It was unreasonable to expect men,
each six foot four inches in height, carrying arms and accoutrements,
which they were bound by the regulations to keep clean and in good
order, to plunge into that river of mud, and to spoil all their
clothes.
Turton's Creek was soon worked out, and before any professional
jumpers or lawyers could put their fingers in the pie, the plums were
all gone. The gully was prospected from top to bottom, and the hills
on both sides were tunnelled, but no more gold, and no reefs were
found. There was much speculation by geologists, mining experts, and
old duffers as to the manner in which the gold had contrived to get
into the creek, and where it came from; where it went to, the diggers
who carried it away in their pockets knew well enough.
The diggers dispersed; some went to Melbourne to enjoy their wealth;
some stayed at Foster to try to get more; some died from the extreme
enjoyment of riches suddenly acquired, and a few went mad. One of
the latter was brought to Palmerston, and remained there a day or two
on his way to the Yarra Bend Lunatic Asylum. Having an inborn thirst
for facts, I conversed with him from the wooden platform which
overlooks the gaol yard. He was walking to and fro, and talking very
cheerfully to himself, and to the world in general. He spoke well,
and had evidently been well educated, but his ideas were all in
pieces as it were, and lacked connection.
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