Hundreds of men, of all classes and conditions, threw up
their situations, and leaving their wives and families behind them,
started for the diggings. Whole crews ran away from their ships, which
were left to rot in our harbours, the men having willingly forfeited all
their wages, clothes, etc. Within one week the prices of the following
goods rose twenty-five per cent. in Sydney: flour, tea, sugar, rice,
tobacco, warm clothing, and boots. Throughout all the towns nothing was
saleable but provisions and diggers' tools and clothing. Every man who
could handle a pick or spade was off, or preparing to be off, for the
gold-fields. The roads were crowded with travellers, carriages, gigs,
drays, carts, and wheelbarrows; mixed up in one confused assemblage
might be seen magistrates, lawyers, physicians, clerks, tradesmen, and
labourers.
The building of houses, bridges, etc., was suspended for want of
tradesmen, nearly all of them having gone to the diggings. Many houses
might be seen half-finished for want of men to proceed with the work,
though the owners or contractors were offering enormously high wages to
any that would complete the work.
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