A TRIP TO THE GOLD FIELDS.
However
highly a visitor to the Bathnrst district and the gold diggings may
have raised his expectations by previous descriptions, and by
anticipating in imagination strange and extraordinary scenes, he can
scarcely avoid being surprised almost to bewilderment; and an
individual who makes the journey, spends a few days in viewing the
country, and returns to Sydney even without the good luck of picking up
a nugget, or gathering any other dust than that which some portions of
the road afford most plentifully in dry weather, must bo singularly
devoid of taste if he does not experience high gratification in some
way or other. The artist and the lover of the picturesque will meet
grand and romantic scenery, the geology and natural philosopher will
find ample materials for speculation, while those who are fond of
studying mankind will have opportunities of examining character under
strange and peculiar phases. Yet it is probable that vast numbers of
those who are racing along the road to the gold fields never waste a
thought on any one subject except the number of ounces that they hope
to dig, and look with indifference upon everything on the road except
the objects which tell them that they are drawing nearer to their
destination. That very execrable conveyance called the mail is also
very unfavourable for enjoyment of any kind, and the extent of country
travelled during the hours of darkness, deprives the travellers of the
sight of many pleasing and curious spots, nor is the mind pleasantly
prepared for gazing down a steep and rocky gully, and quietly
calculating how long a stone would take to reach the bottom, by the
driver of the vehicle making a furious dash in order to avoid a bog or
slough, or perhaps a lmge stone in the road, and bringing the whe.ls
within a few inches of the edge of the precipice ; the passenger, not
having quite as much conÂfidence in the skill of the driver as that
worthy himself possesses, is
