mmy's failing
courage with a "hush" and a promise to take him right through to
Adelaide. Mr. Forrest's courage never failed him on the way, nor had they
any reason to believe that the courage of any member of his party had
really failed in the face of the terrible difficulties they had
encountered, and, by God's help, surmounted. (Applause.) They all had
read of the Olympic games of the ancient Greeks, and the kindred sports
indulged in by the Romans of old. Their athletic contests being conducted
in the presence of immense crowds of spectators naturally stimulated the
athletes to distinguish themselves; the applause of their fellow-citizens
urged them on to strive with might and main to win the crown of laurel or
ivy leaves with which the brow of the victor was decked. He well
remembered an incident recorded in Grecian history, where two brothers
had been engaged in an athletic contest and been victorious. When they
came forth to receive the crown which rewarded their victory, their aged
father--who himself, in his younger days, had been an athlete--was
present, and the sons placed their crown on his venerable head. He was
sorry that the father of the young heroes whom they were then
entertaining was not present to witness the reward freely bestowed upon
his sons by their fellow-countrymen. (Cheers.) Our South Australian
neighbours, in their magnificent reception of Mr. Forrest and his party,
had given us a good example of how to appreciate and reward noble deeds,
and it must be pleasing to every Western Australian to reflect on the
cordiality of that reception. (Applause.) He thought the colony would be
neglecting its duty if it did not, as one man, recognize the extreme
kindness which had been shown our gallant explorers by the people and by
the Government of our sister colony--South Australia. (Cheers.) It was a
pleasing trait in Mr. Forrest's character that he had not been at all
spoilt by the enthusiastic and really splendid ovation he and his party
had received at the hands of our southern neighbours; nothing could be
more admirable than his unaffected modesty and unassuming deportment in
the face of such a reception. The life of a lion did not spoil their
young hero, nor, as the Inquirer had said that morning, did he think it
would suit him long; for however tempting it might be to some people to
live upon laurels well earned, such men as Mr. Forrest had no difficulty
in overcoming the temptation to ease and repos