a with the mail. Mr. Griffith here made the
acquaintance of Schofield, who was managing a store near Stack's for
Charlie Rowe. Stack's house was not an inviting place, so the two
Ministers spent the evening in Schofield's quarters. The latter was
shortly afterwards appointed as Government agent on board the "Hopeful."
The history of this vessel is well-known in the Law Courts of
Queensland. Messrs. Griffith and Dickson were treated to a wine party in
Winton. There was but little enthusiasm shown at the meeting, the
majority of those present being strong McIlwraithians.

Mr. Fraser, the managing partner of Messrs. Baillie, Fraser and Donald,
of Manuka Station, had been in the army, and had served through the
Indian Mutiny. He was highly respected by all, but was not popular
excepting among those with whom he was intimate. They knew him to be
very hospitable and kind, and a thorough gentleman. He came of a high
Scottish family, and was proud that one of his ancestral relations had
his head cut off for loyalty to his King. I remember being a silent
listener to the relation of some happenings which at one time or other
occurred in Ireland. The postmaster was a man who, rather young in
years, appeared to have had some experiences. He was telling Fraser of
the ill-feeling which was existent between two British regiments in a
town somewhere in Ireland, while he was there. One was the 65th, an
English, and the other the 89th, an Irish regiment. It seems that the
latter had been formed from the North Cork militia, which, I understand,
bore an unenviable reputation from their conduct during the rebellion in
1798. The townspeople had a long memory of this, and in the disturbance
amongst the soldiers, supported the English regiment against their own
countrymen. Fraser listened to it all, and then said, "By jove, wasn't
it bitter; I was captain of a company of the 89th, and some of my men
were badly knocked about." I thought it made the world very small to
hear such incidents being related in the far west of Queensland.

Now that we had two banks, four hotels, a chemist, saddler, besides
other branches of industry, we felt that we were being drawn perilously
within the influences of civilisation and its drawbacks.

[Illustration: SIR THOMAS McILWRAITH]

The manager of one of the banks, who was deservedly popular owing to his
genial character, the kind way in which he could refuse one an
overdraft, and then suggest quite friendly