BENDIGO.

Cromwell Argus, Volume III, Issue 117, 6 February 1872, Page 6

BENDIGO.

—o—--1 (From our own Correspondent.) January 30, 1872. " A groat-worth of any news, 1 care not what, to carry down, this Saturday, to our Vicar,", was the reouest preferred b v a countrywoman (according to Ben Jonson) at a news-office in the early days of printing, when news for the rural districts was circulated by letter. I confess were such an application made to me at the present time, I should be at a loss to supply the worthy Vicar with provender to i chew and ruminate. Everything here is of j the dullest; work of every kind is almost suspended; money is scarce ; and, in eonse- i quence, familiar physiognomies present an; unusual elongation, difficult to describe, but j easy of comprehension under such an accumutation of disorders. ' Of course, there is a l .reason for this state of affairs, which may be summed up in one word, —Drought. Never j in the memory of the "oldest inhabitant"! has there been such a season; all the water- j courses are dried up, and the country is assuming quite a Saharan aspect. If rain does not speedily fall, I am afraid we shall have | to migrate to the banks of the sparkling Moselle, (Molyneux, I mean,) in order to supply our domestic wants in the aqueous line. My reputation as a weather prophet trembles in the balance ; but, fortunately, in predicting rain, I omitted to give a date for its occurrence ; so, if any one pinned his faith on my " tip" and feels disappointed, let j me cheer him with the assurance that in the I common course of nature, this state of things ! must soon have an ending. Several times lately indications have pointed to rain, but j the customary gale has invariably sprung up and dispelled the fond illusion. The dry weather seems to be very favourable to the development of insect life ; the j hills are covered with myriads of grasshop- ! pers, caterpillars, moths, and " all creeping creatures, venomous .and low." Immense flocks of various kinds have congregated to ; partake of the bounteous repast; thus fulfilling the universal law in nature of the strong preying upon the weak. The Golclough and Cromwell Companies are still at work, and the prospects of both are excellent ; but neither of their mills are at work from want of water. The latter Company have paid off about twenty hands, I so that the evil of the want of a permanent water supply is making itself painfully apparent, just at the time when the "powers that ! be" need some such lash to whip them into action. It really looks like a dispensation of I Providence. I hope Mr Haughton may view ■ it in that light ; for without some such belief j on his part, I am afraid the regulations for the water supply on goldfields will prove of little practical value to the miners. The Government appear to have taken up the business of usurers, and demand exorbitant, interest and security. This might as well have been left to the regular money-lenders, who, upon so secure a footing as our law-; givers insist, might have been willing to " do a bill" at cheaper rates. However, with one j of the "chosen people" at the head of af- ! fairs, such an innovation is hardly to be won- ; dered at. Early list Sunday, f2Bth,) your worthy re- \ presentative of law and order, Sergeant Cassels, appeared upon the scene of Sabbath ! desecration by the Chinese in Bendigo Gully ; but whether from an intuitive perception of j his aw fid presence, or the scarcity of water, the sergeant was unable to detect them in flagrante delicto, as upon that day (the first' for many months) they abstained from work, i I believe a severe caution was given as to past and future offences ; so that we may hope to sec the coming Sabbath days pass! without any violation of our Christian tradi- j tions. The mustering for weaning the flocks on Ardgour Station has commenced, and I can only remark that during the prevailing hot, j dry, and windy weather, both men and dogs must have a severe time of it. The scarcity of feed is telling on the sheep, which would doubtless arrive at a premium during the Chinese Feast of Lanterns, as they could, with a light inside, be used for the purposes of illumination, and might afterwards be !eaten.