BALLAIIAT. 337 



continuous beat of a thousand muffled drums, or the rushing 

 of a mighty waterfall. As we issue from the trees the cause 

 is beheld. From the margin of the forest a broad swamp 

 spreads, through which the Lee runs. Over against you the 

 broad shoulder of a bold hill is pushed out to meet its attack- 

 ing waters, and round its base run the swamp-waters, uniting 

 with the river. Along this the cradles are arranged for 

 about half a mile on both sides of the creek and down the 

 river, forming the letter T with the ends upturned. They are 

 crowded so closely together as barely to permit being worked ; 

 in some cases in triple file. At this distance you see some of 

 the excavations, and the carriers swarming up and down hill 

 with all sorts of vessels, from the bag to the wheelbarrow. 

 The enormous ant-hive swarms like a railway cutting, where 

 the crown of a hill is carried down to fill a valley. 



" Higher up the hill's crest, along its sides, and stretching 

 down to the swamp far away to the right and left, are the 

 tents, thickly clustered and pitched, and far beyond, the lofty 

 white-barked trees form a background. This is Ballarat." 



And such it was on my first entrance upon my own official 

 position as police-magistrate at these most extraordinary 

 arid far-famed diggings, and first acquaintance with "Eureka," 

 the "Jewellers' Shops," and "Canadian Gulley."* 



Having conducted my readers thus far, I shall not tres- 

 pass upon their patience by any geographical or geological 

 dissertations, but confine myself to the few subjects of sport- 

 ing and general interest that occurred to me during my 

 residence at that place. 



It may be well conceived that amidst such a population, 

 and with a small and by no means well-organized police, I 

 had enough to do in my magisterial capacity, although I 

 must say that the diggers in general I found to be a much 



* All famous mining locations. 



z 



