Mystery at Ghost Mine - Episode 3
The story so far
The detectives have learned that in 1865 during the American Civil War, the Confederate ship the “Shenandoah” visited Melbourne for repairs and supplies. Disillusioned gold miners from Ballarat in the state of Victoria, defied the British Government and sailed with the ship to join the Confederate army.
Some of these men may have been criminals. While the “Shenandoah” was in port, Aboriginal bones and artifacts were stolen from a British Archaeological Expedition and a gold nugget disappeared from the Melbourne assayer’s office. There was money to be made in America from Aboriginal relics and the nugget could be melted down.
Megan, Brad, Linda and Ben have decided to take their investigation to the US. They’ve pooled their savings and found cheap airfares on the Internet. They plan to stay with Megan’s cousin Laura and Aunt Jean in California. They live near Barstow in the Mojave Desert, at MacKenzie Wells – a historic town that was founded by Laura’s great grandfather, Jeremiah.
The detectives want to check out the place where Laura found Jeremiah’s letter and the artifacts he hid in an old tin box. They’ve promised Aboriginal elder Mowaljarlai to do all that they can to return the Aboriginal remains, so that the spirits of the dead can be at peace in their own ground.
Megan calls Laura to see if they can stay at her house while they’re in the US.
Case Notes info:
The Gold Rush (Australia and USA)
The story of the miners at the Eureka Stockade
