Testament, on Howe's system, only costs
sixteen. They are evidently in favour of
this system, as it can be read by ordinary
persons as well as by the Blind, and as it is
very compact and economical. They say
"this harmony of action, together with the
uniformity of the typography, presents so
many obvious advantages, that the Jury
cannot but wish a similar system was pursued
by the Institutions of Great Britain and the
Continent of Europe." The Jury—while
lauding, as they ought to be lauded, the
untiring exertions of the late Mr. Alston—
express a regret that he should have
devoted so much enterprise and money in
producing the Scriptures, when he might have
ascertained that they had already been
printed, and could have been bought at less
money than it would cost him to print them.
The main difference between the Glasgow
and the Boston alphabets is, that one is in
the 'upper' and the other in the 'lower-
case,' which diiference is certainly not of
sufficient consequence to demand two editions."

But it is not to advocate any one particular
system that these few paragraphs are written.
We venture on no opinion, further than this
—that uniformity of alphabet is desirable.
We have heard much of congresses lately—
Peace Congresses, and so forth. Might there
not be a Congress of Teachers of the Blind?
Might not delegates candidly discuss all the
pros and cons of every system, determine
which has most advantages and fewest
delects, and decide on its general adoption?
And if this were done, would not the sightless
unfortunates be benefited, and would not the
contributions of the benevolent be better laid
out ?

CHIPS
DIGGING SAILORS

Two sailors ran away from a ship the day
after it anchored off Port Phillip, and started
for the Diggings. They had no idea which
Diggings to go to, but thought if they once got
well out into the bush they would find some
place or other where they could dig, and get
gold.

They had eighteenpence between them.
After a brief consultation as to the things
they needed for their indefinite journey, and
how far this sum would go towards what was
necessary, they settled the difficulty by
purchasing a bottle of ale, which just came to the
money.

After roving about in the bush for some
time—getting a bit of bread or meat and some
tea from one drayman and digging party or
the other, as they chanced to fall in with
them —they eventually made their way to
Geelong. Here they got a little job at
haymaking from a squatter on the outskirts.
The hay in a country which has so little grass
worthy of the name (for the sun scorches it
up in no time), was worthy of note, even by
sailors. They found it to be a mixture of
wheat, oats, and barley, which had been flung
about at random; and was mowed down
and raked up, and carted off like hay. The
squatter was so much pleased with the goodwill,
vigour, and humorous adroitness of the
sailors—unused as they were to any work of
that sort—that he gave them an outfit—pick,
shovel, tin gold-washer, frying-pan and blankets
—and sent them up to the Ballarat
Diggings.

A month or two elapsed. The sailors had
been successful; and on their way to Geelong
to sell their gold and spend the money, they
called on the squatter; and, with many jovial
thanks, offered him a twenty-pound note in
repayment of their outfit. The squatter told
them he was in no want of money; but, if they
were disposed to do him a good turn, he very
much wanted some wooden building to be
done on his station, and, as they were chaps
who could turn their hands to anything in a
rough way, he should like to keep them with
him for a week or two. The sailors had set
their hearts upon getting drunk every day in
Geelong, and proposed to come back in a
week or ten days, and do the timber-rig after
they had spent their money—some hundred
and thirty pounds. The squatter, however,
by dint of a prompt production of grog and
good fare, persuaded them to remain for the
night, and next day he got them to work.
They stayed a fortnight with the squatter,
and did all he wanted. He paid them
handsomely, and advised them not to go to
Geelong, but to send their money to the bank,
and return to the Ballarat Diggings. The
regular work and living had had a good
influence, and the sailors, for the first time in
their lives, opened their eyes to a conception
of common sense—they felt themselves to have
suddenly become uncommonly wise fellows.

They returned to the Diggings, were again
successful; and, at the end of three months
again made their appearance at the squatter's
station, mounted on fine horses. They
showed him gold and notes to the value of
three hundred and sixty pounds. To avoid
being robbed, if overtaken and knocked
down by bushrangers, they had sewed the
gold in the inside of their horses' saddle-
cloths, and the notes were enfolded round a
forefinger, which was covered with a bloody
rag, and a very bad finger it certainly seemed
to be.

Our digging sailors, by dint of all this
steady work, and the degree of self-government,
perseverance, and prudence requisite
to success, did not now talk of squandering
their earnings; but asked the squatter's
advice. In pursuance of this they went to
Melbourne. Here they started a marine
store, and made large profits; but shortly
afterwards they sold the concern very
advantageously, and set off to Liardet's Beach,
where so many passengers now land in order