g to us novices extremely difficult to detect, we sat
down quietly to enjoy the view and try to realise the truth of the
wonderful stories we had been hearing, which seemed more fit to
furnish material for a fresh chapter of the 'Arabian Nights,' or to be
embodied in an appendix to 'King Solomon's Mines,' than to figure in
a business report in this prosaic nineteenth century. Mabelle and I
returned slowly to the hotel, which we found clean and comfortable.
While I was lying on the sofa, waiting for the others to arrive, a
regular 'smash-up' took place outside. Five horses yoked in a
timber-waggon (two and two abreast and one leading) were going down a
steep bank into the creek below, when the timber suddenly lifted and
came on the backs of the wheelers. The animals began kicking
violently, getting their legs among the timber; it was extremely
difficult to extricate them even with the help of a dozen powerful and
willing hands, though everyone near ran to the assistance of the
bewildered teamster, who seemed quite unable to cope with the
emergency.

Presently an old man--a most picturesque individual--passed slowly by,
surrounded by quite a pack of hounds, including lurchers, retrievers,
and even curs, as well as some very good-looking, well-bred greyhounds
and kangaroo-hounds. On inquiry I found that his business was to
patrol the place all night, and prevent intruders coming to take away
samples of Mount Morgan ore. The dogs are said to know their business
thoroughly, and contrive to be a terror to the neighbourhood without
seriously hurting anybody.

Australian up-country hotels are certainly not meant for rest. They
are always either built of corrugated iron, which conveys every sound,
or of wood, which is equally resonant. As a rule the partitions of the
rooms do not reach to the top of the roof, so that the least noise can
be heard from end to end of the building. There is always a door at
one extremity, sometimes at both, besides a wide verandah, up and down
which people stroll or lounge at pleasure. Every landlady appears to
have half-a-dozen small children, who add their contribution to the
day's noises in the shape of cries and shouts for 'mammy,' who, poor
soul, is far too busy to attend to them herself or to spare anyone
else to do so.

_Tuesday, August 2nd._--The crushing-mills and the machinery have to
be kept working all night, for of course the furnaces are never let
out; and before daybreak all the n