1852
1 December 1852
The first place to which I directed my attention was Maitland Bar, about two and a half miles lower down the river than the Commisioner's quarters. The scenery at and around this spot is very beautiful, huge rocks, rise almost perpendiculary from the banks of the winding and gurgling stream, thickly wooded, and frowning in horrid majesty over the labours of the busy delvers below. The bar is at this season very nearly dry, and has been one of the richest spots along the whole area of the Meroo. The diggings here are, however, limited, and I do not think above 18 persons are camped at the bars. I sought in vain a public house - a pretty sure indication that no great business was going on, but from various indications in one or two of the huts, I was convinced that sly grog is to be had by means of a little management. I did not, however, put the matter to the test, because I have a natural aversion to breaking the law (if I can help it), and secondly, because the waters of the Meroo sparkled so deliciously in the evening sun that I felt an irresistible temptation to quench my thirst in the limpid stream. The water was not so good as it looked, but in my short excursion I had already learned to be not over particular, and I took a long draught, which was considerably refreshing.
There was one feature about these diggings which calls for observation. The holes were for the must part part in squares, instead of being circular, as at Tambaroura; but from the fact that many of those which had evidently been recently dug were filled up again with debris, I came to the conclusion that this sort of tunnelling would not answer the purpose. The average earnings of parties in the Maitland Bar were variously stated to be from to 2 to 5 ounces a week; but, as I had before had occasion to remark, nothing is be more fallacous or misleading than these "averages". They prove nothing as to the fortunes of gold digging, and cannot be in any way more than a rough approximation to the truth.
I had taken up my quarters at the public-house about a mile to the northward of Avisford. Public-house it was called, but it was rather an embryo affair, the owner, Mr. Phillips, alias "Soldier Jack," having only very recently converted his rural home into a house of accommodation, yielding to the necessites of these travelling days, and won over by the prospect of additional gains. I first presented myself on horseback, and asked for a shake-down, the old man denied that he had any accommodation for a "gentleman"; but I was not disposed to take a refusal, seeing that there was no alternative but bushing it, (the Commissioner's camp being full), so I dismounted, took the saddle and swag off my steed, hobbled him, and declaring, (not without some compunctious mutterings) that I was not a gentleman, but a traveller, I resolutely walked into an unfurnished apartment constructed of bark and insisted upon something to eat, and straw to lie down upon. This line of action had the desired effect, and the housewife now set to work to make me comfortable; which she did to a far greater degree than I had expected or hoped. The house stands upon an eminence, looking down upon a somewhat extensive clearing, on which cattle and horses, the profit of the landlord, grazed 'ad libitum' in considerable numbers. The view was bounded by a high range of hills, whose tops the setting sun illuminated with the most gorgeous colours: and notwithstanding the roughness of the homestead itself, there was a certain charm about the place which quite reconciled me to my quarters1
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1858
4 January 1858
About Maitland Bar a few parties have been doing well in the old ground. There has been a small rush down the river about two miles from the Bar, but up to the present time only one party has hit anything of much account. The sinking runs pretty deep, and the water, combined with the loose nature of the ground, renders the work very heavy2
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