Chapter I: Front Matter

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THE GOLD HUNTER'S ADVENTURES

Or, Life in Australia

by

WILLIAM H. THOMES A Returned Australian

Illustrated by Champney

BOSTON: LEE AND SHEPARD, PUBLISHERS. NEW YORK: CHARLES T. DILLINGHAM.

CONTENTS.

INTRODUCTION

CHAPTER I.
FIRST THOUGHTS OF GOING TO AUSTRALIA.--DEPARTURE FROM CALIFORNIA.--LIFE
ON BOARD SHIP.--ARRIVAL AT WILLIAMS
TOWN.--DESCRIPTION OF MELBOURNE.--A CONVICT'S HUT.

CHAPTER II.
A MORNING IN AUSTRALIA.--JOURNEY TO THE MINES OF BALLARAT.--THE
CONVICT'S STORY.--BLACK DARNLEY, THE BUSHRANGER.

CHAPTER III.
TRAVELLING IN AUSTRALIA.--AN ADVENTURE WITH SNAKES.--CARRYING
THE MAILS.

CHAPTER IV.
EATING BROILED KANGAROO MEAT.--AUSTRALIAN SPEAKS AND
AMERICAN RIFLES.

CHAPTER V.
THE SOLITARY STOCKMAN.--SHOOTING A KANGAROO.

CHAPTER VI.
ADVENTURE WITH A DOG.--THE MURDER IN THE RAVINE.--STORY
OF AN OUTRAGED WOMAN.

CHAPTER VII.
BLACK DARNLEY'S VILLANY.--THE CONVICT STOCKMAN.

CHAPTER VIII.
AN EXPEDITION.--A FIGHT WITH BUSHRANGERS.--DEATH OF BLACK
DARNLEY.

CHAPTER IX.
THE STOCKMAN'S DAUGHTER.--MOUNTED POLICE OF MELBOURNE.

CHAPTER X.
DESPERATE DEEDS OF TWO CONVICTS.--LIEUT. MURDEN'S STORY.

CHAPTER XI.
SAGACITY OF A DOG.--A NIGHT'S ADVENTURES.

CHAPTER XII.
DISCOVERY OF A MASONIC RING.--FUNERAL PYRE OF BLACK DARNLEY.

CHAPTER XIII.
THE STOCKMAN AND HIS PARROT.--DARING PLOT OF A ROBBER CHIEFTAIN.

CHAPTER XIV.
DISCOVERY OF STOLEN TREASURES IN THE STOCKMANS'S CELLAR.

CHAPTER XV.
DYING CONFESSION OF JIM GULPIN, THE ROBBER.

CHAPTER XVI.
A FORCED MARCH TOWARDS MELBOURNE.

CHAPTER XVII.
TRIUMPHAL ENTRY INTO MELBOURNE.

CHAPTER XVIII.
LARGE FIRE IN MELBOURNE.--ENGLISH MACHINES AT FAULT.

CHAPTER XIX.
PARDON OF SMITH AND THE OLD STOCKMAN.--GRAND DINNER AT
THE GOVERNOR'S.

CHAPTER XX.
DUEL BETWEEN FRED AND AN ENGLISH LIEUTENANT.

CHAPTER XXI.
PREPARATIONS FOR THE SEARCH FOR GULPIN'S BURIED TREASURES.

CHAPTER XXII.
DEPARTURE FROM MELBOURNE.--FIGHT WITH THE NATIVES.

CHAPTER XXIII.
ARRIVAL AT THE OLD STOCKMAN'S HUT.--MYSTERIOUS INTERRUPTIONS DURING THE
HUNT.

CHAPTER XXIV.
ROBBERY OF THE CART.--CAPTURE OF STEEL SPRING.

CHAPTER XXV.
STEEL SPRING'S HISTORY.

CHAPTER XXVI.
FINDING OF THE TREASURE.

CHAPTER XXVII.
CAPTURE OF ALL HANDS, BY THE BUSHRANGERS.

CHAPTER XXVIII.
OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL OF LIEUTENANT MURDEN AND HIS FORCE.--ROUT OF THE
BUSHRANGERS.

CHAPTER XXIX.
REVENGE OF THE BUSHRANGERS.--FIRING OF THE FOREST.

CHAPTER XXX.
PERILOUS SITUATION DURING THE FIRE.--STEEL SPRING TURNS
UP.

CHAPTER XXXI.
CAPTURE OF THE BUSHRANGERS, AND DEATH OF NOSEY.

CHAPTER XXXII.
RETURN TO THE STOCKMAN'S HUT.--SMITH IN LOVE.

CHAPTER XXXIII.
RECOVERY OF THE GOLD.--ARRIVAL AT BALLARAT.

CHAPTER XXXIV.
THE BULLY OF BALLARAT.--FRED FIGHTS A DUEL.

CHAPTER XXXV.
BALLARAT CUSTOMS, AFTER A DUEL.

CHAPTER XXXVI.
ARRIVAL AT BALLARAT.--MR. BROWN'S STORY.

CHAPTER XXXVII.
FINDING OF A 110 LB. NUGGET.--CAVING IN OF A MINE.

CHAPTER XXXVIII.
INCIDENTS IN LIFE AT BALLARAT.

CHAPTER XXXIX.
ATTEMPT OF THE HOUSEBREAKER.--ATTACK BY THE SNAKE.

CHAPTER XL.
DEATH OF THE BURGLAR BY THE SNAKE.

CHAPTER XLI.
VISIT TO SNAKES' PARADISE.

CHAPTER XLII.
FLIGHT FROM THE SNAKES.--ATTACKED BY THE BUSHRANGERS.

CHAPTER XLIII.
TRIUMPHANT ENTRY INTO BALLARAT, WITH THE BUSHRANGERS.

CHAPTER XLIV.
THRASHING A BULLY.

CHAPTER XLV.
A YOUNG GIRL'S ADVENTURES IN SEARCH OF HER LOVER.

CHAPTER XLVI.
A MARRIAGE, AND AN ELOPEMENT.

CHAPTER XLVII.
COLLECTING TAXES OF THE MINERS.

CHAPTER XLVIII.
MURDEN AND STEEL SPRING ARRIVE FROM MELBOURNE.

CHAPTER XLIX.
CATCHING A TARL AS WELL AS A CASSIOWARY.

CHAPTER L.
ARRIVAL OF SMITH.--ATTEMPT TO BURN THE STORE.

CHAPTER LI.
ATTEMPT TO BURN THE STORE.

CHAPTER LII.
THE ATTEMPT TO MURDER MR. CRITCHET.

CHAPTER LIII.
OPPORTUNE ARRIVAL OF MR. BROWN.--THEY SEND FOR STEEL SPRING.

CHAPTER LIV.
THE WAY THE COLONISTS OBTAIN WIVES IN AUSTRALIA.

CHAPTER LV.
ADVENTURES AT DAN BRIAN'S DRINKING-HOUSE.

CHAPTER LVI.
ADVENTURES CONTINUED.

CHAPTER LVII.
MORE OF THE SAME SORT.

CHAPTER LVIII.
CONVALESCENCE OF MR. CRITCHET, AND OUR DISCHARGE FROM THE
CRIMINAL DOCKET.

CHAPTER LIX.
OUR TEAMSTER BARNEY, AND HIS WIFE.

CHAPTER LX.
MIKE FINDS THE LARGE "NUGGET."

CHAPTER LXI.
THE RESULT OF GROWING RICH TOO RAPIDLY.

CHAPTER LXII.
THE FLOUR SPECULATION.--MR. CRITCHET'S STORY.

CHAPTER LXIII.
THE SAME, CONTINUED.

CHAPTER LXIV.
MR. BROWN'S DISCHARGE FROM THE POLICE FORCE.--BILL SWINTON'S
CONFESSION.

CHAPTER LXV.
THE EXPEDITION AFTER BILL SWINTON'S BURIED TREASURES.

CHAPTER LXVI.
JOURNEY AFTER THE BURIED TREASURE.

CHAPTER LXVII.
THE HUNT FOR THE BURIED TREASURE.

CHAPTER LXVIII.
THE ISLAND GHOST.--NARROW ESCAPE OF MR. BROWN.

CHAPTER LXIX.
CAPTURE OF THE GHOST.

CHAPTER LXX.
THE GHOST AND THE BUSHRANGERS.

CHAPTER LXXI.
SAM TYRELL AND THE GHOST.

CHAPTER LXXII.
FINDING THE BURIED TREASURE.

CHAPTER LXXIII.
THE ESCAPE FROM THE FIRE.

CHAPTER LXXIV.
ARRIVAL AT MR. WRIGHT'S STATION.

CHAPTER LXXV.
SUPPER.--RETURN OF MR. WRIGHT'S SCOUTS.

CHAPTER LXXVI.
MIKE TUMBLES INTO THE RIVER.--ARRIVAL OF THE BUSHRANGERS.

CHAPTER LXXVII.
CAPTURE OF THE BUSHRANGERS.

CHAPTER LXXVIII.
PUNISHING THE BULLY.

CHAPTER LXXIX.
MR. WRIGHT'S FARM.--DEATH OF KELLY.

CHAPTER LXXX.
JOURNEY BACK TO BALLARAT.

CHAPTER LXXXI.
STEEL SPRING IN THE FIELD.--ATTEMPT OF THE COMMISSIONER TO
CONFISCATE OUR HORSES.

CHAPTER LXXXII.
SAME CONTINUED.--DEATH OF ROSS.

CHAPTER LXXXIII.
ARREST OF FRED.--TRIP TO MELBOURNE, AND ITS RESULTS.