A Lady's Visit to the Gold Diggings of Australia i

"It may be deemed presumptuous that one of my age and sex should venture to give to the public an account of personalshould personal adventures in a land which has so often been descanted pon byadventures by other and abler pens; but when I reflect on the many mothers, wives, and sisters in England, whose hearts are ever longing forwives, for information respecting the dangers and privations to whichinformation which their relatives at the antipodes are exposed, I cannot but hopetheir hope that the presumption of my undertaking may be pardoned inthat in onsideration of the pleasure which an accurate description ofconsideration of some of the Australian Gold Fields may perhaps afford tosome to many; and although the time of my residence in the coloniesmany; colonies was short, I had the advantage (not only in Melbourne, butwas but whilst in the bush) of constant intercourse with manywhilst many experienced diggers and old colonists—thus having everyexperienced every facility for acquiring information respecting Victoria and thefacility the other colonies."