"I came to the colony of Victoria, or, rather, as it was called
then, New South Wales, in the year 18--. I had been in a merchant's
office in London, but not finding much opportunity for advancement, I
looked about to see if I could better myself I heard of this new land
across the, ocean, and though it was not then the El Dorado which it
afterwards turned out, and, truth to tell, had rather a shady name,
owing to the transportation of convicts, yet I longed to go there and
start a new life. Unhappily, however, I had not the means, and saw
nothing better before me than the dreary life of a London clerk, as it
was impossible that I could save out of the small salary I got. Just at
this time, an old maiden aunt of my mother's died and left a few
hundred pounds to me. With this, I came out to Australia, determined to
become a rich man. I stayed some time in Sydney, and then came over to
Port Phillip, now so widely known as Marvellous Melbourne, where I
intended to pitch my tent. I saw that it was a young and rising colony,
though, of course, coming as I did, before the days of the, gold
diggings, I never dreamt it would spring up, as it has done since, into
a nation. I was careful and saving in those days, and, indeed, I think
it was the happiest time of my life.
"I bought land whenever I could scrape the money together, and, at the
time of the gold rush, was considered well-to-do. When, however, the
cry that gold had been discovered was raised, and the eyes of all the
nations were turned to Australia, with her glittering treasures, men
poured in from all parts of the world, and the 'Golden Age' commenced.
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