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diff --git a/57471-0.txt b/57471-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..6e07780 --- /dev/null +++ b/57471-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,1640 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 57471 *** + + + + + + + + + + + + + + _ADVANCE AUSTRALIA._ + + A SETTLER'S + + 35 YEARS' EXPERIENCE + + IN + + VICTORIA, AUSTRALIA, + + And how £6 8s. became £8,000. + + WITH ADVICE TO SETTLERS, &c. + + "Men are agents for the future, + As they work so ages win, + Either harvest of advancement, + Or the product of their sin." + + _Inscribed by the kind permission of the + HONOURABLE ALFRED DEAKIN, + Chief Secretary of Victoria._ + + Melbourne: + M.L. Hutchinson, 305 & 307 Little Collins Street, + Nearly Opposite Royal Arcade. + + Rae Bros., Printers, 547 and 549 Elizabeth Street North. + + +[Illustration: "Off for 200 Miles' Tramp." + +See Page 10.] + + + + +CONTENTS. + + + PAGE. + + Sketch of Artist Life 1 + + Farewell to Dear Old England 3 + + Melbourne at Last 6 + + Christian Socialism 7 + + Melbourne Experience 9 + + Off to the Diggings 10 + + Ten Years on the Diggings 12 + + Commence Farming 18 + + Increase of Holdings 25 + + The Consummation 26 + + A Dissertation on Temperance 28 + + The Vine Industry 31 + + The Settlement of the Lands 32 + + Irrigation 35 + + A Scheme of Settlement 37 + + A Glimpse at the Future of Australia 45 + + Conclusion 48 + + Poetry, "All the Way" 49 + + + + +Introduction. + + +In giving this little "Life Sketch," I am actuated by a desire to +assist many, not only hard-handed men in the "Old Country," but many +soft-handed ones also, as I was, and especially those who have large +families, as I had, and who are struggling for a living, and see +but little hope for the future in the already over-crowded hive in +the "Old Land," and a still poorer prospect for the new swarms; I, +therefore, think a little advice and encouragement to those desirous to +"cast off," from one who has been through it all, will be welcomed by +many.--E.H. + + + + +Sketch of My Artist Life. + + +When living in the "Old Land," over 35 years since, I belonged to a +class of which there are many thousands--a struggling professor--and +of the class I have designated as "soft-handed." I was an artist by +profession; studied from a child; never did anything else; and in +1850 and 1851 had so far advanced in my profession to have the honor +of having my works hung in a creditable position on the walls of the +Royal Academy of Arts, of which I was also a student. I married rather +young (at 25), and soon had little ones running round. I started fairly +well in the neighborhood of London, at Clapham, adding teaching. Just +about this time (1847) artists were invited by the Government to +send in specimens of their works for exhibition in Westminster Hall, +for competition for the decoration of the new Houses of Parliament, +then just finished. I was rather too young and inexperienced an +artist for so great and honored an undertaking; however, I thought I +would venture. I got my large picture finished, but from over-study, +excitement, and anxiety, my health gave way. I contracted nervous +typhus fever, and consequently could not finish the other one, which +was required by the Commissioners to enable me to compete. But Sir +Chas. Eastlake, the President, whose letter I still have, said my +painting--under the section of "Scriptural Allegory," subject, "The +King of Kings and Lord of Lords"--though not entitled to compete, +could, if I liked, be hung in the vestibule of the hall; which was an +honor I gladly consented to. + +On getting up from my long and dangerous illness, my medical advisers +persuaded me to go to a milder climate for perfect restoration, and +to give up my profession for a time; at least, to do but very little +painting. South Devonshire was recommended. We therefore left our +home at Clapham, and took up our residence about four miles from that +lovely spot, Torquay. To our residence was attached a small farm and +a splendid orchard. In this beautiful climate I soon regained my +strength. I did all sorts of labor on the farm, so that I got a general +insight into all sorts of farming work. This I have found exceedingly +useful since taking to farming in Australia. + +I found many kind friends in Devonshire. (I cannot help naming the +Savile family. God bless them for their kind patronage and introduction +in my profession!) We resided in Devonshire about four years. We then +came again to London, but found a difficulty in looking up a connection +again; had to fill up my time in decorating in the various courts of +the Crystal Palace, at Sydenham, just then being erected. I, however, +saw but little prospect of advancing in my profession, or even making a +living, and less prospect for a large and increasing family; we having +by this time seven children, six boys and one baby girl; besides, I +had contracted a great taste for a rural life while in Devonshire. We +determined, therefore, to depart for Australia--the land of gold! The +goldfields being at that time in full swing. A wide field indeed for +enterprise, and anticipated prosperity, with God's blessing; for, I am +happy to say, I had long sought His grace and guidance, and committed +my ways unto Him, and was sure He would guide our steps. + +In the first place, I applied to the Commissioners of Emigration +for a situation as schoolmaster for the voyage, on a Government +emigration ship; my wife to act as matron. I presented letters of +recommendation--one from the Bishop of London (Blomfield). I was well +known to him, as Fulham, near London, where he resided, was my native +place. The commissioners said my letters were more than enough, but +desired to know the number of children I had. On hearing the number +they informed me that they regretted to say that, according to their +regulations, this would be a bar to my appointment. Three, I think, was +the number allowed. + +This was a great blow to us, as we should have saved our passage money, +and had a salary besides; I think about £150 as schoolmaster, and wife +as matron. Parties told me I could have managed it if I had liked, by +getting some of the passengers to take the other four children; but +this I could not do from principle. To pay our passage in a general +passage ship, therefore, exhausted all our little means. + + + + +Farewell to Dear Old England. + + +We did intend taking our passage in the new ship "Schomberg," just +launched, and owned by "The White Star Company." On enquiring at +the London office, they informed me that I could send our goods on +to Liverpool, but they would not be put on board any ship until our +passage money was paid, and that I should find them in the company's +warehouse in Liverpool; consequently, I sent the goods on. We could +not, however, get ready to go by the "Schomberg." On arriving at +Liverpool, and enquiring for our luggage, I found it had been sent on +in that vessel. + +Now, the fate of that fine new ship, I presume, is generally known. The +captain had a bet with the captain of the ship "Kent," a well known +clipper, and declared "if he did not beat the 'Kent,' he would knock +her ('the Schomberg's') bows in." On hearing that the "Kent" had made +the passage before him, the "Schomberg" was wilfully run on shore, just +a little way from Cape Otway. Luckily, it was fair weather, and the +passengers and crew were taken safely off, but with only the luggage +they could carry in their hands; there being only just standing room +on board the rescuing steamboat. The "Schomberg" became a total wreck. +This, I suppose, is one of the most wicked and shameful incidents +that ever happened on the shores of Australia. We took our passage in +the next ship; the good ship "Sultana," from Liverpool, on the 21st +October, 1855. + +I remember, as we weighed anchor, being some distance out in the +stream, and out of hearing of any friendly cheer, a serious calm +appeared to pervade the ship; all appeared absorbed with their own +thoughts, when we found the ship was under way, more by the apparent +moving of the receding shore; she being a sailing vessel. I don't know +the feelings of the other passengers; possibly many were like our own, +at departing from the good "Old Land." Hitherto, we had borne up well +in parting from kindred and friends. We said "Good-bye" in London; but +now, in those few calm moments, seated upon the ship's deck, with wife, +six sons, and a baby girl around us, we felt the necessity of faith +in that good Providence on Whom we had cast the future. Our feelings, +however, would have vent in a few hot tears, but these had to be +brushed quickly on one side. + +I do not think it necessary in this little sketch to give a long +account of our voyage, or the various incidents that happened. There +was nothing very sensational; our worst experience was our first night +out. The ship was so crowded that there were not berths enough, and, +as we came late on board, ours had to be erected, so that we had to +huddle down between decks, the best we could. The children being +our great care, there was no rest for wife or self. We had fearful +weather in the Channel, and, everything being loose on board, the +din was fearful; the heavy iron cable on deck rolling from side to +side, and the ship's bell tolling at every roll of the ship, and the +carpenters working all night, fitting up berths, and the state of +the passengers--one can guess the confusion! And what added to it +more--just as we reached the most dangerous part of the Channel, off +the coast of Ireland, the tug-hawser parted, but, when pulled on board, +it evidently had been cut adrift with an axe--a most shameful act. +The contract was to take us clear of the Channel. This, then, made +further trouble, as all hands had now to set to and work the ship, and +there was great danger in working her out of the difficult position +she was left in, and anxiously did all wait for the morning. It may be +imagined that the whole of the voyage was no pleasure trip for wife or +self, in a crowded ship, and seven children (under 12 years of age) +to look after. Neither do I think the children liked it; they were +too young, and they did not thrive at all on the rough ship's fare, +particularly the hard ship's biscuits--they could not manage them at +all. After a time, though, we got on better; I had a carpenter's plane +with my goods, and we shaved the biscuits down on that, and made it +into puddings, and so managed to get rid of them in this way. The plane +went the round of the ship after this, particularly among the old +people. We had, however, on arriving at Melbourne, an American cask +full, unconsumed; these we took on shore with us, and they went fine in +soups, &c., with good Australian beef, at 3d. a pound. + + + + +Melbourne, at Last. + + +We were thankful to arrive safely, after a fine passage of 81 days. +We arrived off Cape Otway in the night, and stood "off and on" until +daylight, when the pilot came on board, and the first thing he told us +was the loss of the "Schomberg." Well, of course, we then knew also +that all our goods were at the bottom of the sea. We were thankful, +though, that we did not ship on board that ill-fated vessel; but ought +we to attribute her loss to _fate_? No! It was wilful wickedness. I +regretted our loss the more as my Westminster Hall picture was among +the things lost, as it was the highest class work I ever attempted. + +It was with anxious eyes myself and several other heads of families +viewed the shore of the "promised land." It certainly (from the deck +of the vessel) did not look very prepossessing; not even with a good +glass, and more particularly as we went up the bay nearer to Melbourne. +It being the dry season--January--nothing looked green, and the dry +grass looked more like sand, and the trees looked stunted. It was a hot +wind and dust storm on the day we landed, and the place looked very +dreary; what few shops there were, were nearly closed to keep out the +dust. We were brought up the Yarra River to Melbourne from the ship by +steam tugs. Of course, most of us had on our "Old Country" clothes; +it was quite easy to know a "New Chum." I don't remember seeing a +belltopper hat, or a coat, being worn in Melbourne at that time, and +"New Chums" hated to be conspicuous, as they were always "Joed," that +they soon dropped their "Old Country" style, and took to jumpers and +straw, or slouched felt hats. The highest style, however, was the +cabbage-tree hat. I had carefully preserved a nearly new belltopper +hat through the voyage, but somehow had forgotten it in the bustle +of leaving. The last I saw of it, however, it was being kicked about +on the other lighter as a football, which I did not after regret. +There were several parties with large families on board. The head of +one, who had been on shore to look round for a few hours, and had +been a schoolmaster, took charge of the women and children (about 30 +children), and conducted them to a place he had seen--"the Wesleyan +Home"--about a mile and a quarter from the landing place, leaving +myself and the other males to look after the luggage, and follow on +with the drays. It was after dark when we arrived at the "home." It +was a pleasant sight to see the dear children sitting round the table +enjoying their tea and nice "soft tack" (bread, &c.), after roughing it +so long on board ship. + +"The Wesleyan Emigrants' Home"--I believe it is still in existence; +it was a few years since--was a fine institution, and a great boon +to emigrants. It was a peaceful, christian home, and the only one, I +think, at that time. Hotels and restaurants were the resort of the +lowest characters, and hardly safe for anyone to enter; most people in +them went armed, and fearful scenes took place. + + + + +Christian Socialism. + + +The manager of the "home" had a book, in which he entered the names of +all who lodged there. He also entered your nationality and religion; +also denomination. When he put the last question to me, I answered, "A +Christian Brother." "Why," said he, "yours is the first entry I have +made in my book of such a sect." "Sect!" I replied, "I did not know it +was a sect at all." I hoped not, for I had adopted it in opposition to +sectarianism, of which I had seen so much evil in the "Old Country." +I therefore determined to drop "isms" in the sea, and, on arriving at +this new and good land, hoped to be known simply as a christian, and +"give the right hand of fellowship to all who loved the Lord Jesus +in sincerity and truth," irrespective of denominations. I regret, +however, that the old animosities have reached this new land. The old +bickerings and trifles, non-essentials, about "Apostolic Succession," +"Dipping or Sprinkling," "Free-will," "Election," "Reprobation," +&c., &c.--neglecting the more paramount matters, "Belief," and a +"consistent walk in life." But now, at this time (1891), I am glad to +see a growing desire for unity and christian socialism in Victoria, +and more particularly in the country districts; and I think they are +setting an example to the towns, where there is a sad want of unity +among the clergy, and christian socialism among the people. The +congregations even are divided into "sets," or, as the Yankee would +call them, "grades," who "stand off" from each other, and think it +quite condescending, in any way, to recognise the lower "set." The +visitations, also, of the clergy, are in very many cases confined to +the higher "grades." There are, though, a few grand exceptions. Now, +all this should be broken down if the church is ever to take its true +place in the world. We should rather begin at the bottom--with men of +low estate--for, hath not God chosen such? In my long life I have found +the best traits of character among the poor. Verily, many that we think +last shall stand first on _that day_. In my humble opinion, nothing +will tend to overthrow the sceptical and atheistical tendencies of the +age so much as christian fellowship and brotherhood; in fact, it is +the want of this, with the dissensions and bickerings of professors, +which create this scepticism; and this will continue until the world +can say of christians of to-day, as it was said of old, "See how these +christians love each other." "Dearly beloved brethren" will then not +only be upon the lips, but in the heart. I must, however, stop this +homilistical strain, and return to my narrative. + + + + +Melbourne Experience. + + +I stepped on shore in Melbourne, with my dear wife and seven children, +with the grand sum of _ten shillings_ in my pocket; but, with a stout +heart and willing hands, and a firm reliance on God's blessings, +things did not appear so very hard. We stayed two or three days at the +"Wesleyan home." On the second day after landing I got work, digging +potatoes at 14s. per day. We then rented a small two-roomed house in +Collingwood; had our boxes, at first, for furniture; but the grand +wages of fourteen shillings per day soon provided what other little +furniture we required. It appeared a poor home, though, after the style +of the "Old Country;" but it is astonishing how soon one gets over this +feeling, where love and happiness reign. I am not a believer in that +foolish saying, that "when want comes in at the door, love flies out of +the window." No; true hearts cling the tighter. + +On looking round Melbourne, I found some few parties I knew in England. +They were very old settlers long before the discovery of gold; they +were in affluent circumstances. They kindly gave me a commission to +paint a few portraits in oils, which led to one or two more. I also +painted a few fancy pictures. The colony, however, was too young to +appreciate the _fine_ arts to any extent. The _rougher_ arts were more +in vogue, and the gold fever was not abated. I also got a touch of it, +my wife having two brothers on the Ovens diggings, who had been in the +colony about a year. I determined, therefore, to join them. + + + + +Off to the Diggings. + + +I started alone with swag, blankets, billy, pannikin, etc., in orthodox +style, for a 200 miles' tramp through the bush. (See frontispiece.) +This, however, was not much of an undertaking for me, as I was a great +pedestrian, could do my six miles an hour easy, and often over 50 miles +per day on my sketching tours in the "Old Country;" being tall (fully +six feet), I had a good stride. At that time the Sydney Road was only +formed a few miles out of Melbourne, and from the Rockey Waterholes to +the foot of the Big Hill (commonly then called Pretty Sally's Hill) was +swamp ground. I found a difficulty in getting over this; I had to tread +the thistles down for miles to prevent bogging, and it was raining +fast. The contractors were just forming the road, and on the first +rise on the other side of the swamp the camp was formed. The men had +knocked off on account of the rain. Just as I was level with the camp, +I heard my name called out in true Irish accent, and out ran one of our +shipmates to greet me. He occupied the next berth to us on board ship, +and was ill a great part of the way. He had been a tradesman in Dublin. +He was lively enough now, as he grasped my hand and cut a real Irish +caper, with "Hurrah! for Australia and 14s. a day, and wood and water!" +He was driving one of the contractor's drays. He wanted me to stay, as +it was far into the afternoon, but no--my alloted mileage was not done, +so I marched on. + +My first night's "bushing" was a strange experience. Rolled up in +blankets, at the foot of a gum tree, I had not turned _down_ long (I +cannot say turned _in_) when I was conscious of something being upon my +shoulder, and, cautiously turning round, saw an animal perched quite +innocently there. It was an opossum. I presume he did not recognise +me from a log. He appeared quite content to sit there until I gave +him a cant, and sent him some distance off. This "camping out" is +not at all an unpleasant experience, as many might think, and this +was a splendid moonlight night. At that time it was far more safe to +keep clear of restaurants and shanties, as they were the resort of +the vilest characters. Neither was it safe to camp out alone with a +fire at night, as this was an attraction, and you were pretty sure to +get objectionable company. The plan, therefore, generally adopted, +was to boil the billy for tea, then, after tea, leave, and go on a +little distance in the dark, and turn off the road or track into the +silent bush, and roll up in your blankets; thus you avoided unpleasant +company. I got through in about seven days. I passed through the famous +"Woolshed Diggings," where the rich claims were, and where the men +had to wash the gold off their boots when they left work. There was a +"strike" on just then. The claim-holders wanted to reduce the wages to +£1 per day. I was interviewed, and offered work at that price, but, +of course, I refused, as I was on my way to join my wife's brothers. +I then went on through Beechworth--Spring Creek diggings. The scenes +on the diggings were strange and novel to me. Beechworth was the chief +centre of the mining district, and the other diggings around were named +by the distance from Beechworth, thus--"The One Mile," "The Three +Mile," and "The Nine Mile." This last was my destination. It was also +called "Snake Valley," from the winding course of the creek. It was +late in the evening when I arrived, quite dark and pouring rain, and +there had been a long rain before, so that the roads in the township +were wretched. At the crossings of the creek it was impassable, and +was only indicated by side logs, on which I had to crawl. The worst +of it was, I had to wander up and down the creek to find my brothers' +hut. The storekeepers knew them by sight, but could not say where they +lived. I was directed to a large restaurant, about a mile down the +creek. There were about 40 diggers, just at tea. I walked up and down +between the tables, and I think they were the finest, strongest, and +roughest set of men I ever saw. I did not see my brothers, though. Came +back, enquired at the police camp, also to no purpose. Over the creek +again, when at last I found a butcher who pointed out on the bank, on +the other side of the creek, the light shining through the calico top +of their hut. He lent me a piece of candle to cross the creek with, and +I managed to work my way among the holes and sludge, etc., to the other +side. And glad I was to get there, and I was as "wet as a rat," and +pretty well tired out. I soon got "a shift" however, and such a fire as +they had I never saw before; enough to roast a bullock; at which also I +got a good roasting; and after a good supper of beef, damper and tea, +soon felt all right. This for my first tramp in Australia. + + + + +Ten Years on the Diggings. + + +I joined my brothers in their claim, and we had two other mates, making +a party of five. We were driving out wash-dirt, and sluicing it in long +boxes with the creek water. We did fairly well--made from £6 to £7 +per week for each man. This year (1856) was an exceedingly wet one, +particularly in the winter and early spring. This drove the miners, out +of shallow sinking, and the great "Woolshed Diggings" (Read's Creek) +were flooded out, and thousands rushed the shallow sluicing ground of +the Nine-mile Creek; in consequence, there was great trouble about +water, and "water rights," which caused endless litigation. The creek +could not supply half the water required; therefore, all the hills +for miles round were tunneled for water, and an astonishing number +of springs were opened. These were recognised by the Mining Warden +as independent--independent of the creek--and a permit given for the +sole use of the same. Many of these cost hundreds of pounds to cut. It +was also called "created water;" that is, water before locked up in +the hills, and not feeding the creek. The creek water was available +to all, but this would not command one-thousandth part of the mining +ground. Our party, therefore, looked about for indications of springs, +by sinking trial shafts, and then driving tunnels. We were fortunate +in tapping water. This we conducted to dams, and used for sluicing +purposes in shallow ground, from 3ft. to 10ft. deep, washing away the +whole of it. + +I could not rest long with my family remaining in Melbourne, as some +of the children had colonial fever; a very distressing complaint, but +not very fatal. Most "new chums" had it at that time, but I don't hear +anything of it now. Therefore, I tramped down to Melbourne and back +twice during the first year to see them; the last time to bring them +up; so that during my first year in Australia I walked about 1000 +miles. The last time I was over two months in Melbourne, as our eighth +child was near at hand, and I thought it my duty to be with them. I +filled up my time in Melbourne decorating the new Legislative Chambers, +just then finished. My wages were just about the same as what I was +getting in the claim, viz., £6 to £7 per week--good wages too; but not +high for that class of work. Masons at that time got over £1 per day. +I then started with the wife and family in the arduous duty of taking +them 200 miles through the bush in an American waggon. We were 20 +days on the road. It is now done in about six hours per rail. We had +a fearful time on "Pretty Sally's Hill" (before mentioned); it blew +a gale with heavy rain. It would have blown our tent clean away had +I not "turned out" and cut saplings down and logged it all round. We +pitched our tent every night, and had a long picnicing all the way. We +could only procure milk at one place (Benalla) the whole 200 miles. We +went per coach from Beechworth to the Nine Mile; had to place all the +children in the bottom to prevent them being pitched out, the roads +being so rough, and hills all the way. Glad, indeed, were we (dear +wife, in particular, with baby) to arrive at our digger's home. I had +previously erected the sides and skeleton of our future residence, +and had only to put the calico top on, and stretch the fly roof. +The sides were made of split slabs, the plates and rafters trimmed +saplings, so that it took us, with the assistance of our mates, only +a few hours to get it ready for occupying. It was very cold up there +in the winter. I think the altitude is over 3000 feet. I often had to +"turn out" in the night to shake the snow off the fly roof. We managed +to keep nice and warm, though, with the huge logs on the fire--the +fire-place almost as wide as the hut. It took two men to roll some of +the back-logs in, and the fire was kept burning all night. In a few +years we put up a better residence. Sawn timber for the frame, shingle +top and a verandah; and we started a good garden from the very first, +and were the first to introduce fruit trees in the district. Mine was +the second formed garden on the Creek, and out of which we made many a +pound in vegetables--sold cabbages at sixpence per pound. Had splendid +flowers also. I likewise introduced the watercress, and had a sale for +them even in Beechworth. They grew to perfection with our spring water +running over the beds. The boys carried them round among the miners, +and they were greatly appreciated. This was long before the Chinamen +thought of gardening (which they monopolize now), and there were about +4000 of them then on the Nine Mile. + +I will not dwell long on our life on the diggings. I was not a "lucky +digger," with the exception of one little patch (which see particulars +further on). We lived, however, a comfortable, happy, healthy, and a +very independent life, and brought up a large family--they now had +increased to eleven, seven boys and four girls. This ten years on the +diggings was, by far, the longest rest down, up to then, of our married +life. For instance, of our seven children born in England, not two +were born in one house; here, in our digger's home, we had three in +addition, one being also born in Melbourne. It will be imagined that +by this time I had worn off all my "smooth-handedness." Yes, indeed, I +had become a "horny-handed" working man, and considered it no disgrace +either. + + "Who will hang his head in blushes + For the stains to toiling due? + There is dignity in labor, + If the laborer be true." + +I worked like a navvy for ten years, through many hardships and danger. +I had two narrow escapes in falling banks of earth--had my pick caught +each time, and buried as I was dragging it in running out of the way +of the fall. I had also, during the first year, a very narrow escape +of being buried alive, working underground when the ground was rotten +and dangerous from the continued wet, mentioned before. It happened +thus: Just before knocking-off for dinner, I had given up the wash-dirt +to the man at the windlass, and put a prop in. On resuming work after +dinner, I remarked that the prop had got "as firm as a church," and +that I did not like the appearance of things at all, as this was a sign +that the ground was giving. I also said that, as the stuff would hardly +pay for driving much further, I would sweep it out and try in another +direction from the shaft which my brother had pointed out, where he had +got a fair prospect. I had just sent up the few buckets of sweepings, +and was pointing out to the windlass-man the direction I intended +driving, when, all of a sudden, without the least warning, the sides +of the shaft commenced cracking; large masses also from the lower part +breaking off. Of course, the rope was immediately let down, and I was +hauled up, but not before a large block of earth struck me on the knee, +which lamed me for about a week. Well, in about an hour afterwards, +the whole of the ground, for about half an acre, sunk bodily down. The +ground was completely honeycombed with drives. I was thankful I put +that prop in before dinner, as it gave the indication of danger. + +As the mines are not now very interesting or attractive to intended +emigrants, it is not necessary to enlarge further. It will be +sufficient to say that when we broke up our partnership, my wife's +brothers, being single men, had saved, I think, about £400 each, but +I only had my share of the water right, which we also sold. My share +was about £60. The whole of my earnings, therefore, had gone to bring +up my large family. My money was invested in them, to be drawn upon +some day, by God's blessing, with interest--and compound interest, +too. Neighbors used to think they could command and use my boys as they +liked. "No," I said, "you cannot draw upon my bank in this way; you +must remunerate them for their services." + +About this time, the Government were beginning to sell the country +lands in the district. My brothers went with their savings and +purchased land some thirty miles from the diggings, and started +farming--an occupation they had been used to in the "Old Country." I +continued working on the diggings with the boys for some time longer, +sinking and driving for "a patch" I thought should exist from the +formation and dip of the ground--but failed. A short time after, +though, a party went down one of my shafts, and only drove a few feet +and struck what I had been looking for so long. I believe it was about +£90 worth. This is a very common fate on the diggings. The largest +nugget ever got in Australia was found in an old drive only two or +three inches under the bottom. The original occupiers had actually +driven over and knelt over it, but the mass of gold, being so heavy, +had sunk into the pipe-clay, below the ordinary run of wash-dirt. I +could tell of many curious incidents of the sort. After this I and the +boys worked a puddling machine; some of them were able to do a fine +day's work now. We only just made a living, though, and had to keep the +horse; feed, also, was very expensive. I can remember hay being worth +£50 per ton, and that only bush hay; of course, it was only then used +for the Government--for police and gold escort horses. By this time +(1865), these old diggings were nearly worn out. + +About this time (1865) the Government passed a new Land Act, opening +the lands of the colony for free selection, and deferred payment at £1 +per acre, payable in half-yearly payments of one shilling per acre, +without interest; certain improvements to be effected in residence, +fencing, clearing, cultivation, etc., enforced. Of this liberal Land +Act I thought I would avail myself. I could select up to 320 acres; +but that was beyond my means. At the next sitting of the Land Board I +selected 128 acres--the most suitable to my capital. A river-side lot. +Of this, 30 acres were river flat, not suitable for cultivation, being +subject to floods; 35 acres only were fit for cultivation, the other +portion being inferior, crab-holey, grass land. I said above, this +was most suitable to my capital. Upon selecting, I had only just cash +sufficient to pay the first deposit, as the first half-year's rent, +viz., £6 8s. Little enough, it will be said, after 10 years' hard labor +in the colony. But, remember, labor is equivalent to capital, and I was +backed with that banking account named before, viz., my seven good boys. + + + + +Commencing Farming. + + +Now, striking out my digger's experience, I will dwell a little. It +may be asked, Why did I put upon the title page of this "Life Sketch," +"How £6 8s. became £8000?" Why did I not start with the 10s. I landed +with? It is this. My object in writing at all is to induce others, +under similar circumstances and conditions, to settle upon the land; +therefore, I put down £6 8s., the amount I started farming with; or it +may be seen further on that I might have put down £76 8s., but, the +other £70 was only prospective, or hardly that at the time, as will be +seen. Well, even this is no great sum, as many a laborer can earn that, +or rather, can save that sum, in a little more than a year, at present +wages; pick and shovel men getting 7s. to 8s. per day. Had I a large +sum of money saved from mining, it might have been said--"Oh! with that +amount of capital, anyone ought to succeed." + +So myself and two eldest sons started to make a home on the land. +At this time I had one son, the third, aged about 16, living upon a +station with squatters, not far from where we selected. He was getting +small wages, but at the same time he was getting good experience with +cattle, &c., and his masters were gentlemen of high character, and for +whom I have the greatest respect. The two who joined me were now able +to do a good hard day's work, and they had to do it, too. So we started +at once. I left the wife and the smallest of the children (seven of +them, one other son being at a dairy some few miles off) for a time, at +the home on the diggings, and registered our claim for a few months to +prevent anyone "jumping" it. + +We put up residence No. 1 on the farm, composed of two side logs, and +sheets of bark for top. We got a party to plough about an acre ready +for potatoes and vegetables, and then started into the bush, about six +miles off, to split fencing stuff; living under a few sheets of bark, +for about two months. While there, I wrote a letter to my good mother +in dear old England, and just in fun, headed it, "Splitters' Hall." +This was taken in earnest, and I received a letter in due course, +addressed to "Splitters' Hall." This gave us much amusement. Having got +our stuff split, a difficulty arose. How to get it out of the bush! We +must either give our labor to some farmer for a time for fetching it +out for us, or return to the claim, and try for a few pounds, as we +only had one old horse we used in the puddling machine, and no dray. We +determined, therefore, to go and wash a few machines of stuff on the +claim. I took one of the boys with me, and, to our agreeable surprise +and astonishment, we washed out £70 worth of gold (alluded to before +at page 18) in one week. The only "patch" we ever got, and for which +I trust we were thankful enough; and grand indeed did it look as we +washed it off, and it followed the sluicing fork in the clean water in +washing down the boxes. But it was only just a "patch," and ran out the +next day. We call it our "Providential patch." On coming from the bank, +where I sold it, my pocket felt nicer than I ever recollected (except +upon one other occasion), and we all felt quite jubilant! + +This other occasion I will insert here, although it should have been +in the sketch of my "Artist Experience." This is an occasion which I +shall always remember with pleasure and gratitude to the individual +who interested himself so kindly in my interest. I went into Norfolk +professionally, portrait painting, drawn on this occasion in that +direction by the attractions of a certain individual whose acquaintance +I had formed in London. The Bishop of London, who was always my friend, +and always kindly gave me letters of introduction, gave me one to the +Bishop of Norwich (Bishop Stanley), the father of the late honoured +Dean Stanley, of Westminster. He kindly introduced me to the Mayor +of Norwich, Mr. Freeman, as the best way to introduce my profession. +The first portrait I painted there was the Mayor's, in his robes of +office. He also kindly took charge of some paintings of fancy subjects +I took with me, to show to his friends. After painting for some time +in various parts of the country, in the meantime I got married, and +this act, I suppose, under the circumstances, would be considered (and +what is generally called) "improvident" and "imprudent," as I had no +settled home of my own. It then became imperative that I got one. My +wife's home was about 22 miles from Norwich, and, as I always was a +great pedestrian, which I have mentioned before, I started off one fine +morning early to Norwich, to see my good friend, the Mayor, and inform +him of my position, and see what could be done with the paintings he +had charge of. We were dining together when I broached the subject. He +said my pictures had been much admired, and he thought several of his +fellow citizens would like to purchase them. He at once then, at the +table, wrote a note stating my intention of leaving for London, and +would they make me an offer for one or more of my pictures. An answer +was soon back, but the answer and offer was not satisfactory to him. +"No," he said, "he shan't have it for that;" sent a note to another, +and thus this novel auction went on until he got rid of several of my +pictures, and, as the term is, "at satisfactory prices," and before +the evening I had the money in my pocket (between £66 and £70), and, +indeed, it felt warm, as my heart also did, with gratitude. On starting +back _the same evening_, how I "lift my feet!" Like Jacob of old, after +his dream and receiving the blessing. (Read from Gen. 10th v. xxviii +ch. to 1st v. xxix ch.). It says--"_He went on his journey_;" but the +Heb. in the margin is far more expressive to one who has gone through +a somewhat similar experience. It there says--"_He lift up his feet_." +Light of heart, light of heel. I well remember the son of the Mayor, a +fine young fellow, about my own age, accompanying me for a few miles +on my journey back, conversing by the way (as christians love to do) +of God's good providence and love; and who knows but what there was +a third person in _spirit_ with us, as He was in _person_ with the +"two disciples on the road that evening journeying to Emmaus?" But +it could not be said of us that "we were sad," as they were. They +were sad because the "Comforter" had not then come, but we were in +full enjoyment of that "Comforter." And they, also, when the Saviour +revealed Himself, had "burning hearts of love;" and did not our hearts +burn with love also? On our parting, with a good-bye and a hearty +and friendly grip, I shall never forget his kindly words. They were +these--"_Remember how sweet is the day of prosperity to those who have +tasted adversity's cup_." And thus we parted on that memorable day and +evening on the Norwich high road. + +I hardly felt the remainder of my long walk. It was rather late in the +evening (or rather night) when I reached home, and, upon entering, +threw the proceeds of my trip into my young wife's lap. Our feelings +may be imagined. + +We then went up to London and furnished our first home at Clapham, as +narrated in the sketch of "My Artist's Life." It will be seen that this +transpired before my health broke down from over study. + +But to resume. With this £70 from the claim we purchased a good draught +horse, new dray, etc., so that we were enabled to cart our fencing +stuff, and felt quite like getting on. After erecting the fence around +a good part of the allotment, we commenced clearing the land, as there +was a good bit of timber on. Grubbing trees, chopping up, and burning +off, occupied us during the winter. We found hut No. 1 rather cold some +nights, as our fire was outside. I often took my blankets and slept +outside by the large fires, where the large logs were being burned off; +these, also, required "rounding up" during the night. We got about 12 +acres cleared, ploughed, and sown with wheat and oats by the month +of June. We started then with the orchard and garden, planted about +50 fruit trees of various sorts, and put in a few vines. This should +always be done as soon as possible, but very few do it. We considered +now we had got fairly started. Thus: A good deal of the fencing done, +12 acres cleared and under crop, orchard and garden dug and planted, +one good horse and dray, also old puddling horse, being light, was +useful for riding, etc.; three cows, with calves, from the station; out +of my son's wages--2 pigs in the sty, and a few dozen fowls. Therefore +we began thinking of shifting the family down. I sold our claim for a +few pounds, and as our house on the diggings was still good, we shifted +the materials down, and erected farm residence No. 2. This put us up +till nearly our first harvest time. Thus we were all together again, +except the son at the station, but he was only a few miles off. Our +youngest child at this time--a boy--was 2 years old. We did not leave +the digging's home, though, without some regrets. God having blessed +us with many peaceful years of comfort and independence, and, although +we had not saved much money, it did not interfere with our happiness; +and the hills were very healthy, abounding in crystal springs, as will +be supposed, for during the 10 years' residence I had no occasion to +consult a medical man. It was a great blessing with 11 young children. +I had, however, made it a duty to study medicine to some extent, +which is necessary in a colony like this, and, particularly in those +early days. Up to this time all our furniture had been home-made bush +furniture, with the exception of one sofa-bedstead, and one American +rocking chair, but then it matched with the bush residences. I now made +a new set of furniture for our farm-house. + +I have now to record a great sorrow which befell us. We had not all +been together on the farm many weeks, when we lost our fifth son, +by drowning. He was a fine lad of 15 years. It happened in this way. +He was out with the gun, keeping the cockatoos off the crops, but +seeing some ducks in a lagoon near the river, he shot one of them, and +stripped and swam in to secure it. He was a fine swimmer. He, however, +did not, in his hurry, take the precaution to keep his cap on, as +he always did when bathing, and, it being an exceedingly hot day, I +believe he got sunstruck, as his younger brother, who was with him, +said he laid upon the top of the water some time. There were several +parties sunstruck on that day. He was a good boy, and had that morning, +as usual, with his brothers and sisters, said their prayers, and sang +together their little hymn-- + + "Come to this happy land, + Why will you doubting stand?" + +There is one there awaiting us "beyond the river." + +Myself and boys kept grubbing and clearing, and got in four acres of +maize by harvest time. Two of them then went to assist their uncles at +harvest; they resided about six miles from us. They coming, in return, +to help us. So our first harvest-home in Victoria was completed. "The +wilderness was, indeed, blossoming as the rose," and we felt proud +at being permitted to fulfil the Heavenly behest of "subduing and +replenishing the earth." What occupation on earth can equal that of +the husbandman, to raise man's mind from "Nature to Nature's God"; +that is, to a properly-regulated mind. To see the beautiful order of +all Creation. The unerring instinct of animals. The song and wonderful +plumage of birds, so very beautiful in Australia. The sweet hum of the +busy bee fructifying the beautiful flowers, and modelling their cells +so wonderfully and as unerringly as in the garden of Eden. Man, in his +regenerate state, standing thus amid these surroundings, and leaning +upon the merits of his Saviour alone, to atone for the sin of the first +Adam, and with his face and aspirations raised heavenward, must feel +that Paradise is, in a measure, restored even in this world. He has, at +least, a foretaste of the Paradise above. + +Unregenerate man alone appears the only contradictory element and +anomaly in the universe. + + + + +Increasing our Holdings. + + +We selected 115 acres more land the next year, and 95 the year after. +All spare time, the two eldest sons went out fencing, etc., for other +settlers, but, in a few years, we had plenty of work at home, and +our son from the station joined us; the other sons, as well, growing +up strong and useful. My wife and daughters also busy attending to +housework, dairying, etc., which now had increased considerably by +natural increase and further purchases. Horse stock also increased in +the same way. Thus we have gone on year after year, all working for one +common object and mutual welfare, and which we have now continued to do +for nearly 25 years on the farm up to this time, 1891. Two of my sons +have selected other allotments, and we have purchased two "drunk out" +farms from the mortgagees. We also, in 1884, purchased a very eligible +block of land. We had to pay dearly for it, though. It contained about +400 acres of good tillage land--good for this district, where land is +not first-class, like many parts of Victoria. For this, we gave £8 per +acre, and for 636 acres of grass land adjoining, £4 per acre, costing +altogether over £6000. This we had to get partly upon loan. With our +own great strength, now of six grown-up sons, and plenty of horse +strength besides, we have reaped in produce and stock from the same +land, quite two-thirds of the amount, and expect in a few more years' +crops to clear it, so that it was a good investment, but there has been +very heavy labor attached to it. + +Although we have a large quantity of the finest land in the district +suitable for Hop-growing, we have scrupulously and conscientiously +refrained from growing the same; considering it would be most +inconsistent with our principles to have anything whatever, directly or +indirectly, to do with any product that contributed to the production +of that substance that has been the greatest curse to the world; also +putting some of the best land to a base use, instead of using it for +the benefit of mankind. The Hop is different altogether from the Grape, +or Barley, as they are in themselves a blessing, and of eminent use to +man, properly and rationally used. + + + + +The Consummation. + + +About six years since we erected on the "Home Farm"--our first +selection--Residence No. 3, a superior brick house, which cost about +£500, and very desirable now and appreciated, as wife and I are growing +old--self, 74; wife, a few years younger. The bush furniture has given +place to as good a suite of furniture as anyone could wish for in +sitting, bedrooms, etc., also a superior organ, with which to praise +and glorify the good God who has blessed and prospered us. I have, +besides, taken the brush in hand again to adorn the walls, and leave +some of my handiwork behind me for the children. In fact, for the last +eight years I have done a few paintings, sold a few landscapes, and +exhibited them at various places in the colonies; also sent a large +one to the Colonial and Indian Exhibition in London, for which I got a +certificate and medal. Heavy, laborious work, of course, begins to tell +upon me now if long continued, so that this "soft-handed" work is a +relaxation. My department now in the firm is principally in the garden +and orchard, of which we have now a large one, both fancy and useful. +We have also an orangery recently planted, have also a good many old +trees, which bear wonderfully well. We irrigate with a horse-pump. + +We are all still working together in partnership, as it has always been +my policy to give my sons a direct interest in all our undertakings and +property, and this is only right and just, as to them mainly, under +God's blessing, I must attribute our success; anyhow, the labor portion +has largely devolved upon them. + +We stand now (1891), after 25 years on the farms, thus:-- + + Amount of Land, 2,523 acres + + At a fair valuation, free £6,150 + Stock, cattle, horses, etc. 1,500 + Plants, Machinery, etc. 550 + ------ + £8,200 + +Thus I have shown, as I promised, how £6 8s., or, if you like, £76 8s., +has increased to £8,000. + +It must be remembered, although this looks a nice sum of money, that if +divided between six sons and four daughters, the amount for each would +not be large; say among the six sons, the amount to each would only +be about £1,350. However, by still holding together in partnership, +they can increase it much more than if they divided; in fact, they are +just doing so by purchasing a property in New South Wales of 3,000 +acres, mainly for sheep-farming. Besides, I have known steady, single +farm-men, as hired hands at £1 per week and "found," and £1 10s. per +week for harvest work, who have banked at least £40 per year, for over +20 years, which, with compound interest, I presume would total up to +the above sum. Not that I am an advocate for this style of saving, as, +when the money was about half that sum, they would have the means to +marry and settle down; thus be better citizens, and add more to the +prosperity of the colony. + +Now, doubtless, the question will be asked by many situated as I was, +and others, "Can I do the same?" My answer is, I really cannot see why +they cannot. But they must have seen that even upon the land, there is +a very rough time to go through, especially in new country, and many +years of careful labor, though, with all, a pleasant, healthful, and +independent occupation, and, "with a long pull, and a strong pull, and +a pull altogether," and a firm reliance on God's blessing, a peaceful +and restful end. + + + + +A Dissertation on Temperance. + + +It must be born in mind, however, that there was one great and +important, if not indispensable factor, which I have not mentioned +in the foregoing sketch, that has greatly contributed to our +success, viz.:--The curse of alcohol was never permitted to enter +or pollute our home. I was early in life (1840) convinced of the +advantages, physically and morally, of abstaining from the narcotic +poison--alcohol. My pledge card, which I still have and keep with +much pride, is dated 1841. I had abstained some time before, so that +I can count over half a century in this good cause. And I am happy +to say the whole of my children have followed our example, and it +was only natural that they should do so, as I am a firm believer in +parental example. When this great cause was first advocated, we all +gladly joined it, as we, as a family, had suffered from the curse--and +what family has not, in some measure? My own father was a victim to +the demon; but those were days of ignorance, and drunkenness was only +looked upon as a venial weakness, and almost as a virtue among all +classes--the clergy not even exempt; and it was considered a breach +of hospitality if you did not make your guests drunk. Thank God those +bad old times are past! My dear parent was more excused as he was a +naval man--a "man-of-war's-man," and fought under the great Nelson, and +at that time it was thought necessary to make men half mad with rum +before they could fight. Now: how changed! The commanders call for the +teetotalers when they want any particular or dangerous duty performed. +I said, as a family we suffered, for he died early in life, and left +his widow with six very young children to battle alone in the world. +But I must draw the curtain; we cannot claim ignorance now. + +Now, do not let it be understood that I mean to say that no one will +succeed unless they are abstainers; but from my long experience and +extensive observation, it is extremely rare to find those who started +with moderation in intoxicants, can continue so, at least with the +potations in the same quantity or strength; it is almost physically +impossible to do so. Alcohol is a substance that principally exerts +its influence on the nervous system, like opium--a kindred substance. +It creates an artificial appetite or craving, and nervous prostration +is the result, which can only be relieved, in thousands of cases, by +a continued increase in quantity or strength, and a diseased state of +the system is insensibly created. In very many cases moderation is +impossible. No man ever started in life with the intention of being a +drunkard, and if you suggested the possibility of such, he would be +most indignant. Nevertheless, they fall against their will. Neither +do I think any man leaves his home and family with the deliberate +intention of getting drunk, and coming home to abuse those who, in his +sober moments, he treats with affection. If he did so, such a man has +fallen far below the brute creation. Man is simply deluding himself +with this alluring and fascinating "serpent." In fact, "mocked," and +"he that is deceived thereby is not wise." And the true wisdom is to +banish this "curse of the race" from your home, as no one knows how +soon they or someone dear to them, may be drawn into this snare. I +never knew an abstainer but what prospered in this colony, and I have +known hundreds of drinkers "go to the wall." I have not known a single +farmer in this district who planted a vineyard, and made wine, who +has not been "bitten by his own dog," and died prematurely; except +one, and he sold out, but is still a confirmed drunkard. Alas! what +shocking tales I could tell of wasted homes. I have already mentioned +two "drunk out" farms we purchased--premature deaths, violent deaths. +Children turned adrift on the world, sacred and loving ties sundered, +etc., etc., simply from indulgence in this most insidious, useless, +and dangerous habit. However, a brighter day is dawning even for +Australia, which, as yet, is far behind in this glorious movement +of true temperance (temperance in all lawful things). Alcohol is +unlawful, being foreign and destructive to man's physical nature, but +the total abstinence cause is destined also to be the moral salvation +of the world, and the hand-maid and stepping-stone to a religious and +Christian life. And I am happy to say many of our youth are seeing the +advantages and duty of abstinence from intoxicants. + + + + +The Vine Industry. + + +On the other hand, many of our politicians and others are advocating +the advantages of the vine-growing industry for making wine, and have +even dubbed Australia--"John Bull's Vineyard." Yes, vineyard, I will, +if you like, endorse, but "Wine Shop," which they mean, I will ignore. +The grape, rightly used, is one of God's greatest gifts, and I would +like to see every hill-top clothed with the vine, but not quite so, for +we are, or should be, wise enough to know that the hill-tops should +never be denuded of their forest's adornment. Say every hill-side. The +pure "fruit of the vine," the blood of the grape unfermented, or grapes +preserved as raisins, are wonderfully nutritious, and contain many +of the elements of the blood. By fermentation, which is a process of +decay and destruction, nearly the whole of the nutriment is destroyed. +Thus, the gluten and gum are entirely destroyed. Six-sevenths of the +albumen, and four-fifths of the sugar, and most of the others, are also +destroyed. And what do we get _in lieu_. Why, a narcotic, sleeping, +irritant (irritating) poison; irritating, though, should have been +placed first, as it excites the passions to commit every evil deed, +long before the drunken or sleepy stage commences. Now, will any +sane person have the temerity to say that this poison alcohol, the +substance created by the destruction of all these life-sustaining +constituents, is "the good gift of God" as "received from His hand?" +There is hardly a substance on earth but what can be and has, in like +manner, been perverted. Grain of all sorts, fruit, rice, potatoes, +beet-root, starchy substances of all sorts, in fact, anything that +can be converted into saccharine (sugar: the foundation of alcohol), +milk also, and even meat. Were all these good gifts ever intended to +be worse than destroyed? In the United Kingdom, 80,000,000 bushels of +bread food are thus destroyed, when millions of people are in a state +of pauperism or semi-starvation. And all this waste, to do what? To +feed men? No. To give health? No. Strength? No. To warm? No. To allay +this? No. It is of no earthly use whatever. But this it does. Debases +men below the beast, also producing crime, poverty, disease, and moral +degradation. This is the sum total that man reaps for destroying the +bountiful fruits of the Creator. + +Is it then a wise policy on the part of a paternal Government to unduly +encourage the manufacture of wine in bonuses and viticultural colleges? +Is it patriotic? Is it philanthropic? Is it Christian! With a climate +that can produce wine by natural fermentation up to 34 per cent. (this +is disputed by experts in Europe) of alcoholic strength, two-thirds the +strength of brandy, and a very large quantity is being distilled into +brandy, how can we expect a sober people? + +It may appear to some that I have dwelt unreasonably long upon this +question, but feeling strongly, I must write strongly. + +Having, therefore, pointed out to the best of my ability what I +consider the greatest drawback to the advancement of this fair colony, +viz., the wasteful expenditure of 6,000,000 of money annually for +Victoria alone, I will return to consider at greater length the object +for which this sketch was mainly written. + + + + +The Settlement of the Lands. + + +Husbandry is the source of all true wealth, and the back-bone of +every country. I regret to say the farming interest in Victoria has +been heavily handicapped by the protective duties, to sustain the +interests of the manufacturers and importers. The crisis came upon the +farmers first, as soon as they had to compete in the world's market, +and it will come upon the manufacturers just in the same way, when +they have over-produced for the home market. It is just now upon the +turning point. Can they compete with the world with men's present +wages, and eight hours' labor? I very much doubt it. If not, what will +they do with their surplus goods. Farmers' sons have had to rush the +cities for employment, and there is a vast population just growing +into manhood--sons of artisans, which our football matches testify. +Can these be absorbed into the various trades? I don't like taking a +gloomy view of things, but I think the subject should have very serious +thought. It is very easy to boast about the eight hours' movement, and +wages to be fixed, and "strikes" ordered by a Trades' Hall Council. +But will they provide an outlet for the working man's commodities at +colonial prices? But to return to the land. In the first place, I may +say as regards Victoria, the open selection of Crown land has ceased. +Even the grazing blocks, under the new Act, 1884, which nearly covers +all the inferior or waste land, I think are all pretty well taken up, +and the only hope now is the breaking up or sub-division of the large +estates, and they comprise, luckily, the very finest runs of land, on +100 acres of which, a family could live better than on 320 of ordinary +land. Of course, to get this good land requires some capital, but the +return lies surely in the soil, and it only requires labor--the poor +man's capital--with strict economy, to recover the first expenditure. +The breaking up of these large estates will be the making of Victoria. +Or the cutting up into tenant blocks would be even better for the +owners, and better for men of limited means. A ten years' lease on +prime land should make him independent. I don't mean make his fortune, +but should place him in a position to go ahead. This is the only land +that will bear a dense population, or bear intense cultivation, and +is, in fact, the only hope for the colony. This want of land for the +rising generation is the cause of so many of our young men--farmers' +sons--seeking employment in Melbourne, their parents' holdings not +being sufficient to maintain the whole of the family, and many are +marrying, and desire to have homes of their own. I trust the large +owners of estates are patriotic, if not philanthropic enough to see +the necessity of this, which is also a duty to God and man, for it +is pitiable to see men willing to go upon the land, and many with +sufficient means, looking about in vain. Without these are cultivated, +how can the population increase as it should? And how can work be found +for the artisans in the cities? These and the farmers must go hand in +hand, and prosper together; for if the 130,000 farmers have only a +surplus of an average of £10 each yearly, it throws into their hands +£1,300,000--no insignificant sum. To a small extent, there has been a +disposition to sub-divide. I trust they will increase a hundred-fold. + +I think it will be seen from what I have written, that for "New Chums," +at least in Victoria, there is not much chance for settling on the +land, without they possess a few hundreds in cash. Therefore they +must be satisfied with patient, frugal labor for a few years, to save +sufficient capital. But there are the other colonies of Australia--New +South Wales, South Australia, Queensland, and Western Australia, where +they have liberal land laws. Splendid countries, inviting capital and +labor, and upon which, in the various latitudes, the products of the +whole world can be grown to the greatest perfection, and the area +so vast, that the population of another Europe could be set down; +but a very great portion of it, from its position, climate, etc., is +not very inviting, or hardly suitable for needy emigrants. There is, +though, a vast outlet for the profitable investment of capital in those +outlying districts. Capital and labor must go hand in hand like twin +brothers. Then the waste places of the earth would soon "blossom as +the rose," and we should soon find the over-stocked hives of the old +lands relieved of the burden of humanity, for as yet it is idle to +talk of the "over-population of the world;" why, we know in fact that +as yet it is not half populated, not only Australia. Look at the vast +country of South America, watered by that mighty river the Amazon, also +the Argentine Republic. Then the great north-west of Canada, also the +regions of the Congo and Central Africa, and many other considerable +and desirable places. Yes, there is room enough yet in the ample and +bountiful bosom of "Mother Earth," and she is inviting, with open arms, +her children to partake of her bounties. We hear a great deal about +"over-population" and "over-production." Why is it? Simply because the +great masses of the working bees are not placed in a position to gather +the world's honey, and thus to become customers for the products of +the manufacturing countries. _The cry should be--Put the people on the +lands, at whatever cost!_ They will return interest an hundred-fold. + + + + +Irrigation. + + +At the present time the subject of irrigation is absorbing the +attention of the Government and the community in general. The +appointment of the Royal Commission on Water Supply was a grand idea, +and for which the colony should be grateful, and particularly to the +president, the Honourable Alfred Deakin, M.P., for his arduous and +indefatigable labor to promote a general interest in the subject. The +visit also of the Commission to America, and the report of the same, +are highly interesting and useful, and which led to the establishment +of Messrs Chaffey Bros.' Irrigation Colony at Mildura. This will do +immense good. It will be an open book, giving ocular and practical +demonstration of the advantages of water and intense cultivation, but +above all, to show how capital can be advantageously invested for +the mutual and common good, and I think it will lead to many such in +Victoria, and also extend right across the continent to the Gulf of +Carpentaria, and thus make a profitable outlet for English capital, and +at the same time relieve the old lands of the plethora of humanity. +What can be done in arid countries without water? What would India, +Egypt, Italy, &c., be without irrigation? In fact, it is the life of +all nature. We can hardly estimate its value. It is the only solvent +and menstruum to set free the constituents of the soil. Intense culture +with water requires intense labor and intense manuring. It will also +require cheap labor and cheap mechanical appliances. At present our +machinery is nearly double the price it is in America. How then can we +compete with the world without we start fairly? A 50-acre irrigated +farm will suffice to keep a family comfortably, as crops are not only +doubled, but you can double crop. That is, take at least two crops, +one grain and the other roots or fodder plants, in one season, and you +can cut fodder crops three or four times, and lucerne five or six. I +have experimented for some years, and I have come to the conclusion +that "soakage" is the best; that is, run the water in the furrows +between the lands or beds, not too wide, so that the water, by +capillary attraction, may soak quite through. There is a very great +deal to learn. The right time to put the water on, and the time to +leave off, otherwise it will do more harm than good. For fruit, also, +you must not keep watering too long, or the fruit will never mature +properly, and be of inferior flavor and quality, and the young wood +will not mature for the next year's crop. Independent of fruit growing, +which is so much advocated just now, I think irrigation is of as much +advantage to the general farmer, not so much for corn growing, as it +is difficult to catch the right time, and an excess is pretty sure to +create mildew and rust; but for roots and fodder crops, and "catching +crops" after harvests, for the dairy, etc., too much cannot be said in +favor of irrigation. Every stream, however small, running through a +dry country, should be utilised, if not, it is so much wealth running +to waste, and its use to the dairy industry, which has advanced with +such strides during the last few years, is not half enough appreciated. +The Government has aided this industry most liberally, and it has been +the making of thousands of families, but improved methods of growing +crops by irrigation and better feeding, and an improved breed of dairy +cattle, would quite double the produce. I think I have said enough as +to the advantages and difficulties of irrigation, difficulties which +experience will overcome. + +As this "Life's Sketch" was written mainly to induce the settlement of +the people on the land, my concluding division will be an endeavour to +propound. + + + + +A Scheme of Settlement. + + +It appears strange that the wealth of Great Britain has not gone in +this direction long ago for the benefit of her own sons. "Charity +should begin at home." The poverty and the drudgery of the masses +is appalling in England, and this by the side of enormous wealth. A +burden of poverty and a burden of wealth. Strange anomaly! Not only +the produce market, but the money market as well, is regulated by +Great Britain. The hands and eyes of the whole world are lifted up to +her! What would be the state of most countries without the markets and +wealth of England? Look at the millions wasted in worthless Turkey. +Then we see the millions that have been spent in India and Egypt. +Blessing indeed, no doubt, to those countries. Then it appears so +passing strange that a portion of this British wealth has not been +diverted more to the lands of her colonies _in a systematic way_, and +there can be no safer investment. N.B.--The Chaffey Brothers' scheme. + +We find, however, that the British Government are commencing action in +this direction, at least at home, in establishing peasant proprietary, +and millions of money is to be appropriated to this purpose in +purchasing land, &c. This is a step in the right direction, and I +trust this sort of thing will be extended to the colonies, where, as I +said before, there is room for another Europe. Britain's sons and our +colonies should be thought of first. It would not be charity. Charity +in this sense is rather an unchristian term; the benefits would be +reciprocal. When her sons are wanted for the defence of the Empire, +they are willing to lay down their lives by thousands, and millions +upon millions of money, for the purpose of war, is forthcoming. Is it, +then, too much to ask that a few millions be spent in the cause of +peace, to enable them to do battle with rugged nature? + +As regards the extension of settlements in Victoria, I think I have +hinted enough respecting the necessity of sub-division and irrigation. +I think after a few years, when the advantages of irrigation have +been proved, many will be glad to sub-divide their present holdings +of 320 acres, and confine themselves to half the quantity, especially +if the anticipations of the fruit industry are realised, and I have +considerable faith in them, but not such glowing results as are held +out; only one-half of the profits stated would suffice. One thing we +know: this generation appears to have made the discovery that man is +more of a fruit and vegetable eater than was before supposed, so that +therein a good deal of our hope lies. By the partaking of fruit, we +require much less drink, as a pound of most fruits contain more than +three-quarters of a pound of water; we may say three-quarters of a pint +to one pound, so that they are eminently meat and drink. As to the +other vast portions of Australia, I can see no hope for settlement, +particularly in the arid districts, without either the Governments +at home or in the colonies, or syndicates, take the matter up. With +respect to individual settlements in these parts, we cannot compare it +with North America; the conditions are so very different, there is such +a very small portion of Australia in the temperate zone, the climate +of which is so suitable for European constitutions, whereas, in North +America and Canada, there is an enormous territory congenial for the +products and people of temperate climates. In Australia, wheat appears +to fail north of 30deg., at least, it does not pay to grow it without +it is on table-land, such as part of New England district in New +South Wales. It is strange that as yet that great colony, four times +as large as Victoria, does not grow near corn enough to feed her own +people, and Victoria has already exported this year, 1891, millions of +bushels. Well, as regards that, Victoria cannot boast, and it is quite +as strange that they cannot, or do not grow half meat enough for the +insignificant population. The facilities and inducements for settlement +in America are grand. Many a sturdy man has "gone west" into the wild +woods, and made a home with nothing more than his axe, and a bag of +seeds, living well in the meantime upon the indigenous products of that +splendid country, which are abundant. Wild animals, large and small, +birds, fish, native fruits and nuts, and sugar from the maple tree, &c. +Truly, that was a rich land! But nothing of this sort can be attempted +in Australia. + +If I were to draw up a plan of settlement, basing the costs according +to my own personal experience, but depending upon a company for the +capital to start with, I would advise, after the company had agreed +with the Government for the purchase of the land, and the same was +surveyed in blocks of 200 acres each, to settle down 200 families, +which would amount to 40,000 acres, and a reserved right for 40,000 +more at a somewhat higher figure. The cost to place each family of +say five individuals, would be about £200 each family; that is, to +pay passage, supply them with food, implements, stock, seeds, &c., +for the first year, until some produce came to hand. Residences, of +course, would be rough, and should be erected by themselves. Thus +far the support and provision of the 200 families for one year would +be £40,000, or for 1600 families--8000 souls--£500,000. Say, for +illustration, the company got the land for two shillings per acre, +and gave each family a lease for 10 years at two shillings an acre +per annum, the payment to be for purchase money, so that at the end +of 10 years it would be his own, having paid the company £1 per acre. +The £200 also, advanced in the first instance, to be paid off by +instalments with 6 per cent. interest per annum added, so that at the +end of ten years or a little more, each family should be possessed +of their own freehold, and a considerable increase of stock, etc. +The company should have a depôt, where everything necessary for the +settlement could be supplied at the lowest possible rate, and also +undertake to preserve and market the produce of the settlers to the +best advantage, to ensure them the highest possible price, like Chaffey +Bros. propose doing. To go more into detail and figures as to the first +year's expenses of a family of five, I would put it down thus:-- + + Cost of bringing out and placing + upon the land a family of five + individuals £50 0 0 + Provisions for one year 50 0 0 + -------- £100 0 0 + Stock-- + 2 horses at £10 20 0 0 + 4 cows at £7 28 0 0 + 4 pigs 3 0 0 + Fowls 2 0 0 + -------- 53 0 0 + Implements-- + Dray 10 0 0 + Plough 6 0 0 + Harrows 5 0 0 + Sundry tools 2 10 0 + Dairy utensils 2 10 0 + Harness 6 0 0 + House utensils 5 0 0 + -------- 37 0 0 + Seeds-- + For 20 acres of wheat 6 0 0 + For 10 acres of oats 2 5 0 + For 5 acres of maize 0 5 0 + For garden seeds 1 0 0 + 50 fruit trees (various) 3 0 0 + -------- 12 10 0 + --------- + Total £202 10 0 + --------- + +If a family of five--husband, wife, one daughter, and two strong lads +of from 14 to 16 years of age--entered upon the land in the month of +January, and started at once putting up a house and getting stuff +ready, they should be able to do all the work among themselves, and +get the wheat and oats in in June--orchard and garden in July. The +maize ground could be left until the fence was up round the crop. The +amounts put down for food may look small, but it would not be more than +that, as in six months (and before, with milk, butter and eggs) they +would have potatoes, &c., from the garden, and one pig killed, which +together would be half a living. Such a scheme as this could be easily +worked out in detail, and thus I think millions of capital could be +profitably invested. In fact, without some such scheme I don't know how +the vast territories under the British Crown, now lying waste, can be +utilised. A few such settlements would give an immense impetus to trade +and manufacture, and we should soon cease to hear the cries of "want +of employment," "over-population," and "over-production." N.B.--Such +a scheme should commend itself to General Booth. It may further be +said as regards settling a large population upon the land with intense +culture--What is the amount of land a family can comfortably live +upon? The sub-division of land has taken place considerably in the +original eastern States of America. I see by the Government reports +of the State of Massachusetts, 71,000 persons live from the products +of farms averaging only 56 acres, and the average size of farms over +the whole State in 1850 was 99 acres; in 1875, 76 acres, so that they +are now being reduced. The income of these farmers average about +£125 per year, independent, I presume, of farm products consumed by +themselves. Any way, it shows a very thrifty, frugal, and industrious +people. The population also has increased in the 13 original States +from 15 per square mile in 1780, including towns, to 55 in 1880, _or +over 11 individuals to the acre_. This is amazing! Then take Belgium, +France, and Ireland, where families live, or appear to do so, or are +compelled to do so, comfortably upon only five, eight, and ten acres of +land. Take France, as its position, various industries, and climate +much resemble Victoria. I find by the Government reports that there is +a population of nineteen millions (19,000,000) existing on farms of +about eight acres each. This is wonderful! And, as our Governments are +partial to commissions, it would be very interesting and instructive +if we had one to go through France, as they did through California, to +see how these farmers manage their system of farming, various products, +prices, &c., also diet, beverages and social standing. It would, I +think, open the eyes of some of the settlers in Victoria who say they +cannot make a living on 320 acres. I can give a very good example of +frugality, and also details of a farm in Ireland under Earl Spencer's +prize system, on his estates. A tenant named Hill was awarded the first +prize; area, 11 acres. + + Division of Land. + + 1 acre 1 rood, turnips and mangles. + 1 acre 2 roods, potatoes. + 4 acres, oats. + --------- + 6 acres. + 1 acre 2 roods, upland. + 1 acre, lowland. + 1 acre 3 roods, permanent pasture. + --------- + 11 acres. + + Half an acre of land seeded after potatoes, 1-1/4 after manured roots, + 2-1/2 under lea-oats. + + Live stock consisted of 1 horse, 3 dairy cows, 2 heifers, 2 pigs, and + 46 poultry. + +[Illustration] + + + Balance-sheet. + + Cr. £ s. d. Dr. £ s. d. + Produce of cows 35 0 0 Rent and taxes 12 18 4 + Oats (exclusive of horse feed) 21 0 0 Wages and keep of servant 22 0 0 + Profit on beast sold 19 0 0 Seeds 1 1 0 + Potatoes (5-1/2 tons at £3) 16 10 0 Labour (spring and harvest) 5 0 0 + 2 calves 9 0 0 Hand feed to cows 1 12 0 + Profit on pigs 6 0 0 + Eggs 6 10 0 + ---------- --------- + £113 0 0 £42 11 4 + ---------- --------- + + Balance. + + Cr. £113 0 0 + Dr. 42 11 4 + ---------- + Profit £70 8 8 + ---------- + +I (the reporter) asked Hill what wages weekly would have been equal +to this. He seemed astonished at such a question, and confessed that +no reasonable wages could have placed him in such a comfortable and +independent position. + +This is a modest affair, and yet the tenant was most contented and +happy. + +In concluding this section, I must say I would very much like to see +in Victoria, a small model farm of say 25 acres of tillage as a dairy +farm; everything to be consumed on the farm; that is, all the produce +from the land--hay, straw, fodder plants, roots, etc.--and the whole to +be under the direction and supervision of the Minister of Agriculture, +and the Government Agricultural Chemist, ---- Martin, Esq., and +everything carried out under an intelligent tenant and his family, and +a strict balance-sheet kept. + + + + +A Glimpse at the Future of Australia. + + +I am not so sanguine as many that Australia, in the near future, will +have such a very large population, and particularly a European one. +There is not temperate climate enough. I have already stated that +wheat cannot be profitably grown beyond 30 degrees of latitude north, +and we may say most of the European products also, and the climate, +beyond another 20 degrees, is not suitable for European constitutions +to labor in. If we, therefore, draw a line at 30 degrees across the map +of Australia, we shall see the insignificant portion there is left in +the temperate zone; we shall find it not one-fourth of the continent. +Take it through Western Australia, and there is just a little corner. +What, then, is the future of the enormous country north of 30 degrees, +and which is only suitable for tropical and semi-tropical products, all +of which will grow to the greatest perfection? The question then is, +will Europeans grow these products? I think not. At least, not European +labor. It must, and no doubt will be done, by large companies, by +employing Chinese, Coolie, or Kanaka labor, under the superintendence +of Europeans. These hotter regions, otherwise, will never be utilized. +Therefore, it is my belief that instead of persecuting and expelling +these races as the fashion now is, we shall be glad to invite them +to assist in developing this vast territory. I think this conclusion +will strike everyone as correct, who calmly reflects upon the subject. +Besides, the products of these districts, such as sugar, rice, tea, +coffee, etc., require so much hand labor, that to compete with these +with other countries which have cheap labor, will be impossible. Even +at the present day, neither Englishmen nor Europeans will do the +necessary work in the northern districts, and even in Victoria our +tobacco, hops, and vine industries can hardly be carried on without +the despised Chinese. We have an example already in the sugar industry +in Queensland. Recently a plant was up for sale that cost £26,000, and +the highest offer was £5000. What are we then to do without this cheap +labor? Without it this vast territory must evidently remain in a state +of nature, or still be devoted to wandering herds of cattle, and by +their vast numbers cripple the farmers of the more temperate parts by +competition. Where, then, are the boasted millions of population to +come from, which so many calculate upon? + +One great factor which will stay the progress of this great country +more than any other is the present jealousy and war between Capital and +Labor. No country can advance without there is perfect security for +life and property. If capital cannot find security in one country, it +can easily go to another. Social order must be maintained at all costs. +It appears coming to this, whether the Elected Government is to rule +the country, or the Trades' Hall Council. There is a class of men in +Melbourne who want to fix things according to their own Utopian ideas, +and upon such "hard and fast" lines that would be totally unbearable +and tyrannical even to their own class. It would be well for them to +ponder the wise words recently uttered by President Harrison, viz., +"_The safety of the State, the good order of the community, all that is +good, the capacity, indeed, to produce material wealth, is dependent +upon the intelligence and social order. Wealth and commerce are timid +creatures, they must be assured that the rest will be safe before they +build. So it is always in those communities where the most perfect +order is maintained, where intelligence is protected, where the Church +of God, and the institutions of religion are revered and respected, +we find the largest developments of material wealth._" There is far +too much "dog in the manger" feeling among the well-to-do artisans +in Melbourne. They are jealous of others coming into this good land. +They were glad enough to come themselves. It is the fear that a few +shillings will come off their own wages. It is strange that sensible +men, with any idea in their own heads, can listen to, or be guided by +the strange contradictory logic of the leaders of the labor party. +Recently, one of them said, speaking against the "Bloated Capitalists," +"those who are living without working, you may depend upon it, are +living upon those who do work, and that all independent people are +'loafers or parasites' on the State." Holding that independence is +a crime. Well, many of their own class, by industry and frugality, +are independent or approaching to it. These, then, are graduating to +this new species of crime. Another said these "loafers and parasites" +should be compelled to turn out and work, and in the next breath called +competition the work of the devil, and over-production the curse of +the colony. According to this logic, if all were workers and all +producers--what then? The greatness of Melbourne consists of the great +number of independent non-workers, who employ and consume the produce +of the workers, and this is also the secret of England's greatness, and +their wealth is assisting the great national works of the whole world. +These wiseacres even dictate to the farmers in this matter, thinking, +I suppose, that they cannot see a yard from the plough-tail. If we get +an overplus, and the prices consequently lower, and of which they reap +the benefit, they tell us it is over-production again, and say, "Why +don't you just produce what the colony requires, and then you would be +all right?" But should we do so, and their loaf be double the price, +which it would be, they would be the first to cry out that "we were +not utilising the land." Not considering that in advocating this grand +remedy, this colony, instead of exporting millions of bushels of wheat +to feed the hungry in Europe, would simply revert to a sheep walk, or +nearly so, and two-thirds of the agricultural population would swell +the present too over-crowded cities, and increase their own ranks with +double the number of workers--and what then? The railways also might +shut up, as sheep, &c., can travel to market on their own legs. But +enough of this. The farming and the town interests are identical, the +one cannot prosper without the other, but the farmer can get over a +pinch best. Farming also is paramount, and Governments should see to +it as soon as possible and establish farm colonies--see that the large +estates are put to the best use. Previous Governments have frittered +away the best of the land by special surveys, and permitting dummyism. +_They should also see that the remaining unalienated land is kept in +the hands of the State, and only leased to tenants._ A 20 years' lease, +renewable, is almost as good as a freehold, and suits thousands better. +Large estates in England have been let in this way, and have remained +in the hands of the same tenants for generations. As I have previously +said, I now emphasize again, viz.--PUT THE PEOPLE ON THE LAND AT ALL +COSTS!--without which it is impossible, even in Victoria, to have a +large population or prosperity in town or country. + + + + +Conclusion. + + +In concluding, I trust this little "Sketch from Life" and personal +experience and advice therein contained, may cause many in the "dear +old land" who are situated as I was, and others, to take heart and +courage, and I doubt not the same blessing will attend them. They may +have a rough time for a few years, and many ups and downs, but what of +that? Labor with plenty, gives the best health, strength, enjoyment and +longevity. Thus, with a firm trust in the "All-wise" to direct their +path, their feet shall never slip, and they shall cause the "wilderness +to blossom as the rose," and, "by the good hand of God upon them," +build up a home, as surely as Nehemiah built up Jerusalem, and to cheer +their hearts I will give them a song to sing all along their pilgrim +journey. + + + + +ALL THE WAY. + + + All the way my Saviour leads me, + What have I to ask beside? + Can I doubt His tender mercy, + Who through life has been my guide? + Heavenly peace, divinest comfort, + Here by faith in Him to dwell! + For I know whate'er befalls me, + Jesus doeth all things well. + + All the way my Saviour leads me, + Cheers each winding path I tread, + Gives me grace for every trial, + Feeds me with the living bread. + Though my weary steps may falter, + And my soul athirst may be, + Gushing from the rock before me, + Lo, a spring of joy I see! + + All the way my Saviour leads me, + Oh, the fullness of His love! + Perfect rest to me is promised + In my Father's house above. + When my spirit, clothed immortal, + Wings its flight to realms of day, + This my song, through endless ages, + JESUS LED ME ALL THE WAY. + +N.B.--The profit, if any, from the sale of this little sketch will be +devoted to the furtherance of True Temperance. + + +[Illustration] + + Melbourne: + + Rae Bros., Printers, 547 & 549 Elizabeth Street + + 1891. + +[Illustration] + + + + + +End of the Project Gutenberg EBook of A Settler's 35 Years' Experience in +Victoria, Australia, by Edward Hulme + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 57471 *** |