Thamanampalli Surekha

their elder compeers rendered them more speculative in their transactions, and less economical in their expenditure. The merchant, therefore, who is desirous of entering heart and hand into the trade and prospects of these colonies should proceed himself to the field of actions, and becomes personally known to his constituents. In strolling through the streets of Melbourne, we were very much pleased with the appearance of the shops, which more than any other occupation in the colony retained its true English features. It was a rare harvest for the properties of these shops; from the little storekeeper to the extensive haberdasher, all were making exorbitant profits out of the gold-diggers. The same system of doing business is pursued by them as in England, the same puffing advertisements and shop-decorating. The largest profits are realised upon soft goods and fancy-wares, shop-clothing, and the like; and when articles of wearing-apparel are scarce in the market, the most extroordinary prices are obtained from the diggers. We saw 2l. a pair given fir stockmen's boots, which ordinary sold for 6s.; and as the shopkeeper sells every thing for cash in this golden age, he makes no bad debts. Any one who lives frugally under these circumstances cannot fail to do well. One-half the economy and caution required to make both ends meet in the overcrowded towns of the mother-country will lead to independence in Australia. Many of the most thriving shopkeepers there have prided themselves upon having landed in these colonies with only a few pounds, or perhaps shillings in their pockets. But the class of men who were gathering the richest harvest from the gold-diggers were the innkeepers. The public-houses through the city are an exact importation from the old country, and their properties a similar stamp of men. The bar of a tap-house in Melbourne is exactly like those in London; in fact, all the appurtenances you see around have been imported from there. We strolled into the tap-rooms of these houses occasionally to see the kind of life carried on in them; and every where extravagance and folly was the order of the day. Those men who had returned wee-laden with their gathering at the golden mount could the order of the day. Those men who had returned well-lades with their gatherings at the golden mount could not drink fast enough, nor consume sufficiently expensive liquors, to ease them of their earnings. "Drink away boys! Let's see it out! There's plenty more to be had where this came from!" were the expressions used as they tossed their money lavishly into the till of the innkeeper. The consequence was, that ordinary accommodations was not to be had at these places of entertainment without paying the most exorbitant charges. Hence the newly-arrived people found it hard upon their purses to live in the extravagant manner pursued by the successful gold-diggers in the inns and hotels. The more prudent among them lived in tents and bark-huts at the outskirts of the town, partaking of nothing more expensive than good bush fare-tea, damper, and mutton. We therefore counsel the intending gold-hunter to be careful of his means at first, and to make no attempt to go with the stream, until he has been lucky in filling his belt with plenty of gold-dust. While on landing he sees around him the most reckless extravagance and riot in the hotels and other houses of accommodation, we caution him to avoid squandering his means in their taps or parlours. It is a matter of great importance, likewise, to maintain temperate habits where so much drunkenness prevails. At the same time we are not the advocates of entire abstinence from strong drinks; for such is the effect of the climate upon the kind of water to be found there, that is rendered more wholesome by the addition of a little spirit; and, indeed, is a safer beverage, under certain circumstances, than tea. No! what we refer to are the many temptations which surround the "thristy soul" in that social community to break all pledges. Rum is cheaper there than England, and money is rediculously plentiful; while the constitution is excited to the drinking point sooner amongst boon companions in that warm climate. These influences tend to destroy the equilibrium of the sober man, to say nothing of the confirmed drunkard or dissolute youth. The mass of people, therefore, whom we encountered in our rambles through the streets and places frequented by the public, were bodies of men who had come into town from time to time from the diggings, either for pleasure, to purchase necessaries, or to recruit their health; and many with a determination to keep to steady works. The two former classes gave life to the town; many, as we have seen, squandering their hard-earned wealth in the pothouses; others purchasing largely, to the great advantage of the tradespeople. some few were prudent, and deposited their gains in the banking-houses, or purchased pieces of land to build upon when labour would become more plentiful. But the great mass showed every disposition to continue hewers of wood and drawers of water; and probably, after all their success, they would be in the end just where they were at starting, excepting that they may be somewhat less strong than they would have been, had they preserved in the quite industrious occupations which hitherto prevailed thoughout the colony. But it is vain to reason even with those men who are upon the spot, and have experienced many of to be determined to try his luck, and , if fortunate, to enjoy himself. While the labouring class of people rejoiced in the altered state of the colony, those who were accustomed to