was anxiously looking out for a movement in that direction, then
often talked of.

About this period he made a pedestrian excursion to the Wannon, to
sojourn for a short time with a Mr. Skene, a most worthy gentleman,
now no more. He was actively employed at that place, and wrote to
me frequently, describing the family, to which he was much
attached, the whimsicalities of his landlord--a thorough old
Scotian, who amused himself by waking the echoes of the wilderness
with the bagpipes,--the noble fern trees and the fine black
cockatoos. He also continued his practice in surgery, but I believe
he made no charge, as, not being duly licensed, he considered he
had no right to do so. He returned to Ballaarat in consequence of a
communication through me, from an American gentleman named
Catherwood. On receipt of my letter he lost not an hour, shouldered
his swag (blankets, kit, etc.), took leave of Mr. Skene and family,
and walked to Ballaarat, sleeping one night in the bush, by the
way. On the 22nd of April, 1855, he wrote thus to his mother:

MY DEAR MOTHER,

I had the pleasure of receiving a letter from you a fortnight
since. I was at Moora Moora then, as you will see by a letter I
wrote just before I came down here, in the hope of joining a party
that is spoken of as about to explore the interior of the country,
which you appear to have such a dread of. It seems uncertain
whether they will go at all. As to what you say about people being
starved to death in the bush, no doubt it would be rather
disagreeable. But when you talk of being killed in battle, I am
almost ashamed to read it. If every one had such ideas we should