Australian heroes and adventurers . made by Hargraves, and advised theGovernment to engage the pioneer to carry out theirmeasures, because the experience and knowledge inmining matters which he had acquired in Californiawould make him specially valuable at the time of theopening up of fresh diggings. Before the end of May, one thousand men were onthe spot selected by Hargraves, and the extent andrich productiveness of the gold-fields had become sowidely known that hundreds flocked daily out ofSydney. The Government, after some vain effortsto check this rush, wisely desisted from the attempt,an
Australian heroes and adventurers . made by Hargraves, and advised theGovernment to engage the pioneer to carry out theirmeasures, because the experience and knowledge inmining matters which he had acquired in Californiawould make him specially valuable at the time of theopening up of fresh diggings. Before the end of May, one thousand men were onthe spot selected by Hargraves, and the extent andrich productiveness of the gold-fields had become sowidely known that hundreds flocked daily out ofSydney. The Government, after some vain effortsto check this rush, wisely desisted from the attempt,and proceeded to establish regulations to preservegood order at the diggings. They issued licenses,without which it was illegal to dig or search for gold,and also enforced, with the aid of a body of foot andmounted police, obedience to the laws. Hargraves was appointed a Commissioner ofCrown Lands for the purpose of searching, on behalfof the Government, for further fields of employmentfor gold-diggers. In addition to his salary as I. A liusii FiUE. 1 The Aboriginal Discoverer. jy Commissioner, he was at once rewarded ^500 for hisvaluable discoveries ; and subsequently, when themagnitude of their importance had become moregenerally realised, this amount was increased bygrants from the New South Wales and VictorianGovernments, and by testimonials from the citizensof Sydney and Melbourne, to the handsome extent of ;£l5,000. Edward Hammond Hargraves was presented tothe Queen in 1853 ^s the Australian gold liberal rewards and honours bestowed upon himare but au infinitesimal portion of the wealth andfame which have accrued to the colonists throughhis discovery. And it is mainly owing to thethoughtfulness, cleverness, and enterprising perse-verance of Hargraves, that in an extremely shortperiod Australia has taken an advanced positionamong the nations of the world. THE ABORIGINAL DISCOVERER. The excitement which Hargraves revelations hadraised abated a little early in
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