334 AUSTRALIAN DIGGINGS HANS AND JOHN ALLEN. 



at the Australian gold-diggings, and the same mania, though 

 not quite to the same extent, which had turned the people's 

 heads all over the world, took possession of the inhabitants 

 of this colony. Every available vessel was bought up or 

 chartered for the "diggings." I began seriously to appre- 

 hend that this would deprive us of the craft we had engaged. 

 Indeed, the owner did actually sell her, but, fortunately, 

 placed another at our disposal, the alteration, however, caus- 

 ing us very great delay. 



Though the loss, at this period, of the assistance of Hans 

 would have been grievous and irreparable, I thought it my 

 duty to explain to him the respective advantages of remain- 

 ing with me and going to Australia. By adhering to the 

 trading, he would be pretty sure to secure a fair income an- 

 nually, while by adopting the other plan he might have the 

 chance of realizing a fortune in the course of a year or two. 

 I urged that if he felt at all inclined to try his luck at the 

 " diggings," he should not hesitate ; for, in that case, I would 

 take charge of his goods and dispose of them as if they were 

 my own. Hans evidently appreciated my well-meant inten- 

 tions, but generously refused to do any thing that was not in 

 strict accordance with my own wishes. However, I could 

 not take advantage of such an offer in his position, but told 

 him to think the matter well over by himself, and to be en- 

 tirely guided by his own inclination. 



After much hesitation, Hans finally came to the determ- 

 ination to migrate to Australia, and John Allen having also 

 expressed a wish to accompany him, I drew up an agreement 

 between them of such a nature that they might dissolve part- 

 nership if they wished, without detriment to either. With 

 regard to myself and Hans, we agreed to share each other's 

 fortunes, though far apart, bad or good. 



Matters having been thus far settled, I immediately ar- 

 ranged about the passage of the two adventurers ; provided 

 them with a supply of every article necessary for such an ex- 



