though no very
large amount of profit has yet been realized. Nearly a thousand small
diamonds have been found here and sent to market. Though they are not
large, they are remarkable for purity of color and excellence of
quality. This is a rich mineral district, abounding specially in copper
and tin; but there are not over a thousand people at Bingera, even
including the floating population attracted by the diamond-fields.

The most famous of the gold mines here is the "Upper Bingera," which has
proved very profitable to its owners, and is about sixteen miles from
Bingera. Another somewhat famous mine of this neighborhood is known as
the "Bobby Whitlow;" and still a third which deserves mention as being
nearly as prolific is called "The Boro." All these mines have been more
or less freely worked and partially abandoned for more promising fields,
but they are by no means exhausted.

It may very reasonably be doubted whether Australia would have risen
into notice, or have been so promptly peopled by Englishmen, had it not
been that hordes of convicts were shipped thither from Great Britain in
the early days of its discovery. Though this transportation of criminals
thither was long ago abolished, and this element of reproach has been
nearly lived down, "there is still unfortunately a convict flavor
permeating some classes,"--we use the very words of a respectable
citizen with whom we were conversing upon the subject. Some of the rich
men of to-day came out from England as prisoners; and the heads of some
families, whose descendants are now reasonably esteemed and respected,
were once ticket-of-leave men. But in sheer justice it should be
remembered that persons in those days were very often transported by the
courts of the old country for crimes of the most petty character.

CHAPTER VI.

The Capital of Queensland.--Public Gardens.--Gold Mines and
Gold Mining.--Pleasant Excursion.--Inducements to
Emigrants.--Coolie Principle of Labor.--Agricultural
Products.--Sugar Plantations.--Australian
Aborigines.--Cannibalism.--Civil Wars.--Indian
Legends.--Fire-arms and Fire-water.--Missionary Efforts.--A
Brief Romance.--The Boomerang.--The Various
Tribes.--Antiquity of these Lands.

Brisbane, the capital of Queensland, which was originally known as
Moreton Bay District, lies about five hundred miles north of Sydney, and
is reached most readily by coasting steamers; though t