Francisco, though not without great hazard of losing our gold and our
lives, and got on board a ship bound across the Pacific to this country.
The ship, however, being caught in a gale off this coast, drove on
shore, when half the crew and passengers lost their lives--my partner
among them--while I only saved my life and the clothes on my back. I
had learned by this time not to be surprised at any misfortune which
might overtake me. I was far better off than in California, for I was
among countrymen, I begged my way up to the diggings, or rather I had
not to beg it, for I was passed along from station to station. I was
much better off, too, at the diggings than I had been in California, for
I was now one of the ruling faction; and, though things were bad enough
in some respects, people were generally civilised and humane, compared
to gold-diggers I had met on the other side of the globe. My luck,
however, was much the same. All I could do was to keep body and soul
together, till at last I had to come to the conclusion that I was not
cut out for a gold-digger. On my way up to the diggings, I had rested
at a station owned by an old gentleman, who seemed to take an interest
in me. At all events, as I was going away, he promised to receive me
when I got tired of gold-digging, if I would come back to him, and to
put me in the way of making my fortune. Utterly disgusted with my
ill-success as gold-digger, I bethought myself of him, and was on my way
to his abode, when, on attempting to cross your river, I was carried off
my feet, and should have become food for fish or water-rats had it not
been for your courage, Arthur and Willie; and I can say, with sincerity,
that you deserve great credit for it. As to thanking you, I do not
fancy that thanks from such a wretched vagabond as I am are worth
anything, and so I'll say nothing about that."

"We are too glad that we have succeeded in saving your life, old friend,
to care about thanks," said Arthur. "And now you are here, we hope that
you will stay and try if you cannot follow our occupation. It is the
one that succeeds best in Australia in the long run, depend upon it."

Mark Withers said that he would think about the matter; but the next
morning he declared his intention of proceeding to the farm of the old
gentleman, a Mr Elton, who had invited him to his house before he went
up to the diggings. "The fact is," observed Mark, "I have an idea that
he intended to l