The Diggers New Year Song describes how a group of miners toiled without success until late in the Old Year and having at last struck gold were determined that all around them would join in celebrating the advent of the New Year and the good luck they were sure lay ahead:-
Come pass the glasses round, my boys.
The Old Years waning fast;
Let’s make the best of present joys,
We’ve struck the gold at last!
We fear no more dark days of toil,
Like those through which we’ve passed.
Hard times that tried our hopes to foil-
We’ve struck the gold at last
We dug and drilled, for many days,
Through stone without a seam;
Our shots went off with sullen blaze
That left no golden gleam.
The year was one of banished joys,
But now our troubles past;
Hip, hip. Hurrah! Hurrah! my boys-
We’ve struck the gold at last!
Go, call in all our friends around,
Sing out down every shaft,
Let mirth and joy with all abound,
The sparkling cup be quaffed;
The Old Years gone with all bad luck,
The new will sunshine cast;
Our tedious toil is all repaid-
We’ve struck the gold at last!
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