estigating that
plough, in fact on trying it himself, and it was with difficulty he was
persuaded to return to the coach, and continue the drive home. We
believe the credit for this latter achievement is due to The Delineator,
who, with tact worthy of a diplomat, suggested that if an early return
to the ploughing were made next morning, photos could be obtained of the
machine and its work. This bait was successful, and The Instigator was
gently enticed away with promises of "to-morrow."

[Illustration: _Disc-Plough at Work._]

[Illustration: _Roadmaker and Railroad Builder_.]

After everyone was assured that everyone else was safe, The Instigator
came back from his Elysium, dreamily to finish the quotation of The
Delineator and The Wild Man with "Said Gilpin, So am I," and we all sat
down to dinner, during which meal much merriment was caused by a
difference of opinion between The Saint and her host on "dogs and
species of dogs." Our enemies, the mosquitoes, were not so virulent as
usual to-night, perhaps owing to the eucalyptus trees which are growing
near the house; anyhow the party could venture to sit out after dinner
on the verandah, which was already covered with beds for the
accommodation of some of the party. Thus, with an audience seated on
chairs and beds, The Instigator talked of the plough and of its
marvellous work in opening up hitherto unused tracts of land. Want of
labour has retarded development considerably, and until quite recently
the northern camps were very much handicapped by the lack of labourers,
and of men with brains to guide the labour. Not only was there a
deficiency of men, but often so many of the working bullocks were
drafted off to the forests for timber haulage, that it left a sparseness
of them for agricultural purposes. The remedy, however, presented itself
by the utilisation of the traction engine. The breaking-up of fresh
lands has always been the trouble facing the colonist.

In dry weather it is almost impossible to get the plough, drawn by horse
or bullock, into the ground, and the drought so punishes the working
animals that often when rain comes they are too weak for their work, and
the colonist is unable to take the best advantage of the season, but
mechanical ploughing obviates all this, and gives him the virgin land in
such a condition that with the means at hand he is able to cultivate an
area sufficiently large to ensure him success.

As we sat thus on the verandah in