f wood with holes bored in it
against another piece, quickly producing sparks, which easily ignited
a piece of paper, and left a certain amount of black powder.

At 12.30 I went with Mr. Riches to the Treasury to see the nuggets
which had been collected by the Local Government to be shown at the
Exhibition. Some of them were fine specimens, especially the last
great find at Teetulpa--a solid alluvial lump of gold. There was also
a splendid piece of gold quartz, brought in only yesterday from Mount
Pleasant. We next visited the post-office, and were shown all over
that establishment by Mr. Todd, the Postmaster-General. There I saw
for the first time the working of a large telephone exchange, where at
least half a dozen ladies sat with their mouth and ears alternately
applied to the instruments, either to speak or to listen. The
telegraph-room was also interesting. Only a few years ago the
telegraph service cost per week some seven or eight pounds, whereas
now the expenditure amounts to twice as many thousands. Mr. Todd had
himself been with the expedition to establish the great European
telegraph line that runs right through Southern, Central, and Northern
Australia to Port Darwin. He told us an amusing story of the natives'
notion of the work they were engaged on: 'What big fool white man is,
putting up fence! cat will run underneath.' Mr. Todd is a great
electrician, as well as a talented meteorologist, and his tables of
winds and probable weather, to be seen in the central hall of the
post-office, must be of great value to shipowners.

On our way to the station we called in at the Lower House, and heard
Mr. Playford make his speech on the no-confidence vote. From the Lower
we went to the Upper House, where another gentleman was advocating, as
strongly as Mr. Playford has been denouncing, the Government loans.

[Illustration: On the Murray River]

Many friends met us at the station, including the Mayor, the Speaker,
the Chief Justice, and several others. Two carriages had been reserved
for us in the Melbourne Express. The railroad climbs up the same hills
among which we have taken so many pleasant drives during our stay
here. The views of Mount Lofty and Mount Barker from the carriage
window were lovely, and I was quite sorry when darkness prevented me
from seeing any more of the landscape.

We arrived at Murray Bridge soon after six, and were met by Tab and
Mr. Reid, and all walked up to a snug hotel. The beds we