y be read in the following brief and not altogether
mythical biography, of an interesting specimen which suddenly fell
into a declining way, and is supposed to have lately departed this
life.

The Long Range Excavator Rock-Crushing and Gold-Winning Company was
born from the brain of Aurophilus Dobrown, Esq., of Smallchange Dell,
in the county of Middlesex, between the hours of ten and eleven at
night on the 14th of October 1851. It was at first a shapeless and
unpromising bantling; but being introduced to the patronage of a
conclave of experienced drynurses, it speedily became developed in
form and proportion; and before it was ten days old, was formally
introduced, with official garniture, to the expectant public, by whom
it was received with general approbation and favour. The new company,
in a dashing prospectus, held forth a certain prospect of enormous
advantages to shareholders, with an entire exemption from
responsibility of every sort. The shares were a million in number, at
one pound each, without any further call--on the loose-cash principle,
and no signing of documents. Aurophilus Dobrown was chairman of the
committee of management.

The intentions of the company, as detailed at length in their eloquent
prospectus, were to invade the gold regions of the Australian
continent with a monster engine, contrived by the indefatigable
Crushcliff, and which, it was confidently expected, would devour the
soil of the auriferous district at a rate averaging about three tons
per minute. It was furnished, so the engineer averred, with a stomach
of 250 tons capacity, supplied with peristaltic grinders of steel of
the most obdurate temper, enabling it with ease to digest the hardest
granite rocks, to crush the masses of quartz into powder, and to
deposit the virgin gold upon a sliding floor underneath. The machine
was to be set in motion by the irresistible force of 'the pressure
from without,' and 1000 pounds-weight of pure gold per diem was
considered a very low estimate of its powers of production. These
reasonable expectations being modestly set forth in circulars and
public advertisements, and backed by the august patronage of the
respectable and responsible individuals above named, the Long Range
Excavator Company speedily grew into vast repute. The starving herd
encamped in Stagg's Alley, flew at once to pen, ink, and paper, and
applications for shares poured in by thousands. Referees were hunted
up, or they were n