ey used to say he would be a great
genius in the detective department of the Police.

CHAPTER 2.

My two sons leave England for Australia.
Incidents of the Voyage.
Extracts from Journal.
Arrival at Port Phillip.
Melbourne.
Employed as Shepherds in the Interior.
Mode of Life.
Melbourne in 1853.
Advice to Immigrants.
Descriptive Letters from the Bush.

DURING the summer of 1852, I formed the intention of joining the
exodus, then pouring out from England to Australia. I had been in
treaty with the "Melbourne Gold Mining Company," recently started,
in which promising speculation, on paper, I held some shares. The
late Earl of Devon was chairman. I was to go in the Sarah Sands, in
my professional capacity. My two sons, William John, and his
younger brother, were to accompany me; but on further investigation
of the modus operandi, I gave up all idea of attaching myself to
the scheme, sold my shares at a slight discount, and engaged as
medical attendant on the passengers, taking my two sons with me, in
a fine new ship, the Ballaarat, on her first voyage. This
arrangement I considered final. But a few days after William
returned home, he came to me when I was sitting alone, engaged in
writing, and with that expression in his countenance so peculiarly
his own, said; "My dear father, I have a favour to ask of you." "My
dear boy," I replied, "there is nothing you would venture to ask
that I could possibly refuse." "Then," continued he, "it is this. I
see my mother is grieving, although she says nothing, at our all
leaving her together. Let Tom and I go alone: I will pledge myself
to take care of him." After a consultation with my wife this new
plan was agreed upon. I released myself from my engagement with
Messrs. Simpkin and Marshall for the Ballaarat, and secured two
berths for the boys in one of Mr. W.S. Lindsay's ships, which at
that time were conveying living freights to Melbourne, their
Channel port of departure being Dartmouth.

By the advice of Mr. Lindsay himself I took steerage passages for
them. He shrewdly remarked, "They will be there as soon and as
safely as the cabin-passengers, and their money will be saved."
This sounded so like an axiom in practical economy that my dear boy
never attempted to argue the question. Having obtained permission
to knock two cabins into one, my sons considerably diminished their
expenses, and had quite as agreeable a voyage as if they had paid
sixty guineas each; for I have