Page:All the Year Round - Series 2 - Volume 1.djvu/620

 who merely threw in a word to modify the purely monologue form of the narrative.

"Ay—and—then" said the manager, accepting the cue "we knew we were pretty much about the level of the gutter; and that was all we did know, for we were early on the lead, and no one had bottomed within a mile or so of us. In fact, it was a toss up, some said we were to the north of the gutter, and more said we were to the south of it. Anyhow, the norths carried it, and we struck out north. Look here"—and the manager opened a large iron door, embedded in the northern wall of the chamber. It disclosed a drive, dark, winding, and water-dripping and to all appearances quite deserted. "You may follow that drive for some half-mile, if you have a mind to—Ihaven't: it cost us too much time, labour, and argument already, and I hate the sight of it. We spent close on a twelvemonth over it, for it was all through slate-rock, and then the norths gave in. Here is another drive," ontinued the manager, opening a second door, and disclosing a second tunnel, dark, winding, water-dripping, and deserted. "We spent a pretty tidy time over this one too: it led to no gutter, but still it wasn't exactly lost time. After we had gone on some distance with it, and found nothing promising, we agreed to branch off at an angle of forty-five. We hadn't gone long on this tack, when we found the bed-rock dipping (about the best sign a miner has to go by) east by south. That was enough for us we knew the gutter was to the south of the shaft, if it was anywhere. We came back to the chamber, and opened a drive twenty-five degrees east of south. That brought us straight across the gutter, and is now our main drive. We struck the gutter three and a quarter years after we had turned the first sod."

"Then you use more than one drive?"

"More than one or two men can't well work in a drive. We open off branch drives to attack upper and lower parts of the gutter, when we know its whereabouts."

Provided with candles, we proceed down the main drive. The incline was so slight as to be only appreciable by aid of the spirit level. The centre of the drive was occupied by a rude tramway, with rails of blue gum, on which the trucks conveyed washing-stuff, headings, &c., to the shaft run. The incline was sufficient to carry the empty trucks back; the full ones were pushed forward by the men. Between the trucks and the damp dripping walls of the drive there was barely room to pass. The roof was just high enough to permit a tall man to stand upright. The whole of this drive was well boxed, sides and roof. The close steaming atmosphere became hotter and hotter (but for the friendly engine, which was incessantly sending down great puffs of fresh air along the whole drive, existence could not be prolonged). The noise of pick and shovel waxed louder and louder. The drive opened out into a vast yawning cavern, and we stood on the verge of the veritable gutter, the much desired central line of the lead.

Great portion of this gutter had already been cleared away cleared carefully down to the bed-rock, and the hollows, cavities, and crevices of the rock itself cleaned and swept. In this manner we were able to cross over from bank to bank, if I may use the term. It took me about ten paces to cross over at this point. Above and below, the gutter remained untouched, and the men were now employed in transferring portions of it to the trucks by aid of pick and shovel. About four feet was regarded as washing-stuff; the remaining four feet to the roof of the cavern thus in process of formatian was accounted worthless headings; still it had to be drawn to the shaft's mouth to make room. The precious washing-stuff (I was given to understand it was very precious, but any minute inquiries on this point are not strictly in accordance with goldfields' etiquette) was nothing very dazzling to look at. It consisted of the aforesaid thick, putty-like mud, rounded pebbles of all sizes in the utmost profusion, and watery ooze, all mixed up together. In fact, its whole aspect resembled that of a river-bed which had been covered up for ages.

Owing to certain bends and turns traced out in the lead, the company calculated on having a mile and a half of gutter, and work for the next eight or ten years. An ordinary week's washing, I was informed, produced fifty pounds (sterling) per man. The claim had yielded fifty thousand pounds up to the period of my visit. Two thousand pounds would be readily given for a share not twenty readily accepted; in fact, they were not "in the market."

The proposition of the brandy was received with a certain dignified independence; nevertheless, the brandy was not rejected.

windows of the Fountain Court Are glittering in the moon, But no more in the palace hall You hear the dance and tune No more beyond dim corridors Lamps spread a golden noon.

No longer from half open doors Bursts forth a gust of song; No longer with a roll of drums, Sweeps by a silken throng, With diamond stars keen glittering, The ribbons blue among.

No pages bearing each a torch, Now scale the lofty stair; No ladies trip with wealth of pearls, Banding their wealth of hair; No white-capped cook, with naming face, Bears up the dish with care.

The swarthy king with heavy brows, Paces no more the court; Base Rochester and Killigrew Have long since ceased to sport. No more fair wantons at the cards Think the long night too short.

Silent the court, and still the hall, Lights long ago put out, The colour's faded from the silks That deck the walls about; No longer at the outer gates The noisy rabble shout.