48 Voyage of the Novara. 



thither from New South Wales and Victoria. This enormous 

 influx of human beings to a district totally unprovided with 

 either shelter or provisions for such a horde resulted in un- 

 utterable suffering. People had sold their goods in Sydney 

 for whatever they would fetch, in order to be the first in the 

 gold-field with the requisite implements. Many lost their 

 entire means of support, having even sacrificed the most 

 favourable prospects in the eager thirst for gold and sudden 

 prosperity. The streets of Melbourne and Sydney were filled 

 with gold-seekers, who, laden with blankets, household uten- 

 sils, axes, and spades, were laying down their last farthing 

 for passage tickets, and rushed breathlessly to the ships which 

 were to convey them to the newly-discovered gold-field. 

 The voyage began under the most rose-coloured anticipations 

 of brilliant success. But scarcely a month later came most 

 depressing intelligence from Port Curtis. Here was a set 

 of lawless desperadoes, deceived in their expectations, with- 

 out food, clothing, or even the object of their search, in a 

 remote part of the country, with the hot season coming on, 

 and no means of returning ! Men were seen selling for a 

 few shillings implements that had cost pounds. The whole 

 road from the supposed gold-fields to the landing-quay was 

 strewed with diggers, who, footsore and fainting under the 

 heat, were toiling towards the coast, where they rushed in 

 ■wild confusion on board the ships which were to convey 

 the victims back to the colonies they had left at so much 

 sacrifice and with so extravagant expectations ! 



