Thomas O’Shaughnessy’s Diary Part 2 1852 – 1853

 1852 – 1853

SHE OAK LOG TO BENDIGO

We then commenced to gather up all our working bullocks. I had 3 teams of working bullocks of my own. John O’Brien had a team, James Holden had a team. We put 20 bags of flour on each team. This was the beginning of winter. This was the beginning of winter. I hired men to drive my teams. A man named Tomney joined us. He had 2 bullock teams. He had 20 passengers and their rations at £10 per head to Bendigo. We reached the Murray River in one week. The water had overflowed the banks, forcing us to keep to the outside roads. In many cases we were forced to come on the flats. In passing the small billabongs the water would run over the first row of bags. Fine grass along the Murray. Plenty (of) fish, ducks and eggs every day. At Lake Victoria we came up to five more teams bound for Bendigo. We all kept company to the Anna Branch. It was a banker. We had to get the blacks to take all our flour across in canoes. One old black- fellow used to take five bags of flour at a time. It took two days to get the 12 drays and loadings across. We travelled on to the Darling River crossing place now called Wellington. A Public House on the South Australian side of the river. We had to cross in a small punt. Could only take 4 bullocks and 1 dray each trip. We all got across safe.

One shilling and sixpence per glass grog here. We followed the Murray River to Euston, one public house and a store. A Crown Lands Commissioner stationed here. This place is a little below the junction of the Murrumbidgee with the Murray. We had to cross the Murray River here. It was a banker, no boat or punt. The blacks took all our loadings across in canoes and floated our drays across with two empty casks lashed downwards in the centre of the dray – a long rope tied to the hind part of the dray – the rest of the rope coiled up in a canoe. One blackfellow pulls the canoe standing up with a long pole and another blackfellow sitting behind him paying out the rope. As soon as the black starts with the canoe the dray is run backwards into the water. When they reach the opposite bank 20 or 30 blacks get on the end of the rope and float the dray across. We loaded again and made another start leaving the other five teams behind. We travelled up the Murray. All along the Murray here is low stunted box, and a mass of small creeks and billabongs. The water from the river through them makes the roads in a frightful state. Up to your knees half the day in water. After passing through this kind of country for about a week we came on high red banks. There is large swamp here on the river. The Mallee comes on to the top of those red banks. We passed by Beveridge’s station on the banks of the Murray. The cattle on this station are very wild. All the back country is one mass of mallee scrub. From Beveridge’s to Swan Hill is about the same class of country.

We had to keep 4 miles out from Swan Hill to get around Lake Boga Bogie – this is a beautiful little  lake – high banks all around it. The lake appears to be very deep. The owner of this lake cut a trench through the bank so when there would be high floods in the Murray the water would flow through the Mallee.

We leave the Murray here. From Lake Boga we passed Reedy Lake. From here we come onto fine open country. From Reedy Lake we came to the to Loddon River crossing place. There is a bridge across the Loddon and a Public house on the opposite side. The river was flooded when we crossed – two feet of water running over the bridge and 100 yards on each side of the bridge. We got across all safe. Fine plains on this side.

We followed the Loddon up to a station.  From this station to Booth and Argyles^[1] station on the Loddon is 25 miles – all plain. We camped one night on the middle of this plain. The next day we passed Booth & Argyle’s about two miles and camped on a small sandhill, about 2 miles out from the Loddon. When we got up the next morning the country was all covered with water. Some of the the drays were surrounded. We had to take the bullocks out on to higher ground. A man named Harry, I forgot his surname, he had two two bullock teams. He was a partner with a man named Jackson in a station on Lake Victoria. He came up with us on Booth Argyle’s Plain. He camped with us. The next day he and I started for Bendigo on  horseback.

About ten miles on we came on a Public house called Serpentine Inn. From there on to Bullock Creek – seven miles – was one sheet of water. We followed up Bullock Creek to the Public pound, near Campbell’s station, 10 miles from Bendigo. The pound keeper gave us lodgings for the night. We got half a hundredweight of hay for our horses and paid him £2.10.0 for it. The next day we started for Bendigo, passed  through Eaglehawk Gully and on to Long Gully.

We searched all day and late in the evening before we found anyone we knew. We camped all night with one of our friends. We had to pay £1.10.0 per bushel for bran for our horses and glad to get it as there is no other forage to be had at any price. Carriage at this time from Melbourne was £150 per ton. Carriage a week or two before this was flour at £25 per bag and scarce at that. The next day we had a look around the gullys. Any man that would work could make £10 per week with a tin dish only. I met an Adelaide man named Lehmann. He had left Adelaide with some bullock teams about two months before us. I had been informed that when he was leaving Adelaide he took a near side leader of mine. I accused him of taking the bullock. He admitted it and gave me an order to get the bullock at Booth and Argyle’s Station, where he had his bullocks keeping. We stayed at our friend’s again at night. The next morning we started back for our camp. The water on the plains had not lowered much. We had to camp nine days before we could start with the teams. It took us a week to get within three miles of Long Gully. I sold all my flour. It averaged fifteen pounds per bag.

I was minding the camp one day while some of my mates were delivering their flour. My saddle horse was feeding about one hundred yards from the camp. I was keeping a sharp eye on him for fear that someone might take a fancy to him. One I looked up and he was gone. I went to the spot where I saw him feeding. There I found the Hobbles. The horse gone – stolen. It was no use looking for him. At dark, a man came to the camp and asked me if I had lost a horse. I said yes. He told me who had taken the horse and where to find him. Early next morning I went to Long Gully and caught the fellow with the horse. That evening I sold the horse for twenty pounds and lent my saddle to an Adelaide man named Michael Roche. He promised to return it the next morning. I never saw Mick or the saddle since.

After all the flour was sold, I picked 12 bullocks out of my three teams and sold the other two teams for one hundred and fifty pounds each. John O’Brien sold his team. James Holden kept his team. Holden and I started on foot to take our bullocks to Booth and Argyle Station on the Lodden. We carried a blanket each. The first night we camped on Bullock Creek. The next morning I planted my blanket in a hollow log. I could not suffer to carry it any further. That was the time I last saw it. The next night we made the Serpentine Public House. Half a crown a glass for grog. Early the next day we reached booth and Argyles. They charged one shilling per head a week for the bullocks. The next morning we made tracks back. After two days heavy tramping we reached the camp at the head of Eaglehawk Gully. We took a day or two looking round to see where we could get a claim. All the Gullys were pegged out and some of them nearly worked out. The only good place we could see was an old road that Commissioner reserved near the head of Eaglehawk Gully. We were advised by some of our friends to go to the Commissioner and ask him that if we made him another road across the Gully to his satisfaction would he give us the old road. John O’Brien, James Holden, Ned Callaghan and I went into Bendigo. We saw the Commissioner. He agreed to our terms but that we should make up a party of eight to hold the grounds. We promised to make up the number. He promised to meet us in Eaglehawk the next morning and show us where to make the new road. The next morning we met the Commissioner at the place appointed. He marked out the place where the road was to be made and promised to come that day week. We filled up all the old holes and put Cradle Hoperings and sand over them. We made it look very well. We finished in four days. One of us went for the Commissioner. He came out and was well pleased with the road. He took us up to the old road. We four of our friends already there to represent the eight shareholders, the Commissioner pegged out our ground and gave us possession in the presence of 500 diggers, and told us that if any person came to disturb us, to let him know and he would come and remove them. We got a log hut from some party that was leaving. It was close to our claim. We bought Cradle puddling tubs and picks and shovels from them. The deepest ground on our claim was only two feet pure red clay. You could (dig a) a tub full down to shovel full. We washed from top to bottom. When we commenced work, water was very scarce. We had to stack our dirt for about a week. When we had a heavy shower of rain we made a small dam. We commenced to wash. Some tubs went to three ounces. From that down to half ounce. We always could average three ounces a day per man with only two tubs and a cradle. Groceries very high. Sugar one shilling per pound. Tea five shillings, blucher boot two pounds, moleskin trousers one pound ten shillings, a bottle of porter fifteen shillings. One quart bottle of rum two pounds ten shillings, and all other store goods at the same rates.

Most every day we used to have rows with fellows trying to encroach on our ground. Ned Callaghan would have a round with any of them if they fancied themselves, or they would have to leave the ground in quick time. He had a few fights and always came off best man.

We worked for about three months, when all our water ran out. And only half our ground worked. If we had sense enough to stack our dirt  there would be a fortune for us.

John O’Brien and Ned Callaghan started for Adelaide. James Holden and I started for our Bullocks. We left the claim for anyone who liked to take it. I heard since that there was two thousand pounds taken out of our claim, after we left it, by some other parties. It took us two days to walk to Booth and Argyles Station. We got our Bullocks. They were very fat, it took us two days to drive them back to Long Gully.

BENDIGO TO MELBOURNE TO BENDIGO

There was a party at Long Gully that had a bullock dray but no bullocks. They wanted to go to Melbourne. I put six of my bullocks in their dray and one of the party drove them. There were twenty men and women. They all agreed to give us five pounds each for the use of our drays to Melbourne. Each man carried what he had got on Bendigo. I am sure there was not one man of the party carried less than one thousand pounds worth of gold.

As we were passing the Commissioner’s camp, the Storekeeper from the camp hailed me. He told me that if I bought a load of oats in Melbourne, then up to him, he would give me two pounds twelve shillings per bushel for it. I promised to bring the oats if there was any to be had in Melbourne. We passed through Bendigo, and by the Sheep Wash, and on to the 4?? Creek, and from there to the Campaspe River. Four or five of the men walked ahead of the teams, and the same number behind, each man carrying a loaded gun, and some of the men up on the drays, also well armed. We crossed the Campaspe and along the Kilmore Road. We passed Mathieson’s on the head of Mosquito Creek. He was building a Public House. We travelled on and crossed Duck Creek and passed the Mt Ivor Public House. In about eight months after this, there was a great rush here. Three miles further on we passed the Pick and Shovel Public House. From here we passed through a hilly country until we came to Kilmore Township. We went in to a Public House. My passengers ordered dinner. Most all the men got drunk. They nearly had a free fight with a rough mob about the Public House. We started on with the teams and left half the men at the Public House. We camped at the foot of Pretty Sally’s??? Hill. We did not like to go too far ahead of the other fellows we left behind. They were coming to the camp one by one all night. Next morning we passed the Red (Barn?) and passed the Rocky Waterholes and Killamaque??, small township. We camped for the night near Pentridge Stockade.

The next morning we landed in Melbourne. We camped near the old Burial Ground, and took our bullocks out to a paddock three miles on the Deep Creek Road. Next morning I bought one hundred bushels of oats at twelve shillings per bushel. James Holden bought flour. Here another man named Chunky joined in with us. He had a bullock team and a boy to drive it. He loaded for the storekeepers on Bendigo. Next morning we got our bullocks and loaded, and went out to the paddock where we had our bullocks in.

Next day we crossed the Deep Creek at Tulip Wright’s, six miles on we kept the right hand road, passed a Station of Big Clarke’s and from there to the Duck Holes. From there to Beveridges Station, now Lancefield Township. From there we had to go up a steep hill, a spur of Mt Macedon, followed along the top for ten miles, before we went down again. At the foot of the hill is Dr Benton’s Station. From there to the Mia Mia Public House. Good open country here, all trap rock. Duck Creek twelve miles. Mathieson’s seven miles on the Kilmore Road. From there to the crossing place on the Campaspe. This is a very rough place to cross. The bed of the river (is) full of great round boulders. From there to the 4???? Creek. Here we found out a new crossing. We then followed up a small creek to its head. No road. We dropped over onto the white hills. We were the first that ever travelled up this creek with teams. There were two men on the creek. Filmongering now. This is the main road to Melbourne either by Kilmore or Lancefield. We passed the white hills and up to the Commissioner’s Camp.

I delivered my load of oats at the camp and received two pounds twelve shillings per Bushel. Holden sold his Flour at eight pounds per bag. Chunky delivered his load.

BENDIGO TO MELBOURNE AND RETURN.  DANIEL TOOL’S DEATH

I picked up a young man and his wife. I knew them in Adelaide. They agreed to pay me five pounds apiece to take them to Melbourne. That night we camped at the Felmongers on the creek we came up in the morning. The next morning we travelled on towards the Campaspe.

We met Tom Tool on the road. He was going to Bendigo for a doctor for his brother Dan. They had six Bullock teams, carrying on the roads. He could not get his brother any further than the Campaspe crossing place. He got the Dysentery since he left Melbourne. He asked me to camp with him a day or two. We camped close to their camp at the Campaspie. The two Mrs Tooles were at the camp. I went to keep them company awhile. Tom Toole was away. Dan Tool appeared to be failing fast. Tom Tool came back some time in the night with medicine. About  eleven o’clock the next day about Daniel Toole died. Tom Toole would have him buried in Kilmore. I got four of my Bullocks and put them in my dray. We cut a sheet of bark and put a mattress on it and the corpse on it and put it in the dray. And started at three o’clock for Kilmore. The two Mrs Tooles and my two passengers rode in the dray. Tom Tool rode on horseback. James Holden and I drove in turns. We never stopped until we passed the Pick and Shovel Public House. We turned the Bullocks out for about two hours. We boiled the Billy and had some tea. We made another start. Tom Toole started for Kilmore to get the coffin made and the grave dug. The smell from the corpse was something frightful. We reached Kilmore about ten o’clock next morning. We put the corpse in the coffin and buried him in the Kilmore Burying Ground. I left my two passengers in Kilmore. The rest of us came back out of Kilmore six miles and camped on a small creek. The Bullocks very tired. We had some tea. We laid down by the fire. We did not bring any blankets. We did not awake before clear day. The next night we stayed at the McIvor Public House, and the next evening we reached our camp.

The next day my mates and I made another start for Melbourne, passed Mathiesons and took Dr Bentons road. We camped one night near Big Clarkes Station, not far from where Sunbury is now. Big Clarke came down to our camp to see if we would take down three loads of wool to Melbourne. We made all kinds of excuses but he would not be put off. He promised to find ropes and men to assist to load. Before we went to bed we agreed to get up at daylight so that we would have a good start before Big Clark would be up. We had got about five miles when Big Clark pulled us up. He called us everything but gentlemen and swore that he would have to summons us.

We got to Melbourne alright and camped near the Burial Ground and took our Bullocks out to the paddock. I bought onions, rice, pickles and other kinds of groceries that I knew there was a good demand for in the diggings. And we bought between the three of us a cask of bottled ale and one of porter for our own use on the road. James Holden bought a different kind of stuff to mine.  Chunky loaded for the storekeepers. We travelled back the same road that we came down, and sold all in Bendigo at great profits.

I did not drink my share of the ale and porter. I had 3 dozen bottles and sold them for ten shillings per bottle (to) little Paddy Pop that took us down to Melbourne the first time time we left Bendigo for Adelaide. He had three horses and a dray. He always bought grog in Melbourne and brought it up to Bendigo and sold it to the Shanty keepers. This time the police caught him as soon as he landed on the diggings and made Paddy drive his load up to the Commissioners camp. Paddy persuaded the Commissioner that the load of grog was for a publican at Swan Hill and if the Commissioner would let him have one of the draught horses he would ride down to Swan Hill and bring up the publican with him. But instead of going to Swan Hill, Paddy made tracks for Melbourne, and glad of the chance, he saved fifty pounds of a fine and one of his best draught horses.

THIRD BENDIGO MELBOURNE BENDIGO AND DAISY HILL RUSH.

We started for Melbourne again by Dr Bentons road, we got to Melbourne alright. Here we met Paddy again in trouble. The horse he brought down he put in a paddock. He bought another horse and dray and put on a load of grog and when he went to the paddock for his horse he was gone. Stolen. James Holden and I lent Paddy fifty pounds each. That is the last time I saw Paddy. James Holden sold his team of Bullocks and started for Adelaide. I sold eight of my Bullocks. I kept six Bullocks and dray. I bought a general load of goods again. Chunkey loaded for the storekeepers. We started up again and reached Bendigo alright. I sold my load to John Cousins. He used to keep the She Oak Log Public House near Fathers place. I had to deliver my load at his store Mount Korong. I met Tom Lovett in Bendigo. He had six Bullocks and a dray, and another man and his wife with a team. They agreed to meet me at Daisy Hill rush. We were then to travel together to Adelaide. I started to Mount Korong. Chunky and I parted. I never saw him since. I followed Bullock Creek to its junction with the Loddon. I crossed the Loddon and travelled straight out. It took me all day to get to Mount Korong. I delivered my load to John Cousins. There was about 700 diggers on the ground. I bought one hundred and fifty pounds worth of gold. All coarse gold found here. I made a start for Daisy Hill diggings. I felt very lonesome having to travel sixty miles over a cross country route. The companion I had was my old dog Bob to watch for me. These were not safe times to travel alone, especially with much money. A man could be murdered and thrown in an old hole and he never would be missed. I travelled over a low ridgy country, a likely looking country for gold. I passed Norman Simsons Station. There was a great rush here afterwards.

I made from here out onto the road from Bendigo to Daisy Hill. I followed this road to Daisy Hill rush. I posted a few notices on trees along the road telling my mates I was waiting for them on the rush.^[2] I camped close to the Commissioners camp. I thought that would be the safest place for me. I had a look around for my mates but could not hear or see anything of them. There was a great many people here, from the bona fide digger, down to the lowest pickpocket and housebreaker.

I waited all the next day but no tidings of my mates. The next day I went back along the road. I came and posted up some more notices to let them know where I was camped. I was camped there eight days. I made up my mind to give them one day more, and if they did not come, I would sell my team and go down to Ballarat on the coach, and from there to Geelong and by steamer to Adelaide. The next day my mates arrived in time.

DAISY HILL TO ADELAIDE TO SHE OAK LOG

The next day we made a start for Adelaide. I had my meals with Thomas Lovett and his wife. We passed the Four Posts on the Wimmera and followed it down to Horsham. We passed Firebrace’s Station^[3]. We tried to buy some beef or mutton from him, but he told us he would not sell diggers any kind of rations. From there to Hassels station on some very large swamps. Leaving the Wimmera to the left, from here we passed through the swampy sandy country to Mosquito Plains, the boundary of Victoria and South Australia. Public House and store. Fine limestone plains. Here we were advised to follow a new track. It is a short cut that would bring us out at Tilley’s Swamp. We followed this track and found that we had to cross a point of the 90 mile Desert. Any amount of small salt lakes and sand hills. The best water we could get was in native wells, small holes sunk though the soft white Limestone (r…?) three and four feet deep. Any amount of emu and kangaroo. There was a large camp of blacks near the public house. A black fellow died about a week previous to us coming. They had him stretched out on a sheet of bark on the top of a low tree. There was no covering over him. I believe that is the way they bury their dead. From there we came onto the Coorong proper. We had fine sport shooting. There is every description of wild fowl. The blacks caught us a fine lot of mullet out of the Coorong. From here we passed onto Lake Albert, a part of Lake Alexandrina. I shot some wild geese here, the first I ever saw.

From here we followed the lake round to Wellington, the crossing place. From there to Langhorns Bridge. From there to Strathalbyn, a small township. From there to Macclesfield, another small township. From here we had to go up some very rough hills until we reached the top of Mount Barker. We passed where there was a quartz reef at work. From here we had a splendid view of the city of Adelaide and Port Adelaide, the ship and the open sea, and the Gawler Plains as far as the eye could see. The way the road goes, it is about five miles to the foot of the hill. About four miles from there to Adelaide. We stayed at the Black Swan Public House in the city, and gave our bullocks hay.

Next morning we started. We passed Dry Creek and Little Para and on to Smiths Public House on the Gawler Plains and camped. Next morning we passed through Gawler Town on the Gawler River. There were five public houses and as many stores, and Duffield’s flour Mill, and a large Brewery.

Travelled on to She Oak Log – 8 miles to my Father’s place. A German by the name of Jung kept the She Oak Log Public House.

I stayed at home doing nothing for a short time. I then started to work and built a store and went to Adelaide and bought good and stocked it. I kept the store for about 6 months. I then made up my mind to go to Sydney to see my relations and then buy a mob of horses and bring them overland to Adelaide. I left the store to my mother to manage

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To go to Part Three 1863 – 1860, click here.

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