e driver
and one passenger. This particular buckboard almost came to grief
yesterday with Mr. Macfarlane, who had gone out shooting with one of
his daughters. He had left the carriage to get nearer his game, when
the horses took fright and ran away, tearing round and round a field;
a trace broke, and the light trap nearly touched the fence at every
turn. The young girl stuck pluckily to her post, and at last succeeded
in pulling the horses up.

Through a door in the wall of the stable yard we passed into a
beautiful garden full of violets, mignonette, scarlet geraniums, and
late autumn flowers; besides gooseberries, raspberries, currants, and
other English fruits; while overhead stretched a long trellis covered
with fine Muscatel vines from which some late bunches of grapes were
still hanging.

[Illustration: A Buckboard]

Wellington Lodge itself proved to be a comfortable dwelling, with
rooms opening into a garden, bright and gay with sunshine and
flowers. The view over the plains was full of life, and the paddocks
were well stocked with cattle and horses. After an excellent luncheon
of good things produced upon the station, we spent a pleasant time
looking over a capital collection of photographs, some of which Mr.
Macfarlane very kindly gave us. Then we went into the garden, strolled
round the stables, saw some of the young stock, and were shown what a
buck-jumper could do. After a few preliminary curvets and bounds, the
gates of the yard were opened and the animal was allowed to 'go' like
an arrow from a bow for three miles. His first leap was over a very
stiff gate more than five feet high, which he took like a bird, and
was soon out of sight.

Having dined, we returned to the railway, and took up our quarters in
a boudoir-car attached to the express train, timed to arrive at
Ballarat at six o'clock to-morrow morning.

_Ballarat: Thursday, June 9th._--After an excellent night in a
luxurious sleeping-carriage I was called at seven. A little before
eight the Mayor of Ballarat and others were announced, and I had to
settle with them the programme for the day whilst the others were
making their toilettes. At 8.30 we left the station for Craig's Hotel,
where we found breakfast prepared in a comfortable room. Tom and the
doctor had arranged to arrive at half-past ten. They had parted from
us at Port Adelaide on the 3rd instant, and had gone by sea in the
'Sunbeam' to Melbourne, which they reached on the 6th, after