LALLAL. 355 



curiosity, as he could not make out what I was about, and 

 that when he discovered the object of so much trouble, he 

 felt very much inclined to join me in the discussion of a fish 

 breakfast, if not in the sporfc. 



He continued, that he had taken my gun for a larJc only, 

 and to see how I should be surprised, and pointed it out to 

 me against the wall of the cave, but, as I could easily per- 

 ceive, with both barrels discharged. In fact, he gave himself 

 out for an unsuccessful digger, on his return to Melbourne. 

 He broiled, or rather baked a couple of large eels in the 

 wooden embers, and we made a very hearty but primitive 

 breakfast. A pocket-flask of very fair cognac was produced, 

 and many stories of Ballarat were told, but all tending to 

 strengthen my suspicions of my companion's character and 

 pursuits. My own name was even brought on the tapis, and 

 many, and no doubt well-merited, strictures passed upon my 

 conduct in a judicial capacity, and the police in general as 

 the executive. Breakfast being discussed, and such subjects 

 of conversation as my companion chose to bring forward (as 

 I professed to be a new arrival, and not yet to have visited 

 the diggings), he said he must start on his road to Ballan, 

 and having made a bundle of what few necessaries he had in 

 a red blanket, asked me for the tobacco I had about me, and 

 shaking hands, departed in one direction, whilst I took the 

 road to the station, very much delighted at having so easily 

 escaped from what I had at first considered a rather for- 

 midable adventure. 



Upon my return to Lallal I told Mr. F of what had 



occurred, and we despatched a man and horse at full speed to 

 Ballarat, to inform the inspector of police, and giving a 

 minute description of the individual. 



In about two hours afterwards a sergeant and four mounted 

 police were on the spot, to which force I added my own ser- 

 vices as a guide. We visited the cave in the ravine, and 



A A2 



