Page:The life and letters of Sir John Henniker Heaton bt. (IA lifelettersofsi00port).pdf/203

 Frequently, a nugget of gold that a man could scarcely stagger under was found. It was a common thing to serve out buckets of champagne, and to make pipe lights of £5 notes. In 1856 Mr Cameron, a store-keeper at the woolshed, New El Dorado, rode into Beechworth, Victoria, on a horse called Castor, the animal being shod with golden shoes. The weight of each shoe was 7 oz. 4 dwt.

Many were the hopes raised and sunk in goldfield speculations. A favourite story of H. H.'s concerned a large nugget that was sent to England and a company floated which was called by some fantastic name. After a long delay the shareholders, hearing nothing further from Australia, cabled out, "When are you going to begin crushing the gold?" "Directly you send us back our nugget," was the prompt reply.

Among H. H.'s papers was found an old Share certificate of the famous "Big Diamond Syndicate." The stone was found near, I believe, Wagga Wagga, N.S.W., and was at first thought to be a wonderful diamond of surpassing size. A small syndicate was formed to have it tested and bitter was the disappointment when it turned out to be of no value.

There was nothing H. H. enjoyed more in later L