_NEW SOUTH WALES (continued)._
_Monday, July 18th._--Lovely sunrise--the last we shall see, alas! in
this beautiful place. Very busy; rather a worrying morning; so much to
settle and arrange. Did some final shopping with the children. Met
Lord Shaftesbury at lunch. Went off to the 'Sunbeam,' feeling quite
sad that the moment of departure had at last arrived. The Admiral came
on board 'Sunbeam' at the last moment, bringing some violets as a
farewell offering. Sailed slowly away, and gradually lost sight of the
Heads in the darkness.
_Tuesday, July 19th._--At half-past twelve Tom came below to announce
our arrival off the port of Newcastle. The wind had been so fresh and
fair that we made a smart run of seven hours, sighting the lights at
Nobby Head at about half-past ten. Our head was then put off the land,
and we hove to, to wait for the tug. This is a process which to the
old salt seems a pleasure nearly equal to that of going ashore, at all
events to dropping anchor in a well-sheltered harbour. Though I
certainty cannot call myself an inexperienced sailor, it appears to me
to be the acme of discomfort. Even in a heavy gale it affords but
slight relief from the storm-tossed motion of the ship. On the present
occasion it was a change from pleasantly gliding along through the
water at a speed of nine or ten knots an hour to a nasty pitching
motion which made us all very wretched. Everything began to roll and
tumble about in a most tiresome manner; doors commenced to bang,
glasses to smash, books to tumble out of their shelves, and there was
a general upset of the usually peaceful equilibrium of the yacht. So
unpleasant was this, that I suggested to Tom that, instead of waiting
outside for the reception tug, we should get up steam and go into
harbour at daylight so as to have a few hours' rest. This we did, and
glided into the harbour precisely at 5.30 A.M., anchoring just off the
railway-pier, and quite taking the good people of Newcastle by
surprise. The town presented a great contrast to its namesake at home,
for the morning dawned bright and lovely, with hardly a smoke-wreath
to intercept the charming view. We looked out on a noble river with a
busy town on its banks and low hills in the background.
About eight o'clock the chairman of the reception committee,
Lieutenant Gardner, of the Royal Naval Brigade, came on board to
arrange the order of the proceedings. Everybody was most kindly
anxious to show us everything there was to be seen, but Tom thought
the lengthy programme would be too much for my strength, and suggested
that the original arrangement should be adhered to. Punctually at
half-past ten the Mayor and Corporation came on board to give us a
cordial welcome and present an address. At 11.15 we embarked in two
steam-launches and went up the harbour, which looked gay and
beautiful, the port being crowded with shipping. We were told,
however, that it is not nearly so full as it used to be a year or two
ago. They say that bad times have affected this like every other
place, and that only a quarter of the number of vessels are in harbour
now, compared to the returns of this time last year.
[Illustration: Kangaroo-foot (_Arrigozanthus_)]
Our first visit was to the hydraulic cranes, by which a ship can take
in a thousand tons of coal in ten hours. From the cranes we went a
little further up the harbour, to the landing-place, where a dense
crowd eagerly awaited us. Carriages were in readiness, but Tom rather
upset the plans by his usual wish to walk instead of going in state in
a coach. I fear he severely tried the lungs and legs of his
entertainers by taking them at a brisk pace up a steep hill to the
high-level reservoir. As soon as I got into the carriage a basket of
fragrant violets was given to me by the school children of Lampton,
one of the collier townships in the neighbourhood. We drove past the
reserve and up to the reservoir, from which there is a fine view of
the town and surrounding country. We stayed a long time at the top of
the breezy hill watching the dark blue waves turn to pale green as
they curled their white-crested heads into great rollers and dashed
against the steep cliffs of the many little headlands and promontories
of the bay. Looking in another direction, the view extends over the
rich alluvial plain which surrounds Newcastle, thickly studded with
houses and colliery townships. One new colliery has been started quite
close to the shore, and not improbably it will be carried, like the
old Botallack mine in Cornwall, right under the sea, where the richest
seam of coal runs. While we were taking in the characteristic features
of the landscape the sun became so powerful, in spite of a cold wind,
that umbrellas and sunshades were found necessary.
After leaving the reservoir we drove through another quarter of the
town. Every house had at its door a smiling group of people who
greeted us warmly. Leaving the town, we went on to Nobby Head. The
position is fortified, and garrisoned with a company of the Permanent
force. From this point the town is better seen than from the
reservoir, and there is a good prospect of the entrance to the
harbour. Though it was comparatively calm to-day, the waves rolled in
with great force; and it is said that in bad weather the sea is
perfectly frightful. Just inside the Heads, not thirty yards from the
shore, a small black buoy marks the spot where a steamer went down
with every soul on board, not only in sight of land, but actually in
port. While Tom was inspecting we rested in the signal-station and
talked to the signalman.
On leaving the fort we drove to Mr. Black's wool-shed, where the
various processes of dumping and preparing the wool for shipment were
explained to us. It is wonderful to see how the bulk of a bale can be
reduced by hydraulic pressure. The shed is perfectly empty at this
moment, but in a few weeks it will be at its fullest, for the shearing
season has already commenced. To-day its ample space was utilised to
hold a large luncheon-party, at which a number of ladies and gentlemen
were present. The speeches at this banquet, though short, were good.
Having partaken of their hospitable entertainment, we were conducted
by our kind hosts into a train which was waiting, literally, at the
door of the shed, and were taken off, more or less through the streets
of the town, to the Newcastle Colliery Company's Works.
As soon as we cleared the suburbs the country became very pretty, and
the place where we left the train, to descend the coal-mine, was
really quite romantic, and entirely different to what one sees in the
Black Country at home. There were several charmingly designed
triumphal arches for us to pass under, all made of semi-tropical
flowers and palms. The contrast between these flowers and plants and
the brisk keen mountain air, blowing cold and fresh in spite of the
hot sun, was remarkable. After admiring the beauty of the various
specimens of flowers, and inspecting the works at the pit's
mouth--where men were hard at work filling skips and emptying them
into trucks waiting for their loads--some of the party got into the
cage and descended 400 or 500 feet into the bowels of the earth. A few
of the ladies declared they felt nervous; but there was really nothing
to make them so except the total darkness. Arrived at the bottom, we
found many miners with candles stuck in the front of their hats, and
carrying lamps of the simplest construction, a piece of waste stuck
into the spout of an ordinary can filled with what is called China oil
(a decoction of mutton fat), waiting to light us on our darksome path.
Several trucks were ready prepared, into one of which I got with the
children, and we started, a large and merry party. On our way in we
met all the miners coming out, for they leave off work at 3.30 in
order to be at the pit's mouth at four, only working eight hours a
day.
All mines bear a greater or less resemblance to each other, whether
they contain black diamonds, like the one in which we then found
ourselves, white diamonds, gold, silver, tin, copper, gypsum, or any
other mineral. There is the same descent in a cage, the same walk
through workings--higher or lower, as the case may be--or ride in a
trolly or truck along lightly-laid rails, and the same universal
darkness, griminess, and sloppiness about the whole affair, which
render a visit, however interesting, somewhat of an undertaking. This
mine seemed to contain a particularly good quality of coal, and the
sides shone and glistened in the lamplight as we passed along them.
Our walk through the levels of pit 'B' was much longer than I had
expected, and must have been quite half a mile. The temperature was
always over 80 deg., the atmosphere sometimes very bad, and the walking
rather uneven. Thousands, not to say millions, of cockroaches of
portentous size enlivened if they did not add to the pleasure of the
walk. We passed a great many horses, in good condition, going back to
their stables for the night. They are, it is said, very happy down in
the pit; so much so, that when during the Jubilee they were taken up
for three days' holiday, there was the greatest difficulty in
preventing them from returning to the pit's mouth, at which men had to
be stationed to drive them back for fear they might try to put
themselves into the cages and so tumble down the shaft. Horses very
quickly adapt themselves to circumstances; and I dare say the garish
light of day was painful to their eyes, and that they were anxious to
return from the cold on the surface of the ground to the even
temperature of 80 deg. in the pit.
Our walk was a long and weary one, and I felt thankful when we
approached the pit's mouth and could breathe cooler and purer air.
Our hosts were anxious that I should go a little further; but I could
not do so, and sank down into a chair to rest. The others went on, as
I thought, to see some other workings; but I afterwards heard that
they soon reached a beautiful room hollowed out of the solid coal,
with sides like ebony, and sparkling with black diamonds. The walls
were decorated with arches and cleverly arranged geometrical patterns,
formed of the fronds of various kinds of Adiantium, an inscription
with cordial words of welcome being traced in the same delicate
greenery. In the centre stood a table with light refreshments of
various kinds. The entertainment afforded the opportunity for
speeches, in which the rapid development of the mining industry of
this district was detailed in telling figures, and mutual sentiments
of kindness were most cordially conveyed. At the pit's mouth crowds of
women and children had assembled to see us, and a little further off a
train was drawn up, filled by ladies and gentlemen who had preferred
to wander about park-like glades, while their more energetic friends
had made the descent into the coal-mine. The united party--numbering,
I should think, nearly one hundred--next proceeded on board the
'Sunbeam,' for a very late five-o'clock tea and a hasty inspection of
the vessel. At an early hour I retired to rest, utterly worn out.
_Wednesday, July 20th._--Contrary to my usual habit of awaking between
four and five o'clock, I was sound asleep when tea was brought at 5
A.M.; and I should dearly have liked to have slept for two or three
hours longer, so completely was I exhausted by yesterday's hard work.
But it could not be; and after a cup of tea, and a little chat over
future plans, I set to work sorting papers, and putting names in
books, to be given to our kind hosts of yesterday, in remembrance of
our visit. At 7.15 we entered the boat which was waiting alongside,
and proceeded to the shore, Tom, as usual, pulling an oar. Poor 'Sir
Roger,' who has been explosively happy during the past two days at
having us on board again, made a desperate effort to stow himself away
in the boat, which, unhappily, could not be allowed on account of the
quarantine regulations. It seems very hard that the poor doggies can
never have a run on shore whilst we are in Australian waters. Their
only chance of change and exercise consists in being sent in a boat to
some quarantine island for an hour or two.
Arrived at the landing-place, Mr. Gardner, to whom we were much
indebted for making our visit to Newcastle so very pleasant, was
waiting to take us to the station. We started punctually at the time
fixed, and passed through a dull but fertile-looking country, until we
reached West Maitland, where I received a charming present of a basket
of fragrant flowers. About twelve o'clock we were glad to have some
lunch in the train. At Tamworth Mr. King met us with his little girl,
who shyly offered me a large and lovely bouquet of violets.
From Tamworth the country became prettier and the scenery more
mountainous. At one station there was quite a typical colonial
landscape: park-like ground heavily wooded with big gum-trees, and a
winding river with a little weir, where one felt it might be quite
possible to catch trout. The country continued to improve in beauty,
and we saw on all sides evidences of its excellence from a squatter's
point of view. At one place a herd of splendid cattle were being
driven along the road by a stockman, and we passed many large flocks
of sheep. About eight Armadale was reached.
The line from Armadale to Tenterfield is the highest in Australia, and
is considered a good piece of engineering work. It is in that respect
a great contrast to the line over the Blue Mountains, where the
engineers had a comparatively easy task in following the tracks of the
old bullock-road.
The country round Tenterfield is something like the New Forest, with
fine trees and a good many boggy bottoms. About fourteen or fifteen
miles from here the local 'Ben Lomond' rises to a height of 4,500
feet. In the clear starlight night we had occasional glimpses of its
deep glens and rocky peaks.
[Illustration: Cattle crossing the Darling River]
_Thursday, July 21st._--The train reached Tenterfield about one
o'clock this morning, and we drove straight to the Commercial Hotel,
where we found comfortable rooms and blazing fires. Everything looked
clean and tidy, and a cold supper awaited belated travellers, of whom
there were many besides ourselves. I was awakened at 7.30 A.M. by the
sun shining gloriously through the windows of my room. The air felt
delightfully fresh, reminding one of a lovely spring morning in
England about April. Soon after eleven came Mr. Walker, of
Tenterfield, who had kindly called to show us everything worth seeing
in the township near his station. His is a large holding, even for
Australia, 300 square miles in extent, and stretching fourteen miles
in one direction and eighteen in another.
After lunch all the party except the children, who were out riding,
started in two waggonettes for Tenterfield Station. The township of
Tenterfield, like all new Australian towns, is laid out in square
blocks, with corrugated iron houses, and various places of worship for
different denominations. The views of the country around are pleasing,
and the land looks fairly fertile, and is well wooded, with distant
mountains seen through purple haze. We first went to the settlement at
the station, where we saw a good thoroughbred horse, 'Cultivator,' who
has done well in racing both at home and in the colonies; 'Lord
Cleveland' (son of the 'Duke of Cleveland'), a good coach-horse with
fair action, eighteen hands high; and a little cart-horse with sloping
shoulders, short bone between fetlock and knee, and square back like a
thoroughbred shorthorn bull.
From the stables we went to look at the old store which in days gone
by used to be sufficient for the needs of the whole neighbourhood for
a hundred miles round. Then we proceeded to the wool-shed, built of
corrugated iron, the wooden shed having been burnt down. Mr. Walker
has about 70,000 head of cattle usually, and from 50,000 to 100,000
sheep, but his stock is somewhat reduced this year on account of the
long drought. He has 300 thoroughbred Berkshire pigs, besides some
wonderful milch cows and a fine Jersey bull. The cows are much wilder
here than they are at home, and Mr. Walker has a most ingenious
contrivance for securing the animals for milking. They are driven
through a large gate into a passage, which gets narrower and narrower
until it reaches a point where the cow can be secured.
[Illustration: Sheep crossing River]
After looking at the station buildings we went into the house, a
comfortable cottage residence with a nice verandah all round, and what
must be a pretty garden in summer. Even now it is full of violets, and
some fine specimens of English trees--oaks, elms, limes, and pines.
After tea we went for a second drive all round the township, and up
some low hills to get a view of the town from a distance and of the
mountains from a different point of view. Next we took a few
photographs, and should have taken more had not the focussing-glass of
the camera got broken. Then we drove back into the town, and, I think,
round almost every street, and saw all the public buildings, which are
indeed creditable to such a new and rising township. We dined again at
the _table d'hote_, and after dinner Mr. and Mrs. Walker called with
all sorts of stuffed birds and beasts and other curiosities, which
they had kindly brought as a remembrance of our visit. They took off
Mabelle to a concert, for which the superior of the convent had sent
to beg my patronage in the morning. I could not promise to be present,
and was much startled during dinner to hear that old-fashioned English
institution, the crier, going round with his bell and lustily
announcing that a concert 'was to be held this evening under the
patronage of Lady Brassey and the Honourable two Miss Brasseys.' He
kept walking up and down shouting this out until the concert
commenced, and when he disappeared the Salvation Army appeared upon
the scene with a brass band, the sounds of which are still ringing in
my ears as I am trying to write this, preparatory to going to bed
betimes to secure some rest before an early start in the morning.
_Friday, July 22nd._--This was evidently not to be a night of rest for
me. Between one and two I was awakened by the first arrivals by the
mail train. At three o'clock people began to get up and go away, and
we could fully appreciate how Australian buildings let in every sound.
Between four and five the bugle sounded to call the gallant New South
Wales Light Horse to parade. At five o'clock _I_ was called. It was a
cold, bright morning, with a hard frost, and as soon as my fire and
lamps were lighted I got up and began preparing for the journey. We
heard much galloping of horses in the early morning, and soon
gentlemen in scarlet uniforms began to appear from various parts. We
waited until a quarter to seven, and then, as our proffered escort did
not turn up, we had to go to the station without it, for fear of
missing the train. Five gallant members of the troop joined us on the
way. The commanding officer wore blue undress uniform, and the others
were in scarlet. It was amusing, on our way to the station, to see
late-comers galloping furiously along the road, and it needed a little
judicious delay to enable the scattered troopers to collect themselves
and form into line. At the station we met our old friends the Chinese
Commissioners, looking very curious in travelling-gowns over their
national costumes.
[Illustration: Off the Track]
In spite of the strict injunctions we had received to be punctual to
seven o'clock, it was 7.15 before the train started. We passed through
a pretty but barren country, and reached Warrangarra, on the frontier,
in about three-quarters of an hour. There I saw the most
extraordinary-looking coaches, dating, I should think, from the time
of Queen Elizabeth, with enormous reflecting-lamps, which produced a
curious effect in the day, but doubtless are useful for
bush-travelling at night. No sooner had we alighted from the train
than--I cannot say to my surprise, for familiar faces are always
turning up in unexpected places--the grandson of an old wheelwright at
Catsfield came to speak to me, inquiring first after our family and
then after his own belongings at home. I was able to give him good
news, and to tell him of the alterations going on at Normanhurst,
where he had worked for a long time. He has been out here four years,
and did very well until last year, when times became so bad; but
things are looking up again, and he told me he had four months'
certain work before him, and a very good chance of an opening in the
new township as the railway approaches completion. He looks
exceedingly well, and says his wife and children also enjoy excellent
health. He consulted me about taking the advice of his relations and
going home. I told him I thought it would be a great pity to do so at
present. Working men in the colonies have a good time if they can only
keep sober and are honest and industrious. Indeed those in the old
country can scarcely form an idea of how superior the working man's
condition is out here. Of course there are quite as many
ne'er-do-wells here as in the old country, and I fear that the policy
of the Government rather encourages this class, and that there is
trouble in store in the near future. The so-called unemployed are
mostly utter loafers, who will not give a good day's work for a fair
day's wage. They refuse to work for less than eight shillings a day,
and many of them if offered work at that price only dawdle about for a
few hours and do really nothing.
[Illustration: Rockhampton Lilies]