In the
morning you might see him trudging off to his work, and before night
might meet him at some ball or soiree among the elite of Melbourne.
I shall not attempt an elaborate description of the town of Melbourne,
or its neighbouring villages. The town is very well laid out; the
streets (which are all straight, running parallel with and across one
another) are very wide, but are incomplete, not lighted, and many are
unpaved. Owing to the want of lamps, few, except when full moon, dare
stir out after dark. Some of the shops are very fair; but the goods all
partake too largely of the flash order, for the purpose of suiting the
tastes of successful diggers, their wives, and families; it is ludicrous
to see them in the shops--men who before the gold-mines were discovered
toiled hard for their daily bread taking off half-a-dozen thick gold
rings from their fingers, and trying to pull on to their rough,
well-hardened hands the best white kids, to be worn at some wedding
party, whilst the wife, proud of the novel ornament, descants on the
folly of hiding them beneath such useless articles as gloves.
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