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MCIVOR DIGGINGS.
(From Our Own Correspondent.)
The road -- On the Saturday we started from Melbourne, there had been four days' fine weather; which circumstances had rendered the roads somewhat more passable for the various conveyances, from the ponderous bullock-team to the light spring-cart, en route to the diggings. Understanding that the best road to McIvor diggings was by the Broadmeadows, we proceeded out of town by way of Flemington. On reaching the Lincolnshire Arms Inn, about five or six miles from Melbourne, we took the left-hand road leading to the Lady of the Lake Inn, situated about ten miles from town. On approaching that inn the road to the Broadmeadows branches off to the right. This road, in some parts, is very good; but in places, here and there, some fearfully deep ruts exist, through which our light cart proceeded with much difficulty. Presently we passed the prettily-situated village of Broadmeadows immediately beyond is a steep pinch, which, owing to the late rains having made the road very slippery, occasioned our horses, and others that were -in company, much trouble in ascending. At this spot, I was in the act of "scotching" the wheel of the cart, for our horses to rest a while in ascending the steep, when the wheel caught my fingers; by a sudden jerk I got my hand away, but found the weight of the wheel on the middle finger, had caused me the loss of the nail thereon, though I felt no pain at the instant. We now proceeded along a pretty good road, fenced mostly on each side, with here and there a stiff rut to get through. Night coming on, we camped for the first night among some excellent feed, about twenty miles from town. During the evening, a steady fall of rain commenced, which, to our great sorrow, continued almost without intermission for three days. Next day, we passed along a succession of hill and plain, but owing to the very bad state of the roads, we only reached the foot of Pretty Sally's Hill (approx. 25 miles) by our second evening. Next day we had much difficulty in getting over this very steep hill, for the horses could scarcely hold their footing in ascending the same. Here the road gradually descends towards the township of Kilmore All along we passed a great many teams, camped along the side of the road, unable to proceed. When within two miles from Kilmore, leaving the main road, we took a new track to' the left, for we were told that to go through Kilmore was almost an impossibility with a cart. We passed a number of small farms lying to the right of Kumore through a fearful bad road; and, finding our horses very much exhausted, camped for the third evening. Next morning, proceeding through some fences, we passed Mr. Clark's station. Here, to our great joy, we found the road was more hard and firm, the country passing from the black soft soil, through which we had passed with much difficulty, into a red clayey soil. [36] The road we found now passed along the foot of a series of ranges, and in about fifteen miles from Kilmore, we arrived at Moilison's station, very pleasantly situated on a rising eminence to our left. We found, on inquiry at the eating house located at this spot, that the distance to the McIvor diggings was twenty miles. Passing Mollison's station, the road proceeds through a fine open country, covered on all sides with great granite boulders, and resembling in appearance very much the approach to the entrance of the Bendigo district. Four miles from Mollison's station we camped for the fourth evening. Next morning we found the road gradually entered a series of high ranges on both sides, until we arrived at the Pick and Shovel Inn, which is ten miles from the McIvor diggings. In five miles more we passed the McIvor Inn, and towards evening, we concluded our five days' trip, by camping outside the diggings.
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