Whitney's attention to
it. "Here are Coolongolook and Coonabarabran," said Harry, "and next
come Clarkeville and Smithville. Here are Cootramundra and Illawarra and
Murrumbidgee close by Orange and Richmond. Here are Curabubula and
Waggawagga, with Warwrick and Union Camp. I could go on indefinitely
with those names, and it seems to me that the aboriginal ones are about
as numerous as those of British origin. They are picturesque and perhaps
interesting, but they are very difficult to pronounce."

"Isn't it possible that you will find the same state of things at
home?" queried Dr. Whitney.

"Quite possible; I have never thought of that. Let me see."

"Why, certainly," said Ned. "Go to Maine and New Hampshire and run over
some of the Indian names of lakes, rivers, mountains, and towns in those
States. Think of Kennebec and Penobscot, Winnipesaukee, Pemigewasset,
Passaconaway, and a good many others that I could name. I think it is an
excellent policy to preserve these old names and not let them die out.
Piscataqua is a much prettier name for a river than Johnston or
Stiggins, and Monadnock sounds better as the name of a mountain than
Pike's Peak or Terry's Cliff. The more the native names are preserved,
the better I like it."

"I agree with you," replied Harry; "but I wish they would make the
orthography of those native names a little easier. That's the only fault
I have to find with them."

The region through which our friends traveled was devoted to
agricultural and pastoral pursuits, as the numerous flocks of sheep,
herds of cattle, and fields of grain that they saw gave evidence. They
were told that it was also rich in minerals,--the few surveys that had
been made resulting in discoveries of gold, tin, silver, antimony, and
other metals. Some of the passengers whom they met on the train were
under the impression that Dr. Whitney was looking for a place in which
to invest money, and they were very anxious that he should stop and
investigate their promising properties. Several fine specimens of
gold-bearing quartz rock were exhibited, and the fortunate owners of
these specimens said that the ground was covered with them in the
locality where they were obtained. Dr. Whitney politely declined to
delay his journey, and assured his zealous acquaintances that he was not
looking for any new investments.

When our friends were out of earshot of the would-be speculators, Dr.
Whitney said that their statement reminded h