The Gilpins and their Fortunes: A Story of Early Days in Australia

by William Henry Giles Kingston

  CHAPTER SIX.

  The Gilpins had not attained to the prosperous condition they enjoyedwithout persevering toil and constant exertion both of mind and body.Some stirring incidents had occurred; but, at the same time monthspassed by in a comparatively monotonous manner. Every day they were inthe saddle, sometimes from morning till night; but however delightfulthat style of life may be--and that it has its attractions to most menthere can be no doubt--men of educated minds must at times feel analmost insupportable weariness, and earnestly long for a change. Therecan be but little social intercourse; some suffer materially from thewant of public worship and religious instruction, and all must feel itsabsence. Still, those who are fitted for a life in the bush, and haveled it for any length of time, quit it generally with regret, and returnto it with satisfaction.

  Never had the Gilpins been more busy. Their house was nearly finished.It was rather large for two bachelors, to be sure; but their ideas musthave expanded of late. They had much more assistance than formerlyrendered by Craven, their most efficient and active overseer, and hisassistant, Larry. No one would have recognised the dispirited, almostbroken-hearted hut-keeper in the fine, active, intelligent man he hadnow become. Gentlemanly even in his poverty, he had always been. Henow looked more fit to set a squadron in order, and lead them againstthe foe, than to keep sheep; yet to superintend the keeping of sheep hewas well content. He had greatly enlarged and improved the old hut,having converted it indeed into a comfortable house, with aflower-garden in front and one for vegetables in the rear.

  One of the greatest matters of interest to the bushman, who has lovedrelations in the old country, is the arrival of the post. Often withtrembling, always with eager, hands the packets are opened; sometimesthey give satisfaction, and afford subjects for pleasant conversationfor many a day; but at others, and too often, they bring news to grievethe hearts of their readers. Such had been the case with the Gilpins,some time back, when a letter with a broad black border arrived, andtold them of the death of a father they had so much reason to reverenceand love. Several changes had taken place in their family circle.Their eldest brother had married; and their two sisters seemed doubtful,when they last heard from home, whether or not they should continue toreside with him.

  The two brothers were sitting together in their nicely furnisheddining-room. The dark wainscoting and the proportions of the apartmentreminded them of the one they had loved so well in their far-off home inthe old country. A dray had just arrived from the west, and Green madehis appearance with the letter-bag in hand. Eagerly the contents wereglanced over.

  "Arthur, they are coming--both the dear girls, Jane and Susan--andWillie as an escort!" exclaimed James, in a tone of great satisfaction.

  "Oh! it will be delightful. How pleased Fanny and Emily will be!" criedArthur.

  Indeed, no event could by possibility have caused the brothers more truepleasure; and, as may be supposed, it formed the subject forconversation for the remainder of the evening and for many eveningsafterwards. Of course it was necessary for James to ride over toPrentiss Town to announce the event.

  "As soon after they arrive as it can be arranged," was the reply made byFanny to a question put to her during his visit. It seemed highlysatisfactory, and was received with strong marks of gratitude.

  When James returned home, Arthur was not happy till he could set off toPrentiss Town. He must have put a question to Emily, not unlike thatwhich James put to Fanny.

  "Perhaps the same day that my sister is," was her reply.

  Not long after, James set off for Sydney. Arthur would gladly have gonealso, but what with their own flocks and herds, and the numerous onesover which they had charge, it was, they thought, scarcely fair toCraven to leave him so long alone. Of late, too, there had been reportsof wonderful discoveries of gold--nuggets to rival those of California;and some of the shepherds and stockmen had already gone off to theregion where the gold was reported to have been found, and it was fearedthat others might follow. James had not been in Sydney since his firstarrival in the country. The whole city was in a ferment. There was nodoubt of the truth of the reports of the discovery of gold, not only inone, but in several directions. Nuggets of all sizes and heaps ofgold-dust had already been brought in. The gold fever had commenced,and men of all ages, ranks, and professions were fitting themselves outwith knapsacks, spades, washers, and other apparatus for thegold-fields. People were surprised that James took matters so calmly."I prefer that others should dig for me--an occupation for which I neverhad a fancy, except for an hour or two in my garden in a morning," heanswered. "If people rush out of the colony, as it is expected theywill, the price of stock will rise very greatly, and I shall have amplefortune for all my wishes." It did rise, far higher than he expected,and he was not disappointed. His heart throbbed with anxiety as he wentdown to the harbour to visit the ship on board which his sisters hadtaken their passage. He singled them out among a large number ofpassengers, though they did not recognise the strongly built, bearded,and well-browned man as their brother, who had left them a fair, slightyouth a few years before. News of the gold discoveries had reachedEngland some time before the ship sailed, and a great number of herpassengers were intended gold-diggers--a mixed and ill-matchedassemblage, all inspired, however, with the one ruling passion, an eagerto grow rich suddenly. There were young men--still mere lads--who hadtime before them to make themselves independent by steady industry; andold men who, it might be supposed, had little else to do than to preparefor another world. There were nominal representatives of all religiousfaiths, but drawn together to worship one god--Mammon, yet not asbrethren, for each seemed eager to supplant the other. The Miss Gilpinstold their brother that the universal subject of conversation during thevoyage was gold, gold-digging, gold-washing, gold-scraping.

  "Like the old man in the `Pilgrim's Progress' with his muck-rake, alwaysscraping with downcast looks, never gazing upwards," remarked James."Ah! it is sad work; and yet, when a person gets down in the world, andfeels the want of the wealth he once possessed, it must be a severetrial to him to prevent his mind from continually dwelling on the meansby which he may regain it."

  The greater number of the passengers were eager to set off immediatelyfor the diggings; and every vehicle to be found was secured at a highprice, many giving promises of breaking down before half the journey wasperformed. Many talked of trudging it on foot; and of these, several ofthem never reached their destination, having either lost their way anddied from fatigue and starvation in the bush, or being drowned whencrossing some river, by being carried down by the current. The lions ofSydney were soon visited; and James, with his two sisters and youngbrother, set off in high spirits for Warragong. He had a lightly-builtcovered waggon, with strong springs--the best style of vehicle fortravelling in the bush. The journey was performed, if not rapidly, yetwith great ease and comfort; and there were so many objects of interest,all new to the strangers--the birds, beasts, reptiles, and scenery, thevery look of the people, and the characters they met--that no one wasweary. As may be supposed, they called at Prentiss Town on their way,and, of course, spent a few days there; and, naturally, Arthur arrivedto escort them home. The daughters of the English farmer had been morepractically brought up than the Australian young ladies, educated in aschool in Sydney. They could teach them much connected with the dairyand numerous household duties, of which they had never heard. Not thatthe Miss Gilpins were, in the slightest degree, less refined or lesseducated than their new friends. Of course, the visit was to bereturned; there was some joking, however, on that subject, which astranger might not very clearly have understood. On the road, the partywere met by Craven, well mounted, and dressed in the most approvedfashion. He came, as in duty bound, to escort his friends' sisters totheir new abode.

  "And is this the hut you spoke of, dear brothers?" exclaimed thesisters, in the same voice. "What a delightful house! And this room,the very model of the dear old parlour. We are sure you
intended it."

  And Jane and Susan kissed their brothers, who were more than amplyrepaid by the happiness they felt for the years of toil they hadendured, and all the exertions they had made to get the house ready.They had an idea that those sisters would not remain long under theirroof, sorry though they would be to lose them; that is to say, not iftheir bachelor neighbours had a particle of good taste or judgment.Willie was delighted with everything. His great ambition was to becomea first-rate stockman. He was rather young to begin active life; but hehad made good use of his time at school, and he promised, when he leftEngland, that he would not give up reading and study. The Gilpins hadfound the time pass quickly before the arrival of their sisters, theynow found it pass still more quickly; and it was only by managing itwith the greatest care that they could accomplish what they had to do.The Miss Gilpins entered warmly into all Fanny's and Emily's plans--which had, indeed, now become their brothers'--for giving religiousinstruction to the surrounding population, which had of late yearsconsiderably increased. Though many of the men went off to thediggings, the women remained, hoping to see them return, loaded withwealth. Not a hut nor a residence of any sort remained unvisited bythese six active young missionaries, who left tracts or books whereverthey went. They procured some Bibles from Sydney, and many a cottage,where the Word of God had never been heard, was supplied by them. Theyhad great reason to believe that a blessing attended their efforts.They had often made application in Sydney for an appointed minister ofthe Gospel. One at length came, but he had a wide circuit, so that hecould not come to any spot within the Sunday morning's journey more thansix or eight times in the year. He went his rounds, preaching onweekdays, from station to station, and holding a service every eveningwhere he rested. Such is the only human agency by which spiritual lifecan be maintained in the wide-scattered sheep and stock stations inAustralia, and it behoves all those connected with that magnificentland, who love the Lord Jesus Christ, to aid in sending missionaries ofthe Gospel through its length and breadth. There are many who havescarcely ever heard the glad tidings of salvation; many have passedaway, sunk almost in heathen darkness. At length, a regular place ofworship was built, to the satisfaction of many, which satisfaction wasby no means decreased by an interesting event which took place thereshortly afterwards, namely, the marriages of Jane and Arthur Gilpin. Itwould be difficult to find a more united, contented, and happy familythan that now dwelling at Warragong, and certainly, if steady,persevering, industry and uprightness of conduct should be rewarded, theGilpins richly deserved their success. Sam Green, too, had followed hisyoung master's example, and had taken to himself as a wife the eldestdaughter of his old acquaintance, Sykes, the former coachman of MrHenry Prentiss, who had followed his master into the country, andsettled near him. Larry Killock won the heart of another daughter; but,although Mr Sykes had himself come out at the Government expense, heobjected to the alliance, because Larry was not yet entirely a free man.Larry was, however, able to prove that his crime was having joined somepopular outbreak; and being at length freed completely from bondage, hiswishes were no longer opposed, and he settled down near the friends towhom he had, with good reason, become so warmly attached.