The diary begins on 8 July 1855 and ends at noon on 1 January 1856. While the diarist’s identity is unknown, his entries suggest that he came from Scotland, lured by gold fever to the goldfields of Ballarat. His diary entries are extremely meticulous, covering the weather, living conditions, money matters, diet, domestic life, injuries and occasional adventures…
Monday 30 July
[Dr Doyle] sat down by the parlour fire and made me strip, where up he sounded my bones and told me that although they were good yet they were exceedingly delicate and that Ballarat Gold Field, with the wet work and night work, was not at all fitted for me and the sooner I cut my acquaintance with the Diggings the better for me.
Friday 10 August
[Joe] also tells us that while the Bengal Tiger kept at the Montezuma was being taken along on a cart in a strong box (the wood thereof being 2 inches thick) the cart capsized and the box split in two pieces and out sprang the Bengal gent… The tiger sprang into the store and went through the shop into the kitchen where it found a leg of mutton which it seized and commenced devouring it. The store keeper was behind the counter at the time and vanished into a box… All the stores about were shut and people on the tops of buildings round about to see the sport. He is allowed to be the largest sized tiger ever exhibited and he certainly looked a noble but savage animal in the cage.
Saturday 18 August
Turned out about 7 o’clock. Kindled fire and cooked breakfast and cleaned up the tent. Roused Harry, who had breakfast and left for work. It was a vicious, cold, bleak morning… Dick Lyn gave us a call tonight and I went over the length of the Old Post Office Hotel and got a bottle of ginger brandy. Had a narrow escape from tumbling down a hole on the Quartz Reef, 40 ft…. A little rain tonight and will have more before morning.
Thursday 20 September
I was making pegs and … I struck the fore finger of my left hand with the tomohawk and cut it into the bone at the middle joint very nigh carrying it away. I immediately caught hold of it and closed the cut, but the blood squirted out… I am afraid it will fester by its palpitating tonight.
Monday 5 November
…After concert went into dancing room and had a dance. Met Harry Seak there and he and I had a Polka. John went home with Harry Seak, and I retd. To tent and slept in same stretcher with Joe. The weather today has been very agreeable. A man fell down a hole on Eureka today and was killed.
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