ed country to
that of the Sacramento district. On his return, he immediately searched
for the precious metal; Ophir, the Turon, and Bathurst well repaid his
labour. Thus commenced the gold diggings of New South Wales.

The good people of Victoria were rather jealous of the importance given
by these events to the other colony. Committees were formed, and
rewards were offered for the discovery of a gold-field in Victoria. The
announcement of the Clunes Diggings in July, 1851, was the
result; they were situated on a tributary of the Loddon. On September 8,
those of Ballarat, and on the 10th those of Mount Alexander
completely satisfied the most sceptical as to the vast mineral wealth
of the colony. Bendigo soon was heard of; and gully after gully
successively attracted the attention of the public by the display of
their golden treasures.

The names given to these gullies open a curious field of speculation.
Many have a sort of digger's tradition respecting their first
discovery. The riches of Peg Leg Gully were brought to light through
the surfacing of three men with wooden legs, who were unable to sink a
hole in the regular way. Golden Gully was discovered by a man who,
whilst lounging on the ground and idly pulling up the roots of grass
within his reach, found beneath one a nest of golden nuggets. Eagle
Hawk derives its name from the number of eagle-hawks seen in the gully
before the sounds of the pick and shovel drove them away. Murderer's
Flat and Choke'em Gully tell their own tale. The Irish clan together in
Tipperary Gully. A party of South Australians gave the name of their
chief town to Adelaide Gully. The Iron Bark is so called from
the magnificent trees which abound there. Long, Piccaninny, and Dusty
Gully need no explanation. The Jim Crow ranges are appropriately so
called, for it is only by keeping up a sort of Jim Crow dancing
movement that one can travel about there; it is the roughest piece of
country at the diggings. White Horse Gully obtained its name from a
white horse whose hoofs, whilst the animal in a rage was plunging here
and there, flung up the surface ground and disclosed the treasures
beneath. In this gully was found the famous "John Bull Nugget," lately
exhibited in London. The party to whom it belonged consisted of three
poor sailors; the one who actually discovered it had only been a
fortnight at the diggings. The nugget weighed forty-five pounds, and
was only a few inches beneath the surface