head in its stomach), a nest of crucibles, a
nest of frying-pans fitting into one another,
several tin pots and mugs, a water-can, two
iron buckets, a milk-yoke, a carpenter's
basket full of tools (emptied out and packed
separately, but only with a slight wisp of
hay here and there), a box of gold scales and
weights, a tent lanthorn, a watchman's rattle,
a light folding-chair, three small paint-pots,
(and paint, in powder, inside them), paint-brushes,
a dog-chain, a cutlass, and several
lighter articles laid on the top. Scarcely any
straw or hay, since the heavy articles were at
the bottom; but over all was now strewn
dried oats, poured out of a sack, which ran
down, and filled up all interstices; and a
second sack was emptied before the oats rose
to a level surface, so as to give the appearance
of a cart full of oats. Was informed by
one of the by-standers that dried oats were
only four shillings a bushel in England, but
five-and-twenty shillings a bushel in
Melbourne; the advantage of using them for
packing things close and steady, instead of
hay and straw, was pretty obvious. The foreman
then proceeded to lay thick deal boards
over top of cart, and screw them strongly
down to sides. When he came to lay down
the third board, what was my surprise to
see painted in large black letters—"Mr. John
Arrowsmith, Ship Rodneyrig, Port Phillip."

Returned home to dinner, more than ever
dirty and fagged. Capital day's work; high
spirits, drank best part of a bottle of sherry,
and fell asleep in arm-chair. Awoke after
dreaming of sacks of charcoal, and being very
busy in polishing great silver saucepan in
pantomime, but knowing all the time it
was only tin. Had tea—went to the
Haymarket at half-price with Garner and
Stikenam—oyster-rooms—home very late.
This will never do at Diggings.

June 8th. Wrote to Arrowsmith, thanking
him, and saying I believed I should be ready
by the 11th., and was very anxious to have
everything on board at the Docks, to save
expense.

About to go out, stopped by the entrance
of Mr. Ironsides, my tailor, who said, in his
small tremulous voice, that he had heard I
was going out of the country a long way off,
and his bill, had been owing six months
nearly, and hoped I would settle it before
I left. Hesitated a minute, and then said,
with a cold air, "Certainly." It was not
much—but confound him! I went on brushing
hat. As he waited, and waited, and
rubbed his fingers slowly together, with a
very grave unpleasant expression, not going
when I wished him good morning, was
obliged to retire into my bed-room, and get
the money at once to be rid of him.

Went by rail to Blackwall to visit
Rodneyrig. Wharf crowded with all sorts of
people and packages. Numbers of boxes and
cases and bales all got out alongside ready to
be taken in first. Waggon-loads of old wood-staves,
sticks, hoops, stumps, and bamboo
poles, and fragments heaped up, and being
hoisted in bundles and thrown into the ship's
hold. Heard this called ''dunnage"—litter
to lay the cargo upon, and keep it dry, by
raising it above the bilge water floating
about in the hold. Most proper arrangement.

June 10th.—Arrived at Dock gate, coming
through Poplar. How shall I speak of the
scene there—in the warehouse—outside the
warehouse—and alongside of the ship. First
of all, to get through the gate with my cab.
Five cabs and taxed carts before me, four
loaded vans, six carts, two trucks, a very large
gardener's wheelbarrow full of things, and a
hackney coach with things sticking out of
each of the windows. Who should I see
loitering about but Isaac Waits, who
shouted out "Can I be of any help?" I
assured him he could be of the greatest, if
he would assist me in persuading or
compelling some one or other of the porters to
carry my things from the cab to the cabin.
We were stopped at the top of the ladder
down to the intermediate deck, by one of
the clerks of Saltash and Pincher, who
carefully measured the mattress bundle with a
foot rule. When I advanced he applied his
rule to my brown-paper parcel, and looked
hard at the swimming belt. We deposited
the things in the cabin. A carpenter then
stepped forward, and presented a bill for three
pounds five shillings for the two berths and a
shelf, saying that a padlock and staple would
be half-a-crown extra. I looked at Waits,
and Waits looked at me. " Is this right?"
said I.—" No," said Isaac; " they ought to
have found us the wood-work of the berths,
especially after what you have paid extra."
—"You'll pay me, gentlemen, if you please,"
said the carpenter; "and then you can get
it back from Mr. Saltash or Mr. Pincher, you
know, if it's not correct."—"Of course," said
Isaac, " but I shan't pay it."—"Very good,
sir," said the carpenter, "then I shall pull it
all down;"—and he gave my berth a blow
underneath with his hammer, which instantly
made one of the planks start up on end.
"Stop, you fellow!" said I. "It's too late
now to have any of these disputes. Let us
pay him, Waits; you see all my things
are coming down." Isaac shrugged his
shoulders, and said "Very well." While we
were getting out the money, the carpenter
hammered down the plank in my berth with
one or two taps. "Have a padlock and
staple?" said he, as he chucked our money
into a tin pot in his tool-basket. " Yes," said
I.—" Half-a-crown," said he; " padlocks are
always paid for before-hand—and so should
berths be, by good rights. It 'ud perwent a deal
o' bother." Every small article we had was
measured by the clerk, though they were
evidently for use in the cabin. I repeat the
fact;—a parcel of books was measured—three
pounds of candles were measured—a bottle of