dlord--a thorough old
Scotian, who amused himself by waking the echoes of the wilderness
with the bagpipes,--the noble fern trees and the fine black
cockatoos. He also continued his practice in surgery, but I believe
he made no charge, as, not being duly licensed, he considered he
had no right to do so. He returned to Ballaarat in consequence of a
communication through me, from an American gentleman named
Catherwood. On receipt of my letter he lost not an hour, shouldered
his swag (blankets, kit, etc.), took leave of Mr. Skene and family,
and walked to Ballaarat, sleeping one night in the bush, by the
way. On the 22nd of April, 1855, he wrote thus to his mother:

MY DEAR MOTHER,

I had the pleasure of receiving a letter from you a fortnight
since. I was at Moora Moora then, as you will see by a letter I
wrote just before I came down here, in the hope of joining a party
that is spoken of as about to explore the interior of the country,
which you appear to have such a dread of. It seems uncertain
whether they will go at all. As to what you say about people being
starved to death in the bush, no doubt it would be rather
disagreeable. But when you talk of being killed in battle, I am
almost ashamed to read it. If every one had such ideas we should
have no one going to sea for fear of being drowned; no travellers
by railway for fear the engine should burst; and all would live in
the open air for fear of the houses falling in. I wish you would
read Coombe's Constitution of Man. As regards some remarks of yours
on people's religious opinions, it is a subject on which so many
differ, that I am inclined to Pope's conclusion who says:--

For modes of faith let graceless zealots fight;
His can't be wrong whose life is in the right;

and I think we cannot have a better guide to our actions than

'to do unto others as we would be done by.'

Ever your affectionate son,

W.J. WILLS.

P.S. If I go, I will write again before starting.

. . .

The expedition he here speaks of turned out a mere venture to obtain
cash, and nothing came of it. He remained but a short time at
Ballaarat, and never idle. In a month he completed a wooden
addition to my residence, building the sides, and shingling the
roof in a most workmanlike manner. It was perfectly weatherproof,
and stood good for some years, being only taken down when an
alteration in the line of the street rendered its removal
necessary. He now wished to study sur