
A returned traveler spins a lively account of life on the Australian goldfields, where endless stretches of red earth hide both glittering riches and hidden dangers. He paints the outback with its bounding kangaroos, rugged bushrangers camped around crackling fires, and the rough‑and‑ready convicts who swarmed the mining camps. The narrative captures the excitement of a hopeful prospectors’ rush, the strain of long voyages, and the first breath of a new world that promises fortune and adventure.
With a wit sharpened by evenings spent sharing wine, cigars, and jokes, the narrator reflects on the fickle nature of friendship and the sudden pull of wealth. He decides to set his stories down for those who once gathered around his table, offering listeners a candid glimpse into the hardships, humor, and camaraderie that defined his quest. Expect a vivid, personable portrait of a bygone era, told with the charm of someone who truly lived the legend.
Language
en
Duration
~28 hours (1629K characters)
Publisher of text edition
Project Gutenberg
Release date
2005-06-13
Rights
Public domain in the USA.
1824–1895
Sea voyages, gold-rush settings, and Civil War intrigue run through these lively nineteenth-century adventures. Drawn from a life that included time at sea and years in California, the stories bring travel and danger close to the page.
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