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Lake Wakatip Mail, Volume I, Issue 23, 18 July 1863, Page 6

Gold Diggers' Improvidence.—The early days of the diggings, when nuggets were said to be strewn so thick on the surface that only a rake was required to gather them together, were noted likewise for the wild and reckless, but often humorous, extravagance of the diggers, who could so easily possess themselves of the coveted metal. Putting a £lO bank note, between slices of bread and eating them like sandwiches, lighting their pipes with equally valuable pieces of paper, shouting to all hands dozens of champagne at £1 a bottle, bucketsfull of brandy, and barrels of beer, are some of the playful fancies of the diggers of yore, but such acts could only have happened in a community where geld was to be had in almost boundless profusion. It was thought that the diggers had grown wiser—more careful of the earth's riches, because such things are seldom heard now-a-days; but the fact is the gold is scarcer, and therefore they are poorer. Give them the chance, and the old spirit of prodigality breaks out afresh. A little incident connected with the Sebastian rush shows this:—A party of Italians, on striking gold in their claim were so overcome by the extraordinary richness of the yellow stream which the pick had exposed to their view, that visions of untold wealth, of pound weights to the tub, of inexhaustible treasures, floated before them. Their drive had become a genii's cave glittering with gold. In their excitement they hurriedly scraped out a dishful of the golden earth, but on getting to the top of their shaft they found it necessary to calm their throbbing pulse with the eau de vie, and immediately made for the nearest shanty, Before long most of them were almost helplessly drunk, and muttering incoherently about the richness of their claim. The one with the dishful of washdirt, however, managed to wash the stuff, and the result was a bright and beautiful sample of rough and nuggetty gold, about three ounces in weight. The diggers gathered round gazing at the gold, and congratulated the lucky owners on their good fortune. One of the mates, an Englishman, jolly, devil-may-care and half seas over, advanced to have a look. Apparently satisfied with the display, thoughtlessly, and with a merry twinkle in his eye, and suiting the action to the word, he swung his arm and struck the dish up into the air; " Curse the gold," he said, u there's plenty more in the hole." A shower of gold fell on those around, and there was a general scramble for the glittering drops, which quickly disappeared into the pockets of the pickers-up, and as they went away they could be heard talking about what fools some people weie.—Bendigo Advertiser, June 22.