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be within easy reach, and henceforth everything was to prosper in the most agreeable manner. F r o m this starting-point of our early gold questings the current of events runs through an uneven and occasionally unreliable channel. Reticence, exaggeration, and not unfrequently falsehood, as it suited the whims or personal interest of the individual concerned, stamped the intelligence presented to the public; and even this, such as it was, leaped out in fits and starts through the local newspapers, and at times took a private trip to Sydney, through the Press of which city it made its way circuitously back to Melbourne. Anything like a lucidly consecutive narrative cannot be given, and this precis will present the several details in the order of time in which they were submitted to the public, w h o simply read and wondered, believed and disbelieved, but were almost unanimous in a firm conviction that sooner or later " something would turn up." Duchene, and the lad Chapman, started for the Pyrenees, and returned after an absence of some days, when Duchene declared they had found auriferous indications in abundance, and extending over a large area of country. If he could be believed, he brought back with him about ^ 1 0 0 worth of ore. Brentani, Forrester, and Duchene formed a second expedition, and after proceeding some miles they had a disagreement on the Keilor Plains, which led to Duchene's secession and return to Melbourne on the 30th January. H e forthwith indulged in what is known as "drawing the long bow," and treated the newspapers to some dazzling revelations of his first trip, previously kept back. T h e gold he described as being in abundance, and of a quality superior to any he had ever before worked. T h e value of what he had seen was actually incalculable. There was one tract of country, five miles in extent, on every yard of which there were indications of gold. H e picked up one nugget, weighing 2 lb. 3 oz., which yielded 90 per cent, of the precious metal. It was a lump interspersed with a few quartz pebbles. O n 1st February, a bush-hand—said to be an adult shepherd, interviewed Mr. Robert Cadden, the Clerk of the District Police Court, and offered to m a k e affidavit that five weeks before in traversing the country he found some dust, and a few small specimens which he was sure were gold. These he was unable to produce or account for, and where he met with them he refused to say. H e was a m a n of simple appearance, but his dress and manner caused his statement to be discredited. Brentani returned on the 2nd February, tired with what had turned out " a wild-goose chase." H e penetrated to within seventeen miles of the Pyrenees, where nothing like what they were in quest of was to be found; and whilst the shepherd boy was undergoing a talking-to for misleading, he dashed into the bush and vanished. After waiting some time for his appearance, Melbourne was re-sought without him. T h e next day, worked upon by the many Pyreneean rumours flying about as numerous and disquieting as a swarm of mosquitoes, a well-equipped party of half-a-dozen amateurs started from town at an early hour, resolved to explore the whole Pyrenees or perish in the attempt. Unfortunately they overdid it in their desire to have things comfortable on the march, and with this intent were accompanied by a dray laden with supplies. T h e " supplies," however, included a six gallon measure of brandy, which was broached ere they were half-a-dozen miles away, and the result was that half of them returned heavily intoxicated to Melbourne, whilst the residue after a two days' further jollification were ashamed to come back, and resumed their journey on the 5th. A little further progress quickly knocked them up, and under the darkness of a hot-wind night, they sneaked back like tame mice after their companions. It soon oozed out that no one save the boy (Chapman) had any knowledge of the golden locality. H e was believed to be in the service of Messrs. Hall and M'Neil, two settlers, squatted near Burnbank, and to have found the gold near or at a place known as the Doctor's Creek. H e had disposed of 22 ozs. to Brentani, and 24 ozs. to Duchene. A s to the supposed findings of the latter they were put down as spiteful " b u n c o m b " to annoy Brentani and his friends. A s to the boy no one could glean any tidings of him S o m e were so uncharitable as to hint that he had met with foul play, and others that he had levanted from the province. was n o w r M , IvgreatestJnterest abroad in Melbourne, for nothing was talked about save Gold! Gold! Gold everywhere-m the family circle as at the street corner, in the Melbourne groggery as