In the book, the author described himself on his outset for the colonies as 'a fortuneless young man without a trade'. He landed in Australia early in 1852 with ten thousand of gold-seekers to the colonies during the roaring 1850s. This fascimile edition was illustrated with forty-eight magnificent engravings from authentic sketches taken in the colony. These engravings made by W. A. Nicholls from his own goldfields observations.