breakfast,  and  he  obtained 
no  food  or  shelter  of  any  description  until  Wed- 
nesday night  late.  He  managed  to  lose  his  horse, 
too.  I  hear  of  many  accidents  and  disasters 
which  have  occurred  in  my  district  during  my 
short  absence  in  Melbourne.  At  Maiden's  Punt 
a  child  had  been  drowned.     Also  a  man   fell  on 


156  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

to  the  fire  in  a  state  of  drunkenness,  and  burned 
himself  very  severely;  and  then,  after  he  had  been 
put  to  bed  and  his  wounds  had  been  dressed,  he 
tore  off  the  dressings  from  irritation,  and  then  the 
flies  got  at  him,  and  he  became  fly-blown,  and  so 
died.  At  Deniliquin  a  sawyer's  wife  has  been 
drowned;  and  at  the  Yarra  Creek,  the  chief 
superintendent  of  the  Royal  Bank  stations,  to 
whom   I   have  before  alluded,  has   lost  his  life. 

Although  this  creek  was  much  swollen.  Mr. , 

who  was  in  a  dog-cart  drawn  by  two  fine  horses, 
one  in  the  shafts,  the  other  as  outrigger,  rashly 
drove  into  it  at  the  usual  place  of  crossing, 
although  warned  against  such  a  step.  And  I 
believe  that  he  might  have  crossed  it,  if  the 
horses  had  not  become  entangled  in  the  limbs  of 
a  tree  lying  under  water.  It  is  supposed  that  he 
got  out  to  disengage  the  horses,  and  received  a 
kick  on  the  forehead  which  stunned  him,  so  that 
he  fell  senseless  under  water  and  was  drowned. 
The  horses,  which  were  noble  animals,  unfortu- 
nately perished  with  him. 

Nov.  13. — To-day,  has  been  held  at  Moolamon 
a  Government  sale  of  allotments  in  the  townships 
of  Moama  (Maiden's  Punt)  and  of  Moolamon. 
The  latter  sold  miserably  ;  the  former  remark- 
ably well.     Maiden  himself  was  the  great  buyer. 

Nov.  27. — A  black  speared  a  platypus  as  it 
was  swimming  in  the  river  close  to  where  I  was. 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  157 

It  requires  great  cunning  and  dexterity  to  do 
this. 

Dec.  1.  —  A  sirocco,  which  caused  the  thermo- 
meter in  the  sitting-room  to  stand  at  85°  all  day. 
Caught  enough  fish  for  our  dinner.  We  have 
what  is  called  cod,  which  is  sometimes  found 
from  sixty  to  eighty  pounds  weight,  and  a  black 
fish  from  one  to  two  pounds,  and  a  fish  about  as 
large  as  a  herring.  They  are  all  so  soft  and 
pappy,  that  unless  they  are  boiled  with  a  little 
vinegar  in  the  water,  they  are  disagreeable. 
With  every  care  in  cooking,  they  are  not  very 
appetising. 

Dec.  6.  —  Thermometer  in  the  shade  95°. 
Rode  to  a  neighbouring  station,  the  superin- 
tendent of  which  recounted  to  me  how  he  once 
saved  a  man  who  was  lost  on  the  plains.  My 
informant  related,  that  he  was  some  years  ago 
managing  a  sheep-and-cattle  station  on  the  Syd- 
ney side,  which  comprised  some  vast  plains.  He 
was  one  evening  returning  tired  to  his  hut,  after 
a  long  fruitless  search  after  stray  cattle,  when  by 
the  last  gleams  of  daylight  he  saw  at  a  great  dis- 
tance some  birds  circling  in  the  air  over  a  certain 
spot.  His  first  impulse  was  to  go  on  without 
taking  notice  of  this,  but  afterwards  he  reflected, 
that  probably  it  might  be  the  carcase  of  one  of 
the  lost  cattle,  over  which  carrion  crows  were 
hovering.     He  accordingly  urged  his  horse  to- 


158  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

wards  the  spot,  and  to  his  great  surprise  saw  a 
man  reeling  along,  every  now  and  then  tumbling 
down,  and  faintly  endeavouring  with  his  arms  to 
ward  off  the  strokes  which  the  carrion  crows, 
wheeling  around  him,  were  giving  him  on  the 
head  with  their  wings.  He  at  first  thought  he 
must  be  intoxicated,  and  called  to  him,  but  re- 
ceived no  answer.  He  called  again,  but  still 
there  was  no  answer.  He  rode  close  up  to  him, 
and  saw  a  miserable  sight.  It  was  a  man,  deli- 
rious through  hunger  and  thirst,  on  the  point  of 
dropping  on  the  ground,  and  becoming,  ere  quite 
dead,  the  prey  of  the  voracious  crows.  He  was 
frightfully  attenuated  ;  his  eyes  were  glazed,  a 
black  foam  was  oozing  from  his  livid  lips. 
Sounds,  not  human,  were  gurgled  up  from  his 
parched  throat.  My  informant,  a  most  estimable 
young  man,  lifted  him  up  across  his  horse  some- 
how, and  thus  conducted  him  to  his  hut.  Then 
he  had  a  difficulty  in  opening  his  teeth,  for  they 
were  fast  clenched;  and  then  he  could  not,  at  first, 
get  some  tea  down  his  parched  throat.  These 
difficulties  surmounted,  the  poor  fellow  took  some 
nourishment,  and  was  left  to  sleep  through  the 
night.  In  the  morning  he  was  sufficiently  reco- 
vered to  recount  to  them  that  he  was  one  of  the 
Pentonville  people,  and  that  he  was  proceeding 
direct  from  the  coast  to  take  a  place  as  shepherd 
at  some  neighbouring  sheep-station )  that  having 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  159 

to  cross  on  foot  a  forty-mile  plain,  he  had  been 
advised  at  the  public-house  to  wait  for  some  one 
to  go  with  him,  as  he  was  quite  a  fresh  hand; 
that,  anxious  to  get  to  his  work  as  soon  as  pos- 
sible, he  set  off  by  himself;  that  night  came  on, 
and,  there  being  no  track,  he  had  taken  the  pre- 
caution, as  he  thought,  to  lie  down  to  rest,  with 
his  feet  pointing  in  the  direction  in  which,  at  the 
morning's  dawn,  he  was  to  continue  his  course ; 
that  in  his  sleep  he  must  have  shifted  his  body, 
so  that  when  he  awoke  he  pursued  his  journey 
in  a  wrong  direction.  And  thus  he  lost  himself, 
and  continued,  as  persons  do,  when  they  lose 
themselves,  ti'avelling  in  a  circle.  For  six  days 
was  this  young  man  wandering  about  without 
food  and  (I  think  I  understood  my  informant) 
without  water.  He  said,  that  he  bore  up  very 
well  for  three  days  :  then  he  got  weak  ;  then  a 
swimming  of  the  head  came  on;  then  supervened 
delirium  and  total  unconsciousness,  until  my 
friend  was  providentially  sent  to  his  deliverance. 
Dec.  8. — Hear  that  Melbourne  is  gold-mad. 
Half-a-ton  has  been  taken  down  there  in  one 
week.  A  man  and  his  wife  came  to  the  station 
as  servants  at  the  wages  of  50/.  per  annum,  These 
wages  are,  of  course,  exclusive  of  a  most  generous 
system  of  rations.  The  gold-fury  has  so  seized 
on  the  minds  of  the  working  classes,  that  the 
master  thinks  himself  very  lucky  in  getting  these 


160  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

people.  The  thermometer  to-day  is  94°  in  the 
sitting-room. 

Dec.  16.  —  Arrived  at  Deniliquin,  having  em- 
ployed yesterday  and  to-day  in  travelling  on 
horseback  from  Moolamon,  a  distance  of  seventy 
miles.  Found  all  in  confusion  at  the  inn  :  the 
landlord  and  landlady  are  in  bed  ill ;  the  ostler  is 
tipsy ;  the  whole  population  seems  to  be  on  the 
point  of  leaving  for  the  diggings.  And  it  is  not 
to  be  wondered  at ;  for  I  know  to  a  certainty, 
that  a  labouring  man,  one  of  a  party  at  the  dig- 
gings, has  gained  for  his  share  twenty  ounces  of 
gold  in  eight  days.  Baptized  a  child  of  a  shep- 
herd. He  wanted  to  pay  me  a  fee.  I  thanked 
him,  but  told  him  that  our  Church  did  not  sell 
the  Sacraments,  and  that  I  should  be  liable  to 
severe  Ecclesiastical  censure  if  I  took  anything 
from  him.  He  seemed  much  surprised  and  dis- 
appointed. Perhaps  he  thought,  that  that  which 
is  cheaply  obtained  is  worth  little.  After  many 
pourparlers  I  consented  to  take  something  from 
him  on  behalf  of  the  Church  Fund  ;  whereupon 
he  gave  me  nine  and  sixpence,  lleceived  a  letter 
from  Dr.  Broughton,  the  bishop  of  Sydney,  say- 
ing that  he  was  travelling  rapidly  towards  the 
Edward  River  to  meet  me. 

Dec.  18., —  As  a  large  drinking-party  is  ex- 
pected at  the  inn  at  Deniliquin,  I  went  over  to 
the  neighbouring  Royal  Bank  station  to  sleep.  A 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  161 

Mr.  is  acting  as  storekeeper.      He   is  in 

very  bad  health,  having  broken  a  blood-vessel 
when  in  California,  and  has  an  incessant  hard 
cough,  nearly  as  painful  to  those  about  him  as 
to  himself.  His  history,  as  he  recounted  it  to 
me,  is  singularly  interesting,  and  full  of  warning. 
He  told  me  that  he  was  the  son  of  a  Scotch 
Clergyman,  and  was  entered  at  the  Glasgow  Uni- 
versity, preparatory  to  following  his  father's  pro- 
fession: but  that  having  taken  to  extravagant 
courses  and  habits  of  dissipation,  which  his  pa- 
rents neither  could  nor  would  suffer,  he  had  to 
take  his  name  off  the  books,  and  give  up  all 
thoughts  of  entering  the  Ministry.  He  then  ob- 
tained a  commission  in  the  Cape  Rifles,  and  re- 
mained some  time  in  active  service  at  the  Cape  : 
but  he  had  not  sufficient  moral  courage  to  shake 
off  his  evil  genius;  his  vicious  ways  still  stuck 
by  him.  So  he  sold  his  commission,  and  em- 
barked for  the  diggings  in  California.  When 
there  he  worked  beyond  his  strength,  and  drank 
beyond  his  strength,  and  ultimately  broke  one  of 
the  vessels  of  the  lungs,  which  laid  him  up  for 
two  months.  On  his  partial  recovery  he  came  to 
Sydney,  and  the  doctors  there  advised  him  to 
come  up  to  the  Edward  River  district,  for  the 
sake  of  its  very  dry  atmosphere.  He  then  got 
the  situation  of  storekeeper  at  one  of  the  Royal 
Bank  stations,  where  I  found  him.     He  exclaims 

M 


162  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

against  the  climate  as  being  too  dry  for  his  ma- 
lady, and  as  causing  his  chest  infinite  irritation. 
He  is  peevish,  despairing,  has  a  presentiment  that 
he  shall  die  soon,  and  utters  as  his  sole  consola- 
tion the  not  very  consolatory  Italian  words,  "  Che 
sara  sara."  I  felt  great  sympathy  for  him ;  for 
he  is  evidently  an  educated  person,  and  of  acute 
sensibility,  and  now,  owing  to  his  recklessness,  he 
has  brought  himself  down  to  be  a  storekeeper  in 
this  miserable  country.  I  expressed  myself  so  to 
him  ;  but  his  only  answer  between  his  fits  of 
coughing  was,  "  Che  sara  sara."  I  told  him 
that,  if  it  pleased  God  to  save  his  life,  so  as  to 
enable  him  to  get  a  situation  near  the  sea-coast 
(where  he  wished  to  go,  the  air  being  moister), 
I  prayed  that  the  grace  of  God  would  enable  him 
to  form  healthy  resolves  for  the  future.  His  an- 
swer, and  his  only  answer,  was :  "  My  dear  sir, 
the  half  of  man's  life  is  spent  in  making  good  re- 
solves, the  other  half  in  breaking  them —  Che 
sara  sara." 

N.B. — About   a    year    after    the    above   was 

written  I  heard  of  the  death  of  Mr. ,  under 

very  lamentable  circumstances.  He  got  away  from 
the  Edward,  and  obtained  a  capital  situation  in 
one  of  the  banks  at  Gcelong,  one  of  the  healthiest 
cities  in  the  world.  But  he  could  not  resist  ad- 
dicting himself  to  stimulants.  At  last  he  con- 
sumed daily  two  bottles  of  port  wine,  which  was 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  163 

far  too  much  for  a  person  of  his  frail  nature. 
He  then  took  to  drinking  brandy  and  water  in 
addition  to  this,  and  soon  died,  thoroughly  worn 
out  with  past  fatigues  and  excesses. 

Dec.  19. — The  Bishop  of  Sydney  has  decided 
not  to  come  down  to  the  Edward  River,  but  to 

give  me  a  meeting  at  Jareeldree,   Mr.  K 's 

station  on  the  Billibong,  sixty  miles  from  here 
(Deniliquin) ;  so  this  evening,  at  six,  I  started 
on  horseback  for  my  first  stage,  thirty-five  miles. 
Rode  it  in  five  hours.  My  companion  was  an 
Australian  gentleman,  accustomed  to  night-riding 
through  timber.  As  I  am  not  well  versed  in  this 
art,  and  as  our  pace  was  by  no  means  slow,  con- 
sidering the  darkness  of  the  night,  I  ran  some 
risk  of  being  knocked  off  my  horse  by  some 
withered  limb  of  a  gum-tree,  the  branches  of 
which  grow  remarkably  near  the  ground.  After, 
however,  two  very  narrow  escapes,  I  arrived  at 
Mr.  B 's  station  at  eleven  o'clock. 

Dec.  20. — A  most  intensely  suffocating  day. 
I  could  neither  stand,  sit,  nor  lie ;  but  I  roamed 
restlessly  about  within  the  narrow  limits  of  the 
hut.     I  found  it  cooler,  when   on  horseback  in 

the  sun,  riding  to  Mr.  K 's.     On  my  arrival 

at  Jareeldree  I  was  announced  to  Dr.  Brough- 
ton,  bishop  of  Sydney.  This  most  excellent  and 
worthy  prelate  has  travelled  from  Sydney — a  dis- 
tance of  six  hundred  miles,  I  should  think — in 


164  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

an  old  caleche,  drawn  by  two  lean  horses.     On 
Wednesday  night  he  was  out  in  the  bush.     For 
a  fortnight  past  his  nourishment  has  been   de- 
fective, and  at  this  station  he  has  got  some  milk, 
for  the  first  time  for  a  week.     I  strongly  advised 
him  not  to  come  on  any  further,  but  to  turn  his 
horses'  heads  homewards,  during  these  frightful 
heats.     We    conversed  on   many   points,    and  I 
received  some  admirable  advice  from  this  truly 
Christian  bishop.     I   mentioned  to  him  a  plan 
on  which  I  had  often  meditated  for  extending  the 
Church  in   the    colonies,    and   which  he  did  me 
the  honour  entirely  to    approve.      It  was,  that 
young    clergymen    of    distinguished    talents,    of 
wealth,   or  of  family,   should,    after  leaving  the 
University,  instead  of  settling  down  in  curacies  at 
home,  until  the  college  living,  or  the  purchased 
living,  or  the  family  living,  should  become  vacant, 
place   their   services   entirely   at    the  disposal  of 
some  Colonial  Bishop,  with  a  promise  to  remain 
unmarried  and  serve  the  Church  in  his  diocese  for 
a  certain  number  of  years  —  three,  four,  or  five,  as 
the  case  might  be.  At  the  expiration  of  that  period 
they  would  return  to  their  sphere  of  labour  in  the 
mother-country,  laden  with   experience,  divested 
of  their  prejudices,  possessing  the  satisfaction  of 
having  laboured  in  a  distant  vineyard,  where  la- 
bour   was    more  wanted    than    at   home,  and  of 
having  contributed  to  the  Church  abroad  services 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  165 

which  the  Church  at  home  can  well  spare.  This 
is  a  much  more  practical  mode  of  serving  a 
clerical  apprenticeship  than  striving  to  become  a 
popular  preacher,  or  engaging  in  ecclesiastical 
polemics. 

Dec.  21  {Sunday).  —  I  read  Prayers,  and  the 
Bishop  preached. 

Dec.  22.  — Took  leave  at  daybreak  of  the 
Bishop  of  Sydney,  who  started  towards  Albury 
on  his  return  to  Sydney.  I  then  bathed  in  the 
Billibong.  Whilst  in  the  water  I  felt  an  unusual 
irritation  of  the  skiu,  which  I  could  not  then 
account  for.  At  the  end  of  ten  minutes,  emerging 
from  the  mud-coloured  stream,  I  found  all  my 
body  festooned  with  lively,  vigorous  leeches,  all 
sucking  away  with  great  appetite :  1  think  I 
must  have  had  two  dozen  on  me.  Of  course, 
dressing  immediately  was  out  of  the  question, 
for  these  ministers  of  health  had  left  on  me  san- 
guinary traces  of  their  presence.  Their  inten- 
tions, no  doubt,  were  excellent ;  but  as  I  wished 
to   start  directly,  their   visitation  was  ill-timed. 

Slept  at  Mr.  B 'a. 

Postscript. — I  subsequently  learned  that,  owing 
to  the  floods  being  on,  the  Bishop  lost  his  way 
two  or  three  days  after  we  parted ;  that  he  was 
out  on  the  burning  plains,  without  food  or  water, 
for  two  days  and  a  night ;  and  that  when  he  got 
to  a  station  his  tongue  was  so  dry  he  could  scarce 


166         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

articulate  Of  two  dozen  little  paroquets  that  he 
was  taking  home  with  him,  twenty  died  from  thirst. 

Dec.  23. —  During  my  thirty-five  miles  to  the 
banks  of  the  Edward  River,  I  experienced  greater 
inconvenience  from  heat  and  fatigue  than  I  had 
ever  done  before.  My  horse  panted  and  sobbed, 
although  proceeding  at  only  a  foot  pace.  On  the 
burning  plains  no  water  could  be  had.  A  uni- 
versal stillness  reigned  around.  Twice  I  was 
forced  to  get  off  to  rest  under  a  bush.  On  the 
way  I  met  three  drays,  and  the  oxen  were  panting, 
with  their  tongues  lolling  out  of  their  mouths. 
With  a  very  parched  throat  I  arrived  at  the  inn, 
and  could  hardly  stand  when  I  dismounted.  The 
thermometer  has  stood  all  day  at  106°  in  the 
shade.  Received  a  letter  from  the  superinten- 
dent of  the  neighbouring  station,  begging  me 
not  to  sleep  there,  as  the  men  were  all  furiously 
drunk :  so,  in  the  cool  of  the  evening,  I  went 
on  three  or  four  miles  farther  to  a  sheep-station 
called  Warbreccan. 

Christmas  Day.  —  Held  Service  at  the  Moira 
station,  with  the  thermometer  at  95°  in- doors.  Few 
attended,  for  all  are  gone  or  going  to  the  diggings. 
Everything  is  turned  upside  down.  A  shepherd 
has  come  up  from  Mount  Alexander  with  107/. 
the  fruit  of  nine  days'  labour,  lie  is  now  drink- 
ing it  away  at  the  public-house. 

Dec.  31.  —  Having  suffered  from  inflammation 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  167 

of  the  eyes  for  some  days,  I  applied  to  a  medical 
man  for  advice,  who  tells  me  that  I  am  attacked 
by  ophthalmia,  vulgarly  called  the  "  gravelly 
blight."  The  feeling  is  as  if  two  burning  coals 
were  throbbing  about  in  my  eye-sockets  ;  an  in- 
cessant purulent  discharge  has  supervened,  and 
the  slightest  light  occasions  me  agonies.  I  be- 
lieve I  brought  it  on  by  my  ride  on  the  23d. 
As  I  cannot  lay  up  where  I  am,  I  thought  it 
advisable  to  go  to  a  quiet  inn,  ten  miles  off,  for 
that  purpose ;  so,  having  previously  bandaged 
my  eyes  carefully,  and  placed  a  green  veil  over 
all,  I  mounted  on  horseback,  and  was  conducted 
to  where  I  wished  to  go,  by  my  good  friend  the 
doctor.  The  pain,  as  night  sets  in,  is  ex- 
ceedingly racking,  but  I  am  cheered  by  hearing 
that  these  attacks  are  rarely  followed  by  loss  of 
sight. 

Jan.  4,  1852. — I  have  been  sitting  these  three 
days  in  the  arm-chair  of  the  inn,  blind  and 
solitary.  The  window  has  been  carefully  dark- 
ened. Being  very  anxious  to  know  if  my  sight 
were  seriously  impaired,  I  gi'oped  about  for  a 
book,  opened  it  at  random,  withdrew  a  little  the 
green  baize  that  covered  the  window,  lifted  up 
the  coloured  handkerchiefs  with  which  I  was 
veiled,  and  took  a  nervous,  hurried  glance  at  the 
book,  to  see  if  I  could  distinguish  the  print. 
The  book  chanced  to  be  Gifford's  "  Translation 


168  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

of  Juvenal  and  Persius ;"  the  two  lines  which  I 
had  fortuitously  singled  out,  and,  to  my  great 
joy,  could  read,  were  these  : — 

"  His  blear  eyes  ran  in  gutters  to  his  chin  ; 
His  beard  was  stubble,  and  his  cheeks  were  thin." 

Overjoyed  as  I  was  at  thus  proving  that  I  was 
not  blind,  I  could  hardly  but  consider  the  allusion 
personal.  Hear  that  the  landlord  is  laid  up  by 
ophthalmia.  A  poor  fellow  has  been  brought 
here  to-day  from  one  of  the  neighbouring  out- 
stations,  more  afflicted  even  than  I  am  by  this 
most  painful  malady. 

Jan.  5. — A  neighbouring  squatter  kindly  drove 
me  to  his  station,  about  thirty-five  miles  from 
here.  My  eyes  are  still  very  sensitive  to  light, 
but  T  trust  that  the  force  of  the  disease  is  past. 
The  mosquitoes,  towards  night,  were  very  trou- 
blesome. I  was  constrained  to  leave  my  bed 
and  walk  in  the  garden  during  the  greater  part  of 
the  night. 

Jan.  11  {Sunday). —  With  the  blessing  of  God 
my  eyes  took  me  through  the  Service.  They 
ached,  however,  towards  the  end,  and  the  print 
seems  dim  to  me.  On  the  whole,  the  attack  has 
lasted  sixteen  days.  At  night,  although  the  heat 
was  suffocating,  I  was  obliged  to  sleep  in  my 
boots,  and  partially  dressed;  to  avoid  the  ferocious 
attacks  of  the  mosquitoes. 

Jan.  14. —  The    servant   of  the  house    has    in 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  169 

former  days  been  a  convict,  one  of  the  old- 
fashioned  sort, — men  who  were  whipped  into 
usefulness  and  discipline  long  before  false  notions 
of  humanity,  or  sentimental  sympathies  with 
crime,  completely  altered  for  the  worse  the  con- 
vict system.  He  repays  his  master's  confidence 
with  fidelity,  and  can  turn  his  hand  to  every- 
thing. He  can  cut  hair  and  shave,  break  in 
horses  to  ride  and  drive,  bleed  and  physic  them. 
He  can  cook,  make  very  good  pastry,  garden, 
thatch,  cut  posts  and  rails,  and  put  them  up ; 
and,  moreover,  acts  as  a  very  good  clerk  on 
Sundays.  But  there  is  one  important  thing  that 
he  cannot  do — that  is,  abstain  from  drink;  he 
condemns  his  own  failing,  and  told  his  master 
when  he  was  engaged  that  one  of  his  reasons  for 
entering  his  service  was,  that  the  station  was  so 
far  from  a  public-house.  "  I  will  be  a  good 
servant  to  you,  sir,  as  long  as  you  keep  me  from 
drink;  but  if  I  once  get  to  a  'public'  I  can't 
answer  for  the  consequences."  He  is  so  attentive 
to  me  that  I  feel  a  great  interest  in  him. 

Postscript. —  lam  sorry  to  say,  that  about  two 
months  after  this  was  written  his  master,  being 
short  of  hands,  sent  him  to  the  public-house  for 
his  letters.  He  began  drinking  with  a  mob  of 
men  on  their  way  to  the  diggings,  and  in  a 
moment  of  inebriety  consented  to  make  one   of 


170         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

the  party.  Thus  an  excellent  master  lost  an 
excellent  servant. 

Jan.  15. —  To-day  I  asked  a  black  fellow, 
called  Peacock,  if  he  had  ever  eaten  "  black 
fellow  ?"  As  I  said  it  laughingly,  he  was  thrown 
off  his  guard,  and  acknowledged  that  he  had; 
and  from  his  look,  the  reminiscences  of  the  fact 
seemed  to  be  rather  pleasurable  to  him  than 
otherwise.  "  "What  is  the  taste  like?"  I  asked. 
''  Like  pig,"  he  unhesitatingly  replied.  Then  I 
changed  my  manner,  and  asked  him  how  he 
could  dare  do  so  horrible  a  thing  ?  On  this  he 
declared  that  what  he  had  said  was  in  jest,  and 
that  he  had  never  eaten  man.  This  is  the  first 
time  I  could  ever  get  a  confession  of  cannibalism 
out  of  a  native.  I  have  been  told  that  the  blacks 
cannot  endure  a  white  man's  flesh.  They  say 
that  it  tastes  very  salt,  and  is  highly  flavoured 
with  tobacco. 

Jan.  20. —  Having  been  recommended  by  my 
doctor  to  go  to  the  sea-side  for  change  of  air, 
I  started  three  days  ago,  and  am  now  hospitably 

entertained  by  Mr.  M ,  a  wealthy  squatter, 

about  sixty  miles  from  Melbourne.  To-day  I 
have  been  watching  the  operation  on  sheeps* 
feet  for  foot-rot.  It  must  be  very  disgusting 
work  for  the  operator,  for  he  has  to  hold  the 
sheep  between  his  knees,  and  cut  off  the  putrified 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  171 

parts  of  the  hoof,  which  emit  a  terrible  stench. 
As  it  is  safer  to  cut  too  deep  than  not  deep 
enough,  deep  cutting  is  inflicted,  and  the  blood 
flows  in  abundance  from  the  poor  suffering 
animal.  After  the  unsound  part  has  been  well 
cut  away,  the  sheep  is  turned  into  a  trough  full 
of  water,  strongly  impregnated  with  corrosive 
sublimate,  and  there  made  to  stand  for  half  an 
hour.  This,  I  believe,  effects  a  perfect  cure. 
Many  sheep-owners  dress  the  diseased  part  with 
mercurial  ointment,  but  the  mode  I  have  been 
describing  is  considered  equally  effective,  and 
more  expeditious,  easy,  and  economical.  In  the 
evening  we  burnt  a  belt  of  herbage  all  round  the 
head-station ;  for  the  heat  of  the  weather  and 
dryness  of  the  atmosphere  is  so  great  that  the 
proprietor  is  afraid  of  that  terrible  visitation,  a 
bush-fire.  We  set  fire  to  the  grass,  and  as  the 
fire  came  roaring  on  towards  the  premises,  the 
whole  strength  of  the  establishment,  white  and 
black,  man  and  master,  were  ready  at  a  given 
signal  to  extinguish  it  with  huge  boughs,  and 
with  trampling  on  it.  The  chasm  thus  made  is 
about  fifty  yards. 

Jan.  21. —  Rode  through  the  Black  Forest. 
The  road  resembled  one  of  the  great  thorough- 
fares out  of  London,  so  full  was  it  of  waggons, 
drays,  carts,  gigs,  equestrians  and  pedestrians, 
proceeding  to  the  diggings.    And  no  wonder ;  for 


172  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

a  very  common-looking  person,  who  begged  leave 
to  ride  by  my  side,  thinking,  perhaps,  that  my 
calling  might  be  a  protection  to  him,  told  me 
that  he  and  three  others  had  dug  up  sixteen 
hundred  pounds  worth  of  gold  in  nine  weeks. 
He  had  a  hundred  and  fifty  pounds  worth  about 
his  person  then.  He  told  me,  that  previous  to 
leaving  England  he  had  been  helper  in  a  stable 
in  Yorkshire.  There  was  immense  confusion  and 
drunkenness  at  the  Bush  Inn  at  Gisborne,  where 
I  slept.  At  night  the  chambermaid  advised  me 
to  lock  and  barricade  the  door  of  my  bed-room, 
otherwise  she  thought  I  may  be  intruded  upon 
by  drunken  people ;  and  it  was  well  I  did  so,  for 
during  the  night  two  men  practised  upon  the 
panels  of  the  door  for  at  least  an  hour,  and 
though  they  split  them,  they  could  not  get  in. 

Jan.  2.2. —  Stopping  to  bait  at  a  roadside  inn 
near  Melbourne,  I  spoke  with  a  common  labour- 
ing man,  who  had  just  dug  up  800/.  of  gold. 

Jan.  25. — Went  to  the  church  at  Richmond, 
near  Melbourne.  The  preacher  styled  angels 
"  the  aboriginal  inhabitants  of  heaven." 

Jan.  26. — The  gold  excitement  is  fast  increas- 
ing. Seeing  a  crowd  of  people  around  a  shop- 
door,  I  found  that  there  was  on  show  inside  a 
lump  of  solid,  purest  gold,  weighing  twenty- 
seven  pounds  eleven  ounces.  The  men  who 
found  it  —  four  ill-looking  persons  —  were  in  at- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  173 

tendance,  waiting  to  be  paid  for  it.  I  heard 
that  they  had  sold  it  for  1.200/.  The  mass  of 
gold  had  a  very  bizarre  form,  looking  something 
like  a  Hindoo  god. 

Jan.  29.  —  The  chief  bookseller  here  complains 
much  of  his  not  being  able  to  make  a  living  in 
Melbourne. 

Feb.  1  [Sunday).  —  Heard  the  Archdeacon  of 
Melbourne  preach. 

Feb.  3. —  Rode  to  Brighton,  and  enjoyed  the 
balmy  breeze  of  the  sea.  Find  that,  owing  to 
the  gold  discovery,  land  here  has  already  risen  to 
the  price  of  50/.  per  acre. 

Feb.  7. —  Diggers  are  returning  into  Mel- 
bourne in  some  numbers;  many  very  discon- 
tented. It  is  said  that  there  are,  at  least,  40,000 
at  the  diggings. 

Feb.  24  (Shrove  Tuesday).  —  A  strong  sirocco 
in  Melbourne.  The  thermometer  is  113°  in  the 
shade ;  and  yet  so  dry  and  elastic  is  the  atmo- 
sphere, that  this  heat  does  not  affect  one  so  much 
as  during  a  hot  August  day  in  London. 

Feb.  26.  —  To  have  my  horse  shod  has  cost  me 
25s.  This  is  one  of  the  primitia  of  the  gold 
discovery. 

Feb.  29  (Sunday).  —  Attended  St.  James's 
Church,  and  heard  the  Bishop  preach  an  ex- 
cellent sermon  on  the  vices  of  the  people  here. 
The   chief  moral  failings  of  the  population  are 


174         DIARY  OP  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

drunkenness,  swearing,  and  most  intense  sel6sh- 
ness.  All  this  exists  in  the  mother-country,  but 
there  the  counterbalancing  elements  exist  to  a 
greater  extent  than  here. 

March  11. —  Gold  is  selling  in  Melbourne  at 
3/.  the  ounce. 

March  18.  —  Took  my  first  stage  out  of  Mel- 
bourne towards  my  district.  At  night  the  land- 
lord and  his  wife,  both  very  drunk,  fought  so 
furiously,  that  I  was  obliged  to  separate  them  by 
force.  During  the  fray,  all  the  little  children 
came  clustering  round  the  mother,  taking  her  part. 
One  sturdy  urchin  boldly  attacked  his  father,  by 
kicking  his  shins  and  the  calves  of  his  legs. 

March  19.  —  Gave  some  serious  advice  to  the 
landlord  about  the  scene  of  last  night,  and  after- 
wards rode  to  Kilmore  to  breakfast.  Slept  at 
the  Mac  Ivor  Inn,  where  I  heard  from  one  of 
the  Bendigo  diggers  that  the  goings  on  there 
are  lamentably  immoral. 

March  21  (Sunday).  —  Arrived  at  Maiden's 
Punt  on  the  Murray,  after  a  ride  of  thirty-two 
miles,  in  four  hours  and  a  half.  Held  Service 
immediately,  and  then  rode  on  ten  miles  farther 
to  another  inn,  lower  down  the  Murray,  and  held 
a  second  Service. 

March  23. —  Had  a  thirty-four  miles'  journey 
to  ride,  and  discovered  at  the  last  moment  that 
my  new  horse,  bought  in  Melbourne,  obstinately 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TA.SMA.NIA.  175 

refused  to  lead.  Time  wore  away  in  vainly  en- 
deavouring to  conquer  his  obstinacy.  The  end 
was  that  I  had  to  mount  the  obstinate  one,  and 
lead  my  other.  I  rode  eighteen  miles,  under  a 
hot  sun,  in  one  hour  and  a  half.  Stopped  half 
an  hour,  and  then  rode  the  remaining  sixteen 
miles  in  one  hour  and  twenty  minutes.  The 
repugnance  that  I  have  of  losing  my  way  in  this 
country  would  cause  me  to  make  any  sacrifice  to 
avoid  being  out  after  dark  at  night. 

March  24. — Employed  myself  the  greater  part 
of  the  day  in  teaching  my  obstinate  animal  of 
yesterday  to  lead. 

April  10. — Went  with  two  magistrates  and 
the  head  constable  of  the  district  to  examine  the 
corpse  of  a  man,  which  has  just  been  discovered 
on  the  banks  of  the  Edward  River.  As  we  ap- 
proached the  spot,  we  came  upon  a  dog,  who,  on 
seeing  us,  slunk  into  some  bushes,  frightened. 
Immediately  afterwards  we  saw  the  body  lying 
prone,  with  the  head  partially  submerged  in  a 
little  pool  of  water.  As  it  had  been  dragged 
from  a  place  some  yards  off,  where  two  or  three 
people  had  been  camping,  I  suggested  that  it 
was  possible  there  might  have  been  foul  play, 
although  the  corpse  was  so  placed  as  to  give  a 
first  impression  that  the  man  had,  in  the  last 
state  of  exhaustion  from  want  of  food,  dragged 
himself  down   to  the  water-side  to   chink,  and 


176  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

there  had  died.  On  closely  examining  the  body, 
we  found  that  part  had  been  devoured — probably 
by  his  glare-eyed,  guilty-looking  dog;  and  on 
turning  round  the  head,  which  was  resting  on 
the  arm,  we  discovered  a  tremendous  fracture  of 
the  right  parietal  bone  of  the  skull.  Thus  it  is 
certain  that  a  murder  has  been  enacted  here. 

April  12.  —  Rode  with  a  magistrate  into  Moo- 
lamon,  to  hold  an  inquiry  with  regard  to  the 
murdered  man.  We  elicited  the  fact  that,  about 
ten  days  ago,  three  men  from  the  diggings  had 
passed  the  night  here,  and  talked  about  having 
a  quantity  of  gold  about  them.  In  the  morning 
they  went  away  together,  accompanied  by  a  dog, 
in  the  direction  in  which  the  body  was  found. 
We  likewise  were  informed  that  the  second  day 
afterwards  two  men  on  horseback,  leading  a  third 
horse,  and  having  no  dog  with  them,  were  seen 
going  at  full  speed  across  the  spacious  plain, 
which  extends  to  the  Murrumbidgee.  Thus  it 
is  pretty  evident  that  the  three  must  have  camped 
by  the  side  of  the  Edward ;  and,  during  the  night, 
that  the  two  murdered  the  one  for  his  share  of 
the  gold.  They  then  arranged  his  body  in  a 
studied  attitude,  to  make  it  appear  that  he  had 
died  of  exhaustion  ;  and  placed  his  head  to  rest 
on  his  arm,  so  as  to  conceal  the  fracture.  And 
this  deceit  would  have  succeeded,  if  I  had  not 
particularly   requested   that  the   head  should  be 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  177 

lifted  up.  The  murderers  have,  however,  got 
clean  off;  and  in  such  a  wild,  unsettled  country 
as  this,  all  researches  will  be  useless. 

April  20. —  Hear  that  a  hut-keeper,  going 
from  one  hut  to  another  on  this  run,  has  lost 
his  way,  and  not  been  heard  of.  He  started  the 
day  before  yesterday  in  the  morning. 

April  22. — As  I  was  mounting  a  horse,  lately 
bought,  he  suddenly  put  his  head  between  his 
legs,  so  as  almost  to  meet  his  tail,  and  bucked 
his  back  up,  so  that  I  was  shot  off  like  an  arrow 
from  a  bow.  Luckily,  I  broke  no  bones.  I  be- 
lieve that  an  inveterate  buck  jumper  can  be  cured 
by  slinging  up  one  of  the  four  legs,  and  lunging 
him  about  severely  in  heavy  ground  on  the  three 
legs.  The  action  they  must  needs  make  use  of 
on  such  an  occasion  somewhat  resembles  the 
action  of  bucking ;  and  after  some  severe  trials 
of  that  sort,  they  take  a  dislike  to  the  whole  style 
of  thing.  An  Irishman  on  the  Murrumbidgee 
is  very  clever  at  this  schooling.  It  is  called  here 
"  turning  a  horse  inside  out/'  No  treatment 
can  be  too  severe  for  a  horse  addicted  to  this 
abominable  and  incomprehensible  vice.  And 
nearly  all  buckjumpers  are  good  horses  in  other 
respects,  which  makes  the  whole  thing  the  more 
provoking.  Not  long  ago  I  witnessed  a  pro- 
fessed jockey  mount  a  very  fine  horse.  He 
mounted   with  great    care,   for  many  horses   do 

N 


178  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

their  best  to  throw  their  riders  before  they  can 
put  the  right  leg  over  the  saddle.  The  horse 
allowed  him  to  get  on,  and  then  set  off  at  a 
furious  gallop,  stopping  short  every  now  and 
then  to  buck.  The  man  sat  beautifully  for  some 
minutes.  But  at  length  the  furious  beast  made 
the  extraordinary  movement  of  turning  short 
round  to  the  left,  bucking  fearfully  as  he  turned. 
The  consequence  was,  that  the  man  had  a  most 
tremendous  throw ;  and  we  all  ran  up,  thinking 
that  he  must  be  killed.  To  our  surprise  be  got 
up,  and  began,  though  reeling  a  little,  to  look 
stedfastly  for  something  on  the  ground.  To  our 
questions,  as  to  whether  he  was  hurt,  and  what 
he  wanted,  he  coolly  replied  that  he  was  looking 
about  for  his  pipe,  which  he  had  dropped  in  the 
fall.  The  longer  a  rider  sits  a  horse  when  he 
bucks,  the  worse  it  is  for  him  when  he  comes  off. 
April  26. — Went  out  with  my  friend  to  poison 
his  run.  It  is  thus  done.  When  a  beast  is 
killed,  a  quantity  of  small  bits  are  cut  off  the 
carcase.  By  means  of  a  sharp  penknife  little 
holes  are  cut  in  these  morsels,  and  into  these 
little  holes  pinches  of  strychnia  are  introduced. 
These  bits  are  put  into  a  small  bag  and  taken  out 
on  the  run.  The  acting  person  then,  as  he  rides 
or  drives  along,  throws  to  the  right  and  left  this 
meat.  At  night  the  wild  dogs  come,  eat  it  all 
up  greedily,  and  ere  long  die.     But  the  strychnia 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  179 

has  not  yet  done  its  work.  Wild  dogs  eat  one 
another,  and  begin  their  repast  with  the  entrails 
of  their  brothers.  Now  the  entrails  of  the  dead 
dogs  contain  the  strychnia,  which  is  so  strong, 
that  after  passing  into  the  second  dog  it  will  kill 
him  too,  and,  as  I  have  been  informed,  even  a 
third.  Thus  the  poor  sheep  call  poison  to  their 
aid  against  their  terrible  enemies. 

May  19. — The  rain  has  fallen  in  torrents  all 
day,  and  my  condition  is  wretched  enough  in  such 
a  country,  for  there  is  no  pastoral  duty  to  attend 
to,  and  study  and  privacy  in  a  poor  little  wood 
hut  is  next  to  impossible. 

May  20. —  Rode  to   Mr.  L 's  station,  and 

there  I  heard  of  a  shocking  murder  which  has 
quite  lately  taken  place  in  this  neighbourhood. 
The  actors  in  this  horrible  tragedy  were  Edward 
River  blacks ;  the  victim  a  man  of  colour  from 
the  United  States,  settled  for  some  years  as  a 
pastrycook  in  Sydney.  This  poor  fellovv  gave  up 
a  remunerative  business  that  he  might  go  to  the 
Port  Phillip  gold  diggings,  and  was  travelling 
this  way  in  company  with  a  white  comrade.  He 
was  unfortunately  seen  by  some  members  of  a 
tribe  of  blacks  belonging  to  this  neighbourhood, 
who  followed  him,  chased  him,  and  drove  several 
spears  jagged  with  bits  of  glass  through  his  back, 
working  them  up  and  down  in  his  body  as  he  lay 
on  the  ground.     His  comrade,  insane  with  terror, 


180  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

ran,  or  rather  flew,  to  the  nearest  station,  the 
blacks  at  first  following  him  with  his  bundle  which 
he  had  dropped,  and  begging  him  to  take  it,  as 
they  did  not  wish  to  hurt  him.  They  then  cut  up 
the  corpse  of  their  victim  into  three  or  four  pieces, 
buried  them,  and  taking  up  his  bundle,  as  well  as 
the  bundie  of  his  comrade,  walked  very  uncon- 
cernedly into  the  store  at  the  Company's  station, 
and  gave  them  up  to  the  storekeeper,  saying  that 
they  had  found  them  on  the  road.  Now  this 
dreadful  crime  has  arisen  from  a  most  lamentable 
blunder.  As  I  believe  I  have  said  before,  all  the 
tribes  or  families  of  the  indigenes  which  are 
scattered  over  the  whole  face  of  the  country,  are 
in  a  state  of  natural  warfare  with  one  another. 
Sometimes  alliances  are  concluded  between  them  ; 
but  without  such  an  alliance,  every  black  who 
ventures  into  another  territory  is  liable  to  be 
assassinated.  Now  these  stupid  blacks  mistook 
this  poor  American  black  for  one  of  themselves, 
and  thus  considered  his  life  lawtully  forfeited. 
They  disdained  to  touch  his  property.  A  black 
expressed  to  me  to-day  great  indignation  at  their 
stupidity,  saying,  that  they  ought  to  have  known 
the  difference  between  "black  fellow"  and  "  white 
man's  black  fellow."  It  may  be  supposed  that 
the  whole  country  is  much  excited  about  this 
occurrence.  The  mounted  police  have  been  gal- 
loping about    shooting    the    wrong   people,    and 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  181 

letting  the  guilty  authors  of  the  outrage  escape. 
They  have  shot  a  lame  old  woman,  I  believe. 

May  23. —  Held  Divine  Service  at  the  Doctor's 
hut  at  Maiden's  Punt.  Ten  adults  and  fifteen 
children  attended — quite  a  refreshing  number,  in 
comparison  with  the  very  few  which  usually 
attend  my  ministrations. 

May  27. —  After  three  or  four  days  of  heavy 
travelling  over  boggy  ground,  the  horses  having 
scarce  anything  to  eat,  I  arrived  at  a  station  on 
the  Barratta  Creek,  where  I  had  a  fine  black  swan 
served  up  for  dinner,  stewed.  It  ate  very  like 
rather  tough  fricasseed  rabbit. 

May  28. —  After  crossing  the  Edward  River  in 
a  frail  canoe  of  bark,  and  swimming  my  horse 
over  two  or  three  deep  creeks,  I  arrived  at  the 
hospitable  and  superior  head -station  of  Mr. 
G . 

June  1, —  My  horses  have  strayed  away,  so 
that  I  am  doomed  to  remain  here  in  a  state  of 
inactivity.  In  the  evening  I  attended  a  native 
corrobery;  or  what  would  be  called  by  the  whites, 
a  soiree  dansante.  The  old  men  sat  and  smoked, 
the  women  drummed  on  skins,  and  the  young 
men  enacted  pantomimic  dances.  These  ballets 
were  of  diverse  character :  some  were  joyous, 
others  warlike,  others  licentious,  whilst  one  was 
funereal.  According  to  their  character,  so  the 
women    chanted.       Naked    and   painted    as   the 


182  DIARY  OP  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

dancers  were,  they  looked  like  demons  as  they 
flitted  to  and  fro  among  the  watchfires.  These 
ballets  are  not  improvised,  I  find.  They  are 
carefully  concocted  in  some  other  district  on  the 
Australian  continent,  and  passed  from  tribe  to 
tribe  until  the  popular  taste  gets  tired  of  them  ; 
just  as  performances  of  a  like  description  pass 
from  one  European  nation  to  another.  I  found 
that  all  the  dances  I  saw  to-night  had  come  from 
the  coast  of  South  Australia. 

June  10. —  Still  detained  at  Mr.  G 's  sta- 
tion by  the  loss  of  my  horses,  studying  the 
"  Memorable  Relations"  of  that  strange  writer  of 
fiction,  Count  Swedenborg.  A  black  fellow  told  me 
that  a  carcase  of  that  wonderful  beast  the  bunyip 
is  lying  rotting  on  a  sand-hill  nine  miles  off.  On 
further  inquiries  I  find  that  the  tremendous 
floods  now  prevailing  would  render  it  impossible 
for  me  to  get  there  without  much  peril  and 
difficulty  ;  but  if  I  were  quite  sure  that  the 
statement  were  true  I  would  go,  nevertheless.  I 
also  hear  of  a  savage,  voracious  reptile,  called  the 
"  mindci,"  which  is  said  to  haunt  the  Billibong 
plains.  It  is,  so  they  say,  about  twenty  feet  long, 
three  feet  in  circumference,  and  has  short  legs. 

June  15. —  My  horses  came  back  of  their  own 
accord,  so  that  I  was  able  to  get  on ;  but  the 
weather  is  atrocious,  and  the  roads  of  melted 
caoutchouc.     The  longer  1  stay  in  this  country, 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  183 

the  more  hopeless  does  my  position  seem.  The 
floods  in  winter  and  the  droughts  in  summer 
render  the  life  of  a  clergyman  one  of  great  diffi- 
culty and  self-denial.  It  must  be  recollected,  that 
riding  a  horse  and  leading  another  over  boggy 
ground  for  twenty-five  miles,  is  quite  as  fatiguing 
as  walking  ten.  And  the  sole  refreshment  after 
such  a  day's  exercise  consists  of  poisonous  green 
tea  without  milk,  lean  beef  without  vegetables, 
and  heavy  damper. 

June  17.  —  Arrived  at  my  head- quarters  on  the 
Edward.  Hear  of  three  men  being  drowned  at 
Deniliquin,  and  of  the  stock-keeper  at  Kieta  being 
drowned  ;  and  of  a  woman  with  her  three  children, 
who  were  bushed  for  three  days  and  three  nights. 
I  also  hear  that  the  blacks  on  the  Darling,  where 
I  hope  to  go  as  soon  as  I  can,  have  become  very 
insolent  lately,  and  have  murdered  some  white 
shepherds.  The  expression  used  by  my  informant 
was,  that  they  had  become  very  "jolly"  of  late. 
I  see  by  the  journals  that  an  immense  immigra- 
tion is  expected  from  England. 

June  20. —  Hear  of  some  bushrangers  on  the 
Sydney  side  who  robbed  a  gentleman,  stripped 
him  naked,  and  tied  him  across  a  nest  of  huge 
black  ants,  which  ate  all  the  flesh  off  his  bones. 
He  was  their  old  master,  who,  by  his  severity, 
had  caused  them  to  take  to  the  bush. 

June  21. —  It  having  been  always  the  object  of 


184  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

my  wishes  to  visit  the  confluence  of  the  Darling 
and  the  Murray,  not  only  from  being  informed 
that  the  visit  of  a  Minister  would  be  very  accept- 
able to  the  people  of  that  district,  but  also  on 
account  of  various  objects  of  interest  to  be  seen 
there,  I  started  this  morning  at  half-past  nine 
from  my  head-quarters  on  the  Edward  River  for 
the  sheep-station  of  Canally,  on  the  Murrum- 
bidgee.  Yet  at  the  outset  some  difficulties  oc- 
curred which  might  have  affected  a  sensitive  mind. 
My  stipend  is  paid  by  a  certain  number  of  sub- 
scribers, among  whom  the  names  of  the  Darling 
squatters  do  not  figure.  My  people  then  seem 
not  altogether  well  pleased  that  I  should  venture 
a  hundred  miles  away  from  the  limits  of  the  sub- 
scription list,  although  they  know  that  there  must 
be  people  to  be  married,  children  to  be  baptized, 
women  to  be  churched,  and,  above  all,  a  popula- 
tion growing  up  in  a  most  far-off  district,  totally 
destitute  of  clerical  visiting  or  of  religious  minis- 
trations. But  as  I  know  that  my  health  will  not 
allow  me  to  remain  much  longer  in  this  extraor- 
dinary country,  and  that  after  me  no  one  pro- 
bably will  dare  to  come  for  a  long  time,  I  have 
thought  fit  to  set  at  defiance  the  half-smothered 
remonstrances  of  the  subscription  list,  and  to  do 
the  best  1  can  for  my  neglected  fellow-Christians 
during  the  remainder  of  my  stay  here.  Arriving 
at   the  Lake  Yauga,  we   turned  to   the  left,  and 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  185 

found  the  road  intricate  and  swampy.  A  cold  wind 
blew  too,  bringing  with  it  showers  of  rain ;  and 
although  we  rode  hard,  we  at  one  time  almost 
despaired  of  arriving  at  our  hospitable  resting- 
place  before  nightfall.  If  we  had  not  done  so,  we 
should  have  had  to  bush  it.  Providentially  we 
regained  the  track  which  we  had  lost  for  a  short 
time,  and  leaving  the  "  howling  wilderness/''  with 
its  bleak  plains  and  ragged  forests  of  stunted 
timber,  arrived  at  six  to  receive  a  hearty  welcome 
from  the  kind-hearted  and  intelligent  proprietor 
of  the  run. 

June  23. — It  has  rained  without  intermission 
from  morning  to  night.  The  superintendent  has 
promised  to  obtain  for  me  against  my  return  the 
'upper  jaw  of  some  extraordinary  animal,  which 
the  blacks  describe  as  a  sort  of  bear  or  sloth. 
Towards  nightfall  we  swam  our  horses  over  the 
Murrumbidgee,  that  we  might  be  ready  to  start 
early  to-morrow  morning. 

June  24. —  Raining  in  torrents,  without  inter- 
mission, the  whole  of  the  day.  Journey  deferred 
until  to-morrow. 

June  25. — I  started  from  Canally  at  half-past 

eight,  and  arrived  at  Mr.  R 's  station  on  the 

Murray  at  three.  The  country  we  traversed  is 
very  bad  for  stock,  with  the  exception  of  some 
small  plains.  Passed  on  my  left  a  pretty  lake  of 
about  six  miles  in  circumference,  which  is  fed  by 


186  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

the  Murrumbidgee.  Although  it  has  never  been 
known  to  be  dry  since  the  discovery  of  the 
country,  fragments  of  salt-bush  exist  at  its 
bottom.  The  Murray  here  is  at  present  200 
yards  in  width,  and  rolls  at  a  majestic  pace. 

June  27  (Sunday). — Rode  twenty-two  miles  to 
Euston,  a  township  consisting  of  four  or  five  huts 
and  a  public-house,  situated  on  a  pretty  plain, 
bounded  on  the  north  by  forest  land  and  on  the 
south  by  the  Murray.  We  passed  on  our  left 
the  Lakes  Proa  and  Benanee,  the  latter  very  ex- 
tensive, with  bold  banks  all  round.  As  we  rode 
rapidly  along  an  excellent  track,  a  flight  of  black 
cockatoos  flew  past — precursors  of  rain.  Saw 
several  shrubs  unknown  on  the  Edward  River, 
and  indicative  of  a  very  hot  climate.  At  Euston 
I  held  Divine  Service  immediately  on  my  arrival, 
and  had  a  very  well-behaved  congregation  of 
twenty  persons.  Three  children  of  the  publican 
were  baptized  during  the  service.  I  was  hospit- 
ably entertained  by  Mr.  Cole,  the  Government 
Commissioner  of  Crown  Lands  for  the  district, 
who  has  fixed  his  head-quarters  at  Euston,  and 
who  has  become  justly  renowned  over  the  Austra- 
lian world  for  his  frank  hospitality  and  his  excel- 
lent salads,  in  the  fabrication  of  which  he  seems 
to  have  attained  a  rare  skill.  And  what  renders 
these  salads  objects  of  wonder  as  well  as  good 
taste   is,   that   no    one    can    discover    where   the 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  187 

vegetable  portion  of  the  ingredients  comes  from ; 
for  Euston  is  a  country  which  I  should  conceive 
would  only  produce  salt-bush  and  coarse  grass 
one  portion  of  the  year,  and  sirocco  and  dust  the 
other.  It  is  well  not  to  pry  into  harmless  mys- 
teries. There  lay  the  salad  on  his  hospitable 
board,  in  all  its  exquisite  proportions  of  much 
oil,  little  vinegar,  hard  eggs,  anchovy  sauce, 
pepper,  salt,  &c.  What  grass  or  herb  would  not 
pass  current  with  such  condiments  ?  Our  dinner- 
party consisted  not  only  of  myself  and  my  two 
friends,    squatters,    who   have    accompanied    me 

thus  far,  but  also  of  Mr.  L ,  who  is  on  his 

way  to  take  his  Commissionership  of  the  Lower 
Darling,  to  which  he  is  just  appointed,  and  a  clever 
young  German,  a  medical  man,  who  is  on  his 
way  from  South  Australia  to  the  diggings.  The 
conversation  at  table  was  animated  and  instruc- 
tive, and  turned  on  many  subjects.  They  dis- 
coursed on  a  remarkable  bird  found  in  the 
district,  called  the  Looa,  four  of  which,  Gibbs,  the 
publican,  is  bringing  up,  and  which  I  subse- 
quently saw.  These  birds  are  every  way  like  a 
mixture  of  the  pheasant  and  partridge,  and  are 
very  fair  eating.  But  they  do  not  hatch  their 
young  in  the  ordinary  way.  They  lay  their  eggs, 
carefully  arranged  in  a  pyramidal  form,  placing 
leaves  and  herbage  between  each  layer.  Then 
comes   rain,   and    afterwards   sun,   which    causes 


18S  DIARY  OP  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

decomposition  of  the  vegetable  matter.  The 
young  birds,  then,  are  hatched  by  the  intense 
heat  that  ensues.  It  is  a  great  boon  for  the 
blacks  and  whites  to  find  an  egg  magazine.  One 
heap  will  be  composed  of  many  hundreds,  in  all 
stages  of  advancement.  As  the  indigenes  prefer 
eggs  with  chicks  in  them,  and  the  whites  without, 
a  whole  pyramid  is  soon  devoured,  and  all  parties 
but  the  parent  proprietors,  satisfied.  I  heard 
also  evidence  which  goes  far  to  prove  that  the 
bunyip  is  but  a  large  and  voracious  otter. 

June  30  — At  mid-day  started  westward,  in 
company  with  the  new  Commissioner  for  the 
Lower  Darling,  another  gentleman,  and  two 
mounted  troopers.  We  thought  to  strike  a 
sheep-station  called  Tapaulen  by  sun-down,  but 
somehow,  after  passing  Mount  Dispersion,  we 
missed  our  way,  and  travelled  onward,  onward, 
until  eight  at  night,  without  being  able  to  find 
our  desired  haven.  The  wind  blew  coolly, 
showers  of  rain  fell,  and  we  would  have  been 
content  with  a  fire  and  some  hot  tea.  But  that 
was  not  to  be.  We  became  entangled  in  a  huge 
bend  ot  the  Murray,  and  were  perfectly  non- 
plussed as  to  our  whereabouts.  By  and  by  we 
smelt  fire,  which  was  great  joy;  and  after  ten 
minutes'  riding  in  the  direction  of  the  smell,  we 
saw,  by  the  light  of  the  moon,  smoke  rising 
among    the   forest    trees       A  few   minutes   then 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  189 

brought  us  into  a  blacks'  camp,  close  to  which 
was  a  large  flock  of  sheep  put  up  for  the  night. 
We  soon  discovered  that  we  had  long  passed  the 
track  leading  to  the  sheep-station ;  that  if  we 
decided  to  go  there,  we  should  have  to  ride  back 
six  miles,  three  miles  of  which  would  be  deeply 
covered  with  water,  the  Murray  flood  being  out; 
and,  moreover,  that  as  all  the  adult  males  of  the 
camp  were  away  fishing,  we  should  not  be  able  to 
obti.in  a  guide.  Nothing,  then,  was  left  for  us 
but  to  unsaddle  our  horses,  hobble  them,  let 
them  loose  into  the  surrounding  forest,  arrange 
the  saddles  for  our  pillows,  and  compose  ourselves 
to  sleep  supperless  by  the  watch-fires  of  the 
blacks.  \Ye  might  have  killed  a  sheep  from  the 
flock,  for  they  all  belonged  to  our  friend  at  the 
station ;  but  the  trouble  would  have  been  great, 
the  fresh  meat  would  have  been  tough,  and  there 
was  no  bread  to  eat  with  it :  so  we  soon  gave  up 
that  design,  and  composed  ourselves  to  rest  as  we 
best  could.  This  blacks'  camp  was  arranged 
more  regularly  than  any  I  had  yet  seen.  For 
fifty  yards  extended  in  a  straight  direction  large 
pieces  of  bark,  propped  slantwise  on  poles,  in 
such  a  position  that  the  whole  of  a  human  body, 
except  the  feet,  could  find  shelter  under  them. 
Close  to  where  the  feet  of  the  inmates  would  pro- 
trude was  a  row  of  watch-fires.  At  either  end  of 
the  row  were  placed,  at  right  angles,  large  huts 


190  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

(if  such  could  be  called  huts),  tenanted  by  the 
old  men  of  the  tribe,  who  from  their  position 
could  survey  all  that  passed  in  the  row.  This 
tribe,  it  seemed,  were  not  so  savage  but  that  they 
were  trusted  to  take  care  of  a  flock  of  sheep,  now 
that  white  labour,  in  consequence  of  the  diggings, 
was  so  very  scarce.  But  our  difficulty  was  to 
find  a  spot  where  we  could  place  ourselves 
among  the  forty  or  fifty  sleeping  women  and 
children.  Among  them  we  must  go,  for  to  sleep 
in  the  long  wet  grass  was  not  to  be  thought  of. 
But  the  women  themselves  did  not  seem  parti- 
cularly anxious  for  an  increase  to  their  society. 
They  had  composed  themselves  to  sleep,  and  did 
not  wish  to  be  disturbed.  After  walking  down 
the  whole  file,  looking  out  for  gaps  where  we 
could  niche  ourselves,  we  espied  here  and  there 
crevices  between  the  sleeping  people.  In  these 
crevices  we  ensconced  ourselves,  bribing  our  un- 
willing entertainers  with  tobacco.  The  rest  of 
the  night  was  one  of  torment  to  me.  Pangs  of 
hunger,  the  gnawings  of  innumerable  fleas,  the 
passionate  outpourings  of  the  youthful  blacks, 
the  distant  howl  of  the  wild  dog,  the  consequent 
uneasiness  of  the  two  or  three  thousand  sheep, 
their  occasional  bleating  too,  the  hissing  of  the 
fires  as  the  rain  fell  upon  them,  the  noise  insepa- 
rable from  seventy  or  eighty  human  creatures, 
many  of  them    children,   congregated    together, 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  191 

'prevented  my  slumbers  from  being  anything  but 
very  transitory.  And  every  now  and  then  the 
grim,  dirty  old  woman,  who  was  snatching  a  few 
uneasy  slumbers  near  me,  would  jump  up,  throw 
off  her  only  covering,  an  opossum  rug,  and  trim 
the  fire,  or  throw  a  flaming  brand  with  a  shrill 
cry  among  the  uneasy  and  rushing  sheep.  And 
then  she  would  come  to  my  side,  and  previous  to 
lying  down,  address  a  few  grunts  to  me,  kindly 
intimating  that  she  hoped  I  was  comfortable. 
Thus  grimly  articulating,  she  laid  down,  wrapped 
her  rug  about  her,  and  consigned  herself  to 
slumber;  alas!  soon  to  be  disturbed.  During  one 
of  the  pauses  in  the  old  creature's  activity,  a 
younger  woman,  who  had  a  most  diminutive 
baby,  inquired  by  signs  if  I  were  hungry.  I  re- 
plied in  the  same  language  that  I  assuredly  was. 
She  then  took  from  under  her  head  a  netted  bag, 
which  served  her  for  a  pillow,  sat  up,  and  began 
taking  out  the  contents.  What  these  were,  I 
cannot  say ;  rags  and  dirt,  and  small  morsels  of 
things,  seemed  the  chief  component  parts.  But 
at  the  bottom  there  was  a  piece  of  flesh,  black 
and  chaired  from  the  effects  of  too-rapid  cookery. 
It  had  a  peculiar  smell — not  that  of  decay  —  to 
which  I  took  an  instant  repugnance.  With  the 
kindest  expression  and  the  most  good-natured 
smile  she  took  it  up,  gave  it  to  me,  and  pressed 
me  to  eat  it.     I  took  it  to  the  fire;  looked  at  it; 


192  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

smelt  it ;  could  make  nothing  of  it ;  returned  to 
her  and  asked  her,  what  manner  of  flesh  it  was. 
Was  it  sheep?  no;  was  it  ox  ?  no;  was  it  kan- 
garoo ?  no.  In  fact,  I  named,  or  rather  imitated 
all  the  animals  of  the  country,  save  one,  and  it 
was  not  their  flesh.  So  I  returned  it  with  many- 
grateful  acknowledgements.  But  she  seemed  so 
hurt  that  I  would  not  touch  it,  and  used  so  many 
amiable  entreaties,  that  I  thought  of  the  touching 
language  of  Mungo  Park,  and  saw  a  fresh  illus- 
tration of  the  beautiful  verses  of  our  great  novel- 
ist, that  woman  is  in  our  time  of  need  a  minister- 
ing angel.  The  tribe  were  half  starved ;  the 
return  of  the  men  was  looked  for  with  impatience; 
this  poor  creature  was  half  famished,  and  yet  she 
frankly  and  freely  offered  me,  a  stranger,  her 
mite — all  that  she  had,  whatever  it  was,  and  was 
very  chagrined  that  I  took  it  not. 

July  1.  —  Arose  at  sunrise  from  most  un- 
comfortable slumbers,  and  proceeded  to  find  and 
saddle  my  horses.  Regaining  the  beaten  track 
we  travelled  on  as  fast  as  we  could,  every  now 
and  then  catching  glimpses  of  the  Murray 
majestically  rolling  along.  Sometimes  we  came 
to  fertile  flats  which  the  river,  in  times  of  great 
floods,  covers ;  sometimes  the  road  took  us  over 
the  brow  of  cliffs  150  feet  high,  overhanging  the 
w;ttcrs.  From  these  eminences  we  could  see  the 
impervious  Malice  scrub  stretching  away  on  our 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  193 

right,  into  an  unexplored  country,  as  far  as  the 
eye  could  reach.  No  signs  of  human  beings  met 
our  eye,  no  hut,  no  blacks'  camp,  no  traces  of 
sheep  or  cattle.  Once  or  twice,  through  an 
opening  in  the  glade,  we  saw  large  ponds  fed  by 
the  Murray,  round  which  flocks  of  pelican  were 
disporting  and  washing  themselves,  with  their 
snow-white  plumage  glistering  in  the  morning 
sun.  Seeing  a  black  fishing  in  the  river;  we  rode 
up  to  him,  hoping  to  change  some  tobacco  against 
his  fish  :  but  the  poor  fellow  had  caught  none, 
and  looked  as  hungry  as  we  did.  After  passing 
the  Golgol  Creek,  which  is  twenty-two  miles 
from  the  junction  of  the  Darling,  and  having  on 
our  right  the  Golgol  mountains,  which  seemed  to 
me  no  more  mountains  than  the  Surrey  hills  are, 
we  turned  to  our  left  into  an  extensive  bend  of 
the  Murray,  and  arrived  at  four  in  the  afternoon 

opposite  the  head-station  of  Mr.  J But  it 

was  not  yet  given  to  us  to  enjoy  the  hospitality 
of  our  worthy  friend.  The  inmates  of  the  hut 
had  to  be  summoned,  blacks  had  to  be  shouted 
for,  and  a  canoe  had  to  be  procured  and  launched 
upon  the  intervening  waters.  We  were  then 
passed  over  the  Murray  one  by  one,  the  saddles, 
bridles,  and  baggage  last.  So  we  sat  down  to 
some  green  tea,  bacon,  and  damper  (nothing  else 
of  any  sort  was  at  hand),  four-and-twenty  hours 
after  our  time,  having  ridden  eighteen  hours  since 

o 


194  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

last  breaking  our  fast.  I  should  have  felt  the 
inconvenience  of  this  journey  much  more  if  one 
of  my  companions,  who  had  been  an  officer  in 
the  Austrian  army,  had  not  recited  to  me  at 
intervals  the  wondrous  ballads  of  Schiller,  with 
his  own  translations. 

July  2.  —  I  found  the  hut  full  of  interesting 
books,  among  which  was  Sismondi's  "  History  of 
European  Literature,"  which  I  was  delighted  to 
get.  One  of  my  companions  i3  laid  up  with 
dysentery,  brought  on  by  his  being  unaccustomed 
to  such  severe  exercise.  Sent  to  a  station  on  the 
Darling,  twenty-five  miles  off,  for  some  calomel 
and  chalk  for  him. 

July  4  (Sundaij).  —  Rode  with  my  kind  host 
to  a  neighbouring  station,  where  I  held  Divine 
Service,  and  baptized  no  less  than  eight  children. 
Four  married  women  were  there,  with  numerous 
families.  The  Service  consisted  of  the  Lessons, 
Litany,  the  Communion  Service,  and  a  Sermon. 
The  reason  of  my  finding  so  large  a  congregation 
in  this  secluded  district  is,  that  many  people  are 
passing  by  this  route  overland  from  South  Aus- 
tralia to  the  Port  Phillip  diggings,  and  many  of 
my  attendants  to-day  were  composed  of  these 
searchers  for  gold.  Among  the  children  whom 
I  baptized  were  two  belonging  to  an  actor  from 
Adelaide,  who  was  on  his  way  to  fulfil  an  engage- 
ment at  the  Geelong  Theatre.    By  an  unaccount- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  195 

able  fatuity,  this  poor  fellow  chose  to  travel 
overland,  although  his  wife  was  near  her  confine- 
ment, instead  of  making  the  voyage  by  sea. 
He  had  been  already  seven  weeks  on  the  way; 
his  wife  had  brought  forth  a  child;  his  mates  had 
basely  deserted  him,  taking  away  the  two  horses; 
and,  as  he  assured  me  with  tears  in  his  eyes,  for 
many  days  he  had  yoked  himself  to  his  tilted 
cart,  and  staggered  along  over  the  miry  track, 
drawing  after  him  his  sick,  helpless  wife,  and  his 
three  little  children.  His  wife,  too,  had  little  or 
nothing  to  give  the  baby,  for  she  had  scarce  tasted 
farinaceous  food  for  a  month,  and  was,  conse- 
quently, in  poor  health.  Giving  him  as  much  as 
I  could  afford  to  relieve  his  wants,  I  told  him  to 
ask  the  mistress  of  the  station,  in  my  name,  to 
spare  him  a  little  flour  at  her  own  price.  No  one 
would  sell  him  any  on  the  road,  for  every  one 
feared  great  scarcity,  owing  to  the  disorganisation 
of  all  carrier  communication.  In  a  subsequent 
conversation  he  told  me  that  he,  his  wife,  and 
eldest  girl,  were  to  receive  71.  a-week  from  the 
manager  of  the  Geelong  Theatre,  and  that  he 
was  very  anxious  to  get  there.  I  asked  him 
what  his  forte  was,  and  he  answered,  brightening 
up,  "  Why,  sir,  my  forte,  1  may  say,  is  high 
tragedy.  I  am  great  in  Richard  the  Third,  in 
Iago,  and  Shylock.  I  have  also  drawn  very  good 
houses  in  genteel  comedy ;    and    sometimes,  on 


196  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

particular  occasions,  when  hands  are  short,  I  play 
clown."  As  he  hesitated  a  little  about  giving 
this  last  proof  of  the  versatility  of  his  talents,  I 
re-assured  him  by  observing  that  I  had  heard 
that  Edmund  Kean  had  played  at  Swansea,  on  the 
same  night,  Richard  III.,  Paul  in  "  Paul  and 
Virginia,"  and  Harlequin  in  the  pantomime. 
So,  after  a  little,  serious  conversation,  he  pro- 
mising me  that  his  theatrical  engagements  should 
not  prevent  him  from  accompanying  his  family 
to  church  on  Sundays,  we  parted. 

July  6. —  My  friend  measured  the  Murray, 
and  found  it  160  yards  across.  Five  mounted 
policemen  arrived.  They  are  to  be  stationed  here, 
by  order  of  the  Victoria  Government. 

July  7. — Having  procured  a  black  guide,  named 
Mickey,  I  proceeded  across  fertile  plains,  inter- 
sected by  belts  of  timber,  to  Dr.  F 's  station, 

twenty-five  miles  off,  and  then,  to  my  great  joy, 
found  myself  on  the  banks  of  that  Darling,  which 
I  had  so  long  desired  to  see.  I  found  it  a  muddy 
stream  of  the  colour  of  milk,  fifty  to  seventy 
yards  wide,  floating  sluggishly  between  high 
clay  banks  —  about  as  unpicturesque  an  object 
as  possible.  It  is  here  fifteen  miles  from  the 
Murray,  and  I  hear  that  its  present  character- 
istics are  maintained  for  150  miles  upwards. 
1  saw  four  Darling  pigeons,  which  belong  to 
the  young  ladies  of  the  house.     These  Darling 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  197 

pigeons  are  extremely  pretty  doves,  with  lavender, 
purple,,  and  gold  feathers.  I  saw,  too,  a  proof 
that  the  blacks  here  are  wilder  than  on  the  Ed- 
ward. Visiting  the  blacks'  camp  near  the  hut, 
I  found  the  young  unmarried  women  sitting 
without  clothing  of  any  description.  On  the 
Edward,  married  women  go  entirely  nude,  but 
not  girls.  Saw  also  some  wild  tobacco  grow- 
ing. 

July  8.  —  Had  much  conversation  with  the 
Doctor,  who  is  a  clever,  intelligent  man.  He 
tells  me  that  the  blacks  are  very  wild  and  trouble- 
some 150  miles  up  the  river,  and  also  that  about 
that  distance,  or  perhaps  ten  miles  further, 
mountain  ranges  form  about  the  river.  I  am 
also  assured,  that  in  these  parts  there  is  found 
an  owl  which  barks  like  a  dog;  also  a  carni- 
vorous kangaroo.  I  hear,  too,  tales  of  the  mindei, 
or  great  snake  with  legs,  which,  as  the  blacks  de- 
clare, eats  the  sheep ;  although  I  suspect  it  is 
a  stalwart  black  biped  that  kills  and  eats  them. 
The  aborigines  here,  too,  obstinately  persist  in 
their  belief  of  the  existence  of  the  monstrous 
bunyip.  I  was  also  shown  what  was  called  the 
blossom  of  the  mistletoe,  a  delicate  crimson 
flower,  like  a  very  attenuated  fuchsia.  In  the 
course  of  the  day,  two  gentlemen  arrived  from  an 
expedition  200  miles  up  the  Darling.   The  blacks 


198  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

have  become  so  saucy  of  late  in  those  parts  that 
they  went  armed,  but  found  no  difficulty.  They 
tell  me  that  Fort  Bourke  is  500  miles  up.  No  one 
from  these  parts  has  yet  gone  further,  I  believe. 
At  night  I  read  the  Church  Prayers  and  gave  an 
Exposition  to  a  large  society.  We  slept  four  in 
the  room,  for  the  hut  was  crowded  with  casual 
visitors.  There  was  some  interesting  conversation 
among  my  l'oom-fellows,  sturdy  young  bushmen, 
before  going  to  sleep.  They  talked  of  tribes  of 
indigenes  in  the  interior,  of  different  characteris- 
tics from  any  blacks  which  we  know.  They  are 
poor,  wretched  creatures,  of  dwarfish  proportions 
and  ill  habit  of  body,  who  inhabit  the  dense  re- 
cesses of  the  Mallee  scrub  in  the  far  interior,  and 
who  live,  or  rather  starve,  upon  dead  bodies  or 
vermin;  or,  in  fact,  anything  they  can  chew.  They 
have  scarce  any  arms,  and  whatever  they  do 
catch,  they  catch  by  means  of  springes.  When 
they  are  hard-pressed  by  hunger  they  devour 
their  children ;  and  as  for  water,  they  find  it  at  the 
roots  of  the  Mallee.  The  other  blacks  have  the 
greatest  abhorrence  of  them,  and  kill  them  when- 
ever they  find'  them  ;  so  the  poor  creatures  retire 
into  their  friendly  impenetrable  Mallee,  and  live 
there.  They  arc  of  the  same  race  with  their 
neighbours,  but  have  physically  degenerated  from 
persecution  and  starvation.     None  of  my  inform- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  199 

ants  had  seen  any  of  these  unfortunate  beings, 
but  they  had  conversed  with  blacks  who  had. 
They  also  told  me  of  a  bushman,  who  from 
the  Adelaide  side,  striking  the  Darling  about 
300  miles  up,  had  come  upon  a  beautiful 
valley,  surrounded  by  lofty  cliffs,  and  watered 
by  many  streams,  where  the  blacks  told  him 
was  plenty  of  the  bright  yellow  metal  of  which 
his  watch-chain  and  seals  were  composed.  But 
he  was  so  anxious  to  get  on,  that  he  stayed  not 
to  search.  And  they  told  me  that  150  miles  up 
the  Darling  there  is  a  tree,  something  like  the 
ash,  which  has  an  extraordinary  spotted  bark 
to  it.     Thus  discoursing  we  fell  asleep. 

July  9.  —  Put  into  my  valise  two  bulbs  of  the 
beautiful  Darling  lily,  and  after  bidding  farewell 
to  my  amiable  and  clever  host  and  his  wife  and 
sister,  two  sons  and  two  daughters,  who  had  all 
treated  me  with  so  much  kindness,  I  crossed  the 
Darling,  and  rode  about  fourteen  miles  to   Mr. 

W 's  station,  a  settler  on  the  Ana-branch  of 

the  Darling.  This  is  a  part  of  the  stream,  which 
abandons  its  parent  ninety  miles  away  and  joins 
it  again  near  here.  I  found  the  poor  man  in 
great  grief,  for  he  has  lately  lost  his  wife,  and  is 
left  with  five  young  children.  I  scarcely  know 
how  he  will  be  enabled  to  get  on  at  all  now, 
isolated  as  he  is.     I  baptized  the  two  youngest 


200  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

children.  He  told  me  that  the  Ana-branch  of 
the  Darling  has  water  six  months  in  the  year : 
also  that  the  blacks  in  his  neighbourhood  are 
very  wild  and  troublesome,  killing  the  sheep  and 
spearing  the  cattle  of  the  squatters.  In  the  after- 
noon I  arrived,  after  a  two-hours'  ride,  at  the 
Junction  Inn,  a  comfortable  public-house,  situated 
just  below  the  junction  of  the  Darling  with  the 
Murray,  and  here  I  slept.  I  have  now  arrived  at 
the  western  confine  of  my  journey,  and  to-morrow 
must  turn  my  horses'  heads  eastward.  Not  that 
I  have  arrived  at  the  Adelaide  frontier:  from  that 
I  am  still  sixty  miles  away ;  but  the  great  floods, 
which  they  say  are  rapidly  coming  down  the 
Murray,  warn  me  to  get  to  my  head-quarters  as 
soon  as  possible.  I  am  now  321  miles  from 
Maiden's  Punt,  the  south-eastern  point  of  my 
district,  according  to  the  following  distances : 
From  Maiden's  Punt  (Moama)  on  the  Murray, 
to  Deniliquin  on  the  Edward  River,  it  is 
fifty  miles;  from  Deniliquin  to  Moolamon  is 
seventy  miles;  from  Moolamon  to  Canally 
station,  on  the  Murrain  bidgee,  is  sixty-two 
miles;  from  Canally  to  Euston,  on  the  Murray, 
is  fifty-seven  miles;  and  from  Euston  to  the 
junction  of  the  Darling  with  the  Murray,  eighty- 
two  miles.  During  the  fatigues  and  anxieties  in- 
separable from  so  long  a  journey,  I  have  been 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  201 

cheered  and  encouraged  by  the  good-natured 
respect  which  has  been  paid  to  me,  especially  by 
the  lower  classes. 

July  10.  —  Before  starting  on  my  return,  I 
visited  the  confluence  of  the  Darling  with  the 
Murray.  The  former  does  not  run  into  the 
latter  at  right  angles,  but  flows  side  by  side 
with  its  potent  friend  for  a  short  space,  as  if 
wishing  to  prove  him  before  entering  into  his 
society.  At  the  confluence  the  Darling  has 
now  a  width  of  160  yards,  and  the  Murray 
300  yards.  This  latter  is  very  grand  and 
majestic,  and  capable,  I  should  think,  of  float- 
ing the  largest  ship  in  the  world.  It  is 
strange,  that  the  only  boats  which  plough  its 
waters  should  be  ferry-boats  and  the  frail  bark- 
canoe  of  the  savage.  Contemplating  this  grand 
sight,  the  object  of  my  wishes  for  so  many  years, 
I  came  upon  a  blacks'  camp.  They  asked  me  to 
buy  some  delicate  fishes,  which  were  most  artist- 
ically arranged  in  leaves,  and  bound  together  with 
osier  twigs.  These  blacks  seem  an  intelligent, 
fine  race,  and  calculate  acutely  the  value  of  every- 
thing of  which  they  have  to  dispose.  One  of 
them,  named  Moses,  exactly  resembles  the  type 
of  the  Assyrian,  as  portrayed  in  the  Nineveh 
sculptures.  In  a  few  years  these  sons  of  the 
Australian  desert  will  have  faded  away,  and  the 
grand-children  of  their  successors   will  perhaps 


202  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

curiously  search  into  the  habits  and  customs  of 
those  who  held  the  soil  before  them.  After 
crossing  my  horses   in   the  ferry-boat  over  the 

Darling,   I  arrived  at  nightfall  at  Mr.  J 's 

station. 

July    11    {Sunday). —  Had   Morning    Service. 
Among  others  were  present  three  black  police, 
with  a  corporal  and  sergeant.  These  poor  heathens 
went  through  the  dispositions  of  posture  required 
by  our  Service  with  military  precision,  although 
they  understand   nothing  of  English,   save  the 
words  of  command,  and  the  few  expressions  min- 
gled up  with  the  lingua  franca  which  forms  our 
only  means  of  verbal  communication  with  them. 
The  police  service  seems  to  be  the  only  channel, 
by  which  the  natives  can  be  made  serviceable  to 
the  social  system   which  now  surrounds    them. 
They      make    most    excellent    mounted    police, 
although  it  is  necessary  to  restrain  their  ferocity 
towards  delinquents  of  their  own  people.     To  mis- 
sionary enterprises,  I  fear,  they  are  completely 
impervious,  on  account  of  their  having  no  reflec- 
tive capacities.     They,  however,  possess  a  sort  of 
conscience,    which   places    them    in    some   moral 
relations     above    the    level    of    many    baptized 
Christians.     They  do  not  every  now   and  then 
endeavour    to  subvert   the  form   of  government 
which    (however    rude)    is    established    amongst 
them ;  they  do  not  steal ;  they  make  an    equal 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  203 

division  of  whatever  they  have  amongst  one 
another,  so  that  there  are  none  poorer  than  their 
neighbours  —  no  pariahs  of  society  among  them; 
and  most  of  them,  ragged  or  naked  as  they  may 
be,  have  a  certain  rude  dignity  of  carriage,  which 
entitles  them  to  every  benevolent  feeling  on  our 
part. 

July  12. —  Started  for  Euston,  being  a  com- 
pany of  four  persons  with  nine  horses.  After 
travelling  till  nightfall,  we  made  up  our  minds  to 
camp  out;  but  we  luckily  came  upon  a  shepherd's 
hut,  where  we  obtained  shelter  for  the  night.  The 
shepherd  told  us,  that  the  Murray  floods  were 
coming  down  so  fast  that  by  to-morrow  night 
the  hut  will  be  surrounded  by  the  waters,  conse- 
quently this  is  his  last  night. 

July  13. —  Rode  to  Euston,  having  camped 
and  rested  and  lunched  in  the  middle  of  the  day ; 
a  thing  I  had  never  seen  done  before. 

July  14. — A  number  of  persons  are  crossing 
their  drays  over  the  Murray.  They  tie  empty 
casks  to  them,  to  float  them,  and  then  tow  them 
to  the  opposite  bank.  The  bullocks,  of  course, 
swim. 

July  17.  —  Turning  over  a  box  of  worm-eaten 
books,  which  I  found  in  a  hut  on  the  bank  of  the 
river,  I  discovered  among  others  a  translation  of 
Plato's  "Timseus."  I  also  found  the  second  part 
of  the  "Faust,"  translated  by  Reid —  a  most  phan- 


201  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

tasmagoric  sort  of  drama,  in  parts  quite  incompre- 
hensible. 

July  18. —  Held  Divine  Service  at  the  inn  at 
Euston,  and  baptized  three  children.  A  worthy- 
squatter  from  the  south  bank  of  the  Murray  attended 
Service.  He  has  a  most  excellent  kitchen-garden, 
the  produce  of  which  is  sure.  But  on  this  side, 
nothing  in  the  shape  of  garden  vegetation  is  sure. 
Just  when  everything  looks  in  the  best  order  and 
ready  for  eating,  the  north  wind  will  come  on, 
and,  like  the  simoom  of  the  desert,  blast  and 
wither  all  before  it.  This  is  what,  I  fear,  will 
prevent  a  large  population  from  ever  settling  on 
the  northern  bank  of  the  Murray.  What  the  soil 
will  luxuriantly  produce,  the  hot  wind  will  de- 
stroy. I  heard  to-day  of  the  immense  fatigue 
and  danger  which  the  surveyors  underwent  who, 
some  years  ago,  surveyed  and  marked  out  the 
boundary  between  the  Adelaide  and  Victoria  ter- 
ritory. They  drew  a  line  from  the  Murray  to  the 
sea  at  the  mouth  of  the  river  Glenelg,  following 
the  141st  degree  of  east  longitude.  A  great  por- 
tion of  the  country  surveyed,  consists  of  dense 
Mallee  scrub.  Through  that,  these  intrepid  en- 
gineers had  to  cut  their  way,  and  many  times 
were  on  the  point  of  perishing  for  want  of 
water. 

July  21.  —  llode  to  Canally  on  the  Murrum- 
bidgee,  in  company  with  the  proprietor  of  the  sta- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  205 

tion.  The  floods  are  coming  down  in  such  a 
volume,  that  my  friend  was  forced  to  get  a  black 
to  guide  him  to  his  own  place.  The  last  two 
miles  lay  through  flooded  ground  in  the  midst  of 
huge  bulrushes,  which  far  overtopped  my  head  as 
I  sat  on  horseback. 

July  28. —  After  much  fatigue  I  returned  to 
my  head-quarters,  having  been  absent  on  my 
Darling  expedition  since  the  21st  of  June.  Pound 
a  letter  from  the  Bishop  of  Sydney,  in  which  he 
appoints  me  to  the  district  of  the  Surrey  Hills 
in  Sydney. 

July  31. — This  morning,  water  was  found 
frozen  an  inch  thick  on  the  plains. 

Aug.  1.  —  Gave  some  clothes  to  a  poor  fellow 
who  has  lately  been  lost  on  the  plains,  without 
food,  as  he  says,  for  eleven  days.  He  is,  as  may 
be  supposed,  in  a  most  miserable  state,  with  a 
corpse-like  complexion.  His  toes,  too,  are  drop- 
ping off  from  exposure  to  frost  and  wet.  For  one 
to  lose  his  way  in  this  country,  who  is  not  a  good 
bushman,  is  very  perilous.  Not  long  ago,  the 
bones  of  a  man  and  dog  were  found  near  here, 
who  had  both  perished  from  starvation.  The 
skeleton  of  the  poor  faithful  dog  was  found 
nestling  close  to  that  of  his  master.  The  man's 
Prayer-book  was  found  in  his  pocket,  with  his 
name  written  in  it. 

Aug.  3. —  Heard  a  story  of  a  young  colonial 


206         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

lady,  who  could  "  talk  bullock  "  so  well,  that  she 
could  do  anything  with  the  animals.  But  subse- 
quently her  parents  had  got  rich,  and  she  had  be- 
come refined  and  pretentious.  One  day  walking 
with  her  lover,  a  young  gentleman  just  arrived 
from  England,  and  unacquainted  with  colonial 
ways,  both  in  great  toilet,  she  spied  one  of  her 
father's  bullocks  in  a  dray,  which  had  lain  down 
sulky,  and  absolutely  refused  to  move.  The  driver, 
too,  was  a  new  hand,  and  could  do  nothing  with 
the  obstinate  beast.  The  young  lady,  carried  away 
by  the  exigencies  of  the  moment,  took  the  whip 
as  in  days  of  old,  struck  the  animal  a  sharp  blow, 
and  cried,  "  Devil  burst  you,  Ginger  !  get  up  ! " 
This  delicate  langue  cle  bceuf  had  a  most  magical 
effect.  The  recreant  Ginger  immediately  arose, 
and  walked  away  vigorously  with  his  load.  Whether 
the  lover  walked  away  without  his,  I  was  not  able 
to  learn. 

Aug.  10. — Began  my  journey  towards  Sydney. 
My  route  will  lie  by  Melbourne,  and  then  on  by 
sea.  The  rainy  season  is  now  at  its  worst ;  and  if 
I  do  not  make  haste,  the  heavy  floods  that  are 
coming  down  the  Murray  will  keep  me  a  prisoner 
perhaps  for  months. 

Aug.  13.  —  I  was  on  horseback  ten  hours,  tra- 
velling up  the  Edward.  The  floods  were  out,  so 
for  hours  the  water  was  up  to  the  horses'  breasts. 
I    arrived  at  a  public-house  in  a  pitchy   dark- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  207 

ness,  illuminated  at  intervals  by  flashes  of 
lightning. 

Aug.  14. — On  horseback  for  nine  hours.  The 
plains  are  in  a  fearful  state  of  swamp.  We  were 
obliged  to  walk  the  horses  for  miles  through  deep 
water,  uncertain  too  of  the  exact  position  of  the 
banks  of  the  river.  I  never  suffered  so  much  from 
fatigue  as  I  did  to-day. 

Aug.  15  (Sunday). — Rode  on  about  two  hours 
to  a  public-house  between  the  Edward  and  the 
Murray.  The  flood  being  out,  the  journey  was 
dangerous.  Held  Divine  Service,  at  which  twelve 
attended,  and  behaved  most  decorously.  At  his 
earnest  request,  I  administered  a  pledge  of  absti- 
nence to  a  man  named  Charles  Brown,  who  is 
going  to  the  diggings.  He  promised  to  confine 
himself  to  three  half-noggins  of  spirits  per  diem 
for  the  next  six  months,  and  that  only  as  a  matter 
of  necessity.  I  made  him  write  out  and  sign 
his  promise  on  paper,  and  then  exhorted  him  to 
trust  in  a  higher  Power  for  grace  to  carry  out 
his  good  intentions.  At  first,  this  half-and-half 
temperance  vow  seemed  ridiculous  to  me,  but  on 
farther  consideration  I  reflected  that  I  had  no 
right  to  repel  any  one  coming  to  me  with  good 
intentions,  that  half-temperance  is  better  than 
no  temperance  at  all,  and  that  the  Church  should 
never  refuse  to  meet  people  half  way.  The  man 
was  pleased  at  having  signed  the  contract,  showed 


208  DIARY   OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

it  to  his  mates,  declared  he  would  keep  to  it  re- 
ligiously, and  ended  by  pressing  me  to  accept  a 
bottle  of  wine  of  him  for  my  trouble.  I  think  he 
will  keep  the  pledge.  He  could  have  had  none 
but  honest  intentions  in  coming  to  me,  as  he  did, 
to  administer  it.  As  to  his  proviso  of  the  three 
half-noggins,  I  like  him  the  better  for  it ;  it  shows 
candour  on  his  part.  Besides,  it  is  impossible  to 
work  at  the  diggings  in  this  inclement  weather, 
up  to  one's  knees  in  water,  without  some  sti- 
mulant, 

Aug.  23. — Rode  to  Maiden's  Punt,  hoping 
to  cross  my  horses ;  but  the  proprietor  of  the 
ferry  absolutely  refuses  to  attempt  it.  I  bap- 
tized three  children  belonging  to  a  man  who  is 
just  starting  for  the  diggings.  He  insisted  on 
paying  me.  I  said  that  our  Church  did  not  sell 
the  Sacraments.  He  said  that  the  clerk  must  be 
paid.  I  answei'ed,  that  there  was  no  clerk.  He 
then  said,  roughly,  that  he  did  not  wish  anything 
from  anybody,  not  even  the  Church,  without  pay- 
ment. I  told  him  that,  in  the  present  case,  there 
was  no  other  alternative.  He  then  went  away 
in  a  rude  manner. 

Aug.  25.  —  Find  that  the  man,  whose  children 
I  baptized  yesterday,  has  gone  away  at  daybreak, 
and  left  a  packet  for  me.  On  opening  a  very 
dirty  bit  of  white-brown  paper,  tightly  twisted,  I 
found  at  least  three  ounces  of  small  nuggets  of 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  209 

pure  gold  in  it.  So  he  gained  his  point  after  all. 
Visited  the  camp  of  a  remarkably  fine  tribe  of 
blacks,  who  are  temporarily  located  here.  They 
have  twenty-five  canoes  with  them,  and  about  a 
hundred  lean,  mangy,  barking,  wolf-like  curs. 

Aug.  28. —  Incessant  rains  and  tremendous 
floods.  Hear  that  many  squatters  in  my  district 
are  thinking  of  leaving  their  head-stations  on 
the  banks  of  creeks  and  rivers,  and  of  retiring 
into  the  back  plains.  I  conceive  that,  if  ever 
there  should  be  great  simultaneous  floods  in  the 
Murray  and  Murrumbidgee,  nothing  can  save  the 
settlers  and  stock  of  the  intervening  plains  from 
being  swept  away. 

Sept.  9.  —  After  waiting  sixteen  days  on  the 
banks  of  the  Murray,  I  am  able  to  cross  the 
swollen  river,  my  horses  having  been  swum  over 
yesterday.  Getting  into  a  small  boat,  two  men 
pulled  me  up  the  river  some  way.  We  then  en- 
tered a  creek ;  then  punted  over  a  lagoon,  until 
we  came  to  the  spot  where  my  two  horses  were 
grazing,  hobbled.  Thus  I  leave  the  district  where 
I  have  but  very  unsatisfactorily  performed  my 
clerical  duties  during  the  space  of  sixteen  months;* 
for,  during  that  time,  I  have  been  not  unseldom 
confined  by  the  weather  or  state  of  the  roads  to 
some  solitary  hut  in  thorough  inaction.  For 
instance,  during  the  243  days  which  elapsed  be- 
*  For  the  Cure  to  which  the  Bishop  has  transferred  me. 

P 


210         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

tween  May  20,  1851,  to  Jan.  18,  1852,  159  only 
were  spent  in  ministerial  work,  while  84  were 
passed  doing  nothing.  And  then,  the  huts  are 
so  small  and  inconvenient,  that  retirement  and 
quiet  study  are  out  of  the  question.  My  calcu- 
lation with  regard  to  the  weather  in  this  country, 
according  to  my  experience, is  as  follows:  Incessant 
rains,  resolving  the  tracks  into  glutinous  swamps, 
prevail  from  about  June  8  to  Sept.  23  ==  109 
days;  droughts  and  heats  of  summer — extreme 
heats,  I  mean,  such  as  to  render  travelling  dis- 
agreeable, and  almost  impossible  —  prevail  from 
December  to  the  end  of  March ;  heavy  floods — 
rendering  travelling  intricate  and  very  dangerous, 
the  more  so,  as  the  watercourses  are  very  nume- 
rous—  prevail  from  September  to  November,  at 
least  sixty-six  days.  Then,  it  must  be  recollected 
that  the  various  paddocks  are  short  of  good  feed 
for  seven  or  eight  months  in  the  year.  In  short, 
unexceptionable  good  travelling  in  the  Edward 
district,  so  far  as  climate,  feed,  and  absence  of 
floods  are  concerned,  I  found  to  exist  only  from 
Nov.  20  to  about  Dec.  10,  a  period  of  twenty 
days.  All  the  rest  of  the  year  is  chequered  by 
some  difficulty  or  other.  Whoever  my  successor 
may  be,  I  hope  he  may  be  gifted  with  excellent 
health,  great  capacity  for  enduring  fatigue  on 
insufficient  nourishment,  and,  above  all,  a  patient, 
meek   disposition.     Aud  he  must  not  expect  a 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  211 

very  high  appreciation  of  the  sacrifices  he  makes 
in  coming  into  such  a  country.  Many  of  the 
squatters  are  not  gentlemen,  but  rather  people 
who  will  broadly  hint  that,  having  paid  a  certain 
sum  towards  a  clergyman's  support,  they  expect 
to  get  something  for  their  money  in  the  shape  of 
so  many  visits  a-year,  be  the  weather  what  it 
might.  I  imagine  that  the  best  mode  of  extend- 
ing clerical  ministrations  to  this  district  would  be 
to  send  an  express  itinerant  minister,  with  a  sur- 
rogate's license,  twice  or  thrice  a-year  over  the 
whole  country,  from  Albury  as  far  as  the  Adelaide 
frontier.  A  permanent  residence  would  be  found 
very  unsatisfactory  to  any  clergyman,  on  account 
of  the  inaction  to  which,  at  all  times,  he  would 
be  subjected  from  the  state  of  the  weather,  of  the 
roads,  and  of  the  floods.  If  I  were  asked,  if  any 
of  the  vast  tract  of  country  which  composed  my 
district  were  capable  of  any  other  use  than  the 
pasturing  of  sheep  and  cattle,  for  which  it  is  ad- 
mirably adapted,  I  should  be  inclined  to  answer  in 
the  negative.  For  colonisation  I  should  consider 
it  unsuited,  because  I  do  not  think  that  grain  could 
be  raised  to  support  such  a  population.  The  soil 
is  by  no  means  unfertile;  but  the  hot  wind  from 
the  desert,  blasts  and  withers  everything.  Crops 
might  be  raised  in  the  alluvial  soil,  which  lies  in 
the  close  proximity  of  the  rivers;  but  then  care 
must  be  taken  that  the  grain  be  cut  and  carried 


212  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

before  the  floods  come  down,  because  this  allu- 
vial soil  to  which  I  allude  is,  in  fact,  the  bed  of 
the  numerous  lagoons  which  border  the  water- 
courses. The  climate  is  particularly  healthy ; 
and  under  the  influence  of  the  dry,  pure,  trans- 
parent atmosphere,  men  and  horses  are  capable 
of  undergoing  great  fatigue.  Kangaroo,  and 
emu,  and  bustards,  called  wild  turkeys,  abound 
on  the  plains ;  wild  fowl  and  cray-fish  about  the 
lagoons,  and  fine  fish  in  the  rivers;  but  the 
squatters  are  too  indolent  to  take  advantage  of 
so  much  fine  game,  and  prefer  eating  salt  beef 
and  smoking  strong  tobacco  at  their  fire-side,  in 
the  midst  of  anticipations  of  bouts  of  intemper- 
ance during  the  next  wool  season,  at  the  hotels 
of  Sydney,  Melbourne,  or  Adelaide.  Having 
mounted  my  horse,  I  rode  southward. 

As  many  feel  interested  in  perusing  thermo- 
metrical  observations,  I  produce  two  series,  the 
first  taken  in  December,  1851,  the  second  in 
August,  1852,  both  of  them  taken  from  a  ther- 
mometer placed  in  a  bedroom  in  a  head-station, 
not   far   from    the   Murray,  in   S.   lat.   36°  and 


E. 

long. 

145°  :— 

Dec.  20 

ranging 

from  78° 

to  86° 

21 

,, 

„     79 

„    88 

22 

II 

„     80 

i,    94 

23 

11 

,,     86 

,,  106 

24 

>> 

ii     80 

ii   90 

25 

II 

ii     82 

i,   94 

IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.              213 

Dec.  26  ranging  from  85°  to  102° 

27  „  „     80     ,,  85 

28  „  „     70     ,,  80 

29  „  ,,     70     „  88 

30  ,,  „     76     „  90 

31  „  ,,     59     „  73 


:•  12   „ 

>> 

45 

„  50 

13   „ 

»> 

41 

„  45 

H   „ 

i? 

39 

„  45 

15   „ 

») 

38 

„  44 

16   „ 

>> 

37 

„  49 

17   „ 

>» 

39 

„  52 

18   „ 

i> 

41 

„  54 

Sq)t.  13.  —  On  my  road  I  met  a  vast  number 
of  persons  going  to  the  diggings,  in  every  de- 
scription of  vehicle,  and  with  cattle  completely 
used  up  by  the  bogginess  of  the  roads. 

Sept.  18. — After  sleeping  at  the  inn  called 
Vinges',  and  paying  a  pound  sterling  for  a  night's 
lodging  for  my  two  horses,  I  started  for  Mel- 
bourne, a  distance  of  twelve  miles.  To  describe 
the  state  of  the  road  accurately  would  be  impos- 
sible. Let  us  imagine  four  feet  of  pitch  half 
cooled,  and  we  should  arrive  at  some  idea  of  this 
dozen  miles  of  black  loam  trampled  into  a  deep 
mud  by  the  hoofs  of  innumerable  beasts.  Woe 
to  the  rider  who  lets  his  horse  stand  still  a  mo- 
ment with  his  foreleg's  together  in  this  glutinous 
mass.  It  would  be  difficult  to  get  him  out,  even 
with  dismounting.  Aud  what  dismounting !  I 
met   twenty-four  bullocks  drawing  a  dray,   and 


214<         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

with  difficulty  they  slowly  progressed.  And  quite 
pitiable  it  was  to  see  poor  families  on  their  way 
to  the  diggings  in  a  cart  drawn  by  one  horse. 
There  were  the  children  extended  on  the  bedding, 
screaming,  while  the  lean  horse  stood  still  in  the 
mud,  motionless  as  a  statue,  and  the  father  and 
mother,  bogged  up  to  the  knees  themselves,  were 
vainly  pushing  behind.  Every  now  and  then 
came  showers  of  rain  to  damp  the  little  remaining 
ardour  of  these  searchers  for  gold.  At  times 
suspicious-looking  characters  passed  me,  armed 
to  the  teeth,  who  looked  with  a  covetous  eye  on 
the  quantity  of  baggage  I  had  on  my  spare  horse. 
This  colony  was  the  most  desirable  of  all  which 
the  Crown  possesses.  How  changed  now  !  No 
more  tranquillity  and  good-fellowship  between 
the  grades  of  society.  All  is  confusion,  selfish- 
ness, license,  and  subversion  of  all  respect  for 
worth,  talent,  and  education.  Brawn  and  muscle 
are  now  the  aristocracy,  and  insolently  bear  their 
newly-assumed  honours.  In  fact,  we  have  here 
the  French  Revolution  without  the  guillotine. 
\Vhen  I  arrived  in  Melbourne,  I  found  the  streets 
full  of  a  dirty,  disorderly  mob  of  people,  many 
of  them  tipsy,  who  seemed  to  take  a  delight  in 
setting  the  laws  of  decent  behaviour  at  defiance. 
At  the  hotel  where  I  dined,  the  waiter  was  a 
young  gentleman  who  had  passed  his  "  little 
go"  at  Trinity  College,  Cambridge.    He  told  me 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  215 

that  the  quantity  of  English  sauces  which  the 
people  consumed  with  their  beef  and  mutton  was 
something  stupendous  ;  that  he  had  remonstrated  ; 
that  they  had  answered  him  impertinently ;  that 
he  had  kicked  two  men  down-stairs  ;  and  that  his 
master,  unmindful  of  his  own  true  interests,  had 
given  him  warning  on  this  very  account.  I  told 
him  that  I  thought  his  family  would  be  more 
satisfied  at  his  undertaking  some  other  employ- 
ment than  that  of  waiter  at  a  Melbourne  restau- 
rant. I  believe  it  was  a  former  proprietor  of  this 
inn  who  assumed  a  lion  as  his  crest,  with  the 
motto  of  "  Noli  irritare  leonemP  His  name  was 
Lyons,  a  Hebrew  by  birth. 

Oct.  2. —  Met  in  Collins  Street  a  coarse-looking 
young  woman,  very  gaily  dressed,  with  a  fine 
baby  in  her  arms,  who,  to  my  surprise,  recognised 
me  with  a  loud  voice,  as  the  Minister  who  had 
baptized  her  child  in  the  bush.  She  wore  a 
French  bonnet  of  a  delicate  lemon  colour,  with  a 
white  lace  veil ;  a  common  cotton  coloured  hand- 
kerchief tied  round  her  red  neck ;  a  new  green 
silk  dress,  sufficiently  short  to  show  coarse,  puffy 
legs  and  ankles,  clothed  with  dirty  socks,  and  thick 
winter  boots  laced  up  in  front.  She  had  a  short 
and  stocky  figure,  and  from  the  redness  of  her 
complexion  seemed  to  have  just  risen  from  din- 
ner. When  she  found  that  I  rather  shrank  from 
the  warmth  of  her  greeting,  she  said,  "  Don't  you 


216  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

recollect  me  as  hut-keeper  at  the  head-station  of 

,  and    that  you    christened   my   baby,    and 

wouldn't  take  anything  for  doing  it  ?  And  now  I 
have  got  plenty  of  money  and  wish  to  make  you 
a  present."  I  interrupted  her  by  asking  her 
what  she  meant  by  walking  about  town  without 
her  husband,  dressed  in  that  way  ?  "  Oh  ! "  she 
answered,  "  my  husband  knows  all  about  it;  he 
is  gone  to  the  diggings  for  the  second  time,  to  get 
some  more  gold."  "  Did  he  do  pretty  well  on  his 
first  visit  to  the  diggings  VJ  I  asked.  "Well, 
thank  God,  he  did  very  fairly ;  he  got  700/.,  and 
he  has  given  it  all  to  me  to  take  charge  of  till  he 
comes  down  again."  This  young  woman,  six 
months  before,  was  a  raw,  red-haired,  savage 
Scotch  maid-of-all-work,  at  a  sheep-station  200 
miles  in  the  interior,  married  to  one  of  the  shep- 
herds. Her  husband  and  she  had  left  service, 
gone  to  the  diggings,  and  found  this  great  prize. 
She  was  now  roaming  about  Melbourne,  amusing 
herself,  and  rendering  herself  entirely  unfit  for 
the  only  thing  nature  ever  intended  her  for — hard 
labour.  She  finished  a  very  voluble  harangue  in 
answer  to  some  advice  I  gave  her,  by  praying  me 
to  pay  her  a  visit  next  morning,  that  she  might 
give  me  a  handful  of  nuggets.  But  this  is  one 
only  of  a  thousand  strange  things  which  are 
occurring.  A  lady  told  me  yesterday  that  she 
had  just  lost  an  excellent  maidservant,  who  one 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  217 

day  was  followed  about  by  a  digger,  who  pro- 
posed himself  off-hand  to  her,  and  backed  his 
arguments  so  opportunely  by  a  heavy  bag  of  gold 
which  weighed  down  his  pocket,  that  the  girl 
when  she  came  back,  showing  her  mistress  the 
gold  which  the  lover  had  given  her  to  keep,  con- 
fessed that  she  was  engaged  to  be  married  so 
soon  as  a  license  could  be  procured.  And  this 
marriage  affair  goes  off  thus.  After  the  cere- 
mony is  over,  and  the  officiating  minister  has 
received  generous  proofs  of  the  prodigality  of  the 
contracting  parties,  the  couple  and  their  friends 
drive  to  St.  Kilda  or  Brighton,  with  a  suite  of 
fortuitous  applauding  acquaintance.  The  toilette 
of  the  ladies  is  something  preposterously  extra- 
vagant. Their  blue  satin  bonnets  and  white 
ostrich  feathers  oppress  their  heads ;  their  crim- 
son satin  dresses  blaze  upon  squat  bodies,  which 
have  been  submitted  for  the  first,  and  probably 
the  last  time,  to  the  screwing-in  process  of  power- 
ful stays.  Next  to  the  dress  come  the  heavy 
boots  laced  up  in  front.  The  coachman  wears 
blue  and  white  ribbons ;  so  do  the  horses  ;  so  even 
does  the  whip,  nay,  even  the  spokes  of  the  wheels. 
During  the  journey,  which  takes  half  an  hour  to 
an  hour,  English  porter,  beer,  and  champagne 
are  drunk  by  the  driven  and  the  drivers.  On 
their  reaching  the  inn,  an  expensive  banquet  is 
served,  and    the    most   expensive  liquors   which 


218  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

the  colony  affords  are  circulated  in  profusion. 
Evening  comes  on,  and  everybody  accumulates 
drunkenness  on  himself.  Night  arrives,  and  the 
whole  party  gallop  back  to  Melbourne  in  the  most 
hopeless  state  of  intoxication,  having  squandered 
a  sum  which  I  dare  not  here  name,  for  fear  of  en- 
countering incredulity.  A  week  is  spent  by  the 
married  pair  in  all  these  delicate  outpourings  of 
first  love,  and  then  satiety  having  intervened,  and 
the  gold-bag  having  diminished,  the  new  bride 
awakes  one  morning  without  her  partner  at  her 
side,  and  discovers  that  he  has  bolted  to  the 
diggings.  She  suffers  great  misery,  and  ulti- 
mately discovers  that  her  partner  having  got  more 
gold  has  married  again  in  some  other  place,  and 
that,  in  fact,  he  has  had  two  or  three  consorts 
before  herself.  So  she  too,  partly  out  of  spite, 
partly  from  destitution,  resolves  to  marry  again. 
And  thus  the  lower  classes  go  on  setting  the 
marriage  laws  at  defiance,  to  the  utter  despair  of 
the  clergymen,  who  see  the  inextricable  social 
confusion  prevailing  around  them,  without  the 
power  to  remedy  it.  It  may  be  supposed  that 
the  publicans  reap  a  rich  harvest  from  so  much 
social  disorganisation.  So  fast  are  immigrants 
arriving,  that  this  class  of  people  have  their  houses 
crowded  to  suffocation,  and  sell  their  poisoned, 
adulterated  liquors  at  fabulous  prices.  But  even 
respectable  landlords  cannot  prevent  their  houses 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  219 

from  being  the  scenes  of  low  debauchery.  Not 
long  ago,  a  party  of  diggers  were  sitting  drinking 
in  the  tap  of  a  country  inn,  whilst  a  party  of 
squatters  were  dining  in  an  adjoining  room.  A 
strange  idea  seized  the  diggers :  "  Bring  here," 
they  shouted  to  the  barman,  "  three  dozen  of 
champagne,  and  a  large  tub  ! "  It  was  brought. 
"  Now  knock  the  tops  of  the  bottles  off,  and  pour 
away  into  the  tub  ! "  It  was  done.  "  Now  get 
three  dozen  of  sherry,  and  three  dozen  of  porter, 
and  mix  it  all  up  with  the  champagne  !  "  That 
was  done,  too.  The  party  then  divested  them- 
selves of  their  boots  and  socks,  sat  round  the  tub, 
and  washed  their  feet  in  the  mixture,  amid  shouts 
of  laughter  and  drunken  cries.  In  a  quarter  of 
an  hour  they  again  called  the  barman,  and  bid 
him  take  the  tub,  with  their  compliments,  to  the 
swells  in  the  next  room,  that  they  (the  swells) 
may  drink  to  their  health  in  it;  adding,  "the 
swells  have  had  it  their  own  way  long  enough  • 
it  is  now  the  poor  man's  turn."  In  the  midst  of 
all  this  social  turmoil,  the  Colonial  Government, 
although  a  little  taken  aback,  acts,  on  the  whole, 
with  that  firmness  and  good  sense  which  British 
gentlemen  always  show  in  cases  of  emergency. 
And  the  press,  too,  setting  apart  a  little  too  much 
party  violence,  nobly  seconds  the  cause  of  order. 
The  difficulty  now  is  to  get  a  sufficient  police 
force  on  foot  to  check  the  disorder  which  prevails, 


220         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

for  men  who  come  to  dig  gold  will  not  act  as 
policemen  unless  very  well  remunerated.  A 
horse  patrol  has  been  established,  the  privates  of 
which  receive  85.  per  diem,  exclusive  of  rations 
and  lodgings. 

Oct.  4. — Paid  the  stabling  for  my  two  horses. 
They  were  charged  ten  shillings  a-night  each.  On 
my  remonstrating  at  the  dearness  of  the  price,  I 
was  told  by  the  livery-stable  keeper  that  I  might 
think  myself  very  lucky  in  getting  off  so  cheaply, 
for  that,  in  two  or  three  days,  he  was  going  to  in- 
crease the  price  to  a  pound  a-night.  This  is  on 
a  par  with  having  a  short  time  ago  paid  21.  for 
shoeing  my  two  horses. 

Oct.  11. — Embarked  in  a  steamer  for  Sydney, 
and  paid  12/.  for  a  passage  of  three  days.  As 
we  steamed  down  the  bay,  we  passed  three  ves- 
sels full  of  immigrants  sailing  up  into  the  land  of 
promise. 

Oct.  14. —  Arrived  off  Sydney  Heads  at  noon, 
and  immediately  entered  through  narrow  and 
lofty  portals  of  rock  into  the  tranquil  harbour, 
with  its  innumerable  bays  and  coves,  inlets  and 
beaches.  This  diversity  of  the  natural  formation 
of  the  harbour  is  exquisitely  graceful  and  pretty ; 
yet  all  is  spoilt  by  the  frame  of  this  beautiful 
picture;  —  I  mean  the  masses  of  unpicturesquc 
timber,  with  its  expressionless  dull-green  foliage, 
with  which  the  shores  are  clothed  and  the  circum- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  221 

jacent  heights  are  crowned.  Apart  from  this 
great  defect,  Sydney  Harbour  is  perfect  for  its 
beauty.  And  near  each  pretty  inlet  and  glitter- 
ing miniature  beach,  are  to  be  seen  stately 
mansions,  rising  in  the  midst  of  pleasure- 
grounds.  And  the  waters  of  the  bay  are  most 
intensely  blue;  and  this  blue  is  here  and  there 
chequered  by  rocks  or  small  islands,  which  give 
the  charm  of  diversity  to  the  whole.  A  man-of- 
war  and  some  fine  merchant-ships  were  lying  at 
the  various  anchorages  with  which  the  bay 
abounds,  and  their  sails,  partly  unfurled  to  dry 
from  the  night's  rain,  glistened  in  harmonious 
contrast  between  the  deep  azure  above  and  the 
deeper  azure  below.  Passing  with  difficulty 
through  the  busy  crowd  on  the  wharves,  I  put 
up  at  Petty's  Hotel,  which  seems  very  good  and 
very  dear. 

Oct.  15. — Visited  the  various  points  of  interest 
which  Sydney  affords.  George  Street  is  a  street 
which,  for  its  length,  its  width,  its  good  houses, 
wealthy  shops,  and  busy  thoroughfare,  would  do 
credit  to  any  European  capital.  Of  course  there 
are  some  inequalities  in  it,  indicative  of  a  new 
country.  There  is  the  squalid  cottage  by  the 
side  of  the  stately  warehouse.  But  the  tout 
ensemble  is  most  satisfactory  to  a  reflecting 
mind.  When  I  looked  on  the  wealth,  activity, 
and  well-being  existing  around  me,  and  beheld 


222         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

the  squares  and  terraces  where  the  higher  classes 
reside,  and  Government  House,  and  the  churches 
and  public  buildings  which  stud  the  city;  and 
wandered  through  the  exquisite  Park  and  public 
gardens,  with  the  long  avenues  clustering  with 
roses;  and  watched  rolling  by  me  the  well- 
appointed  private  and  public  equipages,  my  mind 
could  not  help  reverting  to  sixty  or  seventy  years 
ago,  when  the  savage  indigenes  of  the  district 
had  to  give  place  to  bands  of  white  convicts, 
scarcely  less  savage,  and  certainly  more  terrible 
than  they.  Sydney,  like  the  greater  Rome,  took 
its  rise  from  the  soil  of  crime.  One  was  at  the 
commencement  as  much  a  refugium  peccatorum 
as  the  other.  There  are  in  George  Street  the 
walls  of  the  unfinished  Anglican  Cathedral,  the 
state  of  which  does  no  credit  either  to  the  city  or 
our  Church.  In  the  burying-ground  hard  by  is 
a  very  curious  epitaph,  which  I  discovered  and 
copied.     It  runs  thus  : — 

"  Sacred  to  the  Memory  of  J.  Justice,  who  departed 
this  life  April  20th,  Anno  Domino  (sic)  1804. 
A  constable  &  chinea  Mender  but 
Death  his  Genious  has  suspended 
His  chinea  broke  o  well  a  day 
And  crates  of  Ware  His  turnd  to  clay." 

I  also  visited  the  Roman  Catholic  Church  ;  a 
plain,  spacious  building.  That  religion  seems 
here  in  a  flourishing  state.     The  Romanists  have 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  223 

an  Archbishop  (Count  Polding)  and  a  Suffragan 
Bishop  (Davis),  besides  a  very  large  staff  of 
priests. 

Oct.  17  {Sunday). — At  the  extremity  of  the 
district  allotted  to  me  stands  a  large  building, 
with  an  imposing  fagade,  called  the  Darlinghurst 
Court- House,  where  the  criminal  sessions  are 
held.  As  there  is  no  church  yet  built,  the  Chief 
Justice,  with  much  courtesy,  has  permitted  me 
for  the  present  to  hold  Divine  Service  in  this 
place.  I  accordingly  began  my  ministerial  duties 
at  eleven  o'clock  this  morning.  I  occupied  the 
whole  of  the  judge's  platform.  The  congregation 
occupied  the  seats  allotted  to  the  jury  and  the 
functionaries  of  the  court,  and  also  several  rows 
of  benches,  which  were  placed  where  the  barris- 
ters1 long  table  usually  stands.  In  front  of  me 
stood  the  prisoners'  box,  like  a  huge  pew,  sur- 
mounted by  strong  iron  spikes.  Behind  that, 
too,  was  a  large  space  (space  allotted  for  the  pro- 
miscuous public),  available  for  my  congregation ; 
and  above  that  was  a  heavy  gallery,  capable  of 
containing  two  or  three  hundred  persons.  About 
seventy  attended,  which  was  very  satisfactory, 
considering  that  the  district,  as  a  regularly  defined 
Church  district,  is  new,  and  that  it  is  considered 
to  be  chiefly  populated  by  persons  dissenting  from 
the  tenets  of  the  Anglican  Church.  I  felt  rather 
nervous  at  the  beginning  of  the  Service,  seeing 


224  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

where  I  was.  Standing,  as  I  did,  close  in  front 
of  the  judge's  chair,  I  had  on  my  right  the  box 
whence  the  word  "  guilty "  had  been  so  often 
dispensed  by  the  foreman  of  the  jury;  a  little 
beyond  was  the  box  appropriated  to  the  governor 
of  the  gaol.  On  my  left  was  the  witness-box, 
and  the  space  allotted  to  jurors  in  waiting;  whilst 
before  me  frowned  like  a  fortification  a  huge 
pulpit,  in  which  so  many  prisoners  had  heard  the 
pleasing  sounds  of  acquittal,  or  convicted  crimi- 
nals, the  solemn  tones  of  the  judge  pronouncing 
sentence  of  death.  Although  I  believe  that  most 
of  those  who  assisted  at  the  Service  were  drawn 
together  more  from  curiosity  than  any  other 
motive,  their  behaviour  was  most  exemplary.  As 
I  have  declined  to  employ  a  clerk,  a  few  of  my 
friends  responded  with  an  audible  voice ;  and  the 
Offertory,  which  I  have  introduced  at  this  com- 
mencement of  my  career,  and  do  not  intend  to 
relinquish,  yielded  to  the  Church  Fund  22s.  I 
anticipate  great  comfort  and  assistance  from  two 

most  worthy  inhabitants  of  my  district,  Mr.  E 

and  Mr.  G ,  who  hold  common-sense,  unex- 

aggerated   views    concerning   the  doctrines  and 
discipline  of  the  Anglican  Church. 

Nov.  2. — To-day  I  walked  in  the  Government 
Domain  and  gardens.  It  is  impossible  to  con- 
ceive any  site  more  favoured  by  nature,  and  more 
gracefully    arranged    by    art,    than    this.      The 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  225 

Domain  is  a  spacious  park,  occupying  a  penin- 
sula, round  which  the  waters  of  the  bay  sleep 
or  fret  as  the  humour  takes  them.  Here  are 
spacious  roads,  winding  paths,  open  grass-plots, 
mimic  forests,  all  combined  with  exceeding  good 
taste  in  comparatively  a  small  space  ;  whilst  here 
and  there,  on  some  eminence,  are  commodious 
seats,  shaded  by  some  venerable  patriarch  of  the 
woods,  where,  sitting,  I  enjoyed  an  extensive 
view  of  the  lake-like  expanse  of  waters  around, 
"  dimpled  with  smiles,"  and  inhaled  refreshing 
breezes  from  the  cool  south.  And  this  is  no 
lifeless  prospect.  Lofty  ships  under  a  spread  of 
canvas,  swift- moving  sailing-boats,  and  tiny  row- 
boats,  pass  and  repass  with  unceasing  activity, 
and  give  an  increased  interest  to  a  scene  perfectly 
beautiful,  even  without  this  extraneous  aid.  And 
just  below  me,  in  a  small  bay,  was  a  commodious 
swimming-bath,  so  fitted  up  that  sharks  may  not 
annoy  the  bather ;  for  even  here  the  translucent 
waters  harbour  those  demons  of  the  sea.  Not 
long  ago  some  persons  were  bathing  close  to  the 
baths — unfortunately,  not  in  the  baths — and  a 
large  shark  seized  one  of  the  swimmers  by  the 
top  of  the  thigh,  so  close  to  the  shore  that  he 
was  scarce  out  of  his  depth.  His  companions 
came  to  the  rescue,  and  pulled  him  back  by  the 
body  into  his  depth,  the  fish  still  retaining  his 
hold.     Then   commenced    a    terrible    tussle    and 

Q 


226  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

pull — two  men  against  a  shark  for  the  body  of 
an  agonised  human  creature.  They  were  victo- 
rious, for  they  pulled  the  poor  fellow  out  of  the 
grasp  of  his  monstrous  persecutor ;  and  yet  the 
shark  was  not  altogether  vanquished,  for  he  kept 
his  teeth  so  closely  shut  that  all  the  flesh  of  the 
thigh  and  leg  remained,  in  his  mouth.  The  poor 
human  sufferer  died  on  the  bank  immediately 
afterwards,  with  the  whole  of  his  limb  denuded 
of  flesh  and  muscle.  It  had  been  actually 
dragged,  through  the  clenched  fangs  of  his  re- 
lentless enemy.  From  the  Domain  I  entered  into 
the  garden.  This,  too,  is  laid  out  with  much 
taste,  and  contains  rare  trees,  and.  plants,  and 
shrubs.  There  are  long  alleys  entirely  arcaded 
with  roses,  which  shade  the  path,  and  at  the 
same,  time  shed  forth  an  unspeakable  fragrance. 
Here  is  a  grand  Norfolk  Island  pine,  with  its 
graceful  foliage  shooting  out  in  heavy  masses 
near  the  trunk,  and  then  gradually  diminishing 
as  it  rises  most  straightly,  stage  above  stage,  to 
an  immense  altitude,  where  it  finishes  in  a  spire- 
like point.  Here,  too,  I  saw  a  very  fine  Moreton 
Bay  fig-tree,  with  its  large-spreading  leaves  close 
to  the  ground,  affording  an  infinity  of  shade. 
Here,  also,  I  saw  a  most  curious  and  gigantic 
creeper,  clasping  the  lofty  wall  in  its  bizarre 
embrace.  Long  was  it  before  I  could  tire  of 
strolling    through     the    verdant    and    well-kept 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  227 

alleys  of  this  enchanted  spot,  and  I  thought 
that,  whatever  unpleasantness  might,  from  divers 
causes,  be  inseparable  from  a  life  in  Sydney,  this 
Government  Domain  and  garden  of  Arinida  ought 
to  reconcile  one  to  a  long  residence  here.  In- 
deed I  have  been  told  that  many  Indian  officers 
prefer  spending  their  leave  in  Sydney  to  going 
home. 

Nov.  8. — The  Sydney  people  seem  to  be  taken 
with  exciting  theatrical  announcements,  just  as 
their  kinsmen  in  the  old  empire.  The  perform- 
ance of  to-night  is  — 

TEN  THOUSAND  TOPSAIL-SHEET  BLOCKS  ; 

OR, 

The   Gunner   and   the  Foundling. 

followed  by 

GLENDOWER  OF  SNOWDON; 

OR, 

The  Rock  of  Death. 

Nov,  9.  —  In  passing  through  the  public 
garden,  on  my  way  to  bathe,  I  walked  through 
an  alley  nearly  a  quarter  of  a  mile  long,  entirely 
hedged  and  arched  over  with  jasmine  and  honey- 
suckle :  the  air  absolutely  reeked  with  an  over- 
powering fragrance.  I  then  visited  a  most  sterile 
sandy  tract,  lying  at  the  southerly  extremity  of 
my  district,  the  Surrey  Hills.  Such  a  scene  of 
desolation  I  never  witnessed.  A  large  tract  of 
sand   extended   as  far   as  the  eye  could  reach. 


228  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

This  sand,  blasts  of  the  south  winds  have  raised 
into  hill-like  masses,  which  year  after  year  con- 
tinue advancing,  little  by  little,  burying  houses, 
encroaching  on  the  surrounding  cultivation,  and 
even  intruding  on  the  public  roads.  As  I  toiled 
over  these  hills,  twice  my  foot  struck  against  the 
chimney-tops  of  buried  substantial  cottages,  long 
since  abandoned  to  the  invading  "  restless  mass/' 
thus  onward  moving  day  by  day.  If  some 
means  be  not  taken  to  arrest  the  progress  of  this 
advancing  sand-plague,  I  do  not  exactly  see  why, 
in  the  course  of  many  lustres,  Sydney  may  not 
share  the  same  fate  as  these  cottages.  Much  is 
talked  about  arresting  its  progress,  but  nothing 
is  done,  because  the  danger  is  gradual,  not  im- 
minent :  nevertheless,  it  is  danger.  The  most 
feasible  plan  for  stopping  these  masses  would  be 
to  plant  them  over  with  a  certain  shrub  of  the 
country  which  takes  most  kindly  to  a  sandy  soil. 
This  remedy  is  so  simple  and  inexpensive  that  I 
am  at  a  loss  to  conceive  why  it  has  not  been 
already  resorted  to. 

Nov.  11. —  Having  become  a  subscriber  to  the 
"  Sydney  Morning  Herald,"  which,  from  the 
talents  and  respectability  of  Mr.  Kemp,  its  pro- 
prietor and  editor,  its  temperate  views  of  things, 
its  numberless  advertisements,  and  the  care  with 
which  it  is  got  up,  may  well  be  placed  on  a  level 
with   any  European  journal,  I  amused  myself  by 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  229 

tracking  the  tone  of  surrounding  society  in  some 
of  the  advertisements.  The  following  are  some 
selections : — 

"  MALCOM'S  ROYAL  AUSTRALIAN  AMPHI- 
THEATRE,  YORK  STREET. 

OPEN  EVERY  EVENING. 

"  The  admirers  of  grace,  strength,  and  agility,  may  visit 
Malcom's  celebrated  and  fashionable  place  of  amusement, 
where  every  variety  of  performance,  melo-dramatic  represent- 
ations, on  Arab  steeds  of  the  purest  blood,  by  Malcom's  not- 
to-be-equalled  artistes,  British  and  foreign  (sic).  The  house 
having  been  recently  decorated  in  first-rate  style,  the  most 
fastidious  may  venture  to  while  (sic)  away  a  dull  hour  with- 
out the  slightest  apprehension  of  immorality.  See  bills  of  the 
day. — J.  Malcom,  Proprietor." 

"  To  Musicians. — Wanted,  a  Pianist,  one  accustomed  to 
a  concert-room  ;  also,  a  Comic  Singer,  and  a  Steady  Man  to 
drive  a  Coach.  Apply  at  the  Crown  and  Kettle,  York  and 
Bank  Streets." 

"  Servants  Wanted. — Male  or  Female,  old  or  young  ; 
any  country,  colour,  or  religion,  for  seven  miles  from  Sydney. 
The  very  highest  wages  given,  but  first-rate  good  characters 
will  be  called  for.  No  lazy  humbugs  need  apply  at  360  Pitt 
Street,  to  B.  C.  Rodd." 

"  The  Nag's  Head  (corner  of  Castlereagh  and  Goulburn 
Streets). —  S.  Robertson  (late  of  the  Nag's  Head,  Pitt  Street), 
begs  leave  to  inform  the  public  and  his  friends  that  he  has 
removed  to  the  above  house,  which  he  has  spared  no  expense 
in  fitting  up  in  a  recherche  and  first-rate  style.  The  wines 
spirits,  ales,  &c,  are  of  the  best  qualities  to  be  procured 
the  colony  ;  but,  above  all,  S.  R.  requests  that  his  friends  will 


230  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

try  and  appreciate  the  following  iced  beverages,  which  he  is 
determined  to  have  at  a  minute's  notice  ready  for  distributing 
during  the  summer  months,  viz. 

Sherry  cobblers.  Mint  juleps. 

Gin  cocktails.  Brandy  smashes. 

Stone  fences.  Doctors. 

Spiders  and  no  flies. 

"  These  delicious,  cooling  beverages,  so  well  known  and 
valued  in  warm  countries,  shall  be  totted  up  in  such  a  style  as 
to  please  the  palate  of  the  most  finished  epicure. 

"  Port,  sherry,  champagne,  and  most  of  the  delicious  wines 
of  the  south  of  France  and  Switzerland,  can  also  be  had. 

"  Board  and  lodging,  and  in  fact  every  requisite  that  a  good 
licensed  house  ought  to  have,  will  be  found  abundantly  at  the 
Nag's  Head." 

Nov.  13. — Was  introduced  to  an  English  gen- 
tleman, who  has  just  arrived  from  his  travels 
among  the  New  Zealanders.  He  told  me  many 
interesting  facts  of  this  fine  and  vigorous  race, 
who  are  as  far  superior  to  the  Australian  in- 
digenes as  the  English  are  superior  to  the  modern 
Greeks  or  Italians.  He  told  me  that  they  call 
the  Methodists  by  a  long  name,  which  being 
interpreted  means,  "  Sweet- is -the-word-of-the- 
p  reach  cr,"  because  they  (the  preachers)  dwell 
more  on  their  own  sins  than  on  those  of  the 
congregation.*  The  Romanists  they  call  Ameni- 
kons,  because  they  require  the  people  to  say 
Amen  so  often.  If  the  wife  of  a  native  preacher 
presume  to  go  to  sleep  during  his  sermon,  or  to 

*  I  write  this  as  it  was  told  to  me. 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  231 

find  fault  with  his  doctrines,  he  excommunicates 
her  forthwith.  This  seems  a  judicious  exercise 
and  application  of  the  marital  prerogative. 

Nov.  16. — Rode  to  South  Head,  one  of  the 
portals  of  the  Bay,  and  gazed  from  a  cliff  250 
feet  in  height,  over  the  waste  of  the  Pacific 
waters,  which  stretch  away  without  let  or  hin- 
drance as  far  as  the  Antarctic  Pole.  Returned 
by  Vaucluse,  the  beautiful  seat  of  Mr.  Wentworth, 
one  of  the  Australian  magnates,  and  Alexandria. 

Nov.  20.  —  Made  one  of  a  great  crowd  who 
ran  down  to  the  battery  to  see  the  "  Great 
Britain  "  come  in  on  her  first  voyage  to  Svdney. 
She  looked  huge  and  majestical.  I  thought  of 
the  strange  career  of  this  noble  vessel.  Built 
in  Bristol,  she  seemed  doomed  to  inactivity;  for 
the  narrow  dock-gates  refused  egress  to  her 
enormous  bulk.  Ashore  for  a  year  in  Dundrum 
Bay,  her  fate  seemed  inevitable,  until  she  was 
rescued  from  her  perilous  position  at  an  enormous 
trouble  and  expense.  To-day  I  saw  her  grandly 
steaming,  after  a  prosperous  voyage,  into  a  har- 
bour of  the  far  Antipodes  —  a  moving  monument 
of  the  dogged  perseverance  and  indomitable  ener- 
gies of  the  British  people. 

Nov.  21  {Sunday).  —  At  Divine  Service  to-day 
at  the  Court-House,  observed,  to  my  sorrow,  that 
gaily-dressed  people  predominated  in  the  con- 
gregation, and  that  few  of  the  lower  classes  at- 


232  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

tended.  Most  of  these  former  come  from  a  neigh- 
bouring district,  called  Woolloomoolloo.  They 
come  early  and  get  the  best  seats.  If  the  Court- 
House  obtain  the  reputation  of  being  a  fashion- 
able resort,  farewell  to  the  object  for  which  I  was 
placed  here  —  that  of  ministering  to  the  spiritual 
wants  of  a  poor  and  neglected  population.  For 
the  British  lower  orders  of  society,  than  whom  a 
more  haughty  race  does  not  exist  in  any  part  of 
the  globe,  will  not  amalgamate  with  what  are 
called  "  the  better  classes  "  at  church;  and  for  this 
reason,  that  they  will  not  allow  their  shabby  ap- 
pearance to  be  placed  in  contrast  with  the  com- 
fortable and  well-to-do  appearance  of  others, 
whose  parents,  probably,  have  been  one  of  them- 
selves. It  is  not  immorality  or  infidelity  which 
keeps  the  lower  orders  of  English  away  from 
Church;  it  is  pride,  and  perhaps  not  altogether 
a  useless  pride  —  not,  indeed,  that  any  pride  is 
excusable  which  leads  us  to  forego  the  means  of 
grace :  but  it  is  that  feeling  which  stimulates 
them  to  better  their  condition  in  life,  and  raise 
themselves  out  of  the  slough  of  poverty  and  ob- 
scurity. Thus  originate  that  intense  activity  and 
unceasing  progress   which   prevail  in  our  social 

universe.      Dined  with  the    Rev.   G.   K ,  a 

most  worthy  and  zealous  incumbent  here,  who 
for  seven  years  was  a  missionary  clergyman  in 
West  and  South  Australia,     lie  told  me,  that 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  233 

once  as  he  was  travelling  by  the  sea-side,  he  was 
nearly  perishing  of  thirst,  no  fresh  water  being 
near ;  so  he  dismounted,  undressed,  and  stood  up 
to  his  neck  in  the  sea  for  ten  minutes.  This  re- 
lieved his  thirst  much,  and  by  repeating  it  at  inter- 
vals he  was  enabled  to  arrive  at  the  next  station. 

Nov,  22. — Went  with  a  party  to  Botany  Bay, 
the  part  of  New  South  Wales  which  was  first 
occupied  by  our  convict  establishments  in  1787. 
It  was  soon  abandoned  for  the  site  where  Sydney 
now  stands.  After  traversing  six  miles  of  sterile 
soil,  we  arrived  at  the  Sir  Joseph  Banks  Inn, 
where  we  left  our  horses,  that  we  might  walk  to 
Botany  Heads.  During  a  thunder-storm  we  took 
refuge  in  the  Coast- Guard  House,  where  we  were 
hospitably  received  and  entertained.  From  this 
tower  is  enjoyed  an  extraordinarily  fine  view  of 
the  neighbouring  heights,  and  the  ceaselessly- 
moving  waters  of  the  Pacific. 

On  a  well-adapted  spot  stand  plain  monuments, 
erected  to  the  memory  of  La  Perouse  and  Le 
Receveur.  They  bear  the  following  inscrip- 
tions:— 

A  LA  MEMOIRE  DE 

M.    DE    LA    PEROUSE. 

CETTE  TERRE, 

GU'lL  VISITA 

EN  MDCCLXXXVIII. 

EST  LA  DERNIERE 

D'OU  IL  A  FAIT  PARTIR 

DE  SES  NOUVELLES. 


234  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

ERIGE  AU  NOM  DE  LA  FRANCE 
PAR  MM.   DE  LA  BOUGAINVILLE 
ET  DU  CAMPIER,   COMMANDANT 
DE  LA  FREGATE  THETIS,  ET  LA 
CORVETTE  ESPERANCE,  EN  RELACHE 
A  PORT  JACKSON. 


hic  jacet  le  receveur, 

ex  f.  f.  minoribus  ortus 

gallic  sacerdos, 

physicus  in  circumnavigatione  mundi 

dtjce  d.  de  la  perouse. 

obiit  17  Feb.  1788. 

The  chief  of  the  Coast-Guard  told  me  that  he 
delighted  in  catching  sharks;  and  that  when  he 
got  one  he  took  out  his  liver,  which  is  very  large, 
and  laid  it  in  the  sun.  The  heat  would  cause  it 
to  run  away  into  oil,  which  was  very  fine  and 
pure,  and  afforded  him  light  for  all  the  winter 
months. 

Nov.  24. —  A  great  storm  to-day  of  thunder 
and  lightning.  Hail,  or  rather  jagged  masses  of 
ice,  fell  as  large  as  small  hens'  eggs.  They  fell 
with  great  force  on  the  trottoir,  some  hounding 
up  again  to  a  great  height,  some  smashing  into 
a  thousand  pieces. 

Nov.  29.  —  Went  to  the  Immigrant  Depot, 
and  saw  thirty  young  women,  who  have  just  ar- 
rived. They  looked  a  very  ordinary,  coarse-hred 
set.   The  ladies  complain  that  they  are  not  good  for 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  235 

much ;  that  they  are  idle,  saucy,  and  take  to  bad 
ways.  I  am  perfectly  assured,  that  in  a  new  coun- 
try like  Australia,  where  the  numerical  prepon- 
derance lies  so  much  on  the  men's  side,  anything 
in  the  shape  of  a  woman  is  better  than  nothing; 
but  yet  it  would  be  well  if  the  voyage  could  be 
made  the  channel  of  instilling  moral  and  religious 
culture  into  these  poor,  neglected  women :  in- 
stead of  this,  it  often  becomes  the  means  of  cor- 
rupting them. 

Dec.  1.  —  I  went  to  a  choral  meeting  held  in 
St.  James'  School,  where  were  sung  by  amateurs, 
madrigals,  glees,  catches,  and  choruses  of  the  six- 
teenth century  and  later,  with  excellent  effect. 
In  the  programme  I  saw  the  names  of  Dowland, 
1588;  Cavendish,  1598.  Among  the  musical 
pieces  I  heard  "  Hard  by  a  Fountain,"  composed 
in  1531;  "  Sweet  Honey -sucking  Bee/'  by 
Wilbye,  1GO0;  "  Come,  gentle  Spring,"  music 
by  Haydn ;  "  Hark,  the  Curfew's  solemn  Sound," 
by  Attwood ;  "  Merry,  merry  Elves  we  be,"  by 
Smith. 

Dec.  7. —  Sat  in  the  Court-House  to  hear  the 
criminal  trials.  One  of  the  prisoners  was  very 
saucy,  and  cross-examined  the  witnesses  with 
great  effrontery.  The  Judge  (Dickinson),  in 
speaking  to  the  Crown  Prosecutor,  used  the  term 
"  out-and-out." 

Dec.  10.  —  News  arrived  in   Sydney  by  the 


236  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

«  Chusan  "  of  the  death  of  the  Duke  of  Wei- 
lington. 

Dec.  14.  — Having  scruples  about  receiving 
aid  from  Dissenters  towards  a  church  which  I 
am  endeavouring  to  have  built  in  my  district,  I 
consulted  on  the  subject  a  high  ecclesiastical  au- 
thority here — (not  the  Bishop,  who  is  in  England) 
— for  I  think  that  a  delicate  sense  of  honour  is 
compromised  by  receiving  assistance  from  persons 
whose  opinions  we  condemn,  and  whom  we  have 
pre-determined  not  to  assist  in  return.  In  the 
colonies,  Church  matters  cannot  be  carried  with 
such  a  high  hand  as  at  home.  Even  the  Church 
of  Rome  in  Australia  is  not  the  Church  of  Home 
in  Rome,  or  Naples,  or  Spain.  Adapting  her- 
self with  wonderful  tact  and  knowledge  of  man- 
kind to  the  moral  characteristics  of  the  races 
which  she  sways,  her  bands  becomes  more  elastic 
as  she  draws  them  round  the  freedom-loving 
common-sense  members  of  the  Anglo-Saxon  race. 
In  theory  "  semper  eadem,"  she  is  in  practice 
" semper  mutabilis"  and  Proteus-like.  The  lique- 
faction of  S.  Januarius'  blood  and  other  modern 
Romish  miracles  would  not  go  at  all  in  Sydney, 
Melbourne,  and  Adelaide ;  therefore  they  arc  not 
attempted. 

Dec.  15. — Went  on  board  a  small  cutter  just 
arrived  from  the  South  Seas  under  the  American 
flag,  and    bought    some    spears    and  tomahawks 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  237 

which  had  been  obtained  from  some  of  the  islands. 
On  board  there  was  a  poor  girl  crouching,  motion- 
less as  a  statue.  In  the  evening  I  was  told  that 
the  American  captain  took  her  as  she  was 
swimming  round  the  ship  near  Savage  Island, 
and  kept  her  for  his  pleasure,  and  now  is  trying 
to  sell  her  along  with  his  other  "  notions,"  as  he 
expresses  himself. 

Dec.  22. —  Attended  a  flower-show  in  the 
Botanical  Gardens.  All  the  Sydney  fashionables 
were  there,  the  ladies  very  grandly  dressed  in  vivid 
colours,  not  too  well  contrasted.  The  flowers  were 
few,  but  rare  and  curious.  In  the  evening  I  pre- 
sided at  a  public  meeting  about  Church  matters 
at  the  Court-House,  which  was  very  well  attended. 
Six  clergymen  were  present,  and  two  reporters, 
one  from  the  "Herald,"  the  other  from  the  "Em- 
pire." I  put  seven  resolutions  to  the  meeting, 
which  were  carried  unanimously,  and  everything 
went  off  most  satisfactorily.  The  difficulty  we 
labour  under  is  to  build  our  church  at  the  advanced 
rate  of  wages.  It  will  cost  three  times  more  than 
it  would  have  cost  before  the  discovery  of  gold. 

Christmas  Day. — Assisted  at  the  early  Com- 
munion at  Christ  Church,  a  church  which,  for 
the  solemnity  of  its  numerous  services,  and  the 
devout  behaviour  of  its  crowded  congregations, 
ranks  as  the  first  in  Australia,  and  second  to 
none    in   England.     The   incumbent's   name   is 


.238  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

Walsh,  and  this  gentleman  has  immensely  for- 
warded Church  matters  in  Sydney.  No  less  than 
ninety- eight  persons  partook  of  the  Blessed 
Eucharist  this  morning.  Of  course,  the  sentence 
accompanying  the  distribution  of  the  elements 
was  pointedly  addressed  to  each  individual, 
according  to  the  not -to-be-evaded  rubrical 
command, — "  And  when  the  Minister  delivereth 
the  bread  to  any  one,  he  shall  say,"  &c.  &c.  &c. 
I  then  had  my  own  Service,  and  afterwards 
attended  Christ  Church  Afternoon  Service.  At 
seven  I  dined  at  the  hospitable  table  of  Sir  Alfred 
Stephen,  the  Chief  Justice,  where,  in  a  midsummer 
heat,  I  endeavoured  to  realise  the  fact,  that  we 
were  celebrating  the  Festival  of  the  Nativity  of 
our  Lord. 

Dec.  26. —  Buried  a  little  child  at  the  Cemetery. 
Having  no  umbrella  during  the  Service,  I  suffered 
much  from  the  heat.  This  cemetery  is  not  at  all 
well  kept. 

Dec.  31. — Thermometer  107°  in  the  shade, 
from  two  to  four,  p.m.  Having  purchased  a 
horse,  I  bought  to-day  a  saddle  for  him,  also 
maize,  bran,  hay,  and  straw.  The  saddle  cost  me 
6/.  10s. ;  the  maize,  6s.  the  bushel;  bran,  2s.  the 
bushel;  hay,  14s.  the  hundred  weight;  straw, 
Is.  \)d.  the  bundle.  The  keep  of  the  horse  for  two 
days  at  a  livery-stable  cost  me  18s.  Thus  in 
Sydney  one's  purse  perspires    as  well  as  body. 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  239 

Being  determined  to  have  a  choir  of  boys  to  take 
the  musical  part  of  the  Service,  I  engaged  a  gentle- 
man lately  arrived  from  Ireland  to  teach  the 
little  fellows  the  science  of  music,  and  to  lead 
them  on  Sundays.  They  are  to  have  two  lessons, 
of  two  hours'  duration,  two  evenings  in  the  week. 
Our  limited  finances  will  not  justify  me  in  giving 
this  gentleman  more  than  26/.  a-year  to  begin 
with,  but  I  hope  to  be  able  to  increase  it  soon. 
Assisted  at  a  Midnight  Service  at  Christ  Church. 
The  church  was  crowded  to  excess,  and  all  went 
off  very  well,  in  spite  of  the  almost  unendurable 
heat.  The  idea  of  ushering  in  the  new  year  with 
public  prayer  and  supplication  is  so  perfectly  in 
accordance  with  Christian  tenets,  and  so  sound 
and  unexaggerated,  that  I  am  surprised  that  the 
custom  is  not  more  general  than  it  is. 

Jan.  1,  1853.  —  Preached  at  Christ  Church,  on 
the  Circumcision  of  our  Lord,  to  a  very  good 
congregation.  Perused  a  paragraph  in  a  news- 
paper, which  is  one  of  the  terrible  episodes  in- 
separable from  life  in  the  Australian  bush  :  — 
"  Some  parties  ti'avelling  along  the  Molong 
Creek,  when  near  Gohamma  Hill,  came  upon  the 
dead  body  of  a  man.  It  had  been  dragged  about 
ten  yards  down  the  brink  of  the  creek,  and  was 
frightfully  mutilated,  having  been  nearly  stripped 
of  flesh  by  the  native  dogs.  His  name  and  the 
manner  of  his  death  remain  a  mystery."     It  is 


240  DIARY  OF  A   WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

most  probable  that  the  poor  fellow  had  been 
murdered  for  the  sake  of  plunder.  We  have  now 
a  great  many  Californian  adventurers  here,  and 
they  have  the  reputation  of  being  very  reckless, 
hesitating  at  nothing,  however  desperate.  A  few 
days  ago  I  went  to  the  swimming-baths,  and 
found  everything  in  confusion,  for  a  man  had 
plunged  into  deep  water,  although  he  could  not 
swim,  and  became  quite  senseless  before  he  could 
be  dragged  out.  After  a  good  deal  of  rubbing 
and  administering  of  restoratives  he  came  to 
himself,  and  the  first  words  he  uttered  were,  "  I 
thought  I  was  a  gone 'coon;"  and  then  he  added 
a  few  more  horrible  expletives.  He  was  from 
California. 

Jan.  22. — Among  my  sick,  is  the  wife  of  a 
small  tradesman.  She  complains  bitterly  of  the 
gold  diggings,  for  she  says  that  they  have  seduced 
her  husband  away  from  a  very  fair  business,  and 
given  him  nothing  in  return.  In  fact,  she  is  so 
badly  off  that  I  must  assist  her.  This  gold 
mania,  affects  the  steadiest  people  with  roving 
propensities.  People  say  that  the  sight  of  the 
rich  virgin  gold  cropping  out  from  the  soil  after 
a  hard  dig,  is  something  too  exciting  to  be 
described,  And  this  hunting  for  the  precious 
metal  is  as  uncertain  as  a  lottery.  Two  men  will 
have  two  pits  side  by  side.  One  man  will  get 
three  or  four  thousand  pounds'  worth  before  he 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  241 

has  dug  twenty  feet,  whilst  his  neighbour  will 
go  down  a  hundred  feet  and  find  nothing.  Again, 
the  latter,  in  disgust,  will  sell  his  pit  to  the  former 
for  a  trifle,  and  go  away  to  other  ground.  The 
new  occupant  will  dig  two  feet  further  and  find 
a  great  isolated  lump  of  pure  gold,  weighing, 
perhaps,  fifty  pounds.  It  is  this  gambling  and 
uncertain  nature  of  the  operation  which  renders 
it  so  fascinating  and  so  demoralising.  Yet  it  is 
impossible  not  to  recognise  in  this  great  migratory 
movement  of  races  in  search  of  gold,  the  hand  of 
an  All-wise  Providence  working  by  secondary 
causes.  Fertile  regions  lie  unexplored  and  un- 
occupied in  one  quarter  of  the  globe,  overcrowded 
populations  starve  in  another.  Powerful  induce- 
ments are  required  to  stimulate  these  starving 
and  unquiet  masses  to  traverse  a  waste  of  waters, 
and  occupy  regions  teeming  with  every  wealth  ; 
and  under  Providence  a  powerful  inducement  is 
found.  That  lump  of  gold  —  the  metal  which 
men  most  covet — found  by  a  poor  black  fellow 
as  it  cropped  up  above  the  soil  near  Bathurst, 
has  entirely  changed  the  destinies  of  Australia. 
Three  years  ago  this  wonderful  country  was  so 
coolly  looked  upon  at  home  as  a  haven  for 
emigration,  that  few  people  availed  themselves 
even  of  Government  free  passages,  and  cultivation 
of  the  finest  land  in  the  world  went  on  slowly  for 
want  of  means.     Now  large  ships,  with  crowded 

R 


242  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

living  freights,  fill  the  harbours  of  Adelaide, 
Sydney,  and  Melbourne,  the  population  of  which 
last  city  has  increased  in  eighteen  months  from 
25,000  to  100,000.  Not  many  years  ago,  the 
same  cause  made  the  fertile  desolate  California 
to  become  the  drain  of  the  restless  spirits  of  the 
over-populated  United  States,  seaboard,  and  the 
results  in  the  two  auriferous  countries  will  ulti- 
mately be  the  same.  Enormous  populations  will 
grow  up  quite  unconnected  with  the  diggings, 
and  apply  themselves  to  commerce,  agriculture, 
and  the  arts.  Christianity  will  have  diffused  its 
blessed  influence  over  countries  once  inhabited 
by  the  grizzly  bear  or  the  almost  equally  savage 
man,  and  thus  the  moral  universe  will  advance 
with  slow  and  solemn  steps  to  that  glorious 
consummation  prophetically  set  forth  by  Isaiah, — 
"  The  earth  shall  be  full  of  the  knowledge  of  the 
Lord  as  the  waters  cover  the  sea." 

Jan.  24. —  Went  on  a  visit  to  an  Australian 
gentleman's  house  in  the  Vale  of  Mulgoa,  forty 
miles  from  Sydney,  lie  lives  in  a  spacious  man- 
sion surrounded  by  a  most  fertile  estate,  which 
yields  him  everything  that  a  family  can  require. 
His  table  is  admirably  served,  and  his  equipage, 
save  in  some  little  details  imperceptible  to  most, 
is  certainly  equal  to  the  turn-out  of  any  country 
English  gentleman,  lie  has  ten  acres  near  the 
house  laid  down  with  Rhine,  Hermitage,  and  Tor- 


IN  AUSTRALIA.  AND  TASMANIA.  243 

tugal  vines.  The  wines  turn  out  very  well,  but 
roughish  and  tremendously  strong.  They  are  also 
capricious,  and  get  pricked  all  of  a  sudden  with- 
out any  assignable  cause.  My  hospitable  friend 
consumes  all  that  he  produces,  and  is  most  liberal 
of  his  wine  to  all  his  retainers,  who  have  with 
great  good  taste  taken  to  like  his  wholesome  wine 
rather  than  the  poisonous  importations  from  Eng- 
land, called  spirits,  beer,  and  wine.  I  am  glad  to 
say  that  the  rising  Australian  population  are  par- 
ticularly sober,  and  probably  will  take,  in  time,  to 
a  moderate  consumption  of  their  own  country 
wines. 

Jan.  25. —  Visited  Richmond,  a  town  that  lies 
close  under  the  first  range  of  Blue  Mountains, 
where,  in  a  beautiful  cottage,  surrounded  by  a 
small  and  fertile  estate  which  yields  every  neces- 
sary of  life,  live  two  sisters,  ladies  who  are  the 
kindest  and  most  hospitable  people  in  the  world, 
gladdening  surrounding  society.  I  was  intro- 
duced to  the  clergyman  and  surgeon  of  the  dis- 
trict, both  excellent  men.  I  wandered  in  the 
spacious  garden  of  my  friends,  where,  amidst  the 
odour  of  an  avenue  of  orange-trees,  and  the  fra- 
grance of  roses  and  honeysuckles,  jasmine,  car- 
nations, and  the  thyme  borders,  i  admired  under 
a  pure,  elastic  atmosphere,  the  rugged,  serrated 
summits  of  the  not  distant  mountain  range. 


244  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

Jan.  27. —  While  I  was  visiting  the  wool-press, 
and  looking  at  some  young  horses,  a  thunder- 
storm came  on.  It  was  quite  terrifying  to  see 
the  forked  lightning  darting  like  fiery  arrows 
amid  the  surrounding  forest,  levelling  huge  trees, 
and  accompanied,  not  followed,  by  roars  of  thun- 
der. We  feared  for  the  premises,  but,  thank 
God,  they  were  spared.  Two  miles  away,  a  barn 
was  consumed  by  the  fiery  javelins  of  heaven. 

Jan.  28. —  Rode  to  see  a  fine  view  of  the 
Nepean  river,  which  here  leaves  the  Mulgoa 
plain,  and  flows  through  densely-wooded  heights 
of  mighty  altitude.  We  stood  upon  a  rock  called 
Gibraltar,  and  looked  down  a  thousand  feet, 
watching  the  clear  river  steadily  flowing  beneath 
us.  It  was  a  sight  not  easily  to  be  forgotten. 
In  the  evening  I  dined  at  the  bouse  of  another 
Australian  magnate,  whose  rooms  were  adorned 
with  pictures  and  statuary,  and  whose  dinner  was 
served,  setting  aside  some  trifling  discrepancies, 
quite  faultlessly.  At  night  some  German  vine- 
dressers attached  to  the  estate  came  in,  and 
sweetly  sang,  without  accompaniment,  songs  of 
the  Fatherland 

Jan.  29 — Rode  into  Sydney,  and  on  the  way 
experienced  the  effects  of  the  day  before  yester- 
day's storm.  The  road  was  cut  up  by  the  rain- 
torrents,  and  huge  trees,  some  rooted  out  of  their 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  245 

sockets  by  the  hurricane,  others  blasted  by  the 
lightning,  lay  scattered  round  us,  or  impeded  our 
path. 

Jan.  31. —  Made  a  great  many  ministerial  calls 
in  my  district.  Find  that  the  Sydney  ladies  will 
not  take  the  trouble  to  make  their  toilet  in  early 
morning.  So,  when  I  call  at  one  or  two  o'clock, 
I  have  to  wait  twenty  minutes  or  half-an-hour, 
and  then  they  come  down  looking  rather  flurried 
and  fragrant  of  soap. 

Feb.  1. —  Was  present  at  a  meeting  of  the 
Diocesan  Society.  There  was  very  much  irrele- 
vant talk,  and  very  little,  if  anything,  done. 

Feb.  2. —  I  took  Morning  Service  at  Christ 
Church,  it  being  the  Feast  of  the  Purification. 

Feb.  9. — Having  determined  to  give  an  Evening 
Service  every  day  in  Lent,  I  began  this  evening 

(Ash  Wednesday)   in    Mr.  D 's  school-room, 

which  has  been  kindly  lent  me  for  the  purpose. 
Twenty  persons  attended,  which  is  a  very  good 
beginning. 

Feb.  16. —  Having  been  appointed  Chaplain  to 
Sydney  Gaol,  I  entered  on  my  functions  there 
to-day. 

Feb.  20  (Sundaij). — Took  my  first  Service  at 
the  gaol  this  morning  at  nine.  In  the  middle  of 
a  long  corridor  against  the  wall  is  a  pulpit 
arranged,  from  which  the  Prayers  are  read  and 
the  Sermon  is  preached.      In  the  body  of  this 


246  DIARY   OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

corridor,  to  the  right  and  left  of  the  Officiating: 
Minister,  are  arranged  the  prisoners.  A  thick 
veil  divides  the  males  from  the  females.  Every- 
thing went  off  with  great  order  and  decorum,  but 
I  felt  very  gloomy  at  seeing  so  many  criminals 
congregated  together,  with  their  short  hair  and 
sad-coloured  prison  clothes,  and  at  hearing  the 
occasional  clanking  of  chains. 

Feb.  23. —  Gave  a  full  Service  at  the  gaol,  and 
afterwards  had  certain  prisoners  brought  in,  one 
after  the  other,  to  the  cell  which  is  appropriated  to 
me.  I  had  a  very  satisfactory  interview  with  four 
men,  who  spoke  frankly  and  honestly,  without 
making  any  attempt  to  deceive  me  by  over-pro- 
fessions. Some  women  whom  I  saw,  were  very 
disgusting  people  in  every  way. 

Feb.  25. —  Hear  a  great  deal  of  indignation 
expressed  at  the  revelations  which  have  been 
made  concerning  the  gambling  which  has  been 
going  on  during  the  outward  voyage  of  the 
"  Cleopatra,"  a  fine,  gaudily-ornamented  steamer, 
just  arrived  from  England.  They  say  that  French 
hazard  was  played  every  evening  on  board  ;  that 
some  of  the  players  were  professed  sharpers  ;  and 
that  several  passengers  were  victimised  to  a  large 
amount.  Whether  this  indignation  be  well- 
founded  I  know  not,  for  I  find  that  the  most 
exaggerated  statements  find  a  ready  currency  in 
the  colonies.     Vet  I  think  that  no  captain  of  a 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  247 

ship  is  justified  in  allowing  his  cuddy-table  to  be 
nightly  occupied  by  parties  playing  at  games  of 
chance. 

Feb.  27  (Sunday). —  At  nine  a.m.  I  gave  a 
full  Service  at  the  gaol ;  at  ten  I  opened  the  Sun- 
dny-school,  and  catechised  ;  then  I  had  full  Ser- 
vice at  the  Court-House,  which  was  finished  at 
one  ;  I  then  gave  Exposition  to  some  sick  prisoners 
in  the  gaol  infirmary;  at  half-past  two  I  dined 
with  the  worthy  governor  of  the  gaol,  Captain 
Webster ;  after  that  I  attended  the  "Sunday- 
school,  which  is  opened  to-day  for  the  first  time 
in  the  afternoon  ;  and  at  seven  officiated  at  the 
Evening  Service  in  the  Court-House.  Everything 
in  my  district  progresses  most  satisfactorily. 
The  Services  at  the  Court-House  were  very  fully 
attended,  and  at  the  Sunday-schools  no  less  than 
forty  children  were  present,  many  of  whom,  if 
they  were  not  with  me,  would  be  running  about 
the  streets.  And  then  I  make  it  a  sine  quel  non 
that  all  the  children  accompany  me  from  the 
school-room  to  church  in  due  order,  two  and 
two.  This  proceeding  not  only  makes  an  effect 
in  the  eyes  of  Dissenters,  who,  until  now,  have 
had  it  all  their  own  way  here,  but  it  prevents 
the  children  from  slily  getting  away  and  going  to 
chapel,  or  somewhere  worse. 

Feb.  28. —  Had  a  very  small  congregation  at 
my  Lenten  Service  this  evening,  owing,  I  believe, 


248  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

to  a  large  tea- drinking  going  on  in  a  Methodist 
chapel  hard  by. 

March  1. — The  dust  in  Sydney  and  the  suburbs 
is  perfectly  frightful  to-day.  It  fills  the  nose, 
eyes,  and  mouth,  until  the  victim  is  nearly  choked. 

March  3. — A  certain  woman  who  had  prayed  me 
to  visit  her  on  her  sick-bed,  and  professed  to  have 
become  aware  of  the  errors  of  Roman  Catholic  tenets 
which  she  had  formerly  held,  to-day  insolently 
ordered  me  out  of  her  cottage,  asserting  that  she 
had  returned  to  the  true  faith.  Without  entering 
into  the  vexed  question  of  the  demerits  of  Popery, 
and  the  comparative  perfection  of  Anglicanism  as 
representing  a  visible  Christian  Church,  I  can 
assert,  as  a  practical  person,  speaking  from  expe- 
rience, that  I  have  the  greatest  possible  suspicion 
of  lloman  Catholic  people  who  profess  to  see  the 
errors  of  their  religion  and  wish  to  "  turn/'  as 
the  lower  classes  express  themselves.  None  of 
the  pretended  "conversions,"  to  which  I  have 
been  witness,  have  turned  out  satisfactorily. 

March  22. —  Having  occasion  to  make  use  of 
a  hackney-coach  for  three  hours,  I  had  to  pay 
15s.  for  it.  Sydney  is  rapidly  becoming  as  dear 
as  Melbourne. 

March  26  (Saturday  in  Passion  Week). — Gave 
a  full  Evening  Service  in  the  school-room,  as  I 
have  done  every  evening  this  week.  Many  have 
attended,  some  few  Wesleyans. 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  249 

March  29. —  A  man  is  in  gaol  charged  with 
murder ;  the  charge  he,  of  course,  denies,  and 
begs  me  to  busy  myself  about  his  defence.  So, 
to-day  1  have  been  exerting  myself  to  get  alibi 
evidence  for  him.  It  would  be  a  terrible  thing 
for  me  to  have  to  attend  him  on  the  scaffold,  even 
if  he  were  guilty;  much  more  so,  if  I  considered 
him  to  be  innocent. 

March  31. — Bought  one  of  Alexander's  Har- 
moniums at  an  auction-room  in  Sydney.  I  will 
place  it  in  the  Court-House,  the  singing  master 
will  play  it,  and  I  hope  to  get  up  a  choral-service. 
I  buy  it  on  my  own  account  for  19/.,  and  on 
Sunday  I  will  propose  that  the  congregation 
take  it  from  me  for  18/.  I  am  sure  they  would 
do  it,  if  it  cost  double. 

April  2. —  Spent  the  morning  at  the  gaol,  visit- 
ing the  men  and  women's  side.  One  of  the  men 
came  up  to  me  very  consequentially,  and  held  out 
his  hand,  saying,  "  I  am  glad  to  see  a  brother  clergy- 
man, sir."  I  asked  him  who  he  was;  and  he  turned 
out  to  be  some  popular  dissenting  preacher  — 
Wesleyan,  Baptist,  or  Independent,  I  forget  which 
— who  had  had  three  years'  imprisonment  given 
him  for  raising  money  at  a  pawnbroker's  on  some 
casks  of  tallow,  which  on  examination  turned  out 
to  be  full  of  sand,  with  tallow  ingeniously  arranged 
at  the  tops  and  bottoms.  Of  course  he  made  out 
that  the  jury  were  wrong,  and  that  his  brother- 


250  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

ministers  would  not  assist  him  out  of  jealousy.  I 
do  not  like  his  manners  at  all :  but,  at  his  earnest 
request,  I  took  some  voluminous  papers  and  pro- 
mised to  look  over  his  case.  A  female  prisoner 
begged  some  money  of  me.  Her  time  will  be  up 
very  soon,  and  she  wants  to  obtain  support  till  she 
can  obtain  a  place.  I,  who  know  that,  though  she 
is  an  excellent  cook,  she  is  a  drunken,  depraved 
woman,  gave  her  what  she  wanted,  praying  her  to 
abstain  in  future  from  her  bad  ways.  She  pro- 
mised me  most  solemnly  that  she  would.  Find 
everything  very  clean  and  orderly  at  the  gaol,  and 
the  turnkeys — at  least  the  men  turnkeys — decent, 
respectable  people.  The  Governor  of  the  gaol  is 
a  gentleman  ;  he  is  severe  and  just,  and  seems  to 
be  universally  esteemed  and  respected. 

April  3  {Sunday). — We  tried  the  Harmonium 
to-day,  the  singing-master  playing,  and  the  boys 
chanting  the  Venite,  the  Psalms,  the  Te  Deum, 
the  Jubilate,  and  the  Versicles,  between  the  Com- 
mandments. All  went  off  admirably.  I  ad- 
vertised after  the  Nicene  Creed  the  state  of  the 
case  to  the  congregation,  and  begged  those  who 
wished  to  contribute  to  the  purchase  of  the  in- 
strument to  put  their  names  down  on  a  paper 
after  Divine  Service.  The  result  was  that  20/. 
were  subscribed  in  five  minutes,  beingJ2Z.  more 
than  required.  I  always  find  that  the  laity,  if 
they  arc   treated  witli   candid   confidence,  will   do 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  251 

anything  for  the  Church.  My  choir  is  composer! 
of  the  sons  of  small  tradesmen,  and  they  are 
little  fellows  who  have  distinguished  themselves 
in  the  Sunday-school.  They  have  two  music 
lessons  a-week,  of  two  hours  each,  and  are  ex- 
pected to  sing  very  correctly.  I  make  them  little 
presents  at  times,  and  have  got  together  a  small 
circulating  library  for  them.  They  are  very  proud 
of  their  position,  and  induce  other  play-fellows 
to  come  to  school  and  church  ;  and  then,  in  time, 
the  careless  parents,  too,  are  shamed  into  coming 
also.  These  twelve  boys'  and  four  men's  voices, 
two  bass,  one  tenor,  the  other  counter-tenor, 
made  a  very  good  effect  to-day.  Hitherto  we 
have  been  chanting  without  accompaniment,  a 
very  good  exercise  for  the  boys. 

April  4. — The  woman  to  whom  I  gave  the 
money  on  Saturday,  called  at  my  house  to-day 
with  a  terrible  black  eye,  and  in  a  very  uproarious 
state  of  drunkenness,  to  thank  "  the  Minister  for 
his  good  advice  and  his  kindness  to  her  when  she 
was  in  trouble." 

April  6.  —  Attended  the  criminal  sessions  at 
the  Court-House.  Left  abruptly,  for  some  dis- 
agreeable case  came  on  in  which  Chinese  were 
mixed  up.  These  people  are  the  most  abominable 
sensualists  in  the  world,  and  1  cannot  conceive  it 
to  be  any  advantage  to  any  country  to  be  so 
overrun  with  them  as  Australia  is. 


252  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

April  9.  —  Sat  in  Court  ten  hours,  watching 
the  trial  of  that  man  for  murder.  I  was  the  more 
interested  in  the  case,  because  I  had  endeavoured 
to  procure,  at  his  earnest  request,  some  alibi 
evidence  for  him,  and  I  was  not  quite  satisfied 
with  the  result  of  my  investigations.  After  a 
very  long  trial  the  man  was  acquitted.  His  be- 
haviour in  the  dock  was  bold  and  audacious.  In 
the  Court  1  recognised  an  individual  who,  a  few 
years  ago,  fled  from  his  country  for  speculating 
with  the  funds  of  a  public  institution,  of  which  he 
was  secretary  or  treasurer.  These  speculations 
ultimately  induced  immense  losses.  What  ad- 
mirable means  do  our  colonies  afford  to  faded 
characters  for  turning  over  a  new  leaf !  This 
gentleman,  instead  of  passing  his  life  in  penury 
and  disgrace  in  the  cheap  purlieus  of  Boulogne, 
Paris,  or  Brussels,  is  now  in  a  position  for  making 
a  brilliant  career  in  a  new  country.  If  successful 
in  his  profession,  he  can  accept  office  under  the 
Government  and  become  one  of  the  Ministry  :  if 
unsuccessful  and  soured,  he  can  enter  the  Oppo- 
sition and  embarrass  the  ruling  powers  under  the 
guise  of  patriotism  :  nay,  as  time  wears  on,  it 
might  come  to  pass  that  he  may  sit  in  the  pre- 
sidential chair,  guiding  the  destinies  of  the  Great 
Australasian  Republic. 

April  20.  —  In  the  evening  I  was  introduced 
to  a  young   lady,   the   daughter   of  an    English 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  253 

gentleman  by  a  New  Zealand  mother.  She  was 
of  a  rich  brown  colour,  with  luxuriant  hair,  and 
seemed  possessed  of  much  intelligence,  modesty, 
and  amiability.  I  heard  her  play  some  difficult 
operatic  German  music,  with  much  correctness 
and  feeling. 

April  27.  —  Saw  a  small  cottage  sold  for  1630/. 
that  a  respectable  English  family  would  not  live 
in.  But  a  respectable  family  here  must  be  con- 
tent to  live  in  it,  and  be  content  to  pay  a  high 
rent  for  it.  New  South  Wales  is  suffering  all 
the  disadvantages  of  a  gold-producing  country, 
such  as  rise  of  rent,  provisions,  wages,  and  uni- 
versal confusion,  without  as  yet  reaping  any  cor- 
responding advantages. 

May  14.  —  A  great  many  people  are  ill  with 
the  influenza.  Illnesses  here  are  much  more 
rapid  in  their  progress  than  in  England;  and 
people  recover  with  great  rapidity  as  soon  as  the 
crisis  is  passed.  I  have  known  persons  to  be  in 
excellent  health ;  then  on  the  point  of  death, 
attended  by  two  doctors;  and  then  recovered 
again,  though  looking  a  little  pulled  down  —  all 
in  the  space  of  three  or  four  days.  I  do  not  con- 
sider Sydney  a  particularly  healthy  place.  The 
air  is  relaxing  and  causes  great  nervous  irritabi- 
lity, and  the  people  look  nesh  and  creamy,  and 
are  continually  liable  to  derangements.  The 
doctors  are  always  on  the  run,  and  some  of  them 


254  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

make  excellent  incomes.  One  of  them  is  said 
to  make  three  or  four  thousand  a-year.  He  is 
said  to  have  been  sent  out  of  England  twenty  or 
thirty  years  ago  for  being  concerned  in  a  duel. 

May   20. —  Was   introduced  to  Lord  H 

S and  Lord  S K ,  who,  accompanied 

by  a  clergyman,  are  wisely  visiting  Australia. 

May  25. —  To-day  came  out  to  Sydney  the 
melancholy  news  that  our  venerable  Bishop  is 
dead.  His  Joss  is  a  great  blow  to  the  colony,  and 
especially  to  the  clergy,  to  whom  he  was  a  bene- 
factor, a  teacher,  and  a  friend.  We  attribute  his 
death  to  the  hardships  he  sustained  in  crossing 
the  isthmus  of  Panama  on  his  return  home.  For 
instance,  his  mule  got  bogged,  became  restive, 
and  threw  him  heavily. 

May  2G.  —  Went  to  a  concert.  Haydn's  "  Sur- 
prise" was  deliciously  played.  The  audience  be- 
haved remarkably  well,  and  applauded  in  the  right 
place. 

May  31. —  Had  the  pleasure  of  a  conversation 
with  Mr.  Lewis  Filmore,  who  has  come  out  here 
as  the  correspondent  of  the  "  Times."  This 
gentleman  has  made  the  best  translation  of  the 
first  part  o!  the  "  Faust  "  that  we  have. 

June  1. — Bode  out  to  Cook's  River,  near 
which  1  visited  two  very  old  people,  gipsies,  from 
whom  have  sprung  a  very  numerous  tribe  —  no 
less,  I  am  informed,  than  seventy  or  eighty  souls. 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  255 

June  7 '. — Attended  a  Diocesan  Meeting,  which 
was  much  more  fertile  in  desultory  conversation 
than  practical  resolutions. 

June  9. — Gave  the  Sunday-school  children  a 
tea-drinking.  Seventy  attended,  a  number  that 
I  have  never  yet  seen  on  Sundays.  They  were 
regaled  with  a  magic  lantern  afterwards,  to  their 
great  glee. 

June  15. — Visited  the  gaol.  There  is  a  great 
emulation  among  the  prisoners  as  to  who  is  to 
be  my  clerk.     Have  some  difficulty  in  deciding. 

July  4.  —  Attended  a  large  public  meeting  in 
St.  James's  school-room,  in  aid  of  the  funds  of 
the  Sydney  Cathedral.  The  Bishop  of  New  Zea- 
land, who  has  touched  at  Sydney  on  his  way  to 
the  islands  of  the  Pacific,  presided.  1  was  much 
struck  by  his  noble  bearing  and  his  irresistible 
eloquence.  He  put  me  in  mind  of  a  New  Zea- 
land chief  haranguing  his  followers.  He  used 
much  action,  and  exquisitely  modulated  his  voice. 
He  told  us  how  the  New  Zealanders  would  spare 
no  sacrifice  in  erecting  a  house  of  God,  and  then 
appealed  to  the  generosity  of  the  Sydney  people, 
who  had  suffered  their  Cathedral  to  remain  so 
long  unfinished.  He  quoted  with  great  effect 
those  noble  lines  of  Wordsworth  :  — 

"  Give  all  thou  canst,  high  Heaven  rejects  the  lore 
Of  nicely-calculated  less  or  more  " 


256  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

His  appeal  was  irresistible.  600/.  were  subscribed 
there  and  then,  and  we  are  filled  with  hopes  that 
a  great  reproach  to  Sydney  will  be  wiped  out. 

July  6. — Dined  at  the  same  table  with  twenty 
Polynesian  boys  and  two  Mare  girls,  whom  the 
Bishop  of  New  Zealand,  after  educating  them  in 
the  College  at  Auckland,  is  taking  home  in  the 
Missionary  yacht  to  their  respective  parents. 
They  all  seemed  well-behaved,  intelligent  young 
people,  and  regarded  their  protector  and  his 
good  lady  with  feelings  akin  to  adoration.  After 
dinner  they  set  to  at  cricket  with  great  energy. 
Future  Church  chroniclers  will  say  great  things 
of  this  Bishop  Selwyn.  His  successful  labours  as 
a  missionary  and  humaniser  of  savage  nations 
will  cause  him  to  be  ranked  as  one  of  the  great 
spirits  of  the  age, 

July  19.  —  Attended  a  Missionary  meeting,  at 
which  were  present  the  Bishops  of  New  Zealand 
and  Newcastle.  The  Bishop  of  Newcastle's  see 
extends  to  the  northward  of  Sydney,  embracing 
Moreton  Bay  and  Wide  Bay.  He  is  a  bishop 
less  known  in  England  than  the  other  Austral- 
asian bishops,  yet  he  is  one  of  the  most  success- 
ful. Some  of  the  bishops  are  disliked  by  their 
clergy,  others  by  the  laity ;  but  this  excellent 
prelate  is  appreciated  and  beloved  by  both  clergy 
and  laity:  by  the  former,  because  he  acts  to  them 


IN  AUSTRALIA   AND  TASMANIA.  257 

as  a  brother,  and  not  a  hard  taskmaster ;  by  the 
latter,  because  be  acts  towards  them  with  judi- 
cious firmness  and  the  most  entire  good  faith. 
"Our  bishop/'  many  have  told  me,  "is  a  fair 
man  and  straightforward,  and  in  all  his  eccle- 
siastical arrangements  we  can  depend  on  him." 
An  excellent  character  this  of  a  man,  who  from 
the  nature  of  his  diocese  has  an  immense  deal  of 
ecclesiastical  organisation  to  do.  His  personal 
energy,  too,  is  great ;  and  often  fifty,  sixty,  and 
seventy  miles  a-day  are  traversed  on  horseback 
by  Bishop  Tyrrell. 

July  21. — A  prisoner  died  in  the  gaol  hospital 
from  aneurism  of  the  aorta. 

July  22.  —  Visited  several  sick  persons.  Many 
people  are  ill,  owing  to  the  extraordinarily  sudden 
changes  of  the  atmosphere.  Influenza  is  now 
raging  for  the  third  time  during  the  last  nine 
months. 

July  30.  — The  Bishop  of  New  Zealand  left 
Sydney  in  a  vessel  called  the  "  Gratitude." 

Aug.  6.  —  Rode  on  horseback  to  Botany  Bay 
and  La  Perouse's  monument.  I  was  out  three 
hours  altogether,  and  I  was  charged  fifteen  shil- 
lings for  the  hire  of  the  horse. 

Aug.  10.  —  Had  my  usual  Wednesday  Service 
at  the  gaol.  There  are  four  men  here,  escaped 
convicts  from  Norfolk  Island.  They  got  away 
from  the  island  in   a  boat,  after  drowning  one 

s 


<lOQ         DIARV  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

or  two  of  their  keepers.  They  then  plundered 
of  her  provisions  a  small  schooner,  which  was 
lying  in  the  offing,  and  directed  their  course,  as 
they  thought,  for  Port  Phillip.  But  they  much 
mistook  their  course,  for  they  sighted  land  in 
the  Moreton  Bay  district.  They  endeavoured  at 
first  to  coast  along;  but  being  short  of  pro- 
visions, soon  desisted  from  that,  and  took  to  the 
bush.  Soon  news  arrived  from  Norfolk  Island 
of  their  escape,  and  they  were  tracked  and  hunted 
like  wild  beasts,  both  by  the  white  settlers  and 
black  police,  until,  worn  to  skeletons,  they  sur- 
rendered, and  were  marched  to  the  nearest  town- 
ship, whence  they  were  ultimately  forwarded  to 
Sydney,  there  to  await  their  trial  for  robbery  and 
murder.  I  had  an  interview  with  one.  He 
was  a  shortish  man,  of  prodigious  muscular  de- 
velopment, and  he  was  introduced  to  me  heavily 
ironed.  He  recounted  to  me  the  whole  of  the 
story  with  great  calmness ;  and  on  my  exhorting 
him  not  to  live  as  one  without  hope,  he  answered, 
witli  a  melancholy  air,  that  for  his  part  he  was 
without  hope,  both  in  this  world  and  the  next  ; 
that  he  had  so  suffered  at  Norfolk  Island,  and 
subsequently,  that  he  felt  quite  desperate,  and 
that  he  did  not  care  what  became  of  him.  He 
said  that  the  discipliue  at  the  island  was  so 
severe,  and  the  breaches  of  discipline  were  so  ri- 
gorously punished,  that  the  place  was  intolerable ; 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  259 

that  for  the  slightest  noise,  smoking  at  forbidden 
hours,  want  of  respect  to  turnkeys,  &c.,  the  term 
of  imprisonment  was  prolonged — a  term  of  weeks 
and  months,  unknown  to  the  culprit ;  so  that  a 
man,  originally  condemned  for  three  years,  might, 
for  a  series  of  peccadilloes  against  prison  dis- 
cipline, almost  unnoticed  by  himself  at  the  time, 
subject  himself  to  a  detention  for  five  years.  He 
was  anxious  for  information  on  two  points :  one 
was,  if  they  were  to  be  tried  only  for  piracy,  or 
for  piracy  and  murder ;  the  other,  how  the  gaol 
lay  with  regard  to  the  cardinal  points  and  the 
sea.  I  could  not  answer  one  question,  and  would 
not  the  other. 

Aug.  15. —  A  lady,  who  lived  four  years  at 
Norfolk  Island,  her  husband  being  chaplain  to 
the  prisoners,  told. me  that  the  island  is  a  para- 
dise. The  climate  is  perfect,  and  the  island  is 
composed  of  miniature  hill  and  valley,  diversified 
with  streamlets,  and  shaded  by  groves  of  that 
most  beautiful  pine-tree  which  takes  its  name 
from  the  locality.  As  she  had  a  beautiful  garden, 
and  convict  labour  ad  libitum  to  cultivate  it,  she 
and  the  other  ladies,  officers'  wives,  found  them- 
selves very  comfortable. 

Aug.  21  {Sunday). — Most  satisfactory  con- 
gregations in  the  morning  and  evening  at  the 
Court-House.  284  attended  at  the  first  Service; 
152  at  the  second.     The  choir-boys  sang  admir- 


260         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

ably,  being  very  distinct  and  very  correct.  Their 
singing  far  exceeds  every  other  church  singing  in 
Sydney.  The  congregation  are  learning  to  ac- 
company them  in  the  Psalms.  I  grieve  much 
that  the  shaken  state  of  my  health,  consequent 
on  my  privations  in  the  bush,  will  compel  me 
soon  to  relinquish  all  that  I  have  worked  up  here 
with  so  much  labour,  and  to  return  to  England. 

Aug.  22. —  Employed  a  great  portion  of  the 
day  in  endeavouring  to  find  a  ship  on  the  point 
of  sailing  for  Bombay  or  Singapore.  At  last  I 
engaged  a  passage  in  a  stout  Bremen  ship,  bound 
for  the  latter  place.  I  believe  she  will  sail  in 
three,  or  four  days.  Before  leaving  this  favoured 
land,  I  cannot  think  that  I  have  done  my  duty 
unless  I  strongly  propose  emigration  as  the  pa- 
nacea for  all  the  social  evils  which  prevail  in  the 
overcrowded  mother-country.  If  I  were  asked 
to  name  the  remedies  for  all  the  sufferings  occa- 
sioned by  poverty,  which  too  many  of  our  coun- 
try people  have  to  endure,  I  would  answer  that 
the  first  is  emigration;  the  second,  emigration; 
and  the  third,  emigration.  I  am  not  alluding  to 
emigration  to  Australia  in  particular,  but  to  any 
of  those  numerous  colonies  which  are  scattered 
over  the  globe,  and  which  are  the  brightest 
jewels  of  our  crown.  There  is  no  want,  of  what- 
ever class  of  society,  which  emigration  does  not 
meet.     Health,  riches,  political  eminence,  a  most 


IX  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  261 

liberal  form  of  government,  employment,  the 
comforts  of  life,  and,  above  all,  a  veil  of  oblivion 
over  the  failings,  follies,  even  crimes,  of  a  past 
life,  await  those  who  land  on  our  distant  colonial 
shores;  whether  it  be  the  poor  noble — the  un- 
appreciated professional  man  —  the  ruined  trades- 
man—  the  artisan  out  of  work  —  the  starving 
agricultural  labourer — the  reformed  thief — or 
the  wretched  little  gamin  of  the  streets.  Is  a 
man  weakly  or  consumptive  ?  let  him  go  to  the 
Cape  or  Australia.  Is  he  poor?  he  will  find 
riches  there.  Is  he  ambitious?  then  he  will 
find  Legislative  Councils  easy  of  entrance.  A 
Democrat  ?  he  will  find  a  form  of  government 
democratic  enough  to  please  a  member  of  "  the 
Mountain."  A  criminal?  the  waters  of  the  At- 
lantic and  Pacific  Oceans  act  as  a  Lethe  to  the 
past;  and  people  out  there  will  not  inquire  too 
closely  about  the  antecedents  of  a  man  who  is  a 
reformed  character,  and  who  does  to  others  as  he 
would  be  done  by  himself.  Is  a  man  almost 
tempted,  in  a  discontented,  scoffing  spirit,  to 
laugh  to  scorn  those  beautiful  words  of  the 
Psalmist,  "  happy  is  the  man  who  has  his  quiver 
full  of  children?"  let  him  emigrate,  and  he  will 
scoff  no  longer,  but  experience  that  children  are, 
indeed,  "  a  heritage  and  gift  that  cometh  of  the 
Lord."  Do  young  people  of  small  means  wish 
to  marry,  but  are  precluded  by  straitened  cir- 


26.2  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

cumstances  ?  let  them  marry  at  once,  and  go  out, 
not  wait  at  home  till  they  can  afford  an  expensive 
establishment;  which  olten  means,  waiting  until 
the  freshness  of  youth  has  passed  away.  No 
such  thing  as  "  ruin"  awaits  them  there.  If 
one  thing  fails,  another  can  be  taken  in  hand. 
Embarrassment  will  take  place  at  first  landing, 
but  patience,  prudence,  and  perseverance,  will  at 
last  conquer  all  difficulties,  and  carry  a  man  on- 
ward towards  the  summit  of  his  hopes.  And 
then  the  atmosphere  is  so  pure,  so  light  and 
buoyant,  that  none  of  the  accesses  of  low  spirits, 
so  common  in  the  mother-country,  when  one  en- 
counters a  reverse,  are  felt.  In  fact,  the  whole 
man  becomes  physically  and  morally  regene- 
rated ;  and  he  feels  an  independence  with  regard 
to  surrounding  influences  that  he  never  felt 
before. 

Aug.  25.  —  Sailed  out  of  Sydney  Heads  in  a 
ship  bound  for  Singapore. 

Aug.  26. — Find  that  I  have  every  reason  to 
be  satisfied  with  the  captain,  who,  with  his  crew, 
are  from  Bremen,  lie  seems  to  be  an  excellent 
sailor,  and  has  gone  through  an  infinity  of  ad- 
ventures, having  been  engaged  in  the  slave-trade, 
assisted  in  the  Portuguese  civil  war,  and  held  a 
high  command  in  the  ephemeral  German  navy. 
Thus  he  has  German  orders,  Portuguese  orders, 
and    Brazilian   orders.      The  crew  are  a  very  re- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  263 

spectable  set,  and  the  ship  is  well  sailed,  and 
k»'pt  in  a  most  admirable  state.  The  steward 
was  a  waiter  in  an  hotel  at  Antwerp ;  but  having 
won  5000/.  in  a  lottery,  he  wishes  to  see  the  world 
a  little  before  settling  down  in  his  native  town  as 
master  of  his  own  establishment.  My  fellow- 
passenger  has  been  for  many  years  connected 
with  an  Australian  newspaper,  but  having  ac- 
quired a  large  fortune  by  land  speculations,  he 
is  returning  home  to  enjoy  it. 

Aug.  28. —  A  calm,  placid  day.  Ship  rolling 
about  somewhere  off  Port  Macquarie,  without 
making  any  progress.  One  of  my  companions 
lias  been  telling  stories  about  his  negroes  during 
the  passage  from  Africa  to  Brazil. 

Aug.  31. —  Ship  making  pretty  good  way, 
going  at  eight  knots.  We  are  now  off  Moreton 
Bay.  Captain  told  me,  that  the  only  way  to  pene- 
trate safely  into  the  interior  of  Cenh'al  Africa  is  to 
assume  the  calling  of  a  slave-merchant.  He  says 
that  the  population  take  an  interest  in  the  traffic, 
and  thus  the  traveller  can  be  passed  onward  from 
tribe  to  tribe  in  a  rude  palanquin  ;  whilst  they 
cannot  comprehend  the  idea  of  a  man  travelling 
for  the  sake  of  science.  His  instruments,  too, 
excite  the  suspicion  of  some,  the  cupidity  of 
others.  The  chiefs  think  they  are  for  magical 
purposes;  the  lower  classes  admire  their  beauty 
and    glitter,    and    cuvet    their    possession.       He 


264  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

knows  a  Jew,  a  slave-merchant,  who  has  twice 
made  the  journey  from  one  of  the  Portuguese 
colonies,  in  about  10°  S.  lat.  across  the  con- 
tinent to  Mozambique ;  and  he  himself  travelled 
due  east  in  the  interior  for  forty  days.  He, 
however,  caught  a  bad  fever  from  inhaling  poi- 
sonous night  exhalations  on  the  banks  of  a  river, 
and  was  forced  to  return.  As  he  went  pro- 
fessedly as  a  slave-dealer  he  was  treated  with 
great  respect,  and  was  borne  onward  night  and 
day,  without  delay,  through  various  districts,  on 
the  shoulders  of  four  stout  negroes;  while,  as 
darkness  came  on,  five  or  six  others  preceded 
him,  waving  torches  and  shouting  to  scare  away 
the  beasts  of  the  forest.  He  says  that  the  inland 
tribes  are  not  nearly  so  barbarous  as  we  imagine. 
They  not  only  have  laws,  but  they  obey  them. 
The  men  cultivate  the  soil  in  the  neighbourhood 
of  the  villages;  and  on  market-days  the  women 
swarm  in  from  the  country,  decently  clothed, 
with  hair  elaborately  parted  and  arranged,  carry- 
ing baskets  of  produce,  carefully  packed.  Shells 
are  their  currency,  and  they  will  take  in  a  buyer 
if  they  can. 

Sept.  5.  —  Heavy  winds  all  day.  At  night  we 
had  an  awful  thunder-storm.  A  pitchy  darkness 
enveloped  all,  save  when  it  was  cleft  and  torn  by 
jagged  flashes  of  forked  lightning,  which  struck 
the  seething  ocean  in  all  directions.     We,  how- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  265 

ever,  providentially  escaped.  A  booby  came  and 
took  refuge  on  our  jib-boom. 

Sept.  9. —  The  captain  very  coolly  announced 
to  me  that  he  had  altered  his  intention,  and  did 
not  intend  to  go  to  Singapore,  but  that  he 
should  go  to  Batavia,  in  Java,  instead.  He  pro- 
mises, however,  to  pass  me  on  from  Batavia  to 
Singapore. 

Sept.  10. —  Still  lamentable  cross-winds.  For 
ten  days  the  wind  has  blown  steadily  from 
N.  W.,  and  we  want  it  from  S.E.  We  were 
taught  to  expect  the  S.E.  trades  in  this  latitude 
(20°  S.).  The  captain,  who  is  not  very  well 
victualled,  has  promised  to  kill  a  pig  for  some 
time  past;  but  as  he  is  not  very  generous,  has 
hitherto  failed  to  do  it.  This  morning,  however, 
he  has  fulfilled  his  promise,  and  for  the  following 
reason,  as  I  think.  A  shark  has  been  following 
the  ship  for  the  last  four-and-twenty  hours. 
Now  sailors  will  tell  us  that  a  shark  following  a 
vessel  is  a  sign  of  an  impending  death  on  board ; 
and  our  captain,  who  shares  in  the  superstition 
of  his  brotherhood,  has,  I  believe,  sacrificed  his 
long-withheld  pig  as  a  propitiatory  sacrifice  to 
the  voracious  maw  of  our  persevering  follower. 
"It  is  an  ill  wind  that  blows  nobody  good."  All 
are  now  satisfied  except  the  immediate  victim. 
The  shark  evidently  is,  for  he  snapped  up  the 
offal  and  disappeared.     The  captain  is  satisfied, 


266  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

for  he  has  evaded  destiny  at  a  cheap  rate.  The 
passengers  are  satisfied,  too,  for  they  have  some- 
thing savoury  to  eat;  and  the  crew  cannot  fail  to 
be  content.  The  captain  has  placed  all  the  roast- 
ing-pieces  of  the  pig  into  boiling  vinegar  for  five 
or  ten  minutes.  By  that  means,  he  says,  the 
meat  will  keep  fresh  for  a  month,  and  when 
roasted,  will  yield  but  a  slight  taste  of  the 
vinegar. 

Sept.  11. —  Observed  the  mate  tying  his 
pocket-handkerchief  in  a  peculiar  manner  to  one 
of  the  ropes  aft.  He  told  me  it  was  for  a  fair 
wind.  I  asked  him  when  it  would  come.  "  To- 
morrow morning,  at  eight  o'clock/'  he  answered. 

Sept.  12. — At  eight  o'clock  this  morning,  when 
I  came  on  deck,  I  found  that  the  wind  was  shift- 
ing round  to  a  good  quarter.  At  nine  it  was 
entirely  favourable.  All  are  in  good  spirits. 
The  captain  told  us,  with  a  great  deal  of  glee, 
how  he  had  once,  when  loaded  with  slaves, 
tricked  an  English  cruiser,  by  running  in  among 
shoals  and  reefs,  where  the  cruiser  dared  not 
follow. 

Sept.  14  — Had  a  conversation  with  my  fellow- 
passenger  about  the  Colonial  Press.  He  tells 
me,  that  to  push  a  paper  into  notice  in  the 
colonics,  the  best  plan  is  to  oppose  with  virulence 
the  Government,  and,  above  all,  the  Governor, 
on    whom    should   be    lavished    every    species  of 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  267 

vituperation  and  personal  calumny.  If  the  Go- 
vernor regards  all  these  attacks  with  silent  dis- 
dain, it  is  a  great  misfortune  for  the  paper ;  but 
if  he  loses  his  temper,  chafes,  and  commences 
legal  proceedings  against  the  paper,  the  paper's 
fortune  is  made.  The  editor,  proceeded  against 
for  defamation,  must  defend  his  own  cause,  and 
boldly  become  his  own  barrister  :  he  must 
scarcely  confine  his  behaviour  in  court  within  the 
bounds  of  decency  ;  he  must  browbeat  and  insult 
witnesses  as  he  cross-examines  them  ;  and  in  his 
defence  he  must,  to  show  his  varied  attainments, 
diverge  into  matters  totally  irrelevant  to  the 
subject.  Above  all,  he  must  impress  on  the 
jury  that  the  object  of  the  present  prosecution  is 
not  such  an  humble  individual  as  himself;  no, 
it  is  a  powerful  combination  of  a  corrupt  Govern- 
ment (of  which  the  judge  is  ex  officio  a  member) 
against  the  civil  and  religious  liberties  of  the 
colony,  and  a  verdict  against  him  will  insure  an 
age  of  tyranny  and  oppression  to  a  young  and 
flourishing  state.  After  detaining  the  court  with 
this  stump  eloquence  for  five  or  six  hours,  my 
friend  continued,  the  defendant  will  sit  down 
with  an  exhausted  air,  feebly  flashing  forth  the 
indignation  of  a  wronged  and  oppressed  indi- 
vidual ;  the  judge  will,  as  in  duty  bound,  charge 
dead  against  him  ;  the  jury  will,  unless  they  are 
a   perjured   set,  give  a  verdict  against  him  ;  he 


268  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

will  go  to  prison  ;  an  indignation  meeting,  com- 
posed of  the  scum  of  the  population,  will  be 
held;  the  Governor  and  governing  authorities 
will  be  assailed  with  the  grossest  ribaldry;  a 
few  pounds  will  be  collected  ;  fresh  subscribers 
will  come  forward  —  some  out  of  sympathy, 
others  struck  by  his  pluck  and  talents;  from  the 
prison  the  paper  can  be  continued  ;  and  when  he 
comes  out  he  will  be  received  with  open  arms, 
and  his  journal  will  have  attained  a  firm  and 
respectable  footing.  After  our  conversation  had 
ceased,  I  could  not  refrain  from  marvelling  that 
the  newspaper  press  should  have  attained  to  its 
present  omnipotence  among  such  a  people  as  the 
British,  seeing  that  it  is  an  anonymous  and  irre- 
sponsible institution.  This  great  engine  for 
influencing  the  minds  of  men  can,  for  its  un- 
bounded power,  be  only  compared  with  the 
Church  of  the  middle  ages.  The  pulpit  of  the 
present  times  is  but  a  puny  infant  at  its  side  : 
whom  it  will,  it  casts  down;  whom  it  will,  it 
raises  up  :  even  the  most  powerful  quail  beneath 
its  censure.     It  is  a 

"  Power  moving  throughout,  subtle,  invisible, 
And  universal  as  the  air  we  breathe; 
A  power  that  never  slumbers  .... 
All  eye,  all  ear — nowhere,  and  everywhere, 
Entering  the  eloset  and  the  sanetuary." 

And  it  is  a  power  as  anonymous  as  the  Venetian 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  269 

Invisible  Three,  for  the  publisher's  name  at  the 
end  of  a  newspaper  throws  not  the  least  light 
upon  the  identity  of  those  "  ready  writers/'  who 
with  their  pens  influence  society  and  individuals 
for  good  or  evil.  And  it  is  an  irresponsible 
power,  for  it  is  amenable  to  no  organised  tri- 
bunal. The  priest  is  educated  for  the  Church, 
and  is  liable  to  ecclesiastical  discipline ;  the 
lawyer  is  under  high  judicial  control ;  the  soldier 
must  submit  himself  to  strict  military  discipline  : 
but  the  Press,  which  exercises  a  despotism  more 
complete  than  the  Church,  the  Law,  or  the 
Army,  requires  no  organised  education,  is  sub- 
jected to  no  legal  check,  except  the  law  of  libel, 
which  may  so  easily  be  evaded  as  to  be  equi- 
valent to  no  check  at  all.  Strange  anomaly ! 
that  a  country  so  systematic  and  order-loving  as 
England  is,  and  requiring  that  everything  should 
be  fair  and  above-board,  should  submit  to  be 
dictated  to  by  a  secret  power,  which,  if  not  ne- 
cessarily bad,  is  by  no  means  necessarily  good, 
and  yet  far  removed  from  all  direct  and  imme- 
diate censure  and  control,  except  the  fickle 
popular  cry. 

Sept.  15. —  Saw  a  sail  astern.  As  the  captain 
wishes  company  through  Torres  Straits,  he  slack- 
ened sail  for  her  to  come  up.  She  proved  to 
be  the  "  Homer,"  the  captain  of  which,  I  believe, 
had  no  charts  of  Torres  Straits, — an  American 


270  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

barque  hailing  from  Boston.  Captains  agreed  to 
go  through  together  in  company.  South-east 
trades  still  blowing  strong,  with  a  heavy  swell. 

Sept.  16. —  Arrived  at  midnight  nearly  off 
Torres  Straits,  as  we  imagined,  and  then  lay-to, 
as  the  entrance  is  obscure  and  dangerous. 

Sept.  17. —  We  did  not  arrive  off  Torres 
Straits  until  three  p.m.  On  our  left  we  saw  the 
wreck  of  a  large  ship  lying  high  and  dry  on  a 
reef,  with  her  back  broken  —  turpissimum  omen  ! 
On  our  right  we  saw  a  low  sandy  island,  crested 
with  black  rocks,  and  inhabited  by  innumerable 
birds.  It  is  called  Rainer's  Island.  On  it  I  saw 
three  huts,  and  a  round  tower  or  column,  roughly 
built  of  stones,  seventy  feet  high.  This  is  a 
beacon  proclaiming  the  entrance  of  the  Straits. 
We  anchored  at  sunset  thirty  miles  within  the 
Straits,  urged  on  by  the  south-east  wind  blowing 
freshly.  Saw  sand-banks  and  breakers  all  around 
us.  I  understand  that  the  lamentable  wrecks 
which  occur  in  these  Straits  arise  chiefly  from 
careless  reckonings  being  kept.  Ships  come  un- 
awares on  their  entrance  during  the  night  and 
get  aground. 

Sept.  18. — After  a  tempestuous  night  we  weighed 
anchor  at  sunrise,  and  proceeded  on  our  dangerous 
route.  Two  more  ships  have  joined  us ;  so  that 
now  we  are — one  Hollander  leading  the  van; 
then  ourselves;  then  the  Yankee;  and  in  the  rear 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  271 

two  Hamburgh  ships.  Anchored  a  little  before 
sundown ;  for,  sailing  due  west  as  we  are,  the 
beams  of  the  setting  sun  dazzle  the  eyes  of  the 
man  at  the  helm,  so  that  he  can  no  longer  dis- 
tinguish shallow  from  deep  water  by  the  colour. 

Sept.  19. — Weighed  anchor  at  daybreak,  and 
proceeded.  On  our  left  is  the  low,  sandy  coast  of 
Australia,  where  we  saw  two  huge  fires  lighted  by 
the  natives.  At  ten  a.m.  we  passed  on  our  right 
a  dangerous  reef,  scarcely  perceptible,  opposite  to 
Hannibal  Island,  which  lies  on  our  left,  close  to 
the  shore.  The  channel  here  is  about  five  miles 
across.  Passed  off  the  mouth  of  a  fine  Australian 
river,  called  Escape  River,  which  is  twice  as  wide 
as  the  Yarra  at  Melbourne.  Twenty  miles  farther 
on,  we  came  to  Newcastle  Bay,  where  we  anchored 
for  the  night.  This  is  a  fine  bay,  and,  as  I  hear 
that  there  are  rivers  flowing  into  it,  would  make 
a  good  locality  for  a  settlement.  During  the  day 
I  saw  a  sea-snake  idly  floating  along.  It  had  no 
fins,  was  of  a  whitey-brown  colour,  and  must  have 
measured  in  length  six  feet  at  the  least. 

Sept.  20. —  At  daybreak  all  five  ships  weighed 
anchor  and  started.  At  nine  a.m.  we  passed  Cape 
York,  a  bold  promontory,  standing  far  out  into 
the  sea.  Soon  after,  passed  between  Possession 
Island  and  Prince  of  Wales  Island.  Saw  four 
Australian  natives  in  the  distance ;  three  entirely 
naked,  and  one  with  an  opossum  rug  on.     When 


272  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

they  perceived  us,  they  fled  into  the  bush  swiftly. 
On  our  left  were  a  succession  of  pretty  bays  and 
small  islands,  clothed  with  green  shrubs.  Behind 
rose  in  gentle  undulations  picturesque  hills,  well 
wooded  and  seemingly  fertile.  Sea  calm  and 
bright.  The  navigation  is  still  difficult  and  peril- 
ous. The  captain  scarcely  takes  his  eyes  off  his 
charts  from  sunrise  to  sundown.  He  is  indefa- 
tigable in  his  carefulness.  In  the  evening  four 
blacks  came  on  board  from  Prince  of  Wales  Is- 
land, called  in  native  language  Mooralez.  They 
were  a  plump,  muscular,  intelligent  set,  carried 
bows  and  arrows;  and  their  canoe,  a  hollowed 
tree,  was  fitted  with  outriders.  These  outrisrerers, 

'  CO  CO  ' 

which  enable  a  frail  bark  to  encounter  a  heavy 
sea,  simplify  the  problem  of  the  peopling  of  these 
remote  parts.  The  Prince  of  Wales  Island  people 
were  originally  immigrants  from  the  coast  of  Au- 
stralia, twelve  miles  off. 

Sept.  21.  —  Weighed  anchor  at  half-past  six 
and  proceeded  through  a  tranquil  sea,  with  Prince 
of  Wales  Island  on  our  right  and  Wallace  Island 
on  our  left.  Calms  rather  baffled  us,  and  we 
could  catch  no  fish.  At  last,  about  two  p.m.,  we 
passed  eight  miles  to  the  left  of  Booby  Island, 
and  thus  emerged  with  the  blessing  of  God,  after 
four  days'  anxiety,  from  the.  redoubtable  Torres 
Straits,  the  most  dangerous  and  difficult  naviga- 
tion in  the  world.  The  captain's  conduct  has  been 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  273 

admirable  throughout.  At  Booby  Island  there  is 
a  provision-depot,  kept  up  by  voluntary  sub- 
scription, where  shipwrecked  crews  can  procure 
food.  Every  ship  passing  within  sight  of  the 
island  is  expected  to  leave  in  a  stone-building 
which  is  there,  a  cask  of  pork,  or  beef,  or  biscuit, 
or  anything  the  captain  can  spare.  There  are  no 
inhabitants  in  the  place.  It  must  be  borne  in 
mind,  that  people  shipwrecked  in  the  Straits  en- 
deavour to  betake  themselves  to  the  Dutch  islands 
of  the  Eastern  Archipelago.  To  land  on  the  right 
in  New  Guinea,  or  on  the  left  in  Australia,  would 
be  certain  death,  for  the  natives  are  ferocious 
cannibals.  The  captain  wondered  why  steamers 
do  not  run  from  Singapore  to  Sydney  by  way  of 
the  Straits,  it  being  a  shorter  and  calmer  passage 
than  by  Cape  Leeuwin  on  the  western  coast  of 
Australia.  There  would  be  little  or  no  risk  for  a 
steamer  in  the  Straits,  unless  she  were  grossly 
mismanaged ;  and  if  a  settlement  were  formed  at 
or  near  Newcastle  Bay,  there  would  always  exist 
a  refuge  in  case  of  disaster.  Having  got  out  into 
the  open  sea  we  anchored  no  more  at  night.  To- 
wards sunset  we  saw  nine  ships  in  the  distance. 

Sept.  22. —  Went  on  board  the  Hollander,  the 
name  of  which  is  the  "  President  Verkoutren." 
She  is  in  a  very  dirty  state  —  rather  extraordinary 
for  a  Dutch  East  India  Company's  ship. 

T 


274        DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

Sept.  25.  —  Hear  that  we  are  about  400  miles 
from  Timor  and  1400  miles  from  Batavia.  Saw 
two  sea-snakes,  a  fathom  long,  wriggle  by  the 
ship. 

Sept.  28. — Our  course  lies  between  the  island 
of  Timor  and  a  long,  dangerous  bank,  running  in 
a  straight  line  for  nearly  100  miles. 

Sept.  29. —  Got  clear  of  the  bank,  and  ran  along 
the  irregular  and  precipitous  coast  of  Timor, 
famous  for  ponies.  The  heights  seemed  well 
wooded,  but  we  could  not  see  much  on  account  of 
the  mist.  This  island  formerly  belonged  jointly 
to  the  Dutch  and  Portuguese,  but  now,  I  believe, 
the  former  have  bought  the  latter  out. 

Oct.  10. — At  ten  a.m.  we  came  in  sight  of  Java 
Head,  a  huge  promontory,  thickly  timbered.  On 
our  left  was  an  island,  called  Prince's  Island, 
precipitous  and  picturesque.  Thus  we  entered 
the  S; raits  of  Sanda,  having  the  large  island  of 
Sumatra  on  our  left,  and  Java  on  our  right.  A 
strong  breeze  and  current  carried  us  in  quick 
succession  by  the  Friar,  Second  Point,  Welcome 
Bay,  Third  Point,  to  Pepper  Bay,  where  we  an- 
chored for  the  night.  On  our  left  towered  the 
huge  peak  of  the  island  of  Pulo  Crokatoa. 

Oct.  11. — At  ten  a.m.  two  Malay  boats  came 
off",  with  poultry,  yams,  bananas,  ananas,  tobacco, 
and  a  beautiful  hare  in  a  cas^e.     The  whole  was 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  )l ro 

bought  for  three  dollars.  The .  hare,  with  its 
large,  liquid,  lustrous  eyes,  its  long,  fine  ears,  its 
most  slender  limbs,  was  put  upon  the  deck  to  run 
about ;  but  it  refused  all  nourishment,  and  began 
to  mope.  At  noon  we  emerged  from  the  Straits 
of  Sunda,  which  are  ninety  miles  in  length,  and 
rounded  Point  Nicholas  and  Saleyra.  Passed  by 
Kaly.  Mountains  most  precipitous  and  bizarre, 
all  inhabited  and  cultivated,  and  all  indescribably 
picturesque.  At  night  we  anchored  near  Man- 
eater's  Island.  The  thermometer  has  been  87° 
in  the  cabin  to-day. 

Oct.  12. —  A  dull,  hazy  morning.  After  lying 
becalmed  for  some  hours  only  fifteen  miles  from 
Batavia,  off  Amsterdam  Island,  which  is  low,  and 
covered  with  verdure  to  the  water's  edge,  a  breeze 
sprung  up  and  took  us  to  within  four  miles  of 
Batavia.  The  whole  roadstead  is  covered  with 
low  islands,  seemingly  of  great  fertility,  but  I 
understand  that  fever  and  death  have  established 
themselves  there.  After  dinner  I  descended  the 
ship's  side  into  a  prow,  a  long  narrow  boat  with 
a  large  sail,  and  a  stiff  breeze  impelled  me  rapidly 
towards  the  shore,  where,  having  arrived,  the  boat 
entered  a  sluggish  river  or  canal,  and  after  sail- 
ing two  or  three  miles  between  low  muddy  banks, 
arrested  her  progress  opposite  the  Custom-IIouse. 
After  I  had  arranged  some  necessary  business,  I 


276  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

vode  in  an  open  carriage,  drawn  by  two  diminu- 
tive ponies,  through  the  crowded  streets  of  Ba- 
tavia,  to  the  fashionable  "west-end"  suburb, 
called  Rijswijk  or  Rijwoek,  where  I  dismounted 
at  the  Java  Hotel,  a  palatial  edifice,  surrounded 
by  extensive  grounds. 

Oct.  13. —  Rode  in  a  carriage  into  the  crowded 
city.  I  found  it  impossible  to  avoid  being  in- 
tensely excited  at  the  novelty  of  the  scene.  The 
houses  were  most  bizarre,  and  the  streets  were 
crowded  with  never-ceasing  streams  of  Chinese, 
Malays,  Javanese,  Islanders,  Creoles,  and  Euro- 
peans, all  attired  in  every  variety  of  costume ; 
whilst  at  quick-recurring  intervals  this  mass  of 
humanity  would  be  disturbed  by  small  carriages 
tearing  along,  drawn  by  ponies  not  much  larger 
than  big  dogs.  An  immense  trade  of  comestibles 
was  going  on  in  the  streets  —  delicate  comestibles, 
such  as  pickles,  preserves,  hot  peppers,  and  small 
fish  in  pickle  ;  also  curry,  and  rice,  and  veget- 
ables, creams,  tea,  pastry  ;  all  at  three  doits  each 
(sixty  go  to  a  shilling;).  And  as  each  seller  shouted 
and  each  buyer  shouted,  the  noise  was  deafening. 
The  seller  carries  his  wares  in  trays  attached  to  a 
bamboo  stick,  and  his  cry  is  that  of  an  earnest 
cat.  In  the  evening  I  went  to  the  races,  which 
were  held  in  King  William's  Plain  ;  some  Sydney 
horses  ran,  ridden  by  jockeys  dressed  in  English 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  277 

style :  but  the  most  amusing  part  of  all  was  the 
pony-race,  a  race  of  a  most  motley  group  of  ani- 
mals, ridden  by  a  still  more  motley  group  of 
riders,  some  most  grotesquely  dressed.  The 
catastrophes  which  befell  horsemen  and  horses 
from  the  start  to  the  winning-post  were  incessant, 
and  universal  laughter  reigned  around,  from  the 
vast  assemblage  of  human  beings  of  many  races 
which  were  there.  Some  riders  were  dressed  in 
masquerade  fashion.  The  winner,  if  I  recollect 
right,  was  got  up  as  a  wild  Indian  of  the  prairie. 
A  very  sumptuous  dinner  was  served  at  the  table- 
d'hote  dinner  of  the  hotel.  Batavia  is  very  full, 
owing  to  the  Exposition  being  held  now,  and  also 
to  the  races.  An  intelligent  German,  who  sat  by 
me  at  table,  said  that  the  Javanese  and  Malays 
are  very  skilled  in  the  compounding  of  subtle  and 
slow  poisons. 

Oct.  14. —  Was  introduced  at  the  Concordia 
Club-House,  which  is  in  Waterloo  Plain.  Saw  a 
great  many  well-dressed  Dutch  gentlemen  there: 
also  several  Rajahs  from  the  country,  who  have 
come  up  to  the  Exposition  at  the  expense  of 
Government.  The  price  at  my  hotel  is,  I  find, 
5  guilders  (10s.)  a-day,  exclusive  of  wine  and 
beer,  but  including  Hollands  gin  ;  and  indeed 
the  people  are  eating  and  drinking  from  morning 
to  night.     It  requires  a  strong  constitution  to  go 


278  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

through  a  clay  here.     The  following  is  the  regle- 
rnent :  — 

Des  Morgens  van  5  tot  8  ure,  koffij  of  thee  mit  beschuit 

(in  de  kamer)    8  ,,9  Dejeune 
Wordt  om         .  8  ure  Gescheld. 

Middags  .  12^  a,  la  fourchette 

Wordt  om         .  12g  ure  Gescheld. 
Narniddags       .  6^  Dine 

Wordt  om        .  6^  ure  Gescheld. 

Avonds    .         .     7  „     8  Thee. 

8  ,,12  Grog  van  Geneva. 

This  means,  that,  after  bathing  in  a  spacious  bath 
at  the  bottom  of  the  garden,  just  before  sunrise, 
and  returning  to  your  room,  you  receive  at  the 
hands  of  the  servant  tea  or  coffee  with  biscuit ; 
that  from  eight  to  nine  there  is  laid  out  in  the 
sa lie  a  manger  an  excellent  breakfast ;  that  at 
half-an-hour  after  noon  you  sit  down  to  an  abun- 
dant drjcthier  a  la  fourchette,  consisting  of  fish, 
meats,  poultry,  fruits,  vegetables,  curries,  eggs, 
oysters,  sardines,  and  other  appetising  things; 
that  at  live  there  is  always  a  good  cup  of  tea  to 
be  had  ;  that  at  six,  gin  and  bitters  are  served ; 
riiat  at  half-past  six  comes  the  great  event  of  the 
day,  dinner;  and  such  a  dinner!  with  every 
comestible  one  can  conceive,  and  many  more, 
clustering  round  beautiful  vases,  filled  with 
fresh,  fragrant  flowers,  whilst  innumerable  lights 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  279 

of  cocoa-nut  oil,  shrouded  in  ground-glass  lamps, 
throw  an  air  of  subdued  splendour  over  the  scene; 
that  alter  coffee  is  served,  tea  is  announced  in 
another  room,  and  afterwards  one  is  at  liberty  to 
drink  Hollands  gin  until  midnight.  I  suspect 
that  this  profusion  is  a  passing  spurt  on  account 
of  the  Exposition.  If  it  is  not,  I  cannot  conceive 
how  the  landlord  can  be  remunerated  at  five 
florins  a-day.  About  thirty  sit  down  to  dinner, 
and  seem  very  abstemious  as  to  what  they  drink. 
Light  Bordeaux  wine  is  chiefly  called  for;  also  a 
delicious  bitter  beer  brewed  in  Amsterdam,  which 
is  weaker  than  ours,  and  has  a  more  genuine 
bitter  about  it.  It  is  much  less  expensive  also. 
What  I  have  just  written  is  a  programme  of  a 
day  at  the  Java  Hotel  in  Batavia ;  and  although, 
owing  to  the  tropical  heat  which  prevails  here, 
the  bodily  juices  are  undergoing  constant  evapo- 
ration, and  require  constant  renovation,  yet  I 
cannot  but  think  that  the  renovation  carried  on 
here  is  rather  of  too  overwhelming  a  nature  to 
be  exactly  conducive  to  robust  health. 

Oct.  15.  —  After  taking  a  bath  at  sunrise,  I 
went  over  the  stables  attached  to  the  hotel. 
There  were  fifty  ponies  there,  eating  cut  grass. 
These  active  little  creatures  travel  at  a  great 
pace  during  the  burning  heat  of  the  day,  but 
they  are  not  very  enduring,  and  it  is  not  well  to 
work  them  more  than  three  times  in  the  week, 


280  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

and  then  not  more  than  for  ten  or  twelve  miles. 
Thus  the  number  kept  is  prodigious.  A  mer- 
chant well  to  do  in  the  world  must  have  eight 
or  nine  pair.  He  will  require  two  or  three  pair 
to  go  into  town  to  his  counting-house  daily  and 
return  ;  whilst  his  wife  and  family,  for  airing  and 
making  calls,  and  society,  cannot  do  well  with  less 
than  five  pairs.  They  cost  from  four  to  eight 
pounds  each,  and  are  not  expensive  to  keep. 
Mares  are  not  used  here.  The  stronger  Timor 
breed  costs  more,  and  requires  better  keep; 
whilst  the  stout  Macassar  cob  of  fourteen  hands, 
is  much  used  for  the  saddle,  requires  attention, 
and  fetches  a  comparatively  high  pi'ice.  Some 
few  rich  people  possess  Sydney  horses  ;  but  they 
cost  a  great  deal — 1200  florins  perhaps,  and  do 
not  thrive  wonderfully  well.  Visited  some  Chinese 
stores,  where  I  saw  second-rate  European  goods 
for  sale  at  very  high  prices.  Drove  through  the 
Chinese  quarter,  where  are  houses  built  in  every 
conceivable  style,  many  grotesque,  all  pictur- 
esque, and  quaint  beyond  description.  I  entered 
into  the  fine  residence  of  a  rich  Chinese  merchant. 
At  the  door  glared  two  stone  monsters  :  the  in- 
terior was  scrupulously  clean,  and  contained  very 
little  furniture ;  gold  and  vermilion  were  not 
spared  as  embellishments,  and  on  the  walls  were 
poor  French  or  English  engravings,  not  coloured. 
The  more  private  apartments  1  did  not  see.     I 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  281 

hear  that  there  are  no  less  than  60,000  Chinese 
in  Batavia  and  the  environs.  The  Dutch  govern- 
ment, with  its  usual  good  sense,  has  appointed 
and  salaried  certain  Chinese  officials,  with  the 
titles  of  Colonel  and  Major,  whose  duty  it  is  to 
grant  permission  to  Chinese  immigrants  to  land 
in  Batavia;  and  who  are  made  personally  respon- 
sible for  the  behaviour  of  their  compatriots.  A 
hundred  years  ago,  the  Chinese  iD  the  island, 
waxing  rich  and  insolent,  rebelled,  and  were 
massacred  to  the  number  of  12,000  by  the 
Malays,  who  also  abound  here,  and  are  very  jea- 
lous of  the  Celestial  people.  The  Chinese  are  the 
acutest  people  in  the  world.  Their  perceptive 
and  reflective  faculties  are  most  highly  developed; 
and  all  this  wonderful  intelligence  is  unaccom- 
panied by  any  moral  or  religious  principle.  The 
depravation  of  their  moral  tastes  is  excessive.  It 
would  be  well  if  our  young  colonies  would  act  as 
the  Dutch  act  —  refuse  admittance  to  too  many, 
and  keep  those  who  are  permitted  to  land  under 
strict  surveillance;  otherwise  mischief  will  spring 
up  one  of  these  days.  These  Chinese  immigrants, 
who  are  the  off-scourings  of  the  Chinese  empire, 
come  over  unaccompanied  by  women ;  but  in 
process  of  time  the  more  respectable  form  con- 
nexions with  Malay  women,  and  educate  their 
children  as  Chinese.  At  least  I  have  been  given 
to   understand    so.      Some    of  these  people  are 


282  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

enormously  rich,  and  hold  sugar  and  coffee 
plantations  in  the  interior.  Tbe  Chinese  here  do 
not  undertake  laborious  callings,  but  are  mer- 
chants, shop-keepers,  money-changers,  pedlars, 
and  barbers.  They  live  by  their  heads  rather 
than  their  hands.  They  love  to  gamble,  smoke 
opium,  and  attend  theatrical  representations, 
where  men  and  women,  disguised  under  extra- 
vagant and  ridiculous  dresses,  perform  intermin- 
able dramas,  of  which  no  one  but  themselves  can 
comprehend  the  beginning  or  understand  the 
end.  These  people  in  general  are  simply  and 
cleanly  dressed.  They  have  a  straw-hat  with  a 
narrow  brim,  white  tunic,  loose  white  trowsers, 
white  stockings,  and  shoes.  Behind  them  hangs 
the  tail  to  the  heels,  sometimes  assisted  with  false 
hair  and  black  ribbon.  An  umbrella  is  an  indis- 
pensable appendage.  I  am  not  able  to  learn  ex- 
actly what  the  religion  of  the  Chiuese  is,  but 
I  believe  it  is  a  mixture  of  Buddhism,  Unitarian- 
ism,  and  Devil  worship.  Whatever  it  may  be,  it 
biings  forth  fruit  which  we,  as  Christians,  would 
decidedly  call  corrupt. 

In  the  evening  a  merchant,  who  has  lived  in 
Bat  a  via  many  years,  took  me  to  a  Javanese  feast. 
1  was  anxious  to  see  an  assemblage  of  pure 
Javanese,  for  in  the  streets  of  Batavia  I  had  seen 
an  infinity  of  Mala} s  and  Chinese,  but  compara- 
tively few  of  the  Javanese  race. 


IV  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  283 

About  a  mile  from  the  hotel  we  diverged  from 
the  main  road,  and  made  our  way  by  the  uncer- 
tain light  of  the  stars  along  a  path  surrounded 
and  overarched  by  luxuriant  Eastern  vegetation, 
towards  the  spot  where  innumerable  lights  showed 
us  that  the  kampong,  or  village,  of  the  giver  of 
the  feast  lay.  These  kampongs  are  villages  set 
apart  in  the  vast  suburbs  of  Batavia  for  the 
Javanese  and  Malay  population.  Between  the 
well-macadamised  roads,  where  are  reared  the 
palaces  of  the  Europeans,  live  in  quiet  rural  re- 
treats, communicated  with  by  shady  lanes,  an 
innumerable  coloured  population,  in  their  kam- 
pongs (the  great  Chinese  kampong  is  in  the  city 
proper)  ;  and  very  delightful  it  is  to  leave  the 
dusty  road,  turn  up  a  verdant  pathway,  and  at 
the  end  of  a  long  perspective  discover  a  cluster 
of  pretty,  clean,  bamboo  cottages,  each  in  the 
middle  of  its  little  plot  of  Indian  corn,  and 
almost  concealed  by  the  refreshing  shade  of 
cocoa-nut  and  banana-trees.  On  the  present 
occasion,  close  to  one  of  these  cottages,  canvas 
had  been  stretched  from  tree  to  tree  across  a 
verdant  alley,  and  two  rows  of  tables  were  laid 
out,  loaded  with  sweetmeats,  conserves,  cakes, 
fruits,  and  tea-cups.  Among  the  fruits  the  stately- 
looking  pine-apple,  or  anana,  was  not  forgotten, 
which  is  here  sold  for  about  twopence,  or  less. 
Beyond   the    tables    an    open   square   space  was 


284  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

appropriated  to  the  dancers,  and  close  on  that 
was  a  wooden  platform  raised  dais-like,  on  which 
sat  the  master  of  the  feast,  his  three  wives,  and 
intimate  friends.  As  soon  as  the  master  of  the 
feast  espied  my  friend  and  myself  standing  at  the 
lower  end  of  the  tables  among  the  crowd,  he 
hurried  down,  and  bowing  very  courteously,  led 
us  up  between  the  tables,  through  the  dancers,  to 
the  dais,  where  he  begged  us  to  sit  down  in  a 
chair.  He  then  pressed  upon  us  tea  and  sweet- 
meats, to  which  last  we  helped  ourselves  with  a 
silver  instrument  like  a  bodkin.  The  dancers 
were  then  ordered  to  begin  one  of  their  best 
dances.  They  were  four,  two  men  and  two  wo- 
men ;  and  they  danced  in  an  insufferably  grace- 
less and  monotonous  manner,  hoisting  their  legs 
up  high  at  a  very  slow  pace,  then  dropping  them 
equally  slowrly,  whilst  their  hands  hung  flaccidly 
before  them  like  the  paws  of  standing  bears.  It 
looked  to  me  like  a  quadrille  dreamily  glided 
through  by  persons  under  the  influence  of  opium, 
who  had  just  sufficient  energy  left  in  them  for 
the  lift  of  a  limb  or  contortion  of  the  body.  The 
musicians  sat  cross-legged,  beating  a  small  range 
of  notes  on  brass  plates  with  little  knob-sticks ; 
others  beat  drums  of  bamboo ;  others  pieces  of 
wood,  arranged  like  the  glasses  of  an  harmonicon. 
The  wives  of  the  master  of  the  house  sat  all  the 
time  very  demurely,  scarcely  moving  a  muscle  of 


IN   AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  285 

their  expressionless  countenances  ;  and  looking 
very  much  like  the  female  figures  depicted  on  our 
china.  The  assembled  multitude  —  all  Javanese, 
with  their  mild,  respectable  faces  —  sat  watching 
the  monotony  of  the  dance  with  extraordinary 
intensity.  When  the  dancing  was  finished  all 
sat  down  to  the  feast,  and  I  left.  The  long 
tables;  the  bamboo  torches;  the  raised  dais  at  the 
further  end,  sparkling  with  lights ;  the  barbaric 
music;  the.  swarthy  multitudes,  with  their  rest- 
less, flashing  eyes ;  the  huge  leaves  of  the  trees 
round  about,  scarcely  swayed  by  the  evening 
breeze;  and  the  bright,  calm,  earnest  stars  over 
all,  formed  a  most  impressive  scene.  All  present 
were  pure  Javanese,  who  in  Batavia  love  to  spend 
their  money  in  feasting  one  another. 

Oct.  16  (Sunday)  — Attended  Divine  Service 
at  the  chief  Dutch  church  in  Batavia.  It  is 
built  after  the  model  of  the  Pantheon,  and  is  a 
very  imposing  edifice.  Over  the  entrance  is  a 
fine  organ,  and  in  face  is  a  huge  pulpit  with  a 
huge  sounding-board.  In  the  centre  of  the  area 
sat  the  women  on  chairs,  and  in  pews  clustered 
along  the  walls  were  the  men,  all  very  grave- 
looking  and  decorous.  I  observed  a  school  of 
Creole  girls  there.  The  Governor  and  his  lady 
were  there,  sitting  under  a  canopy  of  state.  The 
Service  consisted  of  praying,  singing,  and  preach- 
ing, the  former  unaccompanied  by  kneeling.  The 


286         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

psalmody  was  exceedingly  well  sustained  by  the 
male  portion  of  the  congregation.  Two  collec- 
tions were  made  during  the  Service;  one  for  the 
poor,  the  other  for  the  Minister.  Not  under- 
standing Dutch  I  could  form  no  opinion  of  the 
sermon,  but  I  am  told  that  the  Calvinist  ministers 
here  preach  Socinianism  to  slender  auditories. 
The  congregation  to-day  was  certainly  wretchedly 
small,  but  I  am  told  that  this  arises  from  the 
clergyman  not  being  a  popular  preacher.  On 
Saturday  the  Sunday  preachers  are  advertised ; 
people  know  whom  they  are  going  to  hear,  and 
a  poor  man  who  does  not  take  the  popular  fancy 
draws  but  a  few  admirers  to  his  preaching. 
There  are  two  other  Dutch  Protestant  churches, 
in  one  of  which  the  Service  is  held  in  the  Malay 
language.  Returning  from  church,  I  saw  a 
Chinese  wedding-party.  The  bride,  bridegroom, 
and  relations,  preceded  in  two  carriages  and  four, 
with  red  plumes  waving  on  the  roof;  the  friends 
followed  in  no  less  than  thirty-eight  carriages 
and  pair.  The  galloping,  shouting,  and  dust, 
were  something  overwhelming. 

Oct.  18. —  Went  over  the  Exposition,  where  are 
collected  the  produce  and  manufactures  of  Java 
and  the  surrounding  islands  under  Dutch  sway. 
The  building  was  vast,  the  articles  exposed, 
numerous,  and  the  ticketing  incorrect  and  em- 
barrassing.    This  exhibition,  like  all  exhibitions, 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  287 

is  tiring  to  the  eyes  and  legs.  Saw  more  than 
100  specimens  of  wood,  some  remarkably  beau- 
tiful in  grain,  and  some  very  close-grained  and 
heavy.  These  woods  were  very  interesting  to 
examine  :  some  pieces  were  as  hard  and  heavy  as 
iron.  Saw  there  also  some  small  nuggets  of  gold 
from  Borneo  ;  some  enormous  nutmegs ;  excel- 
lent green  tea,  opium,  coffee,  tobacco,  spices, 
indigo,  good  refined  sugar,  and  a  model  of  out- 
riggers to  be  applied  to  large  ships.  It  would  be 
impossible  to  detail  a  thousandth  part  of  the 
costly  products  of  Netherlands  India,  which  I  saw 
amassed  under  the  interminable  roof  of  the  Ex- 
position. From  all  I  hear,  Java  must  be  an  all- 
producing  paradise,  inhabited  by  ten  millions  of 
amiable  people ;  and  the  Hollanders,  if  they  had 
carried  out  their  once  entertained  idea  of  leaving 
their  swamps  to  their  relentless  persecutors,  and 
emigrating  with  their  household  gods  en  masse  to 
this  island  of  the  blest,  would  have  made  no  bad 
exchange.  What  much  struck  me  at  the  Exhi- 
bition, was  the  orderly  behaviour  of  the  Asiatics 
who  were  there.  The  Malays  swarmed  in  the 
building,  dressed  in  divers  modes.  The  head- 
dress of  the  men  consisted  of  folds  of  muslin,  or 
a  coloured  handkerchief  folded  round,  or  a  strawr 
hat,  or  a  wooden  hat  gaily  japanned,  something 
like  an  inverted  punchbowl.  As  for  their  body- 
dress,  some  had  linen  tunics,  some  jackets,  some 


4bO         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

nothing  at  all.  For  their  lower  extremities,  some 
wore  loose  trowsers  down  to  the  ankles,  others 
tight  drawers  extending  no  further  than  the 
knees.  None  had  shoes.  As  the  material  of 
these  dresses  is  gauildy  coloured,  the  infinite 
variety  of  patterns  has  a  most  droll  effect.  The 
Malay  women  had  no  head-dress,  but  wore  their 
abundant  black  hair  drawn  tightly  back  over  their 
foreheads,  and  twisted  into  a  back -knot,  where  it 
is  fastened  by  a  pin  of  a  certain  value.  Their 
dress  consisted  of  a  loose  white  linen  tunic  pinned 
over  the  chest,  and  a  long  white  petticoat.  Nor 
had  they  shoes.  They  walked  with  dignity,  and 
behaved  with  propriety.  I  saw  likewise  many 
Javanese  Rajahs  from  the  interior  with  their  attend- 
ants, and  was  much  struck  by  their  gentleness, 
politeness,  and  quiet  intelligence.  They  were  of  a 
light  bronze  colour,  rather  thau  black.  Some  of 
the  high-bred  Javanese  ladies  are,  I  am  told,  well- 
educated,  extremely  handsome,  and  scarcely  darker 
than  a  dark  European  woman.  These  gentle- 
men at  the  Exposition  were  wrapped  round  the 
loins  with  costly  cloths  down  to  the  heels.  They 
were  girded  with  a  valuable  sash,  in  which,  at 
their  back,  they  wore  daggers  with  jewelled  hilts. 
They  had  velvet  jackets  braided  with  gold  ;  and 
wore  a  velvet  cap  resembling  our  jockey-cap, 
with,  however,  a  larger  and  deeper  rim,  and  a  hole 
at  the  top,  to  allow  their  long  back  hair,  confined 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  289 

with  a  costly  comb,  to  protrude.  In  the  vast 
extent  of  the  building  were  stationed  two  sets  of 
Javanese  musical  instruments,  consisting  of  metal 
plates,  or  vessels  arranged  in  musical  scale,  and 
beaten  with  sticks.  These  instruments  are  very 
costly,  having  a  liberal  admixture  of  silver.  The 
music  produced  is  liquid,  bell-toned,  monotonous, 
and  melancholy.  The  oratorio  of  the  "Creation" 
was  played  at  the  theatre  to-night  by  amateurs, 
in  aid  of  some  charitable  institution.  The  vocal 
and  instrumental  execution  left  nothing  to  be 
desired,  and  the  building  was  crowded  to  excess. 
Oct.  19. —  A  mixed  assemblage  sat  down  at 
the  table  d'hote  to-day.  There  were  a  Javanese 
prince,  an  African  prince,  a  captain  of  a  Dutch 
regiment,  an  engineer,  a  doctor,  a  Hanoverian 
nobleman  turned  merchant,  a  captain  of  a  coast- 
ing steamer,  and  a  sugar -planter  from  Mada- 
gascar. The  captain  of  the  steamer  had  a  little 
Papuan  boy,  his  servant,  standing  behind  his 
chair,  who,  with  his  tiger-cat  eyes,  which  were 
like  diamonds  set  in  black  enamel,  watched  his 
master's  countenance,  and  anticipated  every  want. 
The  boy  had  been  picked  up  somewhere  in  the 
neighbouring  islands,  and  his  master  would  have 
been  glad  to  get  rid  of  him  for  a  small  considera- 
tion. The  New  Guinea  people  are  esteemed  the 
most  savage,  untameable  people  in  the  world ;  so 
that  it  would  be  a  perilous  thing  to  bring  the 

u 


290         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

little  fellow  to  England.  The  planter  had  been 
ten  years  without  seeing  an  European  in  Mada- 
gascar, where  an  unlimited  number  of  slaves  had 
been  allotted  him.  I  conversed  much  with  him, 
but  I  felt  a  repugnance  to  him,  for  there  were 
many  dark  things  written  in  his  face. 

Oct.  20. — Bought  some  books  at  the  shop  of 
Lange,  the  chief  bookseller  in  Batavia.  He  says 
it  is  not  true  that  the  Dutch,  who  trade  with 
Japan,  go  through  the  form  of  trampling  on  the 
cross  every  year.  Permission  to  trade  with  Japan 
is  put  up  to  auction  every  year  by  the  Dutch 
Government.  The  last  permission  sold  for  4000/. 
He  told  me  that  the  Javanese  are  a  quiet,  refined, 
and  lovable  people. 

Oct.  21. — The  Europeans  in  Batavia  visit  in 
the  evening  at  eight  o'clock.  After  sunset  the 
Malay  coachmen  lay  aside  the  inverted  punch- 
bowl hat,  which  they  wear  on  their  heads  during 
the  day,  and  assume  the  European  hat.  When 
a  visit  is  to  be  made,  two  servants  jump  up  be- 
hind on  the  foot-board  carrying  huge  torches. 
The  coachman  smacks  his  whip,  the  ponies  start 
off  at  a  furious  gallop,  and  the  two  men  behind 
vrave  their  torches,  and  shout,  and  yell,  in  pro- 
portion to  the  speed  of  the  ponies.  As  the 
suburbs  arc  frequently  crowded  with  these  equi- 
pages, the  effect  is  most,  embarrassing  to  the 
pedestrian. 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  291 

Oct.  22. —  Hear  that  the  Mohammedanism  pro- 
fessed by  the  Javanese  is  of  a  mongrel  character. 
Hindoo  traditions  have  still  firm  hold  upon  them, 
in  spite  of  the  teaching  of  hiin  of  Mecca.  A 
resident  in  Batavia  told  me  some  strange  stories 

of  Madame ,  a  celebrated  German  traveller. 

They  went  to  show,  that  when  a  favourite  pursuit 
develops  itself  into  a  passion,  every  other  con- 
sideration is  often  disregarded,  even  that  of 
scrupulous  attention  to  toilet  arrangements,  which 
we  of  England  consider  the  peculiar  characteristic 
of  the  softer  sex.  Impelled  by  an  adventurous 
and  fearless  spirit,  this  lady,  when  roaming  in  the 
island  of  Sumatra,  beyond  the  limits  of  Dutch 
civilisation,  fell  among  a  savage  people  called  the 
Battas.  They  immediately  determined  on  baking 
and  eating  her.  Her  sensations  may  be  imagined 
rather  than  described,  whilst  their  rude,  impro- 
vised earthly  oven,  was  a-preparing.  At  last  the 
heated  hole  was  ready  for  the  victim,  and  the 
hungry  savages  requested  her  to  undress  previous 
to  the  gastronomic  immolation.  Seeing  that  the 
poor  creature  was  tardy,  they  roughly  assisted  her 
in  this  operation,  until  she  stood  unclothed  on 
the  brink  of  the  terrible  pit.  But  when  the  in- 
stant barbarians  saw  that  she  was  thin,  old, 
angular,  muscular,  and  above  all,  innocent  of 
soap  for  many  a  day,  or,  to  speak  more  plainly,  a 
willing  victim  of  unmitigated  neglect,  their  appe- 


292         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

tites  ceased,  their  culinary  enthusiasm  abated ; 
they  had  not  the  stomach  to  cook  her  and  eat 
her ;  but  they  bid  her  clothe  herself  and  be  gone, 
giving  her  by  signs  to  understand  that  her  dirt 
had  saved  her  life. 

Oct.  23. — It  being  my  intention  to  go  to 
Buitenzorg  to-morrow,  a  town  forty  miles  from 
Batavia,  where  is  the  country  residence  of  the 
Governor-General,  I  applied  to-day  for  my  pass- 
port, and  obtained  it.  The  Government  is  very 
jealous  of  the  movements  of  European  strangers 
in  Java.  At  dinner,  somebody  accosted  me  with 
"  So  you  are  going  to  see  Java?"  I  answered, 
"  Am  I  not  in  Java  now  ? "  "  No,"  was  the 
reply;  "  we  call  this  Batavia,  not  Java." 

Oct.  24.  —  At  daybreak  I  started  for  Buitenzorg 
in  a  light  carriage,  drawn  by  four  ponies.  A 
Malay  coachman  drove,  and  behind,  on  the  foot- 
board, stood  the  two  horsekeepers,  one  to  each 
pair.  Soon  emerging  from  the  suburb,  I  travelled 
at  full  gallop  along  a  good  macadamised  road, 
bordered  by  fine  trees.  At  the  side  of  this  road 
ran  a  narrower  road,  not  macadamised,  which  is 
appropriated  to  the  traffic  of  the  native  popula- 
tion, and  which  was  crowded  by  a  swarthy  crew, 
clad  and  unclad,  all  in  a  state  of  intense  activity. 
Met  long  strings  of  two-wheeled  carts,  having 
a  light  wicker  tilt,  excellently  well  arranged, 
drawn  by  small,  docile  oxen,  fine  in  limb  and  fet- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  293 

lock,  and  small  of  hoof.  Crowds  of  natives  passed, 
carrying  the  produce  of  the  country,  either  on 
their  heads  or  attached  to  long  bamboo  sticks 
laid  across  their  shoulders.  Every  now  and  then 
I  came  on  groups  of  people  reposing  under  the 
spreading  foliage  of  some  giant  roadside  tree — 
fathers,  mothers,  and  their  little  ones,  in  every 
attitude  of  exquisite  unconscious  grace.  Here  and 
there,  at  the  side  of  the  road,  were  pretty  Malay 
wood  cottages,  with  overhanging  roofs,  sur- 
rounded by  cultivation  sufficient  to  satisfy  all  the 
owners'  wants.  Fine  country-houses,  seated  on 
eminences,  with  large  estates  lying  round  them, 
were  not  wanting.  The  swampy  parts  of  the 
country  were  taken  advantage  of  for  extensive 
rice-fields,  the  irrigation  of  which  was  carefully 
and  ingeniously  managed.  About  every  seven 
miles  the  horses  were  changed,  and  with  reason, 
for  the  sun  of  Java  is  powerful;  and  we  were 
travelling  over  ten  miles  an  hour,  including  stop- 
pages. The  pace  was  a  full  gallop,  never  de- 
generating into  a  trot.  The  rest-stations  were 
very  extensive  buildings,  comprising  bed-rooms, 
refreshment-rooms,  and  stabling  for  thirty  or 
forty  horses.  In  these  localities  shelters  are 
thrown  across  the  road ;  so  that  the  traveller 
finds  a  refreshing  shade.  I  hear  that  all  the 
Java  main  roads  are  excellent,  and  that  the  ar- 
rangements  for    travelling   by   post    are   extra- 


294  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

ordinarily  good.  Those  who  wish  to  travel  from 
Batavia  to  any  principal  town  of  the  island,  whe- 
ther to  Cheribon,  Samarang,  or  Sourabaya,  have 
only  to  go  to  the  post-bureau,  and  pay  the  re- 
quired sum,  and  they  will  be  hurried  in  a  carriage- 
and-four,  without  stopping,  to  the  place  of  their 
destination,  at  an  expense  of  1/.  for  ten  miles.  I 
found  the  starting  of  a  relay  to  be  rather  a  ner- 
vous operation,  for  the  four  fresh  ponies  behaved 
as  if  they  had  never  been  introduced  to  each  other 
before,  and  acted  in  unison  only  in  one  point  — 
that  of  going  sideways,  and  backwards  instead  of 
forwards.  However,  after  screaming,  plunging, 
kicking,  and  sitting  down  on  their  tails,  when 
by  blows  and  pushes  from  four  or  five  experienced 
horsekeepers,  each  a  larger  animal  than  the 
quadruped  itself,  they  are  persuaded  to  move  in 
the  right  direction,  the  little  creatures  fly  rather 
than  gallop,  till  they  arrive,  all  panting  and  ex- 
hausted, at  the  next  station.  After  travelling 
about  eighteen  miles  over  the  sultry  plain  I  felt 
the  more  bracing  mountain  air;  and,  indeed,  in 
the  distance,  I  could  easily  distinguish  the  moun- 
tains, at  the  base  of  which  lay  Buitenzorg,  the 
country  retreat  of  the  rich  people  of  Batavia.  As 
the  land  became  more  undulating,  the  picturesque- 
ness  of  the  journey  increased.  At  times  I  crossed 
rapid  streams,  over  bridges  carefully  roofed  in ; 
then  were  to  be  seen  groves  of  cocoa-nut  trees, 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  295 

studding  the  landscape  here  and  there;  then 
cottages  nestling  amid  their  own  little  groves  : 
in  front  were  the  wooded  mountains,  chequered 
with  the  most  marked  effects  of  light  and  shade ; 
passing  and  repassing  in  rapid  equipages  were 
Rajahs,  with  the  insignia  cf  their  rank — a  gilt 
umbrella;  or  Chinese,  posting  to  or  from  their 
plantations  ;  whilst  the  soft  air  soughed  gently 
through  the  luxuriant  foliage  of  the  surrounding 
trees.  At  last  I  arrived  at  a  white  obelisk, 
standing  sentinel-like  to  a  magnificent  avenue  of 
trees,  three  miles  in  length,  I  should  think;  at 
the  termination  of  which  lay  embosomed  in  the 
massive  foliage  of  Eastern  trees  the  stately  country 
palace  of  the  Governor  -  General  of  Netherlands 
India.  Soon  after  that  the  carriage  rolled  through 
the  main  street  of  Buitenzorg,  composed  of  houses 
constructed  in  every  style  of  architecture,  and 
thronged  with  dusky  forms  variously  clad.  In 
a  few  minutes  the  reeking  ponies  were  pulled 
up  at  the  Rest-haus,  called  the  Hotel  de  Belle 
Vue.  Entered  the  hotel  by  a  wide  flight  of  stone 
steps,  at  the  top  of  which  is  a  spacious  verandah, 
ranging  along  the  whole  frontage  of  the  house. 
In  the  centre  was  a  doorway,  through  which  I 
entered  the  two  saloons,  which  run  all  through 
from  the  front  to  the  back  of  the  edifice.  The 
first  saloon  is  used  as  an  eating-room ;  the  second 
as   a   withdrawing- room.      And   this    second   is 


296  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

furnished  with  sofas  and  easy-chairs,  and  well- 
polished  tables,  on  which  lie  instructive  and 
entertaining  books ;  and  from  it  may  be  enjoyed 
a  view  of  wondrous  beauty.  The  hotel  is  built 
on  the  brink  of  a  deep  and  wide  valley,  with  its 
front  facing  the  main  road,  and  its  back  looking 
towards  this  valley,  which  separates  Buitenzorg 
from  the  sloping  sides  of  the  mountain  Salak. 
The  whole  of  this  vale  is  watered  by  rapid  brooks, 
which  intersect  it  in  every  direction,  and  is  filled 
up  with  fine  trees  of  every  description,  among 
which  those  of  the  palm-tribe  predominate.  I 
looked  over  the  heads  of  these  stately  guardians 
of  the  soil,  with  their  gigantic  leaves  of  inexpres- 
sible verdure  arching  and  drooping  over  one 
another,  ever  changing,  as  fanned  by  the  soft 
winds,  the  position  of  their  intertanglements, 
until  my  eye  rested  on  the  sunny  slopes  of  the 
mountain  which  sweep  up  from  the  valley. 
These  slopes  are  succeeded  by  the  bold  and  pre- 
cipitous sides  of  the  mountain,  rent  by  earth- 
quakes and  furrowed  by  many  a  lava-stream  in 
days  of  old,  now  clothed  with  enormous  trees  and 
impenetrable  jungle;  and  then,  again,  this  belt 
of  verdure  fades  away  into  sterile  rocks,  which,  by 
a  succession  of  precipices,  raise  themselves  to  the 
height  of  four  or  five  thousand  feet,  moulded  into 
five  distinct  peaks,  standing  out  sharp  and  clear 
from   the   dark  blue   sky,  and  form  the  dorsum 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  297 

immane  of  Salak,  no  longer  vomiting  his  fires. 
This  was  the  scene  which  enchanted  my  eyes 
from  the  back  verandah  of  the  Buitenzorg  hotel. 
I  find  the  inn  excellent,  as,  indeed,  I  hear  all  the 
inns  in  Java  are.  The  reason  is,  that  they  are 
under  Government  control,  and  the  Resident  of 
the  district  would  dismiss  a  landlord  against 
whom  well-founded  complaints  should  be  made, 
or  who,  in  his  charges,  should  exceed  the  fixed 
tariff.  The  price  here  is  five  florins  a-day,  exclu- 
sive of  wine  or  beer ;  and  for  that  we  get  three 
excellent  meals,  consisting  of  fish,  meat,  poultry, 
fruits,  vegetables,  pastry,  and  four  made  dishes. 
Tea  and  Hollands  gin  can  be  had  whenever  called 
for,  without  figuring  as  an  extra. 

Oct.  25. — Went  over  the  Botanical  Gardens, 
or,  as  they  are  called,  the  Governor's  Gardens. 
As  the  climate  of  Buitenzorg  enjoys  a  happy 
medium  of  temperature,  I  was  able  to  see  assem- 
bled in  this  favoured  spot  products  of  the  vege- 
table kingdom,  common  to  the  damp  and  warm 
alluvial  soil  of  the  coast,  and  the  drier  and  more 
bracing  air  of  a  mountainous  district.  Laid  out 
in  happy  symmetry  are  here  to  be  seen  um- 
brageous avenues  of  the  cocoa-nut  tree,  the  betel- 
nut  tree,  the  golden  plantain,  and  the  rarest 
ferns;  whilst  round  some  vast  banyan-tree,  or 
Indian  fig-tree,  or  luxuriant  bread-fruit  tree, 
each  standing  alone  in  the  midst  of  a  little  lawn 


298  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

of  its  own,  commodious  benches  are  fixed,  where 
sitting  I  could  enjoy,  secure  in  impenetrable 
shade,  the  laughing  landscape  around.  In  one 
spot  sparkle  the  silver  waters  of  a  fountain;  in 
another  a  graceful  temple  recalls  to  the  mind, 
here,  at  the  Antipodes,  amongst  the  worshippers 
of  Brahma  and  the  followers  of  Mohammed,  the 
undying  religion  of  old  Greece.  From  one  point 
of  view  I  could  see  the  spacious  palace  of  the 
Governor,  with  its  Ionic  colonnades,  its  imposing 
terraces,  and  capacious  wings  ;  from  another,  in 
a  walk  winding  round  the  brow  of  a  hill,  I  could 
discern  a  spacious  lake,  filled  with  rare  aquatic 
plants,  amongst  which  the  sacred  lotus  of  the 
Hindoos  was  not  the  least  conspicuous.  Under 
the  courteous  guidance  of  one  of  the  superin- 
tendents I  visited  that  part  of  the  garden  more 
especially  appropriated  to  the  experimental  culti- 
vation of  plants,  shrubs,  and  trees  useful  in  a 
commercial  point  of  view.  One  large  area  was 
devoted  to  various  species  of  the  coffee  plant, 
with  its  laurel-like  leaves  of  a  healthy  dark 
green.  There  was  the  pepper-tree,  too,  with 
its  insignificant  leaf.  Caoutchouc-trees  I  saw; 
some  very  large,  pregnant  with  precious  sap. 
Arrowroot  -  trees  were  here  in  plenty.  Much 
ground  was  laid  out  in  the  cultivation  of 
divers  sorts  of  tobacco.  Cinnamon-trees  like 
vast  laurels,  and  odoriferous  at  certain  periods, 


IN   AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  299 

were  not  wanting.  The  nutmeg-tree,  hungry  of 
manure,  and  requiring  incessant  care,  was  well 
represented  here ;  whilst  much  trouble  had  been 
laid  out  in  an  acre  or  two  of  the  smooth  cactus, 
which  is  very  valuable  on  account  of  the  bug 
which  it  generates.  This  bug  at  a  certain  season 
in  brushed  off  the  leaves,  and  when  dried  and 
pounded  becomes  the  famous  cochineal,  so  useful 
for  dyeing.  Of  course,  the  experience  gained  by 
this  experimental  gardening  is  quickly  diffused 
throughout  Java.  Thus  in  this  favoured  island, 
under  the  sage  protection  of  the  Dutch,  Art 
assists  Nature;  not  by  stimulating,  but  by  re- 
straining and  directing  her.  After  leaving  the 
plants,  I  directed  my  course  to  the  menagerie  of 
animals.  Passing  on  my  right  a  gigantic  banyan- 
tree,  from  whose  branches  drooped  down,  not 
creepers  or  tendrils,  but  bold  little  shafts  like  sta- 
lactites from  a  cavern's  roof,  which  worm  their 
way  into  the  ground,  and  gradually  become 
firmly  fixed  there,  I  came  upon  a  one-horned  rhino- 
ceros, lazily  wallowing,  pig-like,  in  the  waters 
of  a  stagnant  pool.  Then  I  saw  every  description 
of  deer  which  the  island  produces ;  then  a  vicious- 
looking  boar  from  the  Moluccas,  with  four  tusks 
of  most  extraordinary  formation;  and  lastly,  a 
pair  of  gigantic  cassowaries.  On  my  way  to  the 
gates  I  saw  a  funereal  monument,  erected  under 
a  graceful  dome,  shaded  by  weeping  willows,  near 


300         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

a  fountain  throwing  up  translucent  waters.     Ap- 
proaching it,  I  read  the  following  inscription  : 

"  Sacred  to  the  Memory  of  Olivia 

Mariamne,  wife  of  Thomas  Stamford 

Raffles,   Lieutenant-Governor  of  Java  and 

its  Dependencies,  who  died  at  Biitenzorg  on 

the  26th  November,  1814. 

Oh  thou,  who  ne'er  my  constant  heart 

One  moment  hath  forgot ; 
Tho'  fate  severe  hath  bid  us  part, 

Yet  still  forget  me  not." 

Thus  ended  my  survey  of  these  beautiful  gar- 
dens, which,  indeed,  must  be  considered  the 
paradise  of  all  gardens,  both  for  the  beauty  of 
their  site  and  their  extreme  order  and  cleanliness. 
After  lunch  I  ordered  a  carriage  to  visit  some 
Hindoo  remains,  about  six  miles  from  the  town. 
I  had  four  ponies  forced  upon  me,  although  I 
was  alone.  The  consequence  was,  that  I  was 
hurried  at  a  furious  gallop,  with  no  little  risk 
(for  the  road,  not  being  a  main  road,  was  by 
no  means  unexceptionable),  through  a  charming 
country,  and  had  but  a  poor  chance  of  contem- 
plating at  my  ease  all  that  lay  around  me.  I 
observed  that  maize  was  much  cultivated,  and 
that  the  lower  grounds  were  carefully  appro- 
priated to  the  growth  of  rice.  Graceful  trees  of 
the  palm  family  ornamented  and  characterised 
the  landscape  everywhere.    The  antiquities  which 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  301 

I  came  to  see  lay  on  the  right-hand  side  of  the 
road,  and  consisted  of  two  groups,  one  apart 
from  the  other  a  few  paces.  Both  had  been 
roofed  over  and  railed  in.  One  group  consisted 
of  three  upright  blocks  of  stone,  on  two  of  which 
I  could  discern  no  marks  of  a  chisel ;  on  the 
third  I  could  detect,  rudely  carved  in  relief,  the 
lower  parts  of  a  figure,  sitting  cross-legged.  The 
second  group  consists  of  a  stone- slab  perpen- 
dicularly placed,  much  injured  by  violence  or 
time,  with  a  long  legible  inscription  sharply  cut 
in  it,  which  turns  out  to  be,  I  believe,  of  the 
oldest  form  of  Sanscrit,  the  sacred  language  of 
the  Hindoos.  Close  by  is  a  stone-slab,  lying 
horizontally,  having  imprinted  on  it  two  human 
foot-marks,  of  a  woman's  or  youth's  size.  This, 
I  am  told,  has  a  sacred  and  mysterious  meaning. 
Probably  it  commemorates  the  advent  of  some 
god  upon  earth,  or  his  point  of  departure  from 
the  earth.  This  put  me  in  mind  that  in  a  church 
in  the  outskirts  of  Rome  there  are  foot- prints  in 
marble  (of  a  large  size),  said  to  have  been  the 
spot  where  our  Saviour  stood  when  he  appeared 
to  Peter.  The  Javanese  were,  I  believe,  originally 
Hindoos,  or,  perhaps,  Buddhists,  and  the  spread 
of  Mohammedanism  over  the  island  was  not 
effected  until  about  a.d.  1408,  when  a  noted 
Arabian  chief  partly  persuaded  and  partly  coerced 
the  mild  islanders  to  accept  Mohammed  for  their 


302  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

lawgiver,  and  himself  for  their  monarch.  Even 
now  their  Mohammedanism  is  adulterated  by 
many  superstitious  notions  and  observances  re- 
tained from  the  religion  of  their  ancestors ;  they 
alone  of  Mohammedans  do  not  adopt  the  epocha 
of  the  flight  of  the  Prophet  ;  and  a  few  idolaters 
are  still  found  in  the  recesses  of  the  mountains 
at  the  eastern  extremity  of  Java.  Returning  to 
Buitenzorg,  I  visited  some  of  the  streets  and 
lanes,  and  the  market.  In  the  main  streets  the 
houses  are  substantial  and  spacious,  although 
bizarre,  and  even  grotesque.  The  lower  apart- 
ment is  mostly  used  as  a  shop  or  store.  This 
chamber  is  not  glazed,  and  the  goods  are  exposed 
either  side  of  the  doorway  on  a  sort  of  frame- 
work, something  like  an  inclined  plane.  Mere  I 
saw  drugs,  rice,  maize,  cloth,  hats,  ironmongery, 
tobacco,  confectionery,  and  preserves.  In  the 
lesser  streets  and  lanes  I  found  wooden  cottages, 
consisting  of  a  large  area,  roofed  in  and  divided 
into  a  day  and  night  apartment.  The  market 
was  full  of  every  kind  of  fruit  and  vegetable, 
which  this  fertile  country  produces  almost  spon- 
taneously; and  round  stalls  and  baskets  laden 
with  delicious  things,  of  which  we  Hyperboreans 
know  not  even  the  name,  swarmed  with  ceaseless 
motion  a  ;  warthy  crowd  of  men,  women,  and 
children,  the  latter  entirely  naked,  and  wonder- 
fully  pretty.     As  I   passed   a   handsome    house, 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  303 

and  looked  in  through  the  open  doorway,  the 
proprietor,  a  portly-looking  Chinese,  bowed  very 
politely,  and  seeing  that  I  was  a  stranger,  made 
signs  that  I  should  enter.  He  then  showed  me 
his  chief  room.  This  had  a  wooden  floor,  nicely 
polished,  a  few  shabby  wooden  chairs,  a  very 
plain  table,  a  wall-paper  representing  in  vivid 
colours  Chinese  life,  and  at  the  end  a  smart  side- 
board covered  with  plate,  glass,  artificial  flowers, 
and  candlesticks :  from  the  ceiling  were  sus- 
pended two  gaudy  Chinese  lanterns.  He  then 
took  me  into  another  room,  quite  unfurnished, 
where  he  introduced  me  to  his  wife,  a  fat,  good- 
humoured  Malay  woman,  of  about  thirty.  Many 
salutations  were  reciprocated ;  but  as  they  neither 
spoke  nor  understood  my  language,  nor  I  theirs, 
our  conversation  was  necessarily  limited.  Beyond 
this  second  room  was  a  store-room  ;  upstairs  was 
the  women's  apartments,  approached  by  a  ladder, 
removable  at  pleasure.  After  dinner  I  gave 
orders  about  an  excursion,  which  I  hope  to  un- 
dertake to-morrow,  up  the  sides  of  the  mountain, 
and  sat  during  the  gloaming  of  the  evening  in 
the  spacious  verandah  watching  the  blue  lights 
of  the  fire-flies  as  they  darted  among  the  cum- 
brous foliage  of  the  surrounding  trees. 

Oct.  26.  —  Started  at  daybreak,  with  the  in- 
tention of  penetrating  the  recesses  of  the  neigh- 
bouring mountain,  round  whose  summit  at  noon 


304  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

every  day  I  see  black  thunder-clouds  gather,  and 
soon  afterwards  take  their  departure.  I  was 
mounted  on  a  very  small  chestnut  pony,  en- 
cumbered with,  an  enormous  saddle.  The  guide 
walked  before.  Leaving  the  inn,  I  turned  short 
to  my  right,  down  a  road,  on  one  side  of  which 
is  the  Chinese  Cemetery,  into  a  valley,  through 
which  ran  a  rapid  torrent,  where  were  numerous 
swarthy  people,  of  both  sexes,  bathing  and  wash- 
ing themselves.  I  then  emerged  into  open 
country,  interspersed  with  water-courses,  where 
were  many  rice-grounds.  Many  Javanese  were 
to  be  seen  passing  and  repassing,  with  the  basin- 
like hat  glittering  in  the  sun,  and  their  dirks 
behind  them  in  cumbrous  sheaths.  I  am  told 
that  the  Javanese  are  permitted  to  carry  dirks, 
but  not  the  Malays  and  Chinese;  and  to  order  a 
Javanese,  of  whatever  station  in  life,  to  give  up 
his  dirk,  is  a  great  insult  or  punishment.  Not 
long  ago,  a  servant  who  had,  without  sufficient 
cause,  been  peremptorily  ordered  by  his  master 
to  give  up  his  weapon,  became  infuriated,  and 
massacred  master,  mistress,  and  three  children 
in  the  most  frightful  manner.  On  the  present 
occasion  it  was  not  without  great  coaxing  that 
I  prevailed  on  a  Javanese,  who  was  walking  in 
front  of  me  chatting  with  the  horsekeepcr,  to 
allow  me  to  closely  examine  his  creese.  In 
the    moist    rice-grounds    were  to  be  seen   bare- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  305 

legged  men  up  to  their  knees  in  water,  driving 
ploughs  drawn  by  tall  grey  buffaloes,  preparing 
the  land  for  the  reception  of  the  grain.  This 
lasted  for  two  hours,  and  then  we  began  to  ascend 
the  sunny  slopes  which  form  the  skirts  of  the 
mountain.  Our  way  led  through  green  lanes 
inclosed  with  high  hedges,  and  arched  over  with 
the  huge  leaves  of  stately  trees,  whilst  the  banks 
on  either  side  laughed  with  most  bright  flowers, 
growing  wild  here,  but  probably  only  to  be  seen 
at  home  cherished  as  rare  exotics.  And  every 
now  and  then  I  had  to  wade  my  horse  through 
harmless  shallow  brooks  of  transparent  waters, 
gurgling  among  many-coloured  pebbles.  This 
was  indeed  beautiful;  but  not  so  beautiful  as  the 
scene  which  greeted  me  when  I  arrived  on  the 
little  plain  which  lies  at  the  foot  of  the  rugged 
declivities  which  lead  to  the  summit  of  the 
mountain.  In  front  of  me  lay  Salak  with  his 
five  rugged  peaks,  his  bold  breast  girded  with 
inexhaustible  foliage,  and  his  granite  crest  half 
obscured  by  a  veil  of  mist,  always  in  motion,  and 
always,  kaleidoscope-like,  resolving  itself  into  new 
and  indescribable  shapes.  And  when  we  turned 
our  backs  upon  the  giant,  the  scene  was  all 
changed,  yet  not  less  beautiful.  Around  me 
were  pretty  cottages,  some  built  of  sawn  timber, 
some  of  bamboo,  with  environing  verandah  shel- 
tered by  the  capacious  roof.     In  the  verandahs 

x 


306  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

were  women  spinning  and  weaving  with  loom, 
shuttle,  and  distaff  of  primitive  construction. 
Around  them  sported  their  little  ones,  happily 
unencumbered  with  the  cares  of  a  toilet.  In  the 
adjacent  gardens  were  the  men,  pruning  the 
luxuriance  of  their  fruits  and  vegetables.  Before 
me,  and  far  beneath  me,  stretched  away  the  vast 
fertile,  alluvial  plain,  which  ends  only  at  the  sea. 
Tiiis  was  dotted  with  fine  mansions,  picturesque 
villas,  pretty  villages,  isolated  cottages,  luxuriant 
groves,  verdant  paddy-fields,  and  groups  of 
moving  things  ill-defined  in  the  distance.  On 
my  right  were  reared  the  masses  of  the  great 
mountain  Pangerango,  piled  like  Pelion  upon  Ossa, 
until  lost  to  view  in  the  thunder-clouds.  On  my 
left  rose  up  boldly  against  the  horizon  the  less 
lofty  outline  of  the  Badcewi  hills,  which  at  the 
distance  seemed  to  mellow  into  the  blue  ether 
which  garbed  them.  Thus  I  stood  in  the  centre 
of  a  vast  amphitheatre  of  mountains,  looking  over 
an  illimitable  plain,  bounded  by  the  Indian  Ocean. 
Close  to  me  was  a  pretty  country-house  of  some 
retired  merchant,  and  it  had  a  beautiful  garden  ; 
and  there  was  a  field  close  by  full  of  healthy- 
looking  tobacco,  and  another  growing  Indian 
corn,  and  another  full  of  vines,  and  another  with 
some  wheat;  and  below,  in  a  little  bottom,  was 
a  small  rice-field;  and  through  this  paradise  ran 
a  tranquil  stream  ;    and  among  olive-trees,  and 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  307 

fig-trees,  and  almond-trees,  grew  one  large  tree 
with  dark-green  foliage  ;  and  as  I  looked  on  all 
this  beauty  I  thought  that,  whoever  should  tire 
of  the  monotonous  turmoil  and  resultless  agitation 
of  European  life,  would  do  well  to  fix  his  hermit- 
age under  the  shade  of  the  dark  tree  on  the  little 
plain  at  the  top  of  the  green  slopes  of  the 
mountain  Salak,  among  the  courteous  and  peace- 
able Javanese.  After  indulging  myself  for  some 
time  with  the  beauty  of  this  scene,  I  plunged 
into  the  recesses  of  the  mountain,  and  travelled 
along  the  bed  of  a  dried-up  torrent,  overhung  by 
thick  masses  of  foliage.  The  horstkeeper  led 
my  pony,  and  two  Javanese  mountaineers  walked 
before,  carrying  a  sort  of  reaping-hook,  with 
which  tho'v  lopped  off  the  branches  which  impeded 
my  way.  At  last  the  ground  became  so  rugged 
that  I  was  compelled  to  dismount  and  struggle 
onward  a-foot.  The  scenery  of  this  mountain 
forest  was  very  marvellous  to  me,  a  stranger  to 
Eastern  wonders.  Impenetrable  jungle  rose  all 
around  my  path,  and  out  of  that  jungle  shot  up 
every  description  of  tree  that  the  East  produces, 
from  the  stalwart  teak  to  the  more  delicate  and 
graceful    palm.*     Trees    were    below    us ;    trees 

*  Sir  S.  Raffles,  speaking  of  a  part  of  Sumatra,  says,  "  The 
trees  approached  160  to  200  feet  in  height.  One  tree  that  we 
measured  was  in  circumference  nine  yards  ;  and  this  is 
nothiny  to  one  I  measured  in  Java." 


308  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

were  on  each  side;  and  trees  towered  above  us 
on  the  heights  which  we  had  yet  to  climb.  And 
our  faces  were  fanned  by  huge  leaves  agitated  by 
light  autumnal  breezes.  Some  were  saplings, 
others  most  hoary  monarchs  of  the  forest ;  some 
were  healthy  and  vigorous,  others  blasted,  charred, 
mutilated,  riven,  felled  by  thunderbolts.  In  every 
conceivable  position  did  they  st:nd,  or  incline,  or 
lie  prostrate.  After  two  hours  of  striving  on 
foot  through  this  jungle,  the  ill-defined  track 
terminated  abruptly  at  the  foot  of  a  precipice, 
and  the  guide  intimated  that  all  further  progress 
was  stopped.  It  was  in  vain  that  I  gave  him 
to  understand  that  he  was  engaged  to  take 
me  to  the  top  of  the  mountain.  He  either 
could  not  or  would  not  comprehend  me.  So  I 
was  forced  to  return  to  the  more  open  country, 
and,  scorched  and  jaded,  to  take  refuge  and  seek 
repose  in  the  verandah  of  a  bamboo  cottage, 
where  a  Malay  woman  sat  spinning.  Seeing  me 
exhausted,  she  ran  into  the  interior  of  the  house 
and  brought  out  a  fine  mat,  which  she  unrolled 
on  the  verandah,  and  politely  motioned  me  to  rest. 
I  lay  down  to  sleep,  whilst  she  went  on  with  her 
spinning,  murmuring  a  monotonous  chant,  greatly 
incitatory  of  slumber.  Alter  an  hour's  sleep  I 
arose  to  depart,  and  thanked  my  kind  hostess  for 
her  hospitality ;  and  she,  making  signs  indicatory 
of  God  speed,  presented  to  me  a  line  rose  with 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  309 

much  graceful  politeness.  It  would  be  well  that 
we  Europeans  should  take  lessons  in  good-breed- 
ing and  perfect  self-possession  from  these  Orientals. 
The  very  indigenes  of  Australia  might  teach  many 
of  us  something  in  that  way.  In  the  evening  the 
pony,  the  horsekeeper,  and  myself,  came  back  to 
the  hotel,  scorched  with  heat  and  faint  with  toil. 
Of  the  three,  the  pony  endured  best,  admirable 
little  beast  as  he  was.  After  dinner,  whilst  I  was 
sitting  in  the  verandah  after  dusk,  a  travelling 
carriage  with  blazing  lamps,  drawn  by  six  horses, 
came  at  lull  speed  up  to  the  inn.  From  this  car- 
riage descended  an  Asiatic  and  an  European.  One 
was  a  Javanese  Rajah,  returning  to  his  district ; 
the  other  the  Dutch  gentleman  who  acts  as  Re- 
sident with  him,  or  political  surveillant.  The  Rajah 
wore  a  velvet  cap  and  velvet  jacket,  embroided  with 
gold,  whilst  from  his  waist  downwards  he  was  en- 
cumbered by  a  costly  stuff,  wrapped  round  him, 
and  girded  on  him  by  a  shawl  of  great  value. 
But  I  observed  that,  as  he  was  in  full  dress,  he 
wore  white  European  trowsers,  carefully  strapped 
down  over  Wellington  dress-boots — a  very  anoma- 
lous addition  to  his  graceful  Oriental  dress;  and 
which,  as  soon  as  he  gets  home,  he  will  exchange 
for  easy  slippers.  He  bowed  very  politely  to  me 
as  he  rapidly  ascended  the  steps  and  went  into 
the  house  to  obtain  refreshment.  He  was  short 
in  stature,  of  a  clear  olive  complexion,  and  with  a 


310         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

serious  and  noble  expression  of  countenance.  I 
hear  that  the  upper  classes  of  Javanese  are  very 
winning  and  gentle.  They  are  not  considered  re- 
markably clever  and  acute,  but  they  are  kind- 
hearted,  frank,  and  hospitable,  with  probably  a 
slight  admixture  of  indolence.  While  he  was 
within  I  had  much  interesting  conversation  with 
his  intelligent  companion.  Among  other  things, 
he  told  me  that  the  Upas  (poison)  Valley  is  a 
bare  and  bleak  hole,  fifteen  or  twenty  feet  below 
the  level  of  the  surrounding  soil ;  that  it  is  about 
a  mile  in  circumference ;  and  that  out  of  nuuier- 
ous  fissures  rise  quantities  of  carbonic  acid  gas,  as 
in  the  Grotto  del  Cane  at  the  Lago  d'Agnauo, 
near  Naples;  that  one  may  safely  ride  across  it 
(I  think  he  told  me,  that  he  had  ridden  across  it) 
on  a  tall  horse;  but  that  any  smaller  animal, 
sueh  as  a  dog,  pig,  or  antelope,  would  be  imme- 
diat  ly  asphyxiated.  He  told  uie  that  the  natives 
are  terribly  skilful  in  the  concoction  of  poisons ; 
and  that  even  the  children  know  where  to  cull  poi- 
sonous herbs.  Our  conversation  was  interrupted 
by  the  determination  of  the  Rajah  to  proceed,  in 
spite  of  a  violent  thunderstorm  which  was  raging  ; 
so  at  nine  o'clock,  amid  darkness  and  tempest,  these 
gentlemen  entered  their  carriage  and  vanished  as 
suddenly  as  they  had  appeared. 

()<■/.  27. —  Visite  1   a  handsome  Dutch  church, 
and  discovered   to   my  great   astonishment   that 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  311 

Divine  Service  is  only  held  there  once  a-month. 
I  can  hardly  believe  it,  but  I  can  obtain  no  other 
reply  to  my  interrogatories. 

Oct.  28. —  Returned  to  Batavia  with  six  relays 
of  four  horses  each,  which  accomplished  the  dis- 
tance, forty  miles,  in  three  hours  and  twenty  mi- 
nutes. I  have  been  much  delighted  with  my 
journey,  and  am  sure  that,  although  travelling  in 
Java  is  necessarily  expensive,  the  traveller  will  be 
well  rewarded  by  the  interesting  scenes  which  he 
will  everywhere  behold.  In  the  far  interior,  I 
hear,  the  traveller  cannot  fail  to  be  enchanted  by 
the  scenery  and  the  inhabitants.  A  pure  Javanese 
village  on  a  gentle  declivity,  at  the  foot  of  which 
run  the  crystalline  waters  of  a  small  river,  is  a 
thing  of  surpassing  beauty,  I  am  told.  And  the 
bold  masses  of  luxuriant  foliage  add  to  the  beauty 
of  the  scene,  whether  adorning  the  distant  land- 
scape, or  drooping  over  the  roof  and  verandah  of 
a  bamboo  hut. 

Oct.  29.  — Went  to  the  Concordia  Club.  Hear 
that  there  is  another  club  in  Batavia,  called  the 
Harm  on  >e.  Visited  the  Chinese  Cemetery  —  a 
large  desolate  tract,  particularly  ill  kept.  Slo- 
venly constructed  tumuli  are  heaped  over  the 
graves  of  the  dead. 

Oct.  31.  —  Visited  the  Dutch  Cemetery  —  an 
extensive  piece  of  ground,  nicely  kept.  It  is 
planted   with   many  funereal   cypresses;    and   is 


312  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

filled  with  monuments,  some  in  good  taste.  I 
saw  three  or  four  broken  columns.  One  inscrip- 
tion, on  grey  marble,  is  covered  in  with  glass. 

Nov.  1.  —  Saw  artillery  exercising.  The  guns 
were  small,  each  drawn  by  six  ponies.  Attended 
Evening  Service  at  the  Roman  Catholic  Chapel. 
It  is  a  plain  building.  All  seems  well  ordered 
there,  and  the  singing  was  good.  I  believe  there 
has  been  some  difficulty  with  their  Bishop,  who, 
I  hear,  has  been  ordered  to  quit  the  island  rather 
suddenly. 

Nov.  2. — Went  to  the  General  Hospital  to  see 
poor  Louis,  the  steward  of  the  ship  which  brought 
me  here.  He  is  laid  up  with  low  fever,  caught 
in  the  roadstead,  which  is  unhealthy.  I  was  glad 
to  find  him  very  comfortable,  lying  in  a  large, 
well- ventilated  room,  together  with  a  number  of 
others,  suffering  from  the  same  indisposition. 
In  this  hospital  there  are  beds  for  600  patients ; 
and  all  the  arrangements,  even  the  most  minute, 
are  excellently  good.  The  cleanliness  is  exqui- 
site, the  ventilation  remarkably  well  managed, 
and  the  nurses  and  servants  looked  cheerful  and 
experienced  persons.  In  returning,  the  horses 
shied,  at  some  goats,  and  took  the  carriage  up  a 
steep  bank,  overhanging  the  sluggish  stream  that 
lazily  rolls  through  the  midst  of  Batavia.  The 
coachman  lost  his  head;  and  1  jumped  out,  just 
as  one  of  the  animals  was  hanging  over  the  water, 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  313 

scarcely  upheld  by  the  traces.  However,  as  the 
little  beast  was  not  much  bigger  than  a  dog,  I 
was  able  to  lift  him  back  into  his  place,  and  put 
him  right.  I  observe  that,  when  these  diminutive 
creatures  shy,  they  go  off  doggedly  in  the  direc- 
tion in  which  they  first  diverge  from  their  course, 
and  there  is  no  stopping  them.  Not  long  ago 
I  assisted  an  elegantly-dressed  lady  and  two  little 
girls  out  of  a  wet  ditch,  where  they  lay,  mixed 
up  with  the  overturned  carriage,  coachman,  and 
contumacious  steeds,  all  wallowing  in  the  mud 
together. 

Nov.  3.  —  Was  introduced  to  an  extraordinary 
person,  an  Englishman,  a  sort  of  adventurer,  al- 
though with  good  English  connexions,  who,  from 
circumstances  not  necessary  to  be  mentioned  here, 
once  held  a  minor  official  appointment  under  the 
Dutch  Government  in  Java.  He  gave  me  much 
information  about  the  island,  which  I  should  fear 
to  reproduce,  as  I  suspect  he  may  be  inclined 
to  give  an  incorrect  colouring  to  things.  For 
instance,  the  following  is  one  of  his  stories,  which 
I  can  hardly  vouch  for.  "  He  had  been,"  he 
said,  "  a  great  hunter;  but  to  tiger-hunting  he 
was  especially  addicted.  And  not  content  Jo  go 
to  seek  the  tigers,  he  manoeuvred  that  they  should 
seek  him,  and  in  the  following  manner  :  He  used 
then  to  get  into  a  tiger-trap,  with  a  double-bar- 
relled rifle,  and  sit  there  as  bait,  waiting  for  the 


314  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

beast."  I  asked  him  if  he  did  not  find  it  dull, 
staying  there  so  long  ?  To  which  he  rejoined,  that 
he  generally  took  a  book  into  the  trap  to  beguile 
the  time.  I  ventured  to  inquire  what  branch  of 
literature  pleased  him  best  in  this  critical  posi- 
tion ?  His  answer  was,  "  At  one  time  one  book ; 
at  another,  another  :  but  that  on  such  occasions 
his  favourite  study  was  the  '  Sorrows  of  Werter.'  " 
This  story  is  possible,  perhaps,  but  scarcely  pro- 
bable, I  should  think. 

Nov.  4. —  In  the  evening  I  visited  the  crowded 
purlieus  of  the  Chinese  quarter,  redolent  of  filth. 
I  was  introduced  into  a  small  house,  where  lay 
extended,  on  couches,  four  or  five  Chinese  opium- 
smokers.  It  was  a  wretched  sight  to  see  their 
squalid,  idiotic  countenances,  relapsing  or  re- 
lapsed into  death-like  inanition.  1  fancied  my- 
self in  a  charnel-house,  surrounded  by  slightly- 
animated  corpses;  and  I  could  not  help  thinking 
how  much  more  like  Christians  the  Chinese  Go- 
vernment behaved  than  the  English,  in  being 
unwilling  to  receive  into  their  country  a  noxious, 
deadly  drug,  which  our  countrymen  insisted  on 
forcing  on  them.  Thence  I  went  to  an  open 
space,  where,  on  an  elevated  stage,  Chinese  the- 
atricals were  being  enacted.  All  the  performance 
was  most  monotonous.  The  dramatis  persona 
consisted  of  an  old  man,  who  sat,  last  asleep,  in 
a  chair  all  the  time  1  was  there,  full  half  an  hour. 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  315 

Then  there  was  a  sorcerer,  who  probably  had  laid 
him  to  sleep.  There  was  a  female,  too,  whom  he 
wished  to  put  to  sleep  as  well ;  but  she  would 
not  go  to  sleep,  and  there  was  much  gesticu- 
lating and  scuffling  between  her  and  the  wizard. 
Then  soldiers,  most  monstrously  dressed,  rushed 
in  to  rescue  the  oppressed  damsel ;  when  suddenly, 
at  a  stroke  of  the  magic  wand,  a  dragon  appeared, 
vomiting  flames  :  at  which  the  military  ran  away, 
followed  by  the  wizard  and  dragon ;  whilst  the 
young  lady  escaped  in  the  opposite  direction. 
And  then  all  this  was  repeated  two  or  three  times, 
the  old  man  still  sleeping.  Passing  a  handsome 
Chinese  house,  from  which  sounds  of  festivity 
proceeded,  a  well-dressed  Chinese  pounced  upon 
me,  took  me  by  the  hand,  and  dragged  me  into 
the  midst  of  a  marriage  revelry,  where  people  were 
playing  at  cards,  drinking  tea,  and  eating  sweets. 
I  was  compelled  to  follow  their  example,  barring 
the  cards.  Everything  was  costly  and  well- 
served,  and  my  hosts  were  remarkably  polite. 

Nov.  6  (Sunday).  —  Went  to  the  English 
Church  —  "  Kirrick,"  my  Malay  coachman  calls 
it  —  to  assist  the  clergyman  there.  It  is  a  neat, 
plain,  well-ventilated  little  building,  kep4  very 
clean,  and  does  much  credit  to  the  Minister  and 
his  flock.  The  congregation,  English  and  Ame- 
ricans, amounted,  I  should  think,  to  sixty  or 
seventy   persons,    all   exceedingly  well    dressed, 


316  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

and  of  very  decorous  comportment.  The  in- 
cumbent read  Prayers,  omitting  the  Litany, 
and  part  of  the  Communion  Service ;  and  1 
preached.  The  Morning  Service  was  so  cur- 
tailed, I  was  told,  on  account  of  the  heat.  1, 
however,  did  not  find  it  so  hot  as  I  expected. 
It  was  very  delightful  to  me,  after  so  long  a  fast 
from  public  worship,  to  feast  on  our  beautiful 
Church  Prayers,  as  offered  up  in  the  house  of 
God.  In  whatever  quarter  of  the  world  we  are, 
however  remote,  we  feel  at  home,  not  abroad, 
when  we  sit  in  a  church,  side  by  side  with  our 
countrymen,  and  hear  the  almost  inspired  lan- 
guage of  our  Prayer-book  enunciated  by  the 
Clergyman,  clad  in  the  accustomed  garb.  Old 
associations  crowd  upon  our  memories;  our 
hearts  insensibly  become  softened,  in  spite  of  the 
crust  of  selfishness  and  religious  indifference 
which  travelling  engenders;  and  when,  in  the 
earnest  prayer  of  St.  Chrysostom,  we  put  Al- 
mighty God  in  mind  of  His  gracious  promise, 
that  when  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in 
His  name  He  will  grant  their  requests,  we  re- 
alise the  truth  that  we  are  as  near  Him  at  the 
Antipodes  as  in  our  native  land ;  that,  for  pu- 
nishment or  mercy,  lie  is  always  at  hand — a 
scourge  to  the  impenitent  sinner;  but  long- 
suffering  and  merciful,  and  one  who  will  never 
cast  out  those  who  make  their  supplications  unto 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  317 

Him.  After  the  Service,  I  visited  my  patient  at 
the  hospital.  He  is  nearly  well,  and  speaks  with 
great  gratitude  of  the  kind  and  good  treatment 
which  he  has  received  during  his  illness. 

Nov.  9. — Took  my  place  in  the  "  Java"  steamer, 
which  starts  to-morrow  for  Singapore,  and  made 
arrangements  for  my  voyage.  Before  leaving, 
however,  this  garden  of  delights,  I  will  note  down 
some  memoranda  which  I  have  made  during  my 
short  stay  in  Java,  which  I  hope  will  not  be  found 
to  be  inexact.  Of  the  200,000  inhabitants  of 
Batavia,  1600  are  Dutch  and  about  100  English 
and  Americans.  Many  of  these  are  rich,  and  live 
in  fine  suburban  houses  surrounded  by  every 
luxury.  Both  sexes  eat  and  drink  a  great  deal, 
and  lead  indolent  lives,  consequently  they  become 
very  fat.  They  dress  very  well.  Formerly  the 
gentlemen  were  careless  and  loose  in  their  dress, 
as  in  their  morals  :  now  that  they  have  European 
wives  instead  of  Malay  women,  they  are  much 
improved  in  both.  And  with  improved  morals 
has  come  improved  health  ;  for  formerly  Batavia 
was  styled  the  tomb  of  Europeans,  and  was 
sadly  afflicted  by  diarrhoea,  dysentery,  and  low 
rheumatic  fever.  Now,  attention  to  sewerage, 
drainage,  cleanliness,  diet,  and,  above  all,  to 
morals,  has  rendered  the  place  sufficiently  salu- 
brious. Of  course,  the  city  proper,  close  to  the 
sea,  and  on  a  level  with  its  waters,  full  of  shops, 


318  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

stores,  and  counting-houses,  and  teeming  with 
population,  is  not  as  healthy  as  the  vast  airy 
suburb  Rijwoeck,  two  miles  away.  The  dust  of 
the  streets  is  laid  by  being  constantly  kept 
watered  by  Malays,  who  run  about  with  two 
large  vessels  of  water  across  their  shoulders 
having  callender  spouts.  The  white  people  of 
Batavia  are  not  considered  hospitable  by  the  rest 
of  the  Europeans  in  Java.  Of  course,  the  pre- 
sence of  a  number  of  excellent  hotels  in  a  city 
tends  to  obviate  the  necessity  of  private  hospi- 
tality. In  Batavia,  besides  the  Hotel  Java,  there 
are  the  Hotel  Nederlands,  Hotel  Batavia,  Hotel 
de  Guillaunie  II.,  Marine  Hotel,  all  good.  In 
these  hotels  the  price  of  living,  carriage  included, 
would  not  be  less  than  1/.  sterling  a-day.  In 
Batavia,  the  hottest  part  of  the  island,  the  heat 
during  nine  months  of  the  year  averages  from 
80°  to  95°  during  the  twenty-four  hours.  During 
the  three  months  of  rainy  season  it  is  less.  In 
the  interior  it  is  considerably  cooler ;  and  not 
far  from  Buitenzorg,  two  blankets  can  be  borne 
at  night.  Tigers  abound  in  Java ;  700  were 
killed  last  year.  Not  very  long  ago  one  wras 
killed  here  at  Rijwoeck,  in  the  streets.  Panthers, 
too,  and  deadly  snakes,  abound.  Large  bats,  or 
flying  foxes,  are  very  common  here.  Some  of 
them  measure  across  the  wings  four  or  five  feet. 
They  have  heads   like  foxes,  with   large    staring 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  319 

eyps,  of  very  unpleasant  aspect,  have  a  strong 
smell,  but  are  quite  harmless,  except  to  fruit,  of 
which  they  eat  an  amazing  quantity.  In  Batavia 
there  are  four  or  five  newspapers,  weekly,  or  bi- 
weekly, or  daily;  in  Sourabaya,  three,  of  which 
one  is  in  Chinese  or  Mala)  ;  in  Samarang,  one; 
and  one  in  Macassar.  But  the  press  in  Java  is 
not  what  is  called  a  free  press.  The  visitors  who 
have  attended  the  Exhibition  in  Batavia  from 
Oct.  10  to  Nov.  1,  just  passed,  are  as  follows: — 
Europeans,  3512  ;  Javanese,  Chinese,  Malays,  and 
Islanders  (i.e.  from  adjacent  islands),  7&53; 
soldiers,  1477.  Money  received  at  the  doors, 
from  season  tickets  and  catalogues  respectively, 
4634  guilders,  20  doits;  18i0  guilders;  508 
guilders :  total,  6y52  guilders,  20  doits.  In 
1852  a  census  was  taken  of  the  population  of 
Java  and  Madura.  The  sum  total  amounted  to 
9,943,075,  in  the  following  proportions :  of 
Javanese,  9,762,682 ;  Chinese,  125,407  ;  Ori- 
ental settlers,  28,291  ;  Europeans,  17,285  ; 
Slaves,  who  are  not  Javanese,  but  of  the  neigh- 
bouring islands,  9410.  The  population  of  Timor 
may  be  reckoned  as  2,000,1,00.  Of  Sumatra 
I  can  get  no  account.  And  in  the  above  speci- 
fication of  the  population  in  Java  I  do  not  know 
under  which  heading  to  class  the  Malays,  who  are 
very  numerous.  In  1852,  400,000  Javanese  were 
vaccinated,  or  re-vaccinated.     In   1852,  the  tax 


320  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

on  pilgrims  to  Mecca  was  abolished  ;  so  that  the 
number  which  in  1851  was  74,  rose  in  1852  to 
413.  Since  1830,  when  Belgium  tore  herself 
away  from  Holland,  the  Dutch  have  devoted 
much  more  attention  to  Java,  which  is  to  Holland, 
in  a  commercial  sense,  that  which  the  dykes  are 
in  a  physical  sense  —  a  safeguard  from  a  univer- 
sal swamping.  Thus  they  encourage  settlers  in 
the  country,  and  let  them  have  enforced  native 
labour  at  a  low  rate — about  4d.  a-day;  and 
the  Government  I'emunerates  itself  either  by 
taking  the  planter's  produce  at  a  fixed  rate  below 
the  market  price,  or  by  laying  a  heavy  export 
duty  upon  it.  The  whole  country  is  divided 
into  Rajahships,  and  these  Rajahs  are  feudatories 
of  the  Dutch,  and  are  under  the  political  control 
of  a  civil  officer  called  a  Resident.  The  Rajah 
and  the  Resident  arrange  about  the  labour  for  the 
planter.  The  labourer  receives  his  own  wages, 
and  may  not  be  punished  in  any  way  by  the 
planter.  All  complaints  are  made  to  the  Rajah, 
who  punishes  as  he  thinks  proper.  The  Resident 
sees,  too,  that  every  district  grows  enough  rice  to 
support  itself,  so  as  to  preclude  chances  of  famine. 
The  women,  I  believe,  are  not  allowed  to  work, 
but  are  left  to  stay  at  home  to  spin,  tend  the 
children,  and  the  house.  If  the  Javanese  were 
left  to  themselves,  they  would  drive  their  women 
out  to  work  in   the  fields,  whilst  they  would  lie 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  321 

about  indolently,  or  go  idling  with  their  neigh- 
bours, fighting  cocks,  quails,  and  beetles.  The 
women,  too,  of  Sumatra,  bless  the  Dutch  for  lately 
introducing  the  same  admirable  social  reforms  and 
just  distribution  of  labour  among  them.  I  believe 
that  the  Javanese  Rajahs  are  stipendiaries  of  the 
Government;  and  they  exercise  immediate  rule 
over  their  subjects.  There  are  two  Sultans  in 
Java  and  Madura,  who  live  in  great  state,  keep  a 
great  many  wives  —  some  of  them  most  lovely 
women — live  very  fast,  and  get  into  debt.  They 
are  not  allowed  to  leave  their  palaces  and  cir- 
cumjacent grounds  without  permission  from  the 
Resident.  I  believe  that  Holland  gains  a  clear 
profit  out  of  Java  of  eighteen  millions  of  guilders, 
which  is  about  equivalent  to  a  million  and  a  half 
sterling.  This  has  been  lost  to  England  owing 
to  the  generosity  of  England,  who,  after  the  over- 
throw of  Napoleon,  gave  this  garden  of  Eden  up 
to  the  Dutch,  greatly  to  the  indignation  of  that 
great  and  good  man  Sir  Stamford  Raffles.  The 
government  of  Netherlands  India  is  without  any 
admixture  of  the  popular  element,  and  the  Gover- 
nor-General, assisted  by  his  Council,  consisting  of 
Vice-President,  General,  Admiral,  and  four  Coun- 
cillors, has  autocratic  power  over  Java  and  her 
dependencies,  such  as  Sumatra,  Timor,  Floris, 
Macassar,  Banca,  Bali,  Sumbawa,  and  other 
islands;  holds  all  the  land  as  Dutch   property; 

Y 


3.22  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

exercises  legal,  judicial,  and  administrative  func- 
tions ;  modifies  the  freedom  of  the  press ;  also  the 
right  of  holding  public  meetings ;  admits,  or  re- 
fuses   admittance,  at    discretion,    to    all  persons 
wishing   to    land    in    Java ;    taxes  all  estates  in 
money  or  in  kind ;  wages  war,  or  makes  peace. 
His  appointment  is  for  four  years,  and  his  direct 
income  amounts  to  200,000  guilders  per  annum  : 
from  indirect  sources,  however,   such  as  rations 
for  servants,  and   forage  for  horses,  he  increases 
greatly  his  emoluments.     The  present  Governor 
lives   very  quietly,  and  saves  much.     He  drives 
four   Sydney  horses   on  particular  occasions ;  at 
other  times,  four  or  six  ponies.     He  has  not  so 
fine  a  palace  here  as  at  Buitenzorg.     The  army 
of  Netherlands  India  consists  of  976  officers  and 
20,183   non-commissioned  officers   and   privates, 
of   which  many  are   Africans.     The  cavalry  and 
artillery  are   mounted  with  ponies ;   and  it  is  a 
ludicrous  sight  to   see  approaching  at  full  very 
small  trot,  a  tall,  fat  staff  officer,  with  long  sword 
and  white   plumes,  weighing  down  beneath  his 
caudal  rotundity  a   small    equine  quadruped  of 
ten  hands  and  a  half.     The  one  animal's  tail  is 
half  hidden  by   the   dorsal    ridge  of  the  other. 
The  war  with  the  islanders  of  Bali  lasted  for  two 
years,  and  was  very  harassing  to  the  troops.     I 
believe  that  each  soldier  is  permitted  (I  did  hear, 
compelled)  to  attach  himself  to  one  Malay  wo- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  323 

man,  who  is  recognised  by  Government,  and  has 
quarters  in  or  near  the  barracks.  If  the  soldier  is 
ordered  off  on  a  long  or  difficult  service,  or  dies, 
or  returns  home,  the  woman  is  provided  for  by 
the  state.  There  is  also,  as  I  heard,  a  strange 
regulation  on  that  score  among  the  negro  troops; 
but  it  is  not  sufficiently  well  authenticated  to 
justify  me  in  repeating  it.  The  war-navy  consists 
of  29  vessels,  manned  by  2052  Europeans  and 
559  Javanese,  or  neighbouring  islanders. 

As  to  the  island  of  Sumatra,  I  hear  that  it  is 
more  fertile  even  than  Java,  and  that  the  Dutch  are 
doing  their  best  to  bring  it  to  the  same  pitch  of 
productive  perfection  as  Java;  but  its  immense 
size,  and  the  warlike  nature  of  its  population,  in- 
terpose innumerable  barriers  to  their  wished-for 
consummation.  The  chief  towns  are  Palembang 
and  Bencoolen.  Slavery  is  as  good  as  abolished 
throughout  the  Dutch  dependencies  in  these  parts. 

Thus  have  I  given  all  the  information  I  could 
obtain  regarding  Java.  I  trust  that  it  is  cor- 
rect ;  but  it  is  difficult  to  acquire  much  know- 
ledge from  the  Dutch  here,  for  they  are  strangely 
incommunicative.* 

*  From  an  official  return  it  appears,  that  in  the  Dutch 
possessions  of  Java  and  Madura  the  imports  in  1853  were 
44,280,653  guilders  ;  the  exports,  71,692,956  guilders.  In 
1854  the  imports  amounted  to  63,775,247  guilders,  whilst  the 
exports  arrived  at  74,385,420  guilders.  The  number  of  vessels 
arriving  in  Java  were,  in  1853,  2170 ;  and  in  1854,  2348. 


324  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

Nov.  9. —  Embarked  on  board  the  "  Java" 
steamer  for  Singapore.  The  captain  is  an  Eng- 
lishman. An  Arabian  diamond-merchant,  with 
his  wife  and  family,  is  on  board,  going  to  Mecca ; 
also  an  Armenian  jewel-merchant  of  Bagdad,  who 
showed  me  some  beautiful  sapphires ;  also  a 
Creole  lady  and  family. 

Nov.  10. — At  sea  all  day,  with  Sumatra  on 
our  left,  and,  towards  evening,  Banca  on  our 
right.  At  midnight  anchored  off  Muntok,  the 
chief  place  in  the  island  of  Banca.  Banca,  I 
hear,  yields  to  the  Dutch  government  250,000 
piculs  (cwts.)  of  tin  per  annum.  A  picul  costs 
seven  rupees  the  raising,  and  sells  for  twenty - 
four. 

Nov.  11. —  After  discharging  sixty  tons  of 
cargo  at  Banca  we  weighed  anchor,  and  con- 
tinued at  sea  all  day,  with  the  wind  ahead  and 
the  navigation  perilous.  We  were  surrounded 
by  rocks,  reefs,  and  shoals.  My  Armenian  friend 
from  Bagdad  drinks  a  bottle  of  Cognac  brandy 
every  day.  He  says  that  he  has  a  peculiar  con- 
stitution, which  requires  that  quantity.  He  has 
the  scar  of  a  terrible  boil  on  the  face,  which,  he 
says,  is  common  in  Bagdad  and  Ispahan,  and  is 
produced — so  he  says  —  by  too  greedy  a  con- 
sumption of  figs.  He  says  that  an  Armenian 
patriarch  resides  in  Diarbekir.  He  tells  me  that 
the  people  of  Bagdad  are  firmly  convinced  that 


IN   AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  325 

their  terrible  miseries  of  1831  were  God's  judg- 
ments on  account  of  their  shameless  vices,  and 
that  now  they  are  greatly  reformed. 

Nov.  12. — To-day's  sail  has  been  very  inte- 
resting. Small  islands,  once  nests  of  atrocious 
pirates,  lay  all  around  us,  so  that  at  times  we 
seemed  completely  land-locked  for  leagues.  In 
the  afternoon  we  touched  at  Rhio,  an  island 
under  Dutch  surveillance,  producing  gambia,  of 
which  the  Javanese  are  great  consumers.  The 
wife  and  daughter  of  the  Arabian  diamond-mer- 
chant have  been  kept  below  in  their  close  cabin 
all  this  time.  He  brought  up  his  youngest  child, 
a  baby,  for  me  to  see.  It  was  a  lovely  little 
creature,  with  large  lustrous  black  eyes.  He 
himself  is  remarkably  handsome  and  stately. 
He  tells  me  that  his  wife  is  a  lady  of  Java,  where 
he  has  been  settled  for  many  years ;  but  that  his 
father,  who  is  one  of  the  leading  people  of  Mecca, 
has  ordered  him  to  leave  Java  and  go  to  live 
with  him.  "  I,  of  course,  obey  my  father,"  he 
said  ;  "  but  Mecca  is  one  of  the  most  disagree- 
able places  in  the  world  to  live  in,  on  account  of 
its  intense  heat  and  its  want  of  verdure."  In 
the  course  of  conversation  he  said,  in  an  off- 
hand way,  that  when  Jesus  Christ  prophesied  of 
a  Paraclete,  or  Comforter,  that  should  come, 
He,  without  doubt,  alluded  to  Mahomet.  To 
which   observation   I   replied,  that  I  was  grieved 


326  DTARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN' 

to  have  to  differ  with  him  in  toto ;  for  that  I 
conceived,  that  when  our  Saviour  promised  to 
send  a  Comforter  on  earth,  He  meant  anything 
but  a  mighty  conqueror,  winning  dominion  at 
the  cost  of  much  blood  and  human  misery,  and 
waited  upon  by  a  numerous  band  of  wives  and 
concubines  :  that  by  the  Paraclete  I  understood 
a  Holy  Spirit,  the  fruits  of  which  were  "love,  joy, 
peace,  longsuffering,  gentleness,  goodness,  faith, 
meekness,  and  temperance;"  and  that  I  could 
hardly  ascribe  all  those  virtues  to  Mahomet, 
however  deservedly  he  might  be  revered  by  his 
followers.  But,  although  I  thought  this  answer 
very  mild,  he  became  very  angry,  and  his  eyes 
flashed  fire.  We,  however,  ultimately  parted  very 
good  friends.  During  this  dialogue  the  Arme- 
nian was  interpreter.  At  ten  p.m.  we  anchored 
at  Singapore,  the  Byzantium  of  the  East,  of 
which  Sir  Stamford  Raffles,  its  founder,  writing 
in  1819,  says,  "  My  new  colony  thrives  most 
rapidly.  You  may  take  my  word  for  it,  this  is 
by  far  the  most  important  station  in  the  East, 
and,  as  far  as  naval  superiority  and  commercial 
interests  are  concerned,  of  much  higher  value 
than  whole  continents  of  territory." 

Nov.  13  {Sunday). — Landed  from  the  steamer. 
Was  told  to  take  care  that  the  coolies  did  not 
steal  my  luggage,  they  being  thieves ;  and  to 
recollect   that  I  was   no   longer  in  Java,  where, 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  327 

owing  to  a  strict  Government,  the  lower  classes 
behave  well.  Indeed  I  was  told  that  a  Javanese, 
finding  a  valuable  article  dropped  on  the  main 
road  from  a  passing  carriage,  will  immediately 
take  it  to  the  nearest  station.  Here,  on  the 
contrary,  I  am  told  that  the  natives  must  be 
looked  after.  Went  to  the  English  church, 
where  a  clergyman,  with  a  very  weak  voice,  was 
trying  to  make  himself  heard  by  a  miserably 
inattentive  and  carelessly-behaved  congregation. 
Some  Chinese,  Hindoos,  and  Creoles,  however, 
were  behaving  very  well. 

Nov.  14.  —  Walked  round  the  Government 
grounds,  which  are  prettily  laid  out  on  a  hill. 
The  population  is  said  to  be  80,000,  of  which  a 
great  number  are  Chinese.  The  streets  are  clean 
and  well  arranged.  Went  over  the  bazaar  of  a 
rich  Chinese,  named  Whampou,  which  is  full  of 
most  costly  things,  of  which  sandal-wood  boxes 
and  articles  of  frosted  silver  are  not  the  least 
conspicuous. 

Nov.  15. —  Visited  the  Chinese  temple.  It 
covers  an  extensive  square  space,  and  is  flanked 
by  two  polygon  towers,  ornamented  with  porce- 
lain. The  facade  is  supported  by  pillars,  with 
monsters  carved  upon  them  in  high  relief.  Two 
lions  guard  the  door,  in  the  mouth  of  one  of 
which  is  a  large  ball  lying  loose,  so  carved  there. 
Entering  through  the  main  door,  I  had  before 


328  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

me  a  square  space,  partly  uncovered,  with  deep 
verandahs  on  the  right  and  left,  in  which  are 
shrines  containing  a  god  of  wood,  and  looking 
very  wooden  indeed.  Before  me  lay  the  more 
sacred  precinct,  on  which  side  half  the  square  is 
covered  in  with  a  lofty  roof,  supported  by  strong 
beams  of  costly  wood,  elaborately  carved,  loaded 
with  gilding,  and  swarming  with  grotesque  and 
hideous  forms,  carefully  carved,  and  resplendent 
with  gold  and  vermilion.  Amongst  these  forms 
the  dragon  is  always  conspicuous.  On  stepping 
under  the  gorgeous  roofing,  the  outer  edge  of 
which  is  supported  by  granite  pillars,  curiously  and 
fantastically  carved,  I  saw  before  me  three  great 
altars,  before  which  lamps  are  always  burning, 
and  costly  sandal-wood  is  diffusing  its  fragrant 
odour.  Behind  the  right  and  left  altars  are 
two  idols,  as  large,  or  larger,  than  life,  in  a  cross- 
legged  posture.  They  have  strongly  marked 
Chinese  features,  with  a  complexion'  of  dark 
copper  colour,  and  their  expression  is  that  of 
apathetic  repose.  But  behind  the  middle  shrine, 
which  is  more  highly  ornamented  than  the  others, 
is  the  figure  of  a  female  richly  dressed,  having 
Chinese  features ;  and  behind  her,  so  close  as  to 
almost  hold  her  in  his  lap,  is  the  gigantic  figure 
of  a  great  god  which  is  called  Joss.  His  features 
are  very  large,  solemn,  and  unintelligent.  As  I 
looked    on    the    group    at  a   little   distance,  the 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  329 

female  figure  seemed  reposing  in  the  very  bosom 
of  the  great  idol.  Does  she  undertake  the 
function  of  mediator  and  intercessor  with  their 
deity  ?  This  great  shrine  is  guarded  on  either 
side  by  figures  of  tall  devils,  with  gigantic  horns, 
hairy  thighs,  misshapen  feet,  clubs,  and  a  huge 
fork.  I  should  remark,  that  in  front  of  these 
three  altars  there  is  a  sort  of  preparatory  altar, 
over  which  a  hideous  little  figure  in  a  warlike 
attitude  is  flourishing  some  description  of  weapon. 
Indeed  the  whole  of  these  precincts  is  swarming 
with  representations,  more  or  less  hideous  and 
absurd,  of  the  spirit  of  evil  ;  whether  huge  devils 
or  little  devils,  or  a  dragon,  or  a  serpent,  or 
whatever  else  in  the  crawling  way  is  unpleasant 
and  unked.  All  the  great  altars  have  their  fronts 
decorated  with  reliefs  in  compartments,  repre- 
senting groups  of  men,  women,  and  animals. 
The  entire  building  is  roofed  with  porcelain ;  and 
on  the  ridges  of  the  roof  ramp  dragons  of  porce- 
lain. All  this  porcelain  is  brought  from  China, 
as  is  the  granite  which  is  used  in  the  construction 
and  ornamentation  of  the  temple. 

Nov.  16. —  Observe  that  the  coachmen  do  not 
drive  the  horses  from  the  box,  but  run  by  their 
side  with  astonishing  nimbleness.  I  hear  that 
to  keep  a  good  table  in  Singapore  is  dear.  Ve- 
getables are  by  no  means  plentiful,  and  the  meat 
is  not  of  very    good   quality.     Singapore    is,    I 


330         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING   CLERGYMAN 

believe,  a  very  healthy  place.  The  tropical  sun 
is  tempered  by  a  keen  wind,  which  makes  me 
feel  as  if  I  were  in  a  constant  draft,  and  gives 
me  neuralgic  pains.  Tigers  are  very  plentiful 
in  the  district ;  they  swim  over  from  the  Malay 
continent,  and  attack  the  labourers  in  the  planta- 
tions by  jumping  on  them  i'rom  behind.  The 
victim  dies  immediately  with  the  vertebra?  of  the 
spine  broken,  and  is  then  carried  off  into  the 
jungle  to  be  devoured  by  the  brute  at  leisure. 
Singapore,  from  its  position  and  climate,  is  rapidly 
becoming  a  place  of  immense  importance.  The 
Dutch,  jealous  of  our  growing  influence  in  these 
parts,  tried  to  check  it  by  making  Macassar  a  free 
port.  But  it  is  too  late.  Singapore  is,  or  shortly 
will  be,  the  great  commercial  capital  of  the  far  East. 

Nov.  18.  —  Embarked  on  board  one  of  the 
Peninsular  and  Oriental  Company's  steamers  for 
Ceylon.  There  are  not  many  passengers,  and 
those  we  have  are  chiefly  invalids  coming  home 
from  China. 

Nov.  20. — Arrived  off  Pulo-Penang,  which  is 
said  to  be  the  most  fertile  and  picturesque  island 
in  the  world.  From  the  ship  I  saw  that  it  was 
mountainous,  but  mist  and  rain  prevented  my 
making  any  further  observations. 

Nov.  23.  —  Talked  much  with  some  intelligent 
Parsees  on  board.  They  do  not  acknowledge 
themselves  to  be  sun  or  fire- worshippers.      But 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  331 

whilst  they  are  worshipping  the  invisible  God 
they  look  at  the  sun  or  fire,  or,  in  fact,  anything 
bright,  as  an  emblem  of  His  brightness.  The 
very  idea  of  circumcision  they  abhor.  They 
abstain  from  beef  and  pork,  and  pray  often  in 
their  temples.  They  have  a  regular  hierarchy, 
and  their  priests  are  allowed  to  marry ;  but  their 
stipends  are  small,  equal  to  about  60/.  per  annum. 
Their  secret  writings  are  the  Zendavesta,  a  trans- 
lation of  which  they  study  continually.  They 
were  banished  from  Persia  by  Mohammedan 
bigotry  300  years  ago,  and  took  refuge  at  first  in 
Surat ;  now  their  head-quarters  are  in  Bombay. 
They  seem  clean,  quiet,  well-disposed  people, 
well  arranging  their  own  affairs  without  inter- 
fering with  their  neighbours'  matters.  They  put 
me  very  much  in  mind  of  our  Quakers. 

Nov.  25. —  We  expect  to  arrive  at  Point  de 
Galle,  in  Ceylon,  to-morrow.  Heat  very  great. 
I  think  we  all  live  too  luxuriously ;  eating  and 
drinking  is  going  on  all  day  in  our  splendid 
saloon.  Coffee  is  served  at  six  a.m.  ;  then  break- 
fast at  nine ;  lunch  at  noon  ;  a  sumptuous  dinner, 
with  many  wines,  at  four;  tea  at  six;  biscuits 
and  spirits  at  nine.  For  a  seven-days'  passage 
I  have  paid  154  dollars.  I  think  it  would  be 
better  to  pay  less  and  be  less  expensively  served. 
A  gentleman  invalided  home  from  China  tells 
me,  that  if  one  has  a  weak  point  in  the  consti- 


332  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

tution,  the  climate  of  China  will  find  it  out  and 
aggravate  it. 

Nov.  26, — At  seven  a.m.  we  steamed  into  the 
harbour  of  Point  de  Galle,  in  Ceylon.  This  town 
is  the  southernmost  harbour  in  Ceylon;  and  in 
times  past  was  strongly  fortified  by  the  Dutch. 
The  natives  swarming  about  the  port  are  great 
thieves,  with  a  decidedly  Hebrew  cast  of  counte- 
nance ;  but  they  are  excelled  in  villany  by  an 
indescribable  sort  of  mongrel  creature  which  in- 
fests this  place,  a  compound  of  Hollander,  Por- 
tuguese, and  Malay.  The  surveillance  exercised 
by  the  police  is,  I  understand,  not  very  strict. 

Dec.  1.  —  Went  to  Colombo  in  a  sort  of  char- 
a-banc,  intended  for  six  passengers  but  occupied 
by  nine.  Started  at  five  a.m.  and  arrived  at 
Colombo  at  four.  The  distance  is  seventy-five 
miles.  The  sea  lay  on  our  left;  an  interminable 
cocoa-nut  forest  on  our  right.  The  roads  are 
excellent ;  but  the  natives  looked  dirty  and  neg- 
lected, and  their  huts  were  many  of  them  half  in 
ruins.  Saw  two  miserable  individuals  quite  white 
through  leprosy. 

Dec.  2.  —  Had  the  pleasure  of  dining  with  the 
excellent  Bishop  of  Colombo.  He  is  building  an 
elegant  cathedral  in  the  Early  English  style,  with 
internal  fittings  of  satin-wood,  -beautifully  carved 
by  the  natives. 

Dec.  3. — Drove  out  to  the  Cathedral  to  attend 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  333 

Morning  Service,  and  received  the  Eucharist. 
Breakfasted  at  the  Bishop's  residence,  and  met 
there  Tamul  and  Cingalese  priests  and  deacons, 
all  intelligent  and  well-behaved  persons.  After 
breakfast  one  of  these  gentlemen,  a  Tamul 
deacon,  did  me  the  pleasure  of  accompanying  me 
to  the  Lepers'  Hospital,  an  establishment  which 
has  been  built  and  endowed  in  time  past  by  a 
Dutch  merchant,  who,  they  say,  died  a  victim 
to  this  loathsome  and  terrible  disease.  After 
proceeding  for  some  distance  in  a  boat  up  a  large 
river,  we  were  landed  on  the  estate  appertaining 
to  the  hospital.  The  establishment  consists  of 
various  squares,  surrounded  by  low  huts,  and 
having  communication  one  with  the  other.  In 
these  huts  the  lepers  live.  I  felt  very  wretched, 
as  thirty  or  forty  of  these  poor  creatures,  of 
either  sex,  came  clustering  around  me,  all  afflicted 
by  the  horrible  disease  in  all  its  many  stages. 
All  I  could  do  was  to  give  them  some  money, 
and  bid  them  put  their  trust  in  God.  I  could 
not  bid  them  hope,  for  with  leprosy  there  is  no 
hope ;  it  is  incurable :  at  least,  theirs  is  con- 
sidered so.  Some  of  them  had  their  noses  de- 
cayed away;  some  their  toes  and  feet;  others 
their  fingers;  and  when  not  decayed,  their  fingers, 
feet,  and  toes  ware  horribly  bent  and  twisted. 
Two  had  proud  flesh  growing  over  their  eye-balls. 
One  poor  fellow  had  his  ears  drooping  down  on 


334  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

his  shoulders,  monstrously  swollen;  and  huge 
fleshy  excrescences  protruding  from  his  forehead, 
his  cheeks,  and  his  chin;  and  thus  he,  having 
completely  lost  his  nose,  looked  scarce  human. 
They  seemed  very  miserable  and  woe-begone  as 
they  crowded  around  me.  Indeed,  unless  there 
were  a  world  to  come,  and  these  poor  creatures 
had  immortal  souls,  who  could  blame  them  for 
self-destruction  ?  Strange  to  say,  no  pain  is  felt, 
as  this  terrible  disease  makes  its  slow  progress. 
The  victim,  little  by  little,  year  by  year,  rots  quite 
away  without  pain.  But  many,  many  years 
elapse  ere  this  consummation,  so  much  to  be 
wished,  takes  place.  My  amiable  guide,  who 
visits  here  fortnightly  or  oftener,  tells  me  that  the 
disease  first  developes  itself  by  the  falling  off  of 
the  eyebrows.  I  believe  that  I  am  the  first  Euro- 
pean minister  of  religion,  not  Roman  Catholic, 
who  has  visited  this  lazar-house.  My  impression 
on  coming  away  was,  that  the  arrangements  of 
this  institution  are  capable  of  improvement. 

Dec.  4  {Sunday).  —  Attended  St.  Peter's 
church.  Heard  the  Bishop  preach  an  excellent 
sermon  to  a  thin  and  carelessly-behaved  congre- 
gation, in  aid  of  the  funds  of  the  Society  for  the 
Propagation  of  the  Gospel.  The  collection  was  a 
poor  one.  A  heavy  gale  blowing  all  day.  Some 
of  the  vessels  nearly  ashore.  Colombo  is  a  fine 
town,  kept   clean.     It   has   strong  fortifications, 


IN   AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  335 

which,  I  believe,  were  erected  by  the  Portuguese, 
before  the  Dutch  drove  them  out.  The  Govern- 
ment-House is  a  vast  pile  of  buildings. 

Dec.  5.  —  Started  at  five  a.m.  for  Candy,  where 
I  arrived  at  five  in  the  evening.  For  thirty-six 
miles  the  route  was  uninteresting,  but  afterwards 
the  scenery  became  mountainous  and  picturesque. 
The  noble  road  (constructed  by  Sir  Ed.  Barnes) 
wound  under  beetling  cliffs  and  over  profound 
water-courses.  Masses  of  fleecy  vapour  floated 
upon -the  rugged  crests  of  the  mountains.  In  a 
small  gully  overshadowed  by  cocoa-nut  trees,  I  saw 
an  elephant  at  work,  removing  stones.  The  huge 
palm  leaves  drooped  upon  the  beast's  huge  back — 
fit  companionship  between  the  animal  and  vege- 
table world. 

Dec,  6.  —  Candy  is  an  enchanting  place,  seated 
on  the  banks  of  a  lake  surrounded  by  lofty  hills, 
exuberant  of  foliage.  In  this  lake  is  a  small  island 
with  a  building  on  it,  once  used  for  a  harem,  now 
for  a  powder-magazine.  A  massive  terrace  runs 
along  the  side  of  the  lake,  and  to  walk  there  and 
watch  the  reflection  of  the  trees  in  the  still  waters 
is  a  delightful  thing.  Near  the  lake  is  a  large 
building,  used  as  a  public  library ;  also  an  im- 
mense temple  of  Buddha,  bizarre,  and  full  of  bar- 
baric beauty.  There  is  a  fine  and  well-conducted 
hotel  here,  barracks  for  troops,  and  one  of  the 
ugliest  churches  (Anglican)  it  has  ever  been  my 


336  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

lot  to  see.  It  defiles  an  otherwise  beauteous  scene, 
as  one  looks  down  upon  it  from  a  neighbouring 
height.  The  streets  are  well  kept,  and  alive  with 
an  active,  intelligent  native  population ;  and  it  is 
most  pleasing  and  amusing  to  see  multitudes  of 
these  people  bathing  and  diverting  themselves  in 
the  tranquil  waters  of  the  translucent  lake. 

Dec.  7.  —  Had  the  pleasure  of  an  introduction 
to  a  Mr.  Ottley,  the  excellent  and  capable  repre- 
sentative of  the  Church  Missionary  Society  at 
Candy.  He  drove  me  round  the  lake  and  showed 
me  all  its  beauties.  With  mirror-like  truth  did 
the  still  surface  reflect  the  rosy  glow  of  the  even- 
ing sky,  and  not  less  distinctly  the  forest-clad 
mountains.  Afterwards,  as  I  passed  by  the  front 
of  the  Buddhist  temple,  I  heard  the  sound  of 
tom-toms,  calling  the  people  to  prayers.  So  I 
entered  the  portals,  and  came  to  where  numbers 
of  thin  and  acute-looking  priests,  clothed  in  yellow, 
were  offering  on  trays  large  white  and  yellow 
flowers  as  an  evening  sacrifice  before  the  shrines 
of  Buddha.  Of  shrines  there  were  two,  one  con- 
taining two  images,  cased  with  gold ;  the  other  a 
pyramid,  flashing  forth  by  the  light  of  silver  lamps, 
burning  fragrant  oils,  the  rays  of  innumerable 
gems.  The  pyramid,  surmounted  by  the  repre- 
sentation of  a  flame,  is  the  prevailing  symbol  of 
the  Buddhists.  The  officiating  priests  received  me 
with  much  courtesy.     A  curiously-chased  watch 


IN   AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  337 

I  wore  attracted  their  attention  mightily.  They 
clustered  round  me  to  examine  it  thoroughly, 
and  then  passed  it  eagerly  from  hand  to  hand ; 
so  that  the  evening  rites  of  Buddha  were  moment- 
arily neglected,  that  his  priests  might  scrutinise 
an  English  clergyman's  time-piece. 

Dec.  8. — Went  to. the  National  School.  About 
forty  pupils  were  there,  natives  and  Creoles.  They 
sang  very  nicely-  Visited  the  Botanical  Gardens, 
four  miles  distant  from  Candy.  They  are  of  great 
extent,  and  not  particularly  well  kept. 

Dec.  10. —  Rode  through  Gambala  to  the  par- 
sonage-house of  the  Chaplain  of  Pussillava,  where 
I  slept.  The  scenery  was  very  picturesque.  A 
deep  ravine  gaped  on  our  right;  and  we  were 
splashed  with  the  spray  of  an  infinity  of  cascades, 
beautiful  to  see,  which  came  leaping  down  the 
wooded  heights  on  our  left.  Swift  moving  clouds 
enveloped  the  neighbouring  mountains.  Our  tra- 
velling was  impeded  by  a  vast  number  of  trains 
of  small  thatched  carts,  each  drawn  by  two  oxen. 
The  worthy  chaplain  was  away ;  but  in  his  pretty 
deep-verandaed  cottage,  nestling  amidst  roses, 
seated  in  a  locality  of  surpassing  beauty,  we  found 
every  physical  and  intellectual  comfort. 

Dec.  11. — My  companion  took  Divine  Service 
at  Pussillava  church  in  the  absence  of  the  chaplain. 
The  church  is  a  quiet,  unpretending  building, 
kept  very  clean,  and  surrounded  by  an  exuberance 

z 


338  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

of  roses,  which,  render  fragrant  the  air.  A  native 
catechist  was  holding  a  sort  of  service  in  the 
church  to  some  Cingalese,  before  my  friend 
should  begin  his.  It  was  most  interesting  to  see 
the  swarthy  folk,  wrapped  in  folds  of  white  mus- 
lin, crouching  before  the  catechist  with  piercing 
looks  of  intense  earnestness,  whilst  he  in  a  stand- 
ing position  expatiated,  with  much  energy  and 
grace,  on  the  blessings  of  the  religion  of  the  great 
Healer  of  souls.  The  regular  Service  was  very 
badly  attended  indeed.  A  few  Creoles  and  one 
European  family  composed  the  congregation. 
Our  planters,  who  are  by  no  means  penetrated  to 
excess  with  religious  feeling,  have  a  good  excuse 
for  absenting  themselves  from  Public  Worship 
just  now;  for  it  is  the  critical  period  of  coffee- 
picking,  during  which  work  is  done  on  Sundays. 
Dec.  12. —  Made  an  excursion  to  an  adjoining 
mountain  called  Peacock  Hill.  On  our  way  we 
passed  through  a  fine  coffee  estate  belonging  to 
three  brothers  (Israelites)  of  the  name  of  Behr. 
The  whole  of  this  property  is  surrounded  by  a 
hedge  of  roses,  a  most  delightful  thing  to  see  and 
smell.  The  nephew  of  the  proprietors  received 
us  with  much  courtesy,  and  conducting  us  over 
the  buildings  attached  to  the  estate,  gave  us 
every  information  about  coffee  cultivation.  Saw 
the  process  of  picking  the  berry,  of  washing  it  and 
drying  it,  previous  to  its  being  sent  to  Colombo 


IN   AUSTRALIA   AND  TASMANIA.  339 

to  undergo  a  cleaning  process ;  after  which  it  is 
shipped  off  to  England.  The  heat  of  the  drying- 
room  was  145°,  so  that  I  could  not  stay  long  in 
it.  The  labourers  for  the  coffee-picking  come 
over  express  from  the  southern  parts  of  India,  just 
as  the  Irish  come  over  for  our  harvest.  Their 
pay  is  6d.  a-day,  and  they  feed  themselves.  Each 
gang  has  its  own  chief,  who  is  responsible  for  the 
behaviour  of  his  comrades.  I  hear,  that  if  a  coffee 
estate  is  well  managed,  it  is  very  profitable;  but 
if  neglected,  it  will  turn  out  a  most  ruinous  in- 
vestment. Woe  to  the  proprietor  who  leaves  his 
estates  in  the  hands  of  agents  !  A  healthy  plant 
should  be  of  a  rich,  ripe,  green  colour :  if  the 
colour  should  verge  on  black,  it  is  a  sign  that  the 
terrible  bug  has  got  into  it.  Afterwards  we 
ascended  the  mountain  by  a  corkscrew  path. 
Saw  the  laurel-like  coffee-tree  planted  in  the  most 
inaccessible  localities.  For  the  cultivating  and 
picking  in  such  places,  it  is  necessary  to  secure 
the  labourer  with  ropes.  The  view  from  the  top 
of  the  mountain  was  very  extensive  and  imposing 
indeed.  On  one  side,  as  far  as  the  eye  could 
reach,  extended  a  chaos  of  mountains  piled  upon 
mountains ;  on  another,  a  narrow  unfertile  valley 
full  of  rank  grass,  through  the  middle  of  which 
ran  a  mountain-stream.  Returned  to  Pussillava 
by  sun-down. 

Dec.  13. — Started  on  horseback  at  early  morn- 


340  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

ing  for  Newera  Ellia,  pronounced  Neuralia,  the 
sanatorium  of  Ceylon.  After  riding  through  a 
pretty  country  full  of  coffee  estates,  we  arrived  at 
Ramboddy,  eager  for  breakfast ;  but  we  found 
the  Rest-haus  shut  up  and  deserted ;  so  we  had 
to  forage,  and  by  dint  of  begging  and  bargaining 
procured  some  eggs,  a  little  milk,  and  an  un- 
leavened cake.  We  had  tea  with  us  in  a  tightly- 
corked  bottle,  a  most  excellent  drink  for  travellers 
in  tropical  countries.  The  term  "excellent"  ex- 
presses faintly  my  ideas  on  this  subject.  After 
leaving  Ramboddy  we  passed  through  some  very 
sublime  scenery.  Around  us  were  lofty  hills, 
partly  clothed  with  jungle  and  forest,  partly 
cleared  for  coffee,  and  profound  ravines,  at  the 
bottoms  of  which  ran  tumultuously  the  torrents 
which  had  leaped  in  cascade  from  the  adjoining 
heights.  At  one  point  of  view  we  had  sight  of 
four  noble  cascades,  all  most  diverse,  all  most 
picturesque,  and  one  at  a  great  altitude.  I 
seemed  to  be  looking  at  some  exaggerated  pic- 
ture, so  unearthly  and  extraordinary  was  this 
scene.  Crossed  a  rude  bridge,  under  which 
bounded  a  rapid  river  on  its  swift  way  to  the 
abyss  below.  Some  time  ago  a  man,  who  was 
in  custody  of  the  police  for  murdering  his  two 
wives,  jumped  over  the  parapet  into  the  seething 
caldron,  and  thus  eluded  the  laws  of  man.  Other 
bridges  we  passed  over,  some  of  them  not  in  the 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  341 

best  repair.  At  three  p.m.  we  arrived  at  Newera 
Ellia,  which  is  a  collection  of  houses  built  in  a 
valley  6000  feet  above  the  level  of  the  sea.  Al- 
though the  sun's  rays  are  severe,  yet  the  heat  is 
much  tempered  by  the  keen  mountain  air  ;  for 
there  are  tail  mountains,  one  the  Pedro,  rising 
6000  feet  from  the  plain,  all  round  about.  On 
the  gentle  slopes  rising  from  the  valley  towards 
the  surrounding  hills,  are  built  pretty  cottage 
residences,  with  well- wooded  grounds  about  them. 
The  middle  of  the  valley  is  a  swamp,  clothed  with 
rank  grass,  scarce  good  for  anything,  having  a 
half-torpid  stream  running  through  it.  By  means 
of  a  dam  at  the  lower  end  of  this  valley  the 
swamp  might  be  converted  into  a  capacious  lake, 
as  was  done  at  Candy  by  one  of  the  late  kings  : 
and  then  Newera  Ellia  would  be  one  of  the 
pleasantest  places  in  the  world.  We  were  hospi- 
tably received  by  the  Rev.  Mr.  Mooyart  the 
chaplain,  a  gentleman  of  Dutch  extraction,  who 
took  us  to  see  the  church,  a  substantial  building, 
but  at  present  a  little  out  of  repair.  Saw  several 
invalid  soldiers  about. 

Dec.  16. —  Returned  to  Pussillava.  Observed 
a  well-defined  blue  haze  enveloping  the  distant 
mountains,  and  white  fleecy  clouds  floating  about 
in  this  haze.  Some  of  these  clouds  looked  like 
stately  ships  sailing  on  and  within  a  sea  of 
azure.     It  was  a  vision  of  great  beauty,  for  this 


342  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

blue  haze  looked  like  an  ocean,  and  the  tops  of 
the  mountains  like  islands  rising  out  of  this 
ocean. 

Dec.  18  {Sunday). —  Having  yesterday  ridden 
down  to  Gambala,  I  celebrated  Divine  Service  at 
Gambala  church  this  morning.  The  church  is  a 
pretty,  neat  building,  well  kept,  having  a  bell, 
font,  raised  chancel,  and  altar  chairs.  The  old 
clerk  was  formerly  tom-tom  player  to  the  last  of 
the  kings  of  Candy ;  and  a  good  old  creature  he 
seemed  to  be.  A  congregation  of  about  twenty 
were  present.  A  gentleman  of  native  extraction 
drove  me  into  Candy,  and  gave  me  much  in- 
formation about  the  Cingalese.  On  my  way  I 
plucked  a  leaf  from  a  tree,  which  is  said  to  be 
sacred,  on  account  of  Buddha  having  once  re- 
clined under  it.  As  we  drove  along,  I  observed 
that  all  the  natives  lowrered  their  umbrellas  to  my 
friend,  he  being  of  royal  descent.  The  priests, 
however,  those  gaunt,  ascetic  men,  clothed  in  loose 
yellow  robes,  did  not.  Well  might  they  look 
lean,  if  what  I  have  been  told  is  true,  that  they 
eat  no  food  till  after  sundown.  Of  course  there 
is  a  great  deal  of  scandal  a-foot  concerning  the 
morality  of  the  sacerdotal  order  of  the  Buddhists ; 
every  priesthood  has  its  calumniators.  I  hear 
that  polyandry  is  very  common  among  the  Cin- 
galese. Four  or  five  brothers  take  one  woman, 
and  they  live  together,  as  I  am  credibly  informed, 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  343 

in  perfect  harmony.  The  children  sprung  from 
this  alliance  claim  paternal  sympathies  from  all 
the  brothers.  I  am  told  that  hydrophobia  is  very 
common  here  among  the  dogs;  but  that,  although 
many  people  are  bitten,  death  very  rarely  follows. 
The  Buddhist  priests  can  neutralise  the  effects  of 
the  poison ;  they  can  even  successfully  battle 
with  the  disease  after  it  has  developed  itself  in 
the  patient.  But  their  entire  process  is  a  secret. 
The  bitten  person  must  be  conveyed  to  their  tem- 
ple or  habitations,  and  at  the  end  of  a  certain 
time  he  is  restored  to  his  friends  cured.  Cautery 
and  most  profuse  sudorifics  form  part  of  their 
system;  but  they  use  drinks  and  local  applica- 
tions which  are  never  divulged.  The  patient  is 
reduced  to  the  last  stage  of  inanition  during  the 
healing  process.  My  friend  told  me  that  he  was 
bitten  by  a  confirmed  mad  dog  six  years  ago,  and 
that  he  was  treated  partly  according  to  the  na- 
tive, partly  according  to  the  European  custom. 
For  four  weeks  his  diet  consisted  of  rice-water  and 
vegetables ;  emetics  and  purgatives  were  alter- 
nately administered  every  other  day,  and  the 
wound  was  kept  open  by  cautery.  As  soon  as 
he  became  moribund,  as  it  were,  from  want  of 
nourishment,  they  desisted  from  their  severe 
treatment,  and  allowed  him  gradually  to  feed 
up  again. 

Dec.  19. — An  elephant  was  in  the  lake  this 


344  DIARY  OP  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

morning,  drawing  out  of  it  a  sunken  barge;  and 
all  of  a  sudden  he  disappeared  as  if  by  magic,  the 
frightened  mahout  swimming  ashore.  It  turned  out 
that  one  side  of  the  Candy  Lake  is  enormously  deep 
— a  ravine,  in  fact — and  over  the  banks  of  this 
precipice  the  poor  creature  slipped,  dragging  the 
heavy  boat  after  him,  the  encumbrance  of  which 
prevented  him  swimming.  Mr.  Ottley  took  me 
to  see  an  image  of  Buddha,  twenty-seven  feet 
long,  hewn  out  of  the  solid  rock.  The  figure 
is  lying  on  its  right  side,  with  its  head  slightly 
raised  on  its  right  hand,  and  the  noble  and 
majestic  countenance  has  an  aspect  of  profound 
meditation.  On  his  head  is  the  representation  of 
a  pyramid  of  flame,  gilt.  I  understand  that 
Buddhism  is  a  pure  Theism,  the  tenets  of  which 
Buddha  propagated,  who  lived  a  thousand  years 
before  our  Saviour.  But  yet  idol-worship  is 
mixed  up  with  Buddhist  worship.  Others,  again, 
say,  that  Buddha  is  Adam,  whose  colossal  foot- 
steps on  the  Cingalese  mountain,  Adam's  Peak, 
both  Hindoos  and  Buddhists  worship.  Others 
say  that  Buddhism  was  much  modified  by  the 
teaching  of  early  Christian  apostles,  and  that  the 
monastic  institutions  and  hierarchy  peculiar  to 
the  Buddhists  took  their  rise  from  the  followers 
of  Christ.  Some  say  that  Buddhism,  as  pure 
Theism,  is  the  primeval  religion  of  the  East;  and 
that  Hindoo  mythology  and  idol-worship  are  its 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  345 

corruptions,  just  as  the  mythology  and  image- 
worship  of  Roman  Catholics  are  corruptions  of 
the  pure  Christian  scheme.  Others,  again,  assert 
that  Hindooism  was  the  primeval  Asiatic  religion, 
and  that  Buddha  was  a  reformer  —  a  sort  of 
Luther.  The  religion  of  Buddha  prevails  in 
China,  Thibet,  Japan,  and  Ceylon ;  and  a  German 
writer  of  note  (Bitter)  in  his  introduction  to  the 
"  Histories  of  the  European  Nations,"  advances 
the  opinion  that  the  Buddhists  migrated  to  the 
shores  of  the  Black  Sea,  to  Colchis,  to  the  modern 
Mingrelia,  and  thence  to  Thrace,  where  they  laid 
the  foundation  of  the  civilisation  of  the  Pelasgi 
and  Hellenes.  I  take  it  that  a  scrutiny  into 
Buddhism,  as  to  what  it  is  and  what  it  is  not, 
and  above  all  its  relative  bearings  with  regard  to 
Hindooism,  must  be  a  most  interesting,  though 
most  difficult  task.  I  could  obtain  no  informa- 
tion on  this  subject  either  from  clergy  or  laity. 

Dec.  20. — Rode  down  to  Colombo  in  the 
public  conveyance.  Among  my  fellow-passengers 
were  an  English  family  and  their  ayah,  a  Tamul 
woman,  with  the  baby.  This  woman  was  loaded 
with  barbaric  ornaments.  She  had  silver  anklets 
and  armlets,  two  neck  chains,  no  end  of  rings  on 
fingers  and  toes,  and  six  earrings  on  her  two  ears, 
besides  one  in  her  right  nostril.  Silver  chains  in 
her  raven  hair  completed  this  argentine  toilet. 
This  was  the  woman's  property,  which  she  carried 


3  16  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

about  her.  According  to  the  number  of  her 
ornaments  will  she  find  aspirants  for  her  hand 
and  heart.  In  the  Australian  bush  I  have  seen 
young  black  girls  on  their  preferment,  with  no 
other  clothing  than  a  longish  stick  passed  through 
the  grizzle  of  their  nose.  In  Europe,  also,  the  same 
principle  prevails  ;  subjected,  however,  to  certain 
modifications  in  the  carrying  out. 

Dec.  21— To-day,  being  St.  Thomas'  Day,  the 
patron  saint  of  the  College  and  Cathedral,  there 
was  full  Service  at  eleven.  Many  swarthy  priests 
and  deacons  attended.  A  number  of  pupils  sat 
down  to  dinner  with  us,  and  afterwards  sang 
some  chants  very  sweetly  indeed.  I  believe  that 
they  are  much  in  want  of  some  new  chants.  It 
was  a  most  exhilarating  sight  to  see  these  Indian 
people,  rescued  from  the  demon  of  Paganism,  thus 
adapting  themselves  to  humanising  Christian 
ways.  And  all  Christian  people  should  gratefully 
thank  our  good  Bishops,  refined  and  educated 
men,  who  leave  the  comforts  of  an  English  bene- 
fice, and  break  up  all  the  associations  of  their 
youth,  for  thus  devoting  themselves  to  preach 
the  Gospel  of  Truth  to  people  sunk  in  demoral- 
ising errors,  and  that  in  countries  where  the 
climate  is  by  no  means  congenial  to  European 
constitutions.  Yet,  strange  to  say,  many  of  the 
British  abroad  do  not  sufficiently  appreciate  and 
reverence  the  motives  which   induce  learned  and 


IN   AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  347 

discreet  clergymen  to  come  out  into  far-away 
lands  to  exercise  the  arduous  duties  of  the  Epi- 
scopate. Instead  of  being  supported,  they  are 
often  thwarted  by  people,  who,  baptized  unto 
Christ,  live  as  pagans.  Many  of  our  Colonial 
Bishops  are  obliged  to  employ  much  of  their 
valuable  time  in  warding  off  the  virulent  attacks 
of  professing  Church  people,  leagued  with  the 
Anti- Church  party  and  a  bitter  Newspaper 
Press. 

Dec.  22. — Went  to  see  a  vast  Buddhist  temple. 
It  has  two  large  chambers,  in  one  of  which  is  a 
recumbent  figure  of  Buddha,  forty  feet  long, 
with  a  noble  countenance  indicative  of  profound 
contemplative  repose,  or  perhaps  of  religious  ec- 
stasy. On  his  head  he  wears  a  sort  of  judge's 
wig,  and  before  him  is  a  glass  frame,  probably  to 
shroud  him  in  a  measure  from  too  penetrating  a 
gaze  of  the  profane.  Other  representations,  too, 
of  Buddha  are  there,  as  well  as  of  Hindoo  gods. 
It  is  this  mixture  of  the  two  religions  which  I 
cannot  have  explained  to  me.  The  walls  of  the 
other  chamber  are  crowded  with  vivid  frescos  of 
men  and  animals.  At  my  request,  one  of  the 
priests  wrote  me  with  a  style  a  few  words  on  a 
leaf  of  papyrus,  as  a  memorial  of  the  place ;  not, 
however,  without  hesitation,  for  he  asked  me  with 
a  sneer  why  I  wished  for  a  memorial  of  a  reli- 


848  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

gion  which  I  despised.  He  had  the  sharp,  acute 
features  of  the  members  of  the  Society  of  Jesus. 

Dec.  23. —  Came  down  to  Point  de  Galle  in 
the  public  conveyance.  My  fellow-passengers 
were  an  Eurasian  gentleman  and  his  daughter 
from  Madras,  and  a  police-magistrate,  a  Baliol 
man.  Horses  very  vicious  :  they  nearly  upset  us 
three  times.  , 

Dec.  27. — Embarked  on  board  a.  Peninsular 
and  Oriental  Company's  steamer,  bound  for 
Suez.  As  there  were  only  twenty-three  passen- 
gers, I  had  a  cabin  to  myself.  Each  cabin  is 
made  to  contain  three  berths.  A  Spanish  ecclesi- 
astic of  high  rank,  from  Manilla,  is  one  of  the 
passengers.  He  is  Vicar-General  of  the  Philippines, 
and  his  frank,  honest  countenance,  shows  a  delight- 
ful mixture  of  good  breeding  and  good  nature. 

Jan.  1,  1854  {Sunday,  Feast  of  the  Circum- 
cision).— The  captain  sent  his  compliments  to 
me,  and  asked  me  to  celebrate  Divine  Service. 
Of  course  I  acquiesced.  Service  began  at  half- 
past  ten.  Nearly  all  the  passengers  and  officers 
of  the  ship  attended.  I  was  obliged  to  sit,  owing 
to  the  motion  of  the  ship  and  the  swaying  of  the 
punkah.  The  Service  consisted  of  Prayers,  Litany, 
and  a  Sermon.  At  half-past  seven  p.m.  I  cele- 
brated a  full  Evening  Service.  We  are  now  2140 
miles  from  Aden. 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  349 

Jan.  3. —  At  daybreak  we  were  off  the  island  of 
Socotra,  once  a  coaling  station  of  the  East  India 
Company,  lying  about  450  miles  from  Aden.  It 
is  very  insalubrious  and  sterile,  and  has  but  few 
inhabitants.  Tamagrida  is  its  chief  village  ;  and 
a  few  miserable  Arabs,  in  a  state  of  anarchy,  cul- 
tivate all  that  is  cultivable.  We  were  twelve 
hours  passing  it.  High  mountains  with  jagged 
summits  and  with  sandy  slopes  at  the  bases,  des- 
titute of  verdure,  were  all  that  we  could  see 
through  the  haze. 

Jan.  5. — At  nine  a.m.  we  entered  Aden,  a  mass 
of  rock  joined  to  the  mainland  by  a  sandy 
isthmus.  It  contains  a  mosque,  an  Anglican 
church  (scarcely  begun),  a  Romanist  church 
(nearly  finished),  cantonments,  and  some  dwellings 
for  British  officials.  The  other  buildings  are 
miserable,  and  an  air  of  sterile  desolation  per- 
vades every  part.  Aden,  however,  is,  politically 
and  commercially,  a  very  valuable  possession, 
lying  as  it  does  at  the  entrance  of  the  Red  Sea, 
and  we  have  fortified  it  with  great  care.  The 
harbour  is  secure,  and  has  about  four  fathoms  of 
water.  The  population  consists  chiefly  of  Afri- 
cans. I  saw  troops  of  brawny  negresses  carrying 
heavy  burdens;  also  strings  of  sour-looking 
camels,  bringing  in  forage  and  fire-wood.  I  rode 
out  into  the  desert,  half  a  mile  beyond  the 
frontier,  and  encountered  a  dreary  waste  of  sand 


350  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

as  far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  Had  a  quarrel 
with  a  villanous  horseboy,  who,  as  I  was  alone, 
tried  to  rob  me.  I  was  obliged  to  compel  him  to 
accompany  me  to  the  police-office,  but  I  could 
get  no  redress,  and  I  longed  for  Dutch  rule  here. 
The  hotel  is  spacious,  airy,  and  well  kept,  and 
from  its  verandah  we  enjoyed  at  sunset  the  view 
before  us.  There  was  the  calm  sea,  reflecting 
chameleon-like  the  fading  hues  of  the  sky  ;  ships 
at  anchor;  that  rock  in  the  sea,  "inguisa  di  leone 
quando  si  posa;"  beyond  were  the  Arabian 
mountains,  mantled  with  blue  haze,  with  slopes 
of  sand  half-way  up  to  the  summit.  Laden 
camels  with  their  drivers  passing  along  the  beach, 
having  their  outlines  brought  out  in  sharp  relief 
against  the  blue  waters  of  the  harbour,  gave  life 
to  this  still  evening  scene.  Having  completed 
our  coaling  we  proceeded  on  our  way  at  night. 

Jan.  6.  — At  half-past  nine  a.m.  we  passed 
through  the  narrows  of  Bab-el-Mandeb,  the  Gate 
of  Tears,  forming  the  entrance  to  the  Red  Sea. 
On  our  right  frowned  a  group  of  precipitous  rocks, 
among  which  the  Peak,  called  Bab-el-Mandeb, 
was  pre-eminent ;  on  our  left  lay  the  rocky  island 
Perim,  which  forms  the  right  side  to  the  wider 
straits.  An  Arab  pilot  came  on  board,  clothed  in 
a  long  dress  of  striped  silk  down  to  his  feet,  and 
having  his  striped  turban  tied  down  with  a  hand- 
kerchief.    He  carried  a  huge  silver  ring  on  the 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  351 

little  finger  of  his  right  hand,  and  he  wore  no 
shoes.  He  fixed  himself  on  the  paddle-box,  and 
there  remained  attentive  and  motionless.  On  our 
right  and  left  we  see  chains  of  mountains  — these 
in  Arabia,  those  in  Abyssinia.  At  half-past  one 
p.m.  we  passed  Mocha,  and  with  a  glass  saw.  dis- 
tinctly the  Mosque,  the  Citadel,  and  a  few  Arab 
vessels  lying  at  anchor.  A  strong  wind  blew  aft, 
and  the  ship  rolled.  Observed  that  the  twilight 
was  very  short.  Venus  throws  her  track  of  light 
upon  the  waters  like  a  moon. 

Jan.  8  (Sundaij). — No  land  to  be  seen  on  either 
side.  Celebrated  the  Morning  and  Evening  Ser- 
vices. The  morning  attendance  was  very  good. 
Divine  Service  is  invaluable  for  the  morale  of  a 
crowded  ship.  It  gives  people  something  to  think 
about,  and  takes  their  attention  off  from  self. 
We  had  a  hazy  sunset,  at  which  time  the  sea 
assumed  a  peculiar  reddish  tinge,  which  lasted 
for  twenty  minutes.  This  appearance  is  common 
in  these  parts.  At  ten  p.m.  the  wind,  which  until 
yesterday  was  southerly,  and  is  to-day  fallen, 
began  to  blow  from  the  north. 

Jan.  10. — No  land  visible,  except  an  island 
which  we  passed  on  our  left;  still  the  same  round 
of  good  living.  People  are  getting  bilious  and 
fastidious ;  and  complain  that  the  cook  has  not 
improved  since  the  commencement  of  the  voyage. 
The  fact  is  that,  considering  what  we  really  re- 


352  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

quire  as  idle  people,  the  whole  victualling  depart- 
ment is  one  of  extravagant  wastefulness.  Con- 
versed on  religious  matters  with  the  Vicar-Gene- 
ral of  Manilla.  He  seems  a  very  amiable,  liberal- 
minded  man,  and  did  not  assume  a  bitter  tone 
when  speaking  of  Protestantism.  But  when  I 
told  him  that  I  could  not  find  Scripture  warranty 
for  the  intense  ultra-veneration  which  his  Church 
accorded  to  the  ever-blessed  Virgin  Mary,  he  laid 
his  hand  on  my  arm,  and  seriously  said,  "  I  can 
bear  your  doubts  on  every  other  point  but  this ; 
but  on  this  subject  I  can  suffer  no  disputing.  If 
you  knew  how  she  has  always  been  a  blessed 
Mother  to  me,  and  on  one  occasion  how  she 
answered  my  prayers  immediately  when  I  was  in 
great  straits,  you  would  no  longer  undervalue 
her  divine  excellences,  nor  wrish  to  diminish  the 
homage  due  to  them."  Here  the  good  man's 
eyes  became  suffused  with  feeling,  and  the  con- 
versation, of  course,  was  at  an  end.  Are  Pro- 
testants sufficiently  aware,  that  the  worship  of  the 
Virgin  is  not  only  an  institution  of  the  Church 
of  Home,  but  that  it  springs  from  the  universal 
tendency  of  mankind,  in  all  ages  of  the  world,  to 
worship  the  female  principle  deified  ?  The  Hin- 
doos worship  Pracriti  —  the  Egyptians  wor- 
shipped Isis  —  the  Phoenicians,  Astarte,  the 
"  Queen  of  Heaven"  —  the  Greeks,  Cybele  — 
the  Scandinavians  Freya,  and  so  on.     All  these 


IN   AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  353 

goddesses  were  symbols  of  the  generative  powers 
of  nature.  This  instinctive  worship  of  nature  the 
Producer,  is  as  strong  in  the  breast  of  man  now  as 
it  was  three  thousand  years  ago ;  and  the  Church 
of  Roine,  ever  a  calm  and  acute  contemplator  of 
the  religious  tendencies  and  wants  of  mankind, 
has  satisfied  all  these  material  longings  after  the 
gross  worship  of  the  principle  of  fecundity,  by 
giving  to  them  a  more  refined  and  spiritual  object 
of  worship,  symbolical  of  every  moral  virtue,  every 
feminine  purity  and  sweetness,  every  spiritual  fe- 
cundity, every  Divine  Power  for  aiding  and  con- 
soling erring  and  desolate  human  souls,  in  the 
person  of  a  spotless  virgin,  Mother  of  the  Creator 
and  Saviour  of  the  world. 

Thus,  if  the  Papal  system  were  to  be  broken  up 
to-morrow ;  if  the  vast  and  complicated  machinery 
of  the  Church  of  Home  were  to  exist  no  longer ; 
it  may  be  doubted  if  the  Worship  of  the  Virgin 
would  not  still  remain  deeply  rooted  in  the  hearts 
of  her  votaries.  For  it  is  a  human  instinct, 
rather  than  an  article  of  faith  ;  yet  it  is  certain 
that  no  one  who  founds  his  faith  on  the  Canon  of 
Scripture  is  justified  in  worshipping  aught  but 
the  Eternal  Three  in  One. 

Jan.  11. — Sailed  up  the  Gulf  of  Suez,  leaving 
the  gulf  of  Akaba  on  our  right.  The  Gulf  is 
from  twelve  to  fifteen  miles  across.  Right  and 
left  were  undulating  ridges  of  rock,  with  sandy 

A  A 


354  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

slopes.  About  forty  miles  south  of  Suez  the 
captain  pointed  out  to  me  the  spot  where,  accord- 
ing to  tradition,  the  Israelites  passed.  There  is  a 
break  in  the  cliff  just  there,  by  which  they  could 
descend  to  the  sea-side.  I  did  not  see  any  other 
gap  where  they  could  have  done  so.  This  break 
is  called  the  Valley  of  Moses.  The  soundings  at 
this  spot  give  five  fathoms,  and  the  width  of  the 
gulf  there  is  twelve  miles  exactly.  At  four  p.m. 
we  cast  anchor  in  the  shallow  waters  of  the  gulf, 
three  miles  short  of  Suez,  to  which,  amid  inde- 
scribably disorderly  confusion,  we  were  rowed  in 
a  barge  by  four  terribly  depraved-looking  indi- 
viduals. Suez  does  not  seem  a  very  interesting 
place;  but  we  were  partially  refreshed  by  some 
weak  tea  at  a  bad  hotel,  and  then  started  for 
Cairo  in  omnibuses  on  two  wheels,  drawn  by  four 
horses  or  mules.  The  omnibus  I  rode  in  was 
christened  by  the  rest  of  the  passengers  the 
Polyglott  Omnibus,  inasmuch  as  there  were  six 
people  of  different  nations  inside  —  an  English- 
man, Swiss,  Frenchman,  Spaniard,  Parsee,  and 
Eurasian.  The  travelling  was  very  good ;  the 
horses  were  changed  sixteen  times  in  the  space  of 
eighty  miles ;  and  at  three  out  of  the  sixteen 
stations  there  was  a  good  supper  laid.  The 
Peninsular  and  Oriental  Company  must  injure 
their  passengers'  healths  by  overfeeding  them. 
Thus  we  travelled  over  an  interminable  desert  of 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  355 

sand.  No  trees  were  there,  no  verdure;  the  soil 
seemed  to  grow  nothing  but  rocks,  which  cropped 
above  the  surface.  The  cold  bright  moon  shed 
her  rays  upon  us,  and  the  keen  winter  wind  swept 
across  the  waste. 

Jan.  12. — Arrived  in  Caij^o  at  half-past  ten  a.m. 
Visited  the  Citadel,  and  the  new  Mosque  built  by 
Mehemet  Ali.  From  the  heights  of  the  citadel 
I  saw  new  and  old  Cairo,  the  many-mosqued, 
lying  beneath  me  in  the  distance  ;  the  Nile,  with 
banks  lined  with  palaces,  floating  gently  down 
through  its  narrow  and  most  fertile  valley;  and 
beyond  the  arid  Desert,  having  on  its  confines 
the  Pyramids  of  Gizeh  and  those  of  Sakhara,  all 
looking  very  small.  The  mosque  is  of  white 
marble,  and  glowing  with  costly  decorations. 
Glass  chandeliers  hang  from  the  roof,  and  the 
pulpit  and  tomb  of  the  late  Pasha  are  conspicuous 
objects;  the  former  for  its  richness,  the  latter  for 
its  simplicity.  The  building  is  large  and  im- 
posing, and  its  centre  dome  of  striking  dimen- 
sions. 

Jan.  13. —  Hear  that  Achmet,  the  celebrated 
sorcerer,  performed  before  a  party  last  night  at 
Shepheard's  Hotel.  He  is  a  venerable-looking 
old  man  of  80.  He  insisted  on  being  paid  be- 
fore he  commenced,  and  thus  obtained  between 
20  and  30  dollars.  After  making  the  accustomed 
incantations,  he  failed  miserably  in  describing  all 


356  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

the  personages  who  were  mentioned  to  him.  His 
boy  and  he  made  sad  blunders  indeed.  For 
instance,  Mr.  Disraeli  was  described  as  wearing 
a  dress  coat,  white  waistcoat  and  cravat,  top 
boots,  and  moustaches.  Went  to  the  slave- 
market,  a  very  dirty  place,  where  were  kept  in 
miserable  rooms  men,  boys,  and  girls,  brought 
down  by  slave-merchants  from  Nubia,  Abyssinia, 
and  Galla.  They  were  all  very  dirty,  but 
seemingly  not  at  all  miserable.  On  the  con- 
trary they  seemed  cheerful,  and  rather  rude, 
especially  the  women  ;  for  as  I  was  retiring  they 
seized  my  hand  and  demanded  money,  until  the 
master  came  and  gave  them  some  blows  with  a 
light  cane,  at  which  they  ran  away  laughing. 
After  I  left  the  building  I  discovered  that  the 
small-pox  and  the  itch  were  raging  among  the 
inmates.  Afterwards  I  visited  various  parts  of 
Cairo,  which  is  accounted  the  most  Oriental  city 
of  the  East.  Scenes  of  the  "Arabian  Nights"  are 
re-enacted  every  day.  There  is  to  be  seen  the 
stately  mosque,  with  its  slender  minaret  delicately 
carved,  and  the  narrow  street  lined  with  fortress- 
looking  mansions,  with  gateways  of  exquisite 
Saracenic  architecture,  full  of  fantasy,  variety,  and 
originality.  The  shops  are  very  small — little  boxes, 
in  fact — stored  with  goods  behind.  In  front,  close 
on  the  street,  is  a  little  stage  carpeted;  on  which 
the  shopkeeper,  leaving  his  slippers  below,  almost 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  357 

in  the  throughfare,  sits  tranquilly  smoking  his 
chibouque  or  narghilly;  and  where  the  buyer 
must  sit  also,  if  he  would  avoid  being  trampled 
under  foot  by  the  crowd.  And  what  crowds  ! 
what  a  living  torrent  of  animal  life  rushes  through 
the  narrow  ways  !  Here  jostle  one  another 
Franks,  Arabians,  Turks,  Egyptians,  Nubians, 
carriages,  camels,  horses,  mules,  donkeys,  dogs, 
and  goats.  All  is  in  motion,  and  rapid  motion. 
Here  comes  a  stately  camel  sweeping  along  with 
outstretched  neck,  his  head  in  horizontal  posi- 
tion, and  a  supercilious  expression  of  counte- 
nance. He  has  a  doubtful-looking  eye,  and 
an  angry  pout  on  his  lip.  If  he  is  loaded,  va 
viatori!  for  he  sweeps  down  all  opposition  with 
his  protruding  burden.  If  he  is  crouching  down, 
loading  or  unloading,  va  viatori! — for  he  twists 
about  his  long  neck  in  every  direction,  gnash- 
ing his  teeth  in  an  agony  of  rage  or  pain,  and 
fills  the  air  with  cries  difficult  to  describe,  corn- 
pounded  of  a  grunt  and  a  groan  and  a  roar  and 
a  squeak.  Then  comes  the  gentleman  or  officer, 
loaded  with  gay  clothes,  prancing  by  on  his  high- 
mettled  horse,  sitting  at  ease  in  the  comfortable 
saddle  all  covered  with  housings.  Then  one 
sees  a  sleek,  fat  mule,  carrying  a  sleek,  fat,  con- 
sequential eunuch — precious  companionship! — 
through  the  yielding  crowd.  Then  come  grave 
Orientals,  merchants,  Jews,  money-changers,  and 


338  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

hatted  Franks,  bestriding  small  active  asses. 
Among  these  latter  the  Englishman  may  be  dis- 
tinguished, by  his  having  the  same  supercilious 
touch-me-not  expression  of  countenance  as  the 
camel ;  and  by  his  riding  his  donkey  through  the 
crowd  at  full  gallop.  Then  there  are  the  women 
— the  better  classes — muffled  up  in  the  yasmak, 
going  a-shoppingj  sitting  on  ass-back  a  la  four- 
chette ;  the  lower  classes  exposing  their  mascu- 
line, but  not  unhandsome  features,  to  the  gaze  of 
men.  There,  too,  are  the  sweetmeat-sellers,  laud- 
ing with  loud  voice  the  excellence  of  their  bon- 
bons. The  air  is  filled  with  shouts;  everybody  is 
gesticulating;  and  the  expressive  Arabian  tongue 
is  applied  to  praying,  cursing,  blessing,  lying, 
trafficking,  and  shouting  to  the  animals  —  all  in 
simultaneous  discord.  Every  animal  has  a  driver, 
and  every  driver  maintains  an  animated  conver- 
sation with  his  charge.  This  is  but  a  faint 
description  of  the  bustle  in  the  streets  of  inde- 
scribable Cairo.  I  hear  that  Egypt  still  keeps  up 
its  reputation  of  being  the  most  licentious  country 
in  the  world.  I  find,  too,  that  a  great  jealousy 
exists  between  Cairo  and  Damascus;  especially 
with  regard  to  the  breed  of  horses.  I  am  told  also, 
that  the  Desert  is  a  most  healthy  place  for  invalids 
to  visit  who  require  change  of  air.  Of  course  it  is 
necessary  to  take  tents  and  every  convenience. 
Jan.  14. — Visited  the  Pyramids  of  Gizeh  and 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  359 

tlie  Sphinx.  Started  at  early  morning ;  and  as 
we  proceeded  through  a  labyrinth  of  narrow 
streets,  the  moon  poured  a  flood  of  light  on 
mosque  and  minaret,  massive  palace  and  sculp- 
tured portal.  Heard  the  muezzin's  monotonous 
chant  from  a  neighbouring  minaret.  Met  a 
group  of  women  going,  as  I  was  told,  to  offer 
presents  at  the  tomb  of  Mehemet  Ali.  A  camel 
bore  them,  and  they  wailed  lugubriously.  Crossed 
the  Nile  in  a  sailing-boat,  and  drank  of  the  un- 
transparent  waters.  Found  them  sweet  and 
pleasant  to  the  taste.  The  cold  at  sunrise  was 
intense.  Groves  of  graceful  date-trees  were 
scattered  here  and  there,  and  much  land  was  laid 
down  with  wheat.  Just  beyond  the  verge  of  cul- 
tivation stands,  amidst  its  lesser  fellows,  the 
Great  Pyramid  of  Gizeh,  and  quite  close  is  the 
Sphinx  raising  its  mutilated  face  above  the  sand. 
In  consequence  of  the  enormous  bases  of  these 
structures,  and  of  there  being  no  other  structure 
near  by  which  to  institute  a  comparison,  it  is  im- 
possible to  realise  their  great  height.  There  they 
stand  alone,  sand-embedded,  on  the  verge  of  a 
great  desert,  its  untiring  sentinels,  under  the 
clear,  rainless  sky  of  Egypt.  It  is  well  to  con- 
sider this,  else  one  is  disappointed  by  their  ap- 
parent want  of  magnitude,  or,  rather,  of  height. 
As  I  walked  along  the  base  of  the  Great  Pyramid 
it  seemed  but  100  feet  high  —  it  is  476.     We 


300  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

were  immediately  assailed  by  Bedouin  Arabs, 
offering  their  services  as  guides,  each  vociferating 
his  own  peculiar  excellences.  This  dogging  about 
and  vociferation  lasted  until  we  left,  and  entirely 
destroyed  all  possibility  of  thought  and  reflec- 
tion, and,  consequently,  the  pleasure  which  I 
anticipated  from  beholding  such  renowned  ob- 
jects. The  Pasha  has  permitted  that  the  Pyramids 
shall  be  a  source  of  profit  to  a  certain  troop 
of  Bedouins.  The  Sheikh  fixes  himself  in  the 
immediate  vicinity,  arranges  everything,  and  re- 
ceives on  behalf  of  his  tribe  one  dollar  from 
each  visitor.  For  this  he  gives  guides,  and  this 
guiding  is  undertaken  by  the  whole  tribe  in  ro- 
tation. The  actual  guides  then  bend  their  ener- 
gies to  get  something  out  of  the  traveller  on 
their  own  account;  and  this  attempt  at  extortion 
comes  to  little  short  of  actual  robbery.  Their  en- 
deavour is  to  get  the  traveller  into  a  defenceless 
position,  such  as  at  the  top  of  the  Pyramid,  or 
in  an  inner  chamber,  and  then  to  commence  a 
system  of  importunities  which  it  requires  a  strong 
mind  to  resist.  It  must,  however,  be  borne  in 
mind,  that  the  Sheikh,  who  remains  below,  is 
answerable  to  the  Pasha  for  everything  which 
transpires,  so  that  there  are  no  real  grounds  for 
fear.  Trusting  myself  to  two  of  these  people, 
I  commenced  the  ascent  of  the  Great  Pyramid 
of  Gizeh,  which  has  a  four-sided  base  of  750  feet 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  361 

in  length,  and  covers  an  area  of  eleven  acres.  It 
is  formed  by  a  succession  of  stages,  consisting  of 
huge  stones,  piled  one  on  the  other  in  symmetry. 
Every  upper  stage  is  less  in  circuit  than  its  fellow 
below.  The  visitor  ascends  by  stepping  from 
stage  to  stage.  The  stones  are  of  great  size,  and 
three  or  four  feet  high;  so  that,  unless  I  had 
been  dragged  upward  by  two  stalwart  Arabs, 
one  to  each  arm,  I  should  have  found  it  a  work 
of  time  to  get  up  at  all.  When  two  or  three 
travellers  are  mounting  at  the  same  time,  it  is 
the  great  endeavour  of  each  couple  of  Arabs  to 
get  their  man  or  woman  (for  women  sometimes 
so  far  forget  the  dictates  of  decency  as  to  ascend) 
up  to  the  top  first,  regardless  of  his  remon- 
strances. This  happened  when  I  ascended;  and 
I  was  almost  fainting  from  want  of  breath  and 
pains  in  my  sinews,  when,  after  an  infinity  of 
struggling,  stumbling,  and  falling,  the  wild  hur- 
rahs of  my  Arabs  proclaimed  my  victory  over 
my  fellow-victims  in  this  extraordinary  race.  And 
for  this  dearly-bought  and  unwilling  victory  they 
demanded  "  baksheesh,"  as  they  termed  it.  This 
ascent  of  206  irregular  steps,  or  rather  layers 
of  stone,  each  step  having  a  height  of  from  2^ 
to  3  feet,  up  the  side  of  a  pyramid  measuring 
470  feet  in  perpendicular  altitude,  at  an  acce- 
lerated pace,  after  a  donkey-ride  of  eight  to  ten 
miles,  and  before  breaking  the  morning's  fast, 


362  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

was  a  most  fatiguing  operation.  From  the  sum- 
mit were  to  be  seen  the  Pyramids  of  Sakhara;  the 
Nile  flowing  through  its  verdant  valley,  closed  in 
with  desert ;  and  in  the  distance  the  Citadel,  frown- 
ing upon  the  city  of  a  thousand  mosques.  On 
the  area  at  the  summit  many  travellers'  names 
were  engraved.  An  Arab  offered  to  cut  mine  into 
the  stone  for  two  piastres.  I  think  he  told  me, 
that  oftentimes  people  who  did  not  go  up  em- 
ployed him  to  carve  their  names  on  this  work  of 
Cheops.  Declining  this  dubious  immortality,  I 
engraved  a  cross  on  the  monument  of  the  Pha- 
raohs, and  descended  as  I  best  could,  dropping 
painfully  from  block  to  block.  I  had  descended  by 
nine  a.m.  Afterwards  I  entered  the  Pyramid  by 
a  doorway  in  the  centre  of  the  north  side.  After 
creeping  down  a  dark  and  narrow  passage,  100 
feet  in  length,  at  an  angle  of  perhaps  30°,  I 
was  dragged  up  an  inclined  plane  until  I 
arrived  at  a  chamber,  having  walls  of  granite, 
called  the  "  King's  Chamber,"  or  "  Sarcophagus 
Chamber/'  from  a  sarcophagus  having  been  found 
near  it.  Here  the  Arabs  began  a  savage  dance, 
which  I  stopped  ;  and  on  my  refusing  them  money 
which  they  demanded,  showed  great  insolence  ; 
which  I  also  stopped,  by  sitting  down  and  threaten- 
ing to  report  them  to  the  Pasha.  I  then  entered 
another  chamber,  called  the  "Queen's  Chamber," 
and  emerging  from  the  painful  gloom  went  close 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  3G3 

up  to  the  Sphinx.  Found  the  face  of  this  mon- 
strous creation  more  mutilated  then  I  expected. 
The  head  and  neck  rise  twenty-seven  feet  above 
the  level  of  the  surrounding  sand.  A  French  an- 
tiquarian is  now  engaged  in  discovering,  if  pos- 
sible, an  entrance  into  the  building,  which  forms 
a  base  to  the  head.  After  a  combat  between  my 
dragoman  and  the  Arabs,  in  which  the  poor  fel- 
low was  roughly  handled,  I  turned  my  back  on 
these  monuments  of  the  long  ago  ;  trotted  through 
some  wheat-grounds ;  re-crossed  "  old  Nile ;"  passed 
the  stately  palace  of  Soliman  Pasha,  the  French 
renegade;  entered  the  gate  of  Cairo  ;  wound  my 
way  through  a  busy  crowd  of  men,  women,  asses, 
and  camels;  and  finally  dismounted  at  my  ex- 
cellent hotel,  the  Hotel  d'Orient.  These  Pyramids 
and  the  Sphinx  are  wonderful  to  see ;  but  all  ro- 
mance, all  contemplation,  all  religious  commun- 
ings, are  destroyed  by  the  crowd  of  debauched 
assassins  which  infest  the  traveller  from  his  arrival 
to  his  exit. 

Jan.  15. —  Rode  to  Boulac,  the  port  of  Cairo 
on  the  Nile,  in  an  hour.  We  then  embarked  in 
a  commodious  steamer  for  Atfeh,  130  miles  down 
the  river,  where  we  arrived  in  ten  hours.  The 
low  banks  of  the  Nile  are  singularly  uninterest- 
ing here.  In  some  places  the  Desert  swept  down 
close  to  the  river,  in  others  it  was  visible  in  the 
distance.     Here  and  there  a  miserable  mud  village 


36  L  DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

deformed  the  banks,  and  sometimes  was  to  be 
seen  a  grove  of  date-trees  shadowing  some  tomb. 
The  river  was  running  at  about  three  miles  an 
hour.  In  an  hour  and  a  half  we  passed  the  great 
work  called  the  barrage  of  the  Nile,  constructed 
by  French  engineers  ;  and,  as  some  say,  a  great 
engineering  blunder.  At  half-past  seven  we 
arrived  at  Atfeh,  and  were  then  shifted  aboard 
a  large  covered  boat  towed  by  a  steamer,  which 
took  us  into  the  Mahmoudie  Canal — the  canal 
connecting  the  Nile  with  Alexandria.  All  the 
very  selfish  passengers  rushed  forward  and  se- 
cured for  themselves  the  insufficient  accommo- 
dation which  there  was.  I  could  get  no  place ; 
so  I  sat  out  in  the  moonlight.  By  and  by  these 
selfish  passengers  came  out  of  the  cabin  one  after 
the  other,  all  stamping  with  their  feet,  blas- 
pheming, and  saying  that  the  fleas  had  got  into 
their  very  boots.  But  I  had  no  fleas.  So,  even- 
tually, they  were  no  gainers  by  their  selfishness. 

Jan.  16. — We  arrived  at  Alexandria,  a  dis- 
tance of  forty-eight  miles  from  Atfeh,  by  five  a.m. 
Went  to  see  the  stables  of  Said  Pasha,  which 
were  dirty  and  neglected.  He  had  one  very  fine 
horse,  a  bay,  ten  years  old,  for  which  —  so  the 
groom  told  me — he  had  refused  800/.  The  stables 
were  a  disgrace  to  a  prince. 

Jan.  17. —  Went  and  saw  the  usual  sights  of 
the  city  of  Athanasius,  such  as  the  Catacombs, 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  365 

Pompey's  Pillar,  Cleopatra's  Needle,  the  Pasha's 
Palace,  the  Greek  Church,  the  Anglican  Church, 
and  the  Gardens  of  a  son  of  Ibrahim  Pasha.  On 
the  elegant  granite  column  overlooking  the  sea, 
called  Pompey's  Pillar — because  Pompey  had 
nothing  to  do  with  it,  I  suppose  —  three  Anglo- 
Saxons,  of  the  respective  names  of  Button,  W. 
Thompson,  and  Bland,  having  affixed  their  sig- 
natures in  large  black  letters,  have,  by  thus  de- 
filing an  historical  souvenir,  aimed  at  immortality. 
The  Pasha's  Palace,  under  an  unpretending  ex- 
terior, is  superbly  fitted  up.  In  the  Anglican 
Church  I  conversed  with  an  Italian  who  was 
laying  down  mosaic  in  the  body  of  the  church. 
It  is  built  in  the  Byzantine  style,  and  ornamented 
after  the  manner  of  the  mosque  of  the  Sultan 
Hassan  at  Cairo.  It  has  been  seven  years  in 
construction,  and  if  its  internal  fittings  corre- 
spond with  its  exterior,  it  will  hold  a  high  rank 
among  our  churches  for  its  imposing  appearance. 
The  Greek  Church  is  loaded  with  gilding  and 
decorations.  It  has  some  very  rare  and  old 
marble  columns,  partly  imbedded  in  a  brick  wall, 
and  plastered  over.  A  large  camp  of  soldiers  is 
formed  here  at  present.  Some  of  the  recruits  are 
very  young,  twelve  or  thirteen  years  old,  perhaps  ; 
and  they  stagger  under  the  weight  of  their  mus- 
kets. The  women  here  have  a  very  stately  walk. 
They  carry  their  little  ones  astride  upon  their  left 


366         DIARY  OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

shoulders.  Saw  several  goats  followed  by  four 
kids.  My  dragoman  declares  that  his  goat  has 
had  six  at  a  birth.  The  population  of  Alexandria 
js  under  100,000;  and  a  very  motley  population 
it  is,  composed  of  Greeks,  Turks,  Egyptians, 
Negroes,  French,  German,  Italians,  and  English. 
Some  very  strange-looking  people  are  seen  about, 
who  look  as  if  they  were  a  compound  of  all  these 
nationalities.  The  distinguishing  characteristic 
of  Alexandria  is  its  mixture  of  Oriental  and  Occi- 
dental customs,  manners,  and  architecture.  It 
is  a  very  mongrel  place  indeed,  in  every  way. 

Jan.  21. — Embarked  on  board  the  Peninsular 
and  Oriental  Company's  steamer  "  Ripon,"  the 
commander  of  which,  Captain  Moresby,  is  an 
approved  seaman  and  an  excellent  man. 

Jan.  22  (Sunday). —  Celebrated  full  Service. 
Eighty  persons  were  present. 

Jan.  24. —  Arrived  at  Malta,  and  stayed  there 
during  the  night.  Going  on  shore  I  toiled  up 
many  steps  in  the  dark,  until  I  arrived  at  the 
principal  street. 

Jan.  25. —  Sailed  out  of  the  harbour  in  the 
morning.  Observed  a  church  built  by  Queen 
Adelaide.  I  was  not  exactly  able  to  discover  its 
prevailing  style  of  architecture. 

Jan.  29  (Sunday). —  Passed  near  Malaga,  and 
distinguished  its  large  Cathedral,  and  four  or  five 
factory  chimneys.      No  trees   appear  but   fruit- 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  367 

trees  on  the  barren-looking  hills  which  closely 
back  up  Malaga.  They  have  been  all  cut  down, 
as  I  hear.  Soon  after  saw  the  frowning  rock  of 
Gibraltar  on  our  right,  and  his  brother-sentinel 
on  the  African  coast  on  our  left,  girded  with 
vapour.  Rounded  the  rock,  and  moored  in  the 
harbour  for  the  purpose  of  coaling.  I  saw  scarce 
anything  of  this  renowned  fortress,  for  at  the 
end  of  a  long  travel  the  eye  gets  satiated  of 
seeing  wonders. 

Jan.  31. —  Nearly  ran  down  a  Portuguese 
lugger :  her  boom  was  carried  away.  Entered 
the  Bay  of  Biscay. 

Feb.  1. —  On  board  this  steamer  we  are  treated 
just  as  sumptuously  as  on  the  Indian  side.  A 
brass  band  plays  before  dinner;  a  full  band  after 
tea,  in  the  cuddy.  A  programme  of  the  evening 
concert  is  regularly  issued.  This  evening  we  had 
(I  copy  from  the  programme)  :— 


Pietro  le  Grand 

Jullien. 

Overture  to  Norma 

Bellini. 

Waltz 

Strauss. 

Overture  to  Zampa 

Herold. 

Songs  of  the  Thames. 

Schottische. 

God  save  the  Queen. 

The  bill  of  fare  of  to-day  gives  thirty  dishes  for 
forty-five  passengers,  and  the  gluttonous  con- 
sumption on  the  part  of  some  of  them  is  wonder- 


368  DIARY   OF  A  WORKING  CLERGYMAN 

striking.  Selfish  propensities  are,  I  find,  highly 
developed  by  travelling.  Some  grave  divine 
(Thomas  a,  Kempis,  I  believe)  says  truly,  "  peri- 
grination  tendeth  not  to  sanctification." 

Feb.  4. — Landed  in  the   Southampton  Docks 
amid  a  drizzling  rain,  thus  revisiting  my  country 
after   an   absence  of   four    years  and  four  days. 
During  my  absence  I  have  come  in  contact  with 
numberless   individuals  of  many  races    of  men, 
and    I    have    found    that,  however    diverse    and 
varied  they  may  be  in  aspect  and  physical  deve- 
lopment,   their    moral     tendencies    are    precisely 
similar,  and  that    the  vanity  and    self-love  pre- 
vailing  in  the    breast    of  the    naked  Australian 
savage,    as  well  as    in    the    breast    of  the   more 
refined  Hindoo  and  the  more  energetic  European, 
declare  that  all   are   equally  descended  from  the 
first    erring  couple,  Adam   and    Eve.     Thus,    if 
climate  has  modified   the  perfect  physical  type  of 
the  primeval  pair  in  their  descendants,  it  has  by 
no   means    changed    the    moral   type.      In    that 
respect  we  seem  all  cast  in  the  same  mould.     To 
check  the  inordinate  selfishness  of  mankind,  to 
prevent  the  world  from  becoming  a  moral  chaos, 
or,  in  plainer  terms,  to  turn  us  away  from  spear- 
ing  and    eating   one    another,    as  the    wretched 
Australians  do,  various  religions  have  been  be- 
stowed upon  us ;  and  I  have  found  that,  in  pro- 
portion  as  a  religion  is  pure,  and  its  ministers 


IN  AUSTRALIA  AND  TASMANIA.  369 

faithful,  so  do  the  people  practising  that  religion 
advance  towards  social  and  political  perfection. 
As,  judging  from  effects,  we  may  surely  assume 
that  Christianity  is  infinitely  superior  to  all  other 
religious  persuasions;  so  likewise,  judging  from 
effects,  we  may  be  permitted,  I  think,  to  assure 
ourselves  that  that  peculiar  form  of  Christianity 
practised  by  the  body  of  people  who  have  made 
the  greatest  advances  in  the  arts,  sciences,  and 
all  the  humanising  virtues  of  life — a  form  of 
Christianity  equally  remote  from  tendency  to 
Atheism  on  the  one  hand,  and  to  Superstition  on 
the  other  —  is  unquestionably  the  most  deserving 
of  our  unbounded  love  and  veneration. 


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I.  Christ  Known  before  His  Advent. 
II.  The  Beauty  of  the  Mosaic  Law. 

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IV.  The  Divine  Recognition  of  the  Spiritual  Church. 
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