foot
alligator, which was also out prospecting, but which, fortunately, had
not thought of investigating the "meat safe."

PURIFYING WATER

There is not a more fertile disease distributor, particularly in a new
country, than water. The uninitiated generally take it for granted that
so long as water looks clear it is necessarily pure and wholesome; as
a matter of fact the contrary is more usually the case, except in very
well watered countries, and such, as a rule, are not those in which gold
is most plentifully got by the average prospector. I have seen foolish
fellows, who were parched with a long tramp, drink water in quantity in
which living organisms could be seen with the naked eye, without taking
even the ordinary precaution of straining it through a piece of linen.
If they contracted hydatids, typhoid fever, or other ailments, which
thin our mining camps of the strong, lusty, careless youths, who could
wonder?

The best of all means of purifying water from organic substances is to
boil it. If it be very bad, add carbon in the form of the charcoal from
your camp fire. If it be thick, you may, with advantage, add a little of
the ash also.

I once rode forty-five miles with nearly beaten horses to a native
well, or rock hole, to find water, the next stage being over fifty miles
further. The well was found, but the water in it was very bad; for in
it was the body of a dead kangaroo which had apparently been there for
weeks. The wretched horses, half frantic with thirst, did manage to
drink a few mouthfuls, but we could not. I filled our largest billycan,
holding about a gallon, slung it over the fire and added, as the wood
burnt down, charcoal, till the top was covered to a depth of two
inches. With the charcoal there was, of course, a little ash containing
bi-carbonate of potassium. The effect was marvellous. So soon as the
horrible soup came to the boil, the impurities coagulated, and after
keeping it at boiling temperature for about half an hour, it was removed
from the fire, the cinders skimmed out, and the water allowed to settle,
which it did very quickly. It was then decanted off into an ordinary
prospector's pan, and some used to make tea (the flavour of which can be
better imagined than described); the remainder was allowed to stand
all night, a few pieces of charcoal being added. In the morning it was
bright, clear, and absolutely sweet. This experience is worth knowing
as many a bad attack of typhoid